North Bay Business Journal

SANTA ROSA — Commercial airline passenger volume at Charles M. Schulz–Sonoma County Airport rose 1.9 percent in April from a year before, according to the airport’s monthly report of passenger volume for its commercial carrier, Horizon Air.

SANTA ROSA — A real-time bus arrival notification system is among a number of upgrades expected to be implemented for Sonoma County Transit this year, according to the agency’s short-range transit plan approved by the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors.

SANTA ROSA — Commercial airline passenger volume at Charles M. Schulz–Sonoma County Airport rose 4.2 percent in March from a year before, according to figures released today.

Farhad Mansourian is general manager of Sonoma Marin Area Rail Transit, more commonly known as SMART. The commuter rail project is currently under construction, expected to begin service with a segment between Santa Rosa and San Rafael in Late 2015 or early 2016.

Charles Schwab, a provider of full-service brokerage services, announced the opening of a new independent branch in Novato. …

Marin Energy Authority, the first community choice aggregation program in California and electricity supplier of choice to Marin County and Richmond residents, will deploy the P-ECOSYS consumer-engagement platform by San Francisco-based PlanetEcosystems. …

Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom is set to be the speaker for 86th annual commencement for the class of 2013 at College of Marin. …

Marin Energy Authority, the first community choice aggregation program in California and electricity supplier of choice to Marin County and Richmond residents, will deploy the P-ECOSYS consumer-engagement platform by San Francisco-based PlanetEcosystems. …

County of Marin can now fully fund retiree health benefits just like it does employee pensions by ensuring that funds are set aside for unfunded liabilities as well as current costs. …

Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) announced that all new Agilent electronic test instruments sold after will be covered by a “bumper-to-bumper” three-year repair warranty. …

Meadowcroft Wines’ Thomas Henry brand received a World-Class Design award from HOW magazine in its 2013 International Design Awards issue. …

Vineyard & Winery Management and The Press Democrat are launching the North Coast Wine Challenge. …

CK Mondavi, a brand owned and operated for 70 years by C. Mondavi & Family, launched a mobile-device-optimized website to enhance the user experience for wine consumers using smartphones and tablets. …

SANTA ROSA — McLea’s Tire & Automotive Service plans to open its fifth location this spring as the family-owned company tries to capture more Sonoma County commercial and retail business as well as increase its purchasing power.

SANTA ROSA — February commercial passenger volume at the Charles M. Schulz–Sonoma County Airport declined by 0.3 percent compared to the same month in 2012, but has increased 15.5 percent since February commercial flights returned to the airport in 2008, according to the airport’s monthly passenger report.

Share your thoughts on this week’s NBBJ Pulse Poll question: “Is the deterioration of North Bay roads impacting your business?”

Roads in Sonoma, Mendocino and Lake counties are ranked the worst in the Bay Area, according to a new statewide study.

NAPA — VinLux Fine Wine Transport, a logistics company for fine wines going to California trade accounts, more than doubled the size of its south Napa facility and staff to accommodate a surge in wine shipments and demand for its services.

SANTA ROSA — January commercial passenger volume at the Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport was up 2.4 percent versus the same month in 2012, and up 33.9 percent since flights were first offered during that month in 2008.

Volume was nearly equal for flights that originated in Santa Rosa and flights that originated elsewhere. Airport officials have said the rising proportion of inbound flyers could point to an improving local economy and appeal for tourism.

San Francisco-based Burr Pilger Mayer, Inc., which has a Santa Rosa office, appointed Curtis Burr chief executive officer. …

First District Sonoma County Supervisor Susan Gorin said Pat Gilardi will be her district director. …

Women’s Initiative for Self Employment, an entrepreneurial training and funding nonprofit organization, elected Kim Kaselionis to its national governing board. …

The SMART board of directors unanimously elected Marin County Supervisor Judy Arnold as board chairman and Barbara Pahre as vice chairman. …

Dana Estates promoted Cameron Vawter to winemaker for the Rutherford-based cabernet sauvignon producer. …

SANTA ROSA — A Southern California judge invalidated actions at a contested year-end board meeting of ZAP (OTC: ZAAP), a manufacturer of electric and ultra-fuel-efficient vehicles, according to a new company regulatory filing.

NAPA — Petaluma-based Pure Luxury Transportation is establishing a Napa Valley base of operations for up to a quarter of its 100-plus limousines, sedans, SUVs, buses and, soon, motorcoaches as part of a Bay Area expansion plan amid a double-digit increase in revenue last year.

SANTA ROSA — Higher numbers of inbound flyers and an uptick in private aviation at Charles M. Schulz–Sonoma County Airport, together with record airline passenger volume in 2012, point towards a deeper recovery for activity at the North Bay’s only commercial airport.

SAN RAFAEL — Three-dimensional-design software maker Autodesk Inc. (Nasdaq: ADSK), today said it finished the acquisition of PI-VR, a privately held German developer of simulation software for automobile manufacturers.

SANTA ROSA — It was a record year for airline flights at the Charles M. Schulz–Sonoma County Airport, marking the airport’s highest commercial passenger volume since those flights returned nearly six years ago.

In early 1970, three leaders from Hewlett-Packard’s fast-growing Microwave Division in Palo Alto climbed into a car and started driving north to visit communities where the company might open a new facility. Ninety miles later, they found themselves in Santa Rosa, then a city of 50,000, in the heart of picturesque Sonoma County.

SANTA ROSA — Directors of Zap Jonway (OTC: ZAAP) have been accusing each other of trying to take control of the 19-year-old Santa Rosa-based electric-vehicle company, according to competing filings with federal securities regulators this week.

NORTH BAY — Few would disagree that the population and commerce of the North Bay has grown faster than the region’s transportation infrastructure. But with new construction and funding for several large-scale projects in 2012, the region’s roads, runways and rails may now be catching up.

SAN RAFAEL — The Walt Disney Co. (NYSE: DIS) today completed its $4.06 billion acquisition of Lucasfilm Ltd. LLC, which was based in San Rafael for three decades and retains production facilities northwest of the city.