North Bay Business Journal

Sutter’s Brotman takes on expanded role

NORTH BAY — Sutter Health today announced that Martin Brotman, currently the president of its West Bay Region, will assume the new role of senior vice president of education, research and philanthropy for the Sacramento-based health care organization.

NLRB judge finds Kaiser election flawed

WASHINGTON — The largest union vote to take place in over 70 years may have to be done all over again, after an administrative law judge with the National Labor Relations Board recommended the results between two quarreling unions be set aside.

Grape Market Insights: Flagging down a cab challenges North Coast vintners

When you don’t need a cab, they are all over the place. But, when do you need a cab, they disappear — or they are all committed. I am not talking here about yellow cars in the city but about cabernet sauvignon vineyards in the North Coast.

North Bay job picture in June mixed

NORTH BAY — Sonoma, Mendocino and Lake counties had a total of 2,630 more jobs in June than a year before, but that was offset by 3,200 fewer jobs in Solano and Napa counties over that 12-month period, according to state figures released this morning. Unemployment rates in Lake, Marin, Mendocino, Napa, Solano and Sonoma counties in June increased from revised May figures as the summer construction season picked up and schools let out. While the year-over-year North Bay and statewide jobless rates were largely unchanged in June, Sonoma County’s four-10ths of a point decrease bested the nation’s three-10ths of a point drop.

Spotlight on Facilities Managers in the North Bay

Editor’s note: This is the Business Journal’s first Spotlight on Facilities Managers in the North Bay. According to the International Facility Management Association, professionals in this job usually are responsible for compliance with laws and regulations on real estate, efficient operations of buildings to limit waste in natural and human resources, safety for employees and environmental sustainability.

“People, place, process, technology,” is the association’s catchphrase for such a position. The following are facility managers identified from among the largest public and private North Bay employers.

Insurance: Fireman’s Fund names new CEO

Lori Dickerson Fouché has been named the new president and chief executive officer of Novato-based Fireman’s Fund Insurance Co.

Unemployment edges downward, but remains high

(UPDATED 1:35 p.m. with Beacon Economics comments) NORTH BAY — Unemployment rates across the North Bay continued to edge downward from historically high levels, as hospitality and leisure continued to add seasonal jobs in most counties, according to figures released from the state Employment Development Department.

Distressed-loan home sales slip in first quarter

There was a dramatic drop in the number of North Bay homes in the first quarter of this year sold while facing foreclosure or after having been taken back by lenders compared with a year before, and there was some improvement in the proportion of distressed-loan homes selling compared with the rest of the market, according to figures released this morning by a real estate tracking service.

Unemployment rates drop across North Bay in April

NORTH BAY — Unemployment rates in April dropped all across the North Bay, led by a significant uptick in leisure and hospitality hiring, while Sonoma County continued to post yearly increases in jobs, according to figures released this morning by the state Employment Development Department.

New law could give Cal/OSHA additional powers

NORTH BAY – A new law could significantly change the way an employer faces charges from the Division of Occupational Safety and Health, according to employment law experts.

North Bay unemployment rates edge up in March

NORTH BAY — Unemployment rates across the North Bay either remained flat at high levels or inched upward in March, but Sonoma County continued a four-month stretch of substantial year-over-year job growth, reaching 5,000 net new jobs last month, according to state estimates released today.

North Bay counties among healthiest in state

NORTH BAY — North Bay counties are among the healthiest in the state, with Marin earning top honors in California and Sonoma and Napa among the top 15, according to a new report.

Sonoma County job growth best in four years; improvement in rest of North Bay

NORTH BAY — Unemployment rates across the North Bay in February mostly improved from the month and year before, according to figures released today from the Economic Development Department.

Blood Bank of the Redwoods in merger talks

SAN FRANCISCO, SANTA ROSA — Blood Bank of the Redwoods (BBR) and Blood Centers of the Pacific (BCP) announced today that the boards of directors of the two nonprofit blood centers have agreed to discuss merging into a single organization.

Sonoma County jobless rate rises to 10.5 percent, other North Bay counties see uptick

NORTH BAY — While the nation’s jobless rate dropped below 9 percent to 8.9, unemployment edged upward in much of the region in January, with Sonoma County seeing an increase of half a percentage point. Mendocino, Lake and Solano counties all saw increases, while Napa and Marin remained the same, according to state figures released this morning from the Employment Development Department.

Looking for the next Google, SSU, cluster set business plan contest

ROHNERT PARK – Polish up those bright ideas, budding entrepreneurs. The first business plan pageant is under way at the North Bay iHub and the winner could be the next Nick Sturiale.

Accounting: Volunteer tax help available to lower-income households

Tax preparation assistance for lower-income residents in Sonoma, Mendocino and Lake counties is again being made available.

2010 North Coast winegrape crop dips 13 percent in revenue, 4 percent in tonnage

NORTH COAST — Partly expected from the rains and scorching hot weather at key points during the winegrape season last year and weak market for high-end grapes, the 2010 harvest was 13.6 percent smaller in revenue and 4.7 percent smaller in tonnage than in 2009, according to preliminary state figures released today.

Sonoma County has first annual net increase in jobs in three years

Sonoma County in December eked out its first annual net increase in jobs in three years, easing its jobless rate by three-10ths of a point to 10 percent, according to state employment figures released today. For the other North Bay counties as well as the state and nation, December unemployment rates remained high but largely unchanged from both November and 12 months before.

People: Week of Jan. 17

People items submitted by North Bay businesses for publication in the Business Journal