North Bay Business Journal

PETALUMA — Raydiance wants to significantly increase production of its high-precision lasers in the next year and is expanding its manufacturing workforce to match a recent move to a larger headquarters and $20 million in new capital that has made both possible.

NAPA and RICHMOND — Two major suppliers of bottle-decoration services are significantly upgrading their production capacity as more vintners turn to screen printing to as a luxurious-looking label alternative.

Following the $160 million sale of its nearly 600,000-case-a-year Mark West pinot noir-focused brand to Constellation Brands, Graton-based Purple Wine Co. is back with the Cryptic zinfandel, petite sirah and cabernet sauvignon blend. …

Also new to the $15–$20 category is a release from Napa-based Hess Collection. …

Flash Wine Technologies is targeting smaller-scale flash détente wine processing services with a new company based at Kunde Estate Winery. …

PlupJack Group’s CADE Estate Winery appointed Danielle Cyrot winemaker. …

Santa Rosa business leaders and planners said they hope that a tweak to the city’s zoning rules will encourage wineries and breweries to set up shop in the city’ core commercial districts, speeding the way for pedestrian and tourist-friendly offerings akin to commercial districts in cities like Healdsburg and Sonoma.

Amid an uncertain political climate in Washington, estate tax attorneys are urging clients to plan now, before a bevy of favorable rates expire at the end of this year.

Preferential gift and estate tax treatment afforded under current law is set to expire on December 31, 2012. You should consider taking steps now to take advantage of the favorable tax laws before year-end.

Santa Rosa law firm Spaulding McCullough & Tansil, LLP, brought on two new attorneys, Richard Hicks and Jocelyn Yeh Lin.

Regional leaders in business and economics said that a continued synergy among industries and policymakers in Solano County will be crucial to maintaining its diversity of industries and continued growth.

Speaking in advance of North Bay Business Journal’s second-annual Impact Solano conference on Sept. 26 in Fairfield, Sandy Person, president of Solano Economic Development Corporation, and other conference speakers said the county’s economy continues to evolve and encourage opportunities for growth while responding to a changed landscape following the worst periods of the economic recession.

Anheuser-Bush’s round-the-clock Fairfield brewery has cut energy usage by 30 percent since 2003. …

Investment in California- and Massachusetts-based Blu homes has doubled. …

Three years after first announcing its plan to develop a new all-electric vehicle in California, Coda Automotive’s first five-seat sedan rolled off of the final assembly line. …

Fairfield-based Partnership HealthPlan of California is expanding significantly. …

Vacaville-based Travis Credit Union has increased business-lending efforts. …

When working with a specialist — a doctor, lawyer, auto mechanic or anyone else — asking the right questions is critical in getting your needs met and the best service possible. However, we often don’t know what we don’t know, thus formulating smart questions can be difficult.

Here are some of the most important questions to ask your existing or prospective investment adviser and why.

Commercial real estate leases and sales in the north San Francisco Bay Area

North San Francisco Bay Area events of interest to the business community

Bank of Marin promoted Mike Kadel to first vice president. …

SWA Group, a landscape architecture, planning and urban design firm, named Chih-Wei Lin as the principle of the firm in Sausalito. …

Sutter Medical Foundation announced the arrival of board-certified family medicine physician Nigel Brandstater, M.D. …

The Burbank Housing board of directors announced it has appointed Charles A. Cornell to succeed John Lowry, when he retires this year in September, as executive director and president. …

BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. announced Jeff Ajer, the current vice president of commercial operations, the Americas, will be promoted to senior vice president, chief commercial officer. …

Mandi Nash has joined Grgich Hills Estate as brand associate, a new position for the winery. …

Cuvaison Estate Wines announced the formation of a new in-house sales team responsible for the sales of the Cuvaison and Brandlin Vineyard brands nationwide. …

Jennifer Brown has been appointed director of public relations and communication for Wilson Daniels. …

Sutter Solano Cancer Center in Vallejo announced it is installing a dynamic targeting image-guided radiotherapy with real-time position management from Varian Medical Systems. …

WomenCertified, a collective voice for the female consumer and a trusted referral source for top businesses and brands identified among women, is recognizing Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital as a region’s best hospital for patient experience based on female patient satisfaction. …

Hawk’s Tavern in Mill Valley has completed what they describe as a substantial realignment of their menu, moving from a small plate focus to a traditional starter/entrée format. …

SunLink Corporation’s complete line of roof and ground mount solar racking systems has been certified by ETL as conforming to the integrated grounding and bonding requirements of UL Subject 2703. …

Blue Star Gas has partnered with Wine Country Balloons to launch the largest hot air balloon in Sonoma County. …

TSYS announced the formation of a 60-40 joint venture with San Rafael-based Central Payment Co., LLC, which will continue to do business under its current name. …

Western Health Advantage formally announced its plan to expand into the North Bay, adding Marin, Sonoma and Napa counties to its roster with hopes of offering a commercial health plan for employers and individuals by Jan. 1.

The Sacramento-based HMO in June only listed Sonoma and Marin counties for expansion, but it later included Napa County.

SANTA ROSA — Luther Burbank Savings has reached a $2 million settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice to resolve allegations that the lender discriminated on the basis of race and national origin.

PETALUMA — WellFX, a startup that seeks to integrate a private social media platform with health care providers, announced that West County Health Centers has officially signed on to use the service for its patient population.