North Bay Business Journal

ROHNERT PARK — Sonoma State University welcomed the first group of students into its newly revamped part-time MBA program last week, the newest iteration of a 25-year-old program that was developed to include the latest teaching methods and input from the North Bay business community.

SANTA ROSA – Agilent Technologies’ commitment to education has been amply demonstrated in the North Bay, where students from elementary school through college graduation benefit from a series of programs and partnerships.

ROHNERT PARK — Mastercard Worldwide has entered into a $15 million sponsorship arrangement with Sonoma State University’s Donald & Maureen Green Music Center, the largest such sponsorship secured by the university in its history.

North Bay facilities managers recognized this year for their achievements are Sal Balderrama of Trivascular, Jennifer Bruneman of Santa Rosa City Schools, Jacques Charton of Dominican University of California, Christopher Dinno of Sonoma State University, Jason Duval of Clos Pegase, Willie Ghilotti of Ghilotti Construction Company, David Gonzales of La Tortilla Factory, Sue Maddigan of Exchange Bank, Tony McCormick of Agilent Technologies, Jim Neely of Sonoma Wine Company, John Nicolette of Don Sebastiani & Sons, Ralph O’Rear of Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Jake Pewitt of Mary’s Pizza Shack, Matt Rudie of Enphase Energy and Dale Withers of Pacific Union College.

May 17, 2012: Sonoma State University’s School of Business and Economics held their First Annual Alumni & Community Celebration with D’Argenzio Winery and Santa Rosa Vintners’ Square who joined SSU in the ceremony

Also: Empire law school graduates 14; SSU undergrad wins full ride from PG&E

ROHNERT PARK — Entrepreneurs and all that support them take note. The iHub and Sonoma State University are putting on a new event to showcase startups, both existing and potential.

Marin County as a place to do business took a huge step backwards on April 10, 2012. On April 10, Skywalker Properties decided not to continue the pursuit of its Grady Ranch project. Not only did a major project with great potential economic benefit for the County get derailed and ultimately canceled, an influential landowner trying to generate business on his land was thwarted unnecessarily. Marin County supervisors are now trying to broker a solution as one leadership step forward; Marin Economic Forum has asked our state legislators to step in as well.

NORTH BAY — Employers in Sonoma County are more confident about the prospect of hiring in the second quarter compared to last year, with 13 percent saying they expected to increase staffing levels, according to a quarterly survey by ManpowerGroup, an international staffing firm with a Santa Rosa location. And overall in the North Bay, employers are generally more confident about the economy than they have been, suggesting that a slow but steady economic recovery is wending its way through region, employment experts said.

Democrasoft, Inc. (OTC: Pinksheets: DEMO) announced two “significant milestones” this month for its flagship online education platform, Collaborize Classroom.

California State University officials chose to bar enrollment but for relatively a handful of students in the spring 2013 semester, a move meant to stave off further tuition hikes in the financially strained system.

What are your thoughts on the CSU’s decision to bar enrollment for nearly all students in the spring semester? How much impact will the CSU near ban on spring 2013 enrollment have on the local business community? What is the long-term impact of drastic cuts to the system? Will you vote for tax increases to fund education in November? Share your thoughts in the NBBJ Pulse Poll and in the comment section below.

(Following are the opening remarks delivered by by Dr. William Silver at the Feb. 23 2012 Sonoma State University Economic Outlook Conference. Dr. Silver is the dean of the SSU School of Business and Economics. The Business Journal is a co-presenter of the conference.) On behalf of the faculty, students, staff, and alumni of SSU’s [...]

ROHNERT PARK — Sonoma State University’s School of Business and Economics will soon add an “entrepreneur-in-residence” to its program, a move funded by an $180,000 donation from Codding Enterprises and one that Dean William Silver said would help create an “entrepreneurship pipeline” linking students, the North Bay Innovation Hub and the regional economy.

NORTH BAY — Dr. Robert Eyler is director and founder of the executive MBA program and the Center for Regional Economic Analysis at Sonoma State University, where he has taught economics and has served as the economics department chair. A Frank Howard Allen research fellow in economics, Dr. Eyler is frequently asked to offer his analysis to business groups in the North Bay. He helped found the Marin Economic Forum and currently serves as its interim CEO and chief economist.

Civil Engineering Santa Rosa-based 15000 Inc.  hired Jacob Miller, a mechanical designer. Mr. Miller is a graduate of California State University, Chico and a current member of the American Society of Civil Engineers.  He has volunteered his time with the Marin Municipal Water District shadowing the engineering design, drafting, surveying, and construction inspection departments. Commercial [...]

The annual Sonoma State University Economic Outlook Conference Feb. 23, which for nearly two decades has been one of the benchmark events in the North Bay, will include a unique combination of high-level presentations from one of the region’s leading economists, the founder of the area’s private natural foods producer and a top state budget official.

Sonoma State University’s Online Wine Business Management Certificate launches its second round of foundation classes next week. Monday, Feb. 6, is the last day to apply. This new certificate program kicked off in the fall and concluded with great feedback on the four-week foundation level course taught by Tim Hanni.

ST. HELENA — Sonoma State University’s master of business administration degree program targeted at wine industry executives is coming to Napa Valley this spring under a partnership with a large local trade association announced today.

Recognizing challenges in the job market, institutions of higher learning have been making focused efforts to help their graduates find and be prepared for work, and North Bay colleges and universities are no exception.

As the North Bay tiptoes into 2012, it should take a moment to pat itself on the back just a bit. In 2011, the region’s economy fared better than much of the state. The three North Bay counties of Marin, Napa and Sonoma have three of the 10 lowest unemployment rates in California, Nos. 1, 6 and 8. While statewide unemployment declined by a little over 1 percentage point, rates in November were down from 1.4 to nearly 2 percent in the North Bay.