2017 Nominees - SDBJ.com - SFVBJ.com€¦ · 05/06/2017 · Bonita D. Moore Faegre Baker Daniels Frances Moreno Vaco Los Angeles Michelle Moses ... Wendy Pineda Supersonix Media,

June 5, 2017

c u s t o m c o n t e n t

2017 Nominees

Friday, June 23, 2017 • Speaker Summit: 7:00am – 11:00am • Awards Luncheon: 11:00am – 1:30pmJW Marriott at LA Live • 900 West Olympic Boulevard, Los Angeles 90015

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36 LOS ANGELES BUSINESS JOURNAL – CUSTOM CONTENT JUNE 5, 2017

NOMINEESJanis W. AdamsAcademic Achievers

Lorraine AlderetteEstolia’s Food Products

Michelle AlfonsoOpenX

Liz ArchPrimal Yoga

Aynsley ArmbrustStepp Commercial

Barbara ArmendarizSharpLine Commercial Partners

Carolyn ArmitageECHELON Partners

Patty ArvieloNew American Funding

Jodi Bailey-GillThe Experts Bench (teb)

Merrill BajanaGumGum

Natalie BazarevitschCBRE

Audrey BellisWorthy Women

Barbara BerciBSC Management

Betsy Berkhemer-CredaireBerkhemer Clayton Retained Executive Search

Devon BlaineThe Blaine Group, Inc.

Rita BoccuzziFlourish

Chantel BonneauNorthwestern Mutual

D’Shaun Booker2003

Maria Espinosa BoothFulfillment Fund

Veronica BosgraafPure Organic

Karie BoydBoyd Law APC

Kyla BrennanHelloSociety

Natalie R. BrillCity of Los Angeles, CAO Office

Brandi BrittonRobert Half

Michelle BroadnaxPurifications’ International Enterprise

Lee BroekmanOrganic Communication

Dr. Tora M. BrownTora Brown, LLC

Jessica BulenJ.P. Morgan Private Bank

Elsa BurtonBank Leumi

Cathy ByrdCathy Byrd, Author

Cheryl CalhounCBIZ MHM

Lindsey CarnettMarketing Maven Public Relations

Bobbie Casalino-LewisIn Style By Bobbie

Mackenzie ChambersSquare Root Financial

Yvette Chappell-IngramAfrican American Board Leadership Institute

Robin CharinR.T. Clown, Inc.

Peggy Tsiang CherngPanda Restaurant Group, Inc.

Jill ChiappeCoachability, Inc.

Athena ChieraAthena Engineering Company

Antoinette Marie CiketicfINdings Art Center, Inc.

Sonia ClaytonVIRTUAL INTELLIGENCE PROVIDERS, LLCCloudRed Cloud LLC.

Charlotte CochraneHorizon Media

Monisha CoelhoKalara Law Firm

Renee CohenNorthwestern Mutual

Keely ColcleughKilograph

Moira ConlonFinancial Profiles, Inc.

Lillian ConroeOffice of Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr. Office of Business and Economic Development

Cristen CoppenThe Good Body Project / I am a Gem

Ashley CrowderVNTANA

Anita D’AguilarOppenheimer & Co., Inc.

Sherijo DamicoDamico Partners

Mariana DanilovicHollywood Portfolio

Debra DayWomen Inspiring Women

Dina Demetriusdinademetrius.pressfolios.com

Christine DeschaineKennedy Wilson

Shinta W. DhanuwardoyoVCNETWORK.CO

Lucia DiazMar Vista Family Center

Dorene DominguezVanir Group of Companies, Inc.

Dannielle DormerIgnition Creative

Eliot Rose DreibandThe Painted Turtle

LaVada English DrewCounty of Santa Barbara

Amy EhrenkrnzAmy Zimmerman and Associates

Kristin EngvigWIN & WINConference

Debbie FanDowntown Dog Rescue

Megan Faux25 Dreams Media, Inc.

Diane C. De FeliceBrownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck

Ocean FineFactual

Gwyn FoxxKairos Music Group

Renee FraserFraser Communications

Jean FreemanZambezi

Susan FriesEcola Termite & Pest Management Services

Jennifer M. FriskNewmark Grubb Knight Frank

Jennifer FuAmity Law Group

Dr. Iris FuGumGum

Adriana GallardoAGI Business Group

Sabina GaultKonnect Agency

Joyce GerberHealth Is An Inside Job

Darcie GiacchettoDarcie Giacchetto Communications

Rachel Jonas GilmanYoobi

Alexis Carra GirbésAlexisCarra.com

Breena F. GoldAlzheimer’s Association

Karen GoodheartAEG

Stacey A. GordonRework Work

Sarah GoslerWedbush Securities

Kathleen GraceNew Form

Elizabeth GreenwoodTennenbaum Capital Partners, LLC

Lisa GregorianWarner Bros. Television Group

Terri HaackTerranea Resort

Lisa HaishaWhispers from Children’s Hearts Foundation

Monick HalmReal Estate Investor Goddesses

Patricia HandschiegelCondiment

Dr. Pantea HannauerPediatric Minds

Nuzayra HaqueD|R Welch Attorneys at Law

Jessica Hawthorne-CastroHawthorne

Deborah HayterDeborah Hayter Public Relations

Jilliene HelmanRealtyMogul.com

Kirsten HelveyCornerstone OnDemand

Kisa HeyerDream Foundation

Sequoia HoustonSur-Ryl Marketing

Lindy Huang WergesIntegritas Resources, Inc.

Shay HughesHughes Marino

Lora IvanovaScareLA

Annie IvesThe MLS


JUNE 5, 2017 CUSTOM CONTENT – LOS ANGELES BUSINESS JOURNAL 37

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NOMINEESJulia JacksonJackson Family Wines

Michelle JacksonMarsh & McLennan Agency

Dr. Sarita JacksonGlobal Research Institute of International Trade (GRIIT)

Ashley JacobsMayor’s Fund for Los Angeles

Lisa JammalSIA (Social Intelligence Agency)

Evie P. JeangIdeal Legal Group

Sally JenkinsSally Jenkins Inc

Kristina JenkinsZambezi

Lisa St. JohnLA Realty Partners

Mary JohnWells Fargo Private Bank

Kimberly D. JonesKelton Legend LLC

Ryan JordanEducated Nannies, LLC

Colonel (Retired) Yvette J. KelleyNew Directions for Veterans

Dina KimmelWe Rock the Spectrum Kid’s Gym

Lynn KiousNewmark Grubb Knight Frank

Kia KisoZaza Productions

Kennon KleinCity National Bank

Monika KleinCoaching For Health

Marilyn KlingerSedgwick LLP

Monika KozdrowieckaVirgin Raw Foods

Nadine LajoieNadynn International

Lissy L’AmoreauxIgnition Creative

Christine LantinenMaud Borup / eco eggs

Justine LassoffLOVE GOODLY

Sophia LeaguediAmeroc Export Inc.

Dr. Cherily LeeNyWellness Health

Marie LemellePlatinum Star Public Relations

Laura LevinskyLaura Levinsky Consulting

Darla LongoCBRE

Marian LopezMama Cheesecake

Andrea Almeida MackThe TCW Group

Jennifer MaldonadoWomen in Business Redefine

Patrycja MalinowskaThe Encounter Group

Nina MarinoKaplan Marino

Christina MartinOdeon Capital Group

Yvette Martinez-ReaESL North America

Leslie J. MayerCushman & Wakefield

Precious MayesBridge & Company Productions

Torrey McClaryHogan Lovells US LLP

Diane L. McGimseySullivan & Cromwell LLP

Laura McHolmNorthStar Moving Company

Betsy McLaughlinn/a

Jodi V. MeadeAvison Young

Stephanie Medina24Hr HomeCare

Ashley MerrillLunya Company

Ilse MetchekCalifornia Fashion Association

Nikki MicheliniAspiriant

Deanne MillerMorgan, Lewis & Bockius

Laurel MintzElevate My Brand

Kristina MitchellThe Good Body Project

Kaitlin MogentalePulp Pantry, LLC

Ampi MontielUniversity of Phoenix

Patty MooneyCrystal Pyramid Productions

Melinda MooreiConsumer

Bonita D. MooreFaegre Baker Daniels

Frances MorenoVaco Los Angeles

Michelle MosesThis & That Consulting Services

Althea MosesAlthea Moses Health & Fitness Co.

Shulanda MosleyA.L.I.A - A Lady Of The I AM

Ilana MuhlsteinIlana Muhlstein, R.D.

Caroline NahasKorn Ferry

Thas NaseemuddeenOmelet

Janet NemanCharles Dunn Company

Helen NethercuttMerle Norman Cosmetics

Hyacinth NierSydell Group (The LINE LA, Freehand LA, NoMad LA)

Tunisia OffrayShepherd Door Domestic Violence Resource Center

Jannica Olin

Wendy OnFineman West & Company, LLP

Rosie O’NeillSugarfina

Rita-Anne O’NeillSullivan & Cromwell LLP

Dr. Blanka OrloffSkin Matrx

Vanessa OrozcoGaviota Tequiola

Anoosheh OskouianShip & Shore Environmental, Inc.

Micaela PasseriLove You Revolution

Desiree PatnoNational Association of Women in Real Estate Businesses

Elaine PaulHulu

Joan PaydenPayden & Rygel

Barbara Emmons PerrierCBRE

Dana PicorePicore International

Wendy PinedaSupersonix Media, Inc.

Linda PliagasRealty411

Milana RabkinStem

Rachelle RaineyCovenant House California www.covenanthouse.org

Natalie RastegariSalisian | Lee LLP

Angela Reddock-WrightLegal

Anna RedmondHippo Reads

Diane M. ReichenbergerMattel

Alison S. ResslerSullivan & Cromwell LLP

Lisa RichardsAccounting Principals, Ajilon, Parker + Lynch, Paladin

Sarah RichmanWorld Women Foundation

Staci Jennifer RiordanNixon Peabody LLP

Pina De RosaGratitude International, LLC

Carmela RothRED Company Roth Event-full Design Company, Inc.

Schenae RourkRedwood Resources

Sybil Lampkin RubinDavida Aprons/Kosher Kurls

Tracy Samsonwww.thepartnerstrust.com

Ellen SchwartzLos Angeles Convention Center

Poornima SharmaTechnipFMC Process Technology

Maureen A. SheaRight Management, Florida/Caribbean

Gillian SheldonXPRIZE Foundation

Elizabeth E.B. ShonnardDistillery

Renata SimrilLA84 Foundation


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NOMINEESKimberly SnyderGLOW Bio and The Glowing Lean System

Amber SolanoAtkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo

Jennifer SpaldingAltaMed Health Services

Jeanne Marie SpicuzzaSEASONS & A MUSE, INC.

Julie SpiraCyber-Dating Expert

Mercy Tolentino SteenwykForensisGroup, Inc.

Kimberly R. SteppStepp Commercial

Sandra Stojanovic

Christina Lee StormDreamWorks Animation

Shelley StravitzShelley Stravitz & Associates; Parents As Partners

Laura StummNewmark Grubb Knight Frank

Shannon SylvainBrown Sugan Rehab

Jenny Q. TaVCNETWORK.CO

Connie TchengDoll Amir

Thelá R. ThatchMRS HR

Lindsay ThomasonThe Nanny League

Tony Maree TorreyThe Synergy Zone

Heidi TosoAce Realty

Therese TuckerBlackLine

Davida Lampkin TydingsDavida Aprons & Logos / Kosher Kurls

Monica Valleromonicavallero.com

Marina ViscúnPINGVIN PRODUCTIONS

Annette M. WalkerProvidence St. Joseph Health

Margaret Bush WareCalifornia Council for Veterans Affairs, Inc. - Women & Children First Program

Panney WeiSee the Way Consulting

Shelley S. WhizinSoul Diving Institute

Monika WielaGive Back Box

Shannon WillettNetflix

Virginia Williams

Lynn WilliamsCBRE

Genine WilsonKelly Services, Inc.

Minda WilsonOUR CARE HUB, “Urgent Care: Ten Cures for America’s Ailing Healthcare System”

Alyce Morris WinstonThe Jeffrey Foundation

Cindy WuThe California Luxury Living Company

Jane WurwandDermalogica / FITE

Elizabeth YangLaw and Mediation Offices of Elizabeth Yang

Gloria YniguezDixie Canyon Community Charter

Sue ZabloudilAkerman LLP

Rosaline L. Zukerman Law Offices of Rosaline L Zukerman APC

BY STACY D. PHILLIPS

A s the summer-into-fall wedding season approaches, so does “prenup season.” Often, the mere mention of a prenuptial agreement

(“prenup”) makes people uncomfortable, as if these documents and the discussions they prompt constitute a wholly unromantic anticipation of ultimate failure – even before the couple share their first dance.

In reality, prenups are necessary for anyone who already has children, and/or has assets they want to preserve as their own separate property as of the date of their marriage, or expects to receive significant assets during the marriage from services already rendered (in part or in whole), from an investment previously made, or from a bequest, gift, or inheritance. High-net-worth individuals need to protect their financial interests before marriage. A carefully considered, well-crafted prenup is an insurance policy of sorts, should the marriage not work out as everyone hopes.

Here are some scenarios we see frequently in our practice that indicate the vital importance of a prenup:

• When an individual has children from a prior marriage, to ensure that they are taken care of in the event of divorce or death during a subse-quent marriage;

• When an individual’s family has substantial wealth, to ensure that separate funds used during the marriage to purchase a home, vacation prop-erty, fine art, or other valuable assets remain their separate property (unless there is a written inten-tion to gift it to the marital estate/community property).

How does a prenup effect estate plans? A last Will and Testament can be changed until a person is no longer competent to make decisions or he or she dies. Prenups are contracts in which parties oftentimes obligate themselves to die with

a last Will and Testament in place which makes provision for the surviving spouse. With such a prenup in place, a non-monied spouse never has to worry if he or she will be protected upon the death of the other spouse. It is commonplace to have a prenup with a provision which creates a trust paying income for life (and thus ensuring the surviving, less-monied spouse lives a com-fortable lifestyle) while principal is preserved for and passes to the deceased spouse’s children or grandchildren upon the death of the surviving spouse. It is also commonplace to have a prenup which provides a life estate in the marital home or makes specific bequests of assets or a sum cer-tain or provides for life insurance benefits which protects a surviving spouse.

What is the right time to discuss and sign a prenup? As early as possible before the wedding. Nei-ther party should feel pressured to sign something on the eve of the wedding. Moreover, prenup dis-cussions can bring out issues between couples that need to be addressed, perhaps even in pre-marital counseling. At its extreme, this process can make both parties reassess their readiness to marry each other. At their best, these discussions provide a forum that forces couples to work through the practical aspects of marriage: managing money, raising children, allocating responsibilities of income earners and caregivers, and possible reli-gious differences.

While there are no one-size-fits-all agree-ments, here are a few cautionary aspects essential to every prenup:

• Each party should be separately represent-ed by an experienced matrimonial/family law attorney or estate planning attorney. Lawyers who practice in the divorce realm, however, offer an added advantage: they understand the detritus of failed marriages, so they write pre-nups defensively.

• The ultimate goal is to have a clear picture of what happens in death or divorce. If the agree-ment is too complicated or too vague, it won’t

serve its purpose.• There must be financial disclosure of assets

and income of both parties.• A spouse who is successful in securing a

prenup which is punitive also runs the risk of having that agreement successfully attacked in the future.

• Be protective. Be fair. Don’t be greedy. After more than 30 years of meeting clients

when marriages have failed, I appreciate that a thoughtfully discussed, thorough, and well-executed prenuptial agreement can set the tone for a marriage

that is a true partnership, and can ease negotiations if a divorce should become necessary. And as later-in-life marriages occur with increasing frequency, prenups can prevent not only divorce battles but estate battles as well, and preserve the inheritances of grown children. After all, it is the peaceful resolu-tion of family matters that matters most.

Stacy D. Phillips is Partner with the Matrimonial & Family Law Practice Group of Blank Rome LLP. For more information, contact her via (424) 239-3400 or [email protected] or visit blankrome.com.

Wedding Season is Also Prenup Season




Every day, students at Pepperdine are challenging themselves to diversify their perspectives and achieve academic excellence through a wide range of master’s and doctoral programs in education and psychology. And the results are impressive. Pepperdine graduates elevate themselves in social purpose, meaningful service, and innovative leadership throughout the world to ultimately make a difference in the lives of others. Sound intriguing? Call or visit us online to learn more about our programs, admission requirements, and deadlines.

GET IN TOUCH TODAY!

By MERCY TOLENTINO STEENWYK

W hen I came to the United States from the Philippines as a 25 year-old, I had a jour-nalism degree and virtually nothing else.

After working for a short time as a marketing consultant in construction, I noticed the need for the construction and legal industries to find reliable, well-informed subject matter specialists, consultants and experts.

Any entrepreneur will recognize this as a clas-sic “aha moment,” the presentation of an oppor-tunity to create my own niche, write my own destiny. But while I pieced together my nascent expert consulting services company, a chorus of naysayers scoffed.

“You’re not an engineer,” they told me. “You’re not a lawyer. You don’t have a business degree. You can’t do this.”

I said nothing. I didn’t have to. I had a goal. After 26 years, my firm is now a national industry leader. I am told frequently that this is a remark-able feat for a woman and a minority who took on a male-dominated industry and thrived.

But I don’t see it that way.When I walk into a room, I see a level playing

field. I have talents, and more importantly, I have vision. All CEOs are driven. The good ones know

where they’re going.When I look back at the young, undeterred

woman I was 26 years ago, I realize that what dis-tinguishes my career trajectory is a centeredness that has served as my roadmap. Each step along that map informed the direction I took as a moth-er, wife, daughter and business leader. Each step still guides me today.

Step 1. Know yourself.In 1991 when I started ForensisGroup, certain

men expected women to stand back and listen. The thing is, when you listen, you learn. I learned

so much from people who had no idea they were teaching me. I’m still not an engineer, and I’m still not a lawyer. But I am a problem-solver who has a purpose, knows her deep driving desire and has always been able to bend negativity into life lessons.

Step 2. Focus on the big picture.For me, family has always come first. While

growing an idea into a $10 million company, I

never missed a ballet recital or football game. One reason I decided to strike out on my own was to gift myself the flexibility to be a working role model and a present mother, daughter and wife.

That often meant putting the kids to bed and then working till sunrise. But I was young and driven. And more importantly, I knew where I was heading.

This devotion was my moral compass. For other women, the overarching motivation might be something else. Whatever it is, it is important that you have a focus. You’re not just making busi-ness decisions; you’re making life decisions.

Step 3. Believe in yourself, but be humble.At the age of 62, with three grown, accom-

plished children, I now look at the growth of my business as underscoring my core belief that if you know yourself and keep that big picture in front of you, you can “predict” your future by writing it.

Remember, no matter how far you get, you don’t get there on your own. I hire people who are

more knowledgeable than me. It’s more than a hir-ing practice, it is the basis of my company: bringing the best minds together to uncover the truth when something has gone wrong and then, ultimately, making the world a safer and a better place.

Step 4. Never stop learning.I read everything: newspapers, poetry, and, of

course, business books. I am a 15-year member of Vistage Worldwide, a CEO peer advisory group. And even as I mentor younger business leaders, I find myself learning from them as well.

Each month at ForensisGroup, we gather for pizza and watch “TED Talk Fridays” because I believe strongly in cultivating a culture of intel-lectual curiosity and personal fulfillment.

Whenever I speak to leaders of my generation, I challenge them to adopt a growth mindset and to drive their businesses with purpose.

Step 5. Practice gratitude.Education was my best gift. It made my world

a smaller place and enabled my successes. That is why, in addition to the non-profit organizations that ForensisGroup supports, I personally have a scholarship program in the Philippines.

The road to success for any business leader is far from smooth. But if you love what you do, are grateful for the gifts you have, and give back, you can turn an idea into an industry.

Regardless of what anyone else says.

Mercy Tolentino Steenwyk is President & CEO of ForensisGroup, a nationwide premier expert consulting service based in Pasadena, which abides by the motto “Nothing has More Impact than the Truth.”

All CEOs Are Driven – The Good Ones Know Where They’re Going

‘If you love what you do, are grateful for the gifts you have, and give back, you can turn an

idea into an industry.’



Stacy D. PhillipsPartner, Matrimonial &

Congratulates the Nominees at the

Los Angeles Business Journal’s



W hat type of American businesses combined exceed the gross domestic product (GDP) of Brazil, Canada and South Korea — or

the combined market capitalization of Apple, Microsoft, GE, Google and Sony?

If you answered, “women-owned businesses in the United States,” head to the front of the class! More than one-third (36.3 percent) of privately held businesses in the United States are now owned by women, up from 28.8 percent in 2007, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

What makes the statistics especially notewor-thy are the unique difficulties faced by female entrepreneurs when launching and running busi-nesses. Here are some of the most common chal-lenges faced by female business-owners as well as some special opportunities.

UNIQUE BUSINESS CHALLENGES FOR WOMEN

Besides the everyday, non-gender-related hurdles of starting and running a business, female business owners face multiple unique challenges, including:

1. Funding — On average, men start their businesses with nearly twice as much capital as women ($135,000 vs. $75,000), according to the National Women’s Business Council. Separately, a study by the California Reinvestment Coalition found that small business loans given to female-owned businesses in California dropped 70 per-cent from 2007 to 2013.

2. Defying social expectations — Despite the fact that women-owned new businesses are the fastest-growing of any sector in the nation, according to the SBA, there are still societal expectations — particularly in traditionally male-dominated industries — about women in business ownership/leadership roles.

3. Balancing business and family life — Female entrepreneurs with families often experi-ence challenges balancing their professional and personal lives. Women more than men adjust their careers for family life and experience more career interruptions due to family demands, according to Pew Research Center data.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN IN BUSINESS

Despite the challenges, today presents several tremendous opportunities for women to start and run a business. Consider the following:

1. Rapid growth of women-owned minority businesses — Fueling the growth in wom-en-owned businesses is a significant uptick in the number of businesses owned by women who are minorities. For instance, from 1997 to 2015, the number of businesses owned by African-Amer-ican women grew by 322 percent, making them the fastest-growing group of entrepreneurs in the United States.

If you’re starting or running a minori-ty-owned business, the SBA’s 8A Business Development Program can potentially help you develop and grow your business through one-to-

one counseling, training workshops, and man-agement and technical guidance. The program also provides access to government contracting opportunities. To learn more, contact your local SBA District Office.

2. Considerable networking, development and mentorship opportunities — Corresponding to the rapid growth of women-owned businesses is a dramatic uptick in the number of organiza-

tions dedicated to helping female entrepreneurs network, develop and find appropriate mentors. For example, since its start in 1989, Profession-al BusinessWomen of California (PBWC) has grown to more than 35,000 members worldwide. Visit pbwc.org to learn more. Additionally, near-ly every sizable community in California and else-where has business networking and development events specifically oriented for female business owners. Some are free; others assess a fee. For a listing of events in your area, simply search online for “Women in Business Events” combined with your city name or ZIP code.

3. Great government input and assistance —

An entire division of the SBA is dedicated to women-owned businesses, offering online and in-person resources, special financing opportuni-ties and Women’s Business Centers (WBCs). In fact, there are a dozen different WBCs through-out California; visit sba.gov’s tools section to find one near you.

As for state assistance in California, the Gov-ernor’s Office of Business and Economic Develop-

ment (GO-Biz) helps start-up and ongoing busi-nesses of all types. Learn more at business.ca.gov.

Starting and maintaining a business can be challenging for any female entrepreneur. That’s why having access to great resources is so important. For more advice and information, please visit California Bank & Trust’s Business Resource Center.

California Bank & Trust is a proud sponsor of women and California businesses. Our knowledgeable bank-ers are happy to help you with any of your needs. For more information, please call (800) 355-0507 or visit www.calbanktrust.com

Expanding Opportunities for Women and Business

‘More than one-third (36.3 percent) of privately held businesses in the United States are now owned

by women, up from 28.8 percent in 2007.’



Why Can’t Women Jump?

You aspire to do great things. USC Marshall has the means to help you achieve them.

Our MBA programs are renowned for a reason: providing access to opportunity and individualized support so you can thrive.

Whether your passion for business means reaching the C-suite or finding solutions to the world’s most intractable problems, a USC Marshall MBA takes you where you want to go. Unlock the possibilities: marshall.usc.edu/programs.

USC MARSHALL SCHOOL OF [email protected]

Aspire. Achieve. Advance.

By BERNICE LEDBETTER, ED.D.

T wenty years ago, the movie “White Men Can’t Jump” was released, and it remains so popular that a remake is reportedly in the

works. It’s funny, and it’s based in Los Angeles, so it has two strong things going for it.

Regarding the title, though: I beg to differ. White men seem to be doing very well in jump-ing – at least, to the top of the corporate ranks. It’s women whose feet are held to the floor.

Although women actually make up the major-ity of the U.S. population, you wouldn’t know it by looking at our representation in the c-suite. Among Fortune 500 companies, women repre-sent five percent of CEOs and only 15 percent of executive officers. And women hold only 19 per-cent of all board of director seats in the S&P.

It’s not for lack of interest, although family considerations may hinder momentum to a greater extent for women than for men. A 2016 Gallup poll shows that 45 percent of women would like to become a CEO or have a position in senior management. So what can women do to jump in their own careers and in the process, help close the executive gender gap?

Three things are critical for women to achieve executive equity. Corporations must make a strong commitment to a diverse workplace, including in upper management. Educational institutions must provide opportunities and a clear vision of steps needed for career trajectory.

And women should leverage their own unique values as they progress through the corporate pipeline to both accelerate their path to the c-suite and benefit their organizations.

DIVERSITY LEADS TO STRONGER MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

Prioritizing diversity initiatives in workplace, with women in co-equal positions of responsibil-ity, is one way that companies can challenge the status quo and position themselves for continuous re-invention.

Good leaders embrace diversity of opinion, regardless of race, gender, political affiliation, religion, business experience, educational level, and other factors. Pepperdine Graziadio alumnus David Feinberg, president and chief executive offi-cer of Geisinger Health, said that after he joined the company, he sought to learn from people on the frontlines -- not just the medical team, but also cooking staff, nutritionists and others – in order to build an out-of-the-box, innovative organization. Corporations who seek to create a diverse workplace, including elevating women to executive positions, will find greater success.

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES EXPOSE WOMEN TO THE POSSIBLE

A recent study in Science Magazine suggest-ed that by the age of 6, girls are more likely to lose faith in their abilities, believing that “bril-liance” is a male trait — a finding that the lead

researcher called “heartbreaking.” If, at an early age, brilliance is associated only with men, while girls stop believing that they can succeed, how can women see themselves in leadership roles, let alone propel themselves there?

In our MBA programs at Pepperdine Grazia-dio, we deliberately present students with real-world business challenges that expose them to corporate decision-making. When young women understand the value they can offer corporate executives, they are even more inspired to aim for a seat at that table.What if we started to expose women even earlier – in college, high school, or even grade school? How many more female CEOs would we have if we spotlighted women in positions of power, nurturing dreams of great possibilities at a young age?

A COMMITMENT TO ETHICS CREATES VALUES-CENTERED LEADERS

An individual should never be in the position where he or she is forced to compromise values because there is no other choice. Our values are what help us to stay the course when others flounder.

A few years ago, I wrote in the Graziadio Busi-ness Review that, “Holding a set of highly priori-tized values is an essential element of leadership.” As evidence, I pointed to research that suggests, “women leaders hold a preference for benevo-lence and achievement values” and opined that,

“Perhaps this is an optimal value combination for women leaders.”

Women sometimes feel voiceless in the cor-porate world, especially when they are so dramat-ically outnumbered in executive positions. That has to change. By advancing values-centered leadership in our companies, we also differentiate and create competitive advantage for those com-panies. Additionally, good corporate citizenry motivates employees to perform in alignment with those values. As women progress through leadership channels, they must hold tight those values and espouse them forcefully to be viewed as a leader.

It may take another 10 or 20 years to reach executive gender parity. With all due respect to men who “jump” into positions of power, we’re fighting our way to a more level playing field, but we’ll get there. With every point we score by increasing our presence in the c-suite, we’ll be closer to achieving a more equitable workplace, and a better corporate world.

Dr. Bernice Ledbetter is Practitioner Faculty of Orga-nizational Theory and Management at Pepperdine Graziadio School of Business and Management where she chairs the M.S. in Management and Leadership degree program. Her research and teaching interests focus on values-based leadership, peace leadership, and gender. Dr. Ledbetter founded the Pepperdine Center for Women in Leadership to empower and advance women in the workplace.



Realize your greatest potential as a leader with a values-centered education anchored in integrity and innovation

bschool.pepperdine.edu/Leaders

See Business from Our Perspective

By MELANIE LARSEN

Some call it a best-kept secret in leadership recruitment; others call it a business incuba-tor with a 105-year track record. We just call

it Girl Scouts. In Greater Los Angeles alone, there are 40,000

Girl Scouts in the pipeline set to lead in indus-tries where research tells us we need them most: academia, medicine, business, athletics, startups, STEM, and government.

As the largest girl-focused nonprofit in South-ern California, Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles prepares girls in grades K–12 for a lifetime of lead-

ership through access to impactful experiences, programs, and connections. Not only are Girl Scouts learning skills (like coding, robotics, public speaking, or budgeting)—they are also gaining the confidence and resilience needed to overcome challenges they’ll face in their industries.

Effective management, less corruption, higher profits, and more bills passed in Congress: These are all outcomes tied to female leadership. Leadership, the Girl Scout way, encompasses traits like grit, problem-solving, and empathy. In Girl Scouts, girls learn that taking charge means taking action—and

this carries into adulthood. In fact, 76% of female U.S. senators and 52% of women in the U.S. House of Representatives were Girl Scouts. And, many successful businesswomen were once Girl Scouts as well, including YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki and IBM CEO Virginia Rometty.

Below are just some of the recent stories of Girl Scouts here in LA who are demonstrating leadership as power with purpose. Imagine what they will do as adults in our board rooms, class-rooms, science labs, and government offices.

Sasha, Brownie Girl Scout, Grade 2 – Non-profit founder

Like a Girl Scout, Sasha has channeled her passion for painting to give back and lift up oth-ers. Through her nonprofit, the Sasha Project LA, she collects donations by selling hand-painted denim and donating her proceeds to the art ther-apy programs at Children’s Hospital LA. “Girl Scouts teaches me to be considerate and caring and to help make the world a better place,” she says. After building a robotic car with her Girl Scout troop, she is now thinking about adding technology to her creations.

Rebecca, Sofia, Jenna, and Joan, Senior Girl Scouts, Grade 10 – Architects

As middle schoolers in 2016, these determined Girl Scouts aimed to refurbish their school’s drab cafeteria to earn the Girl Scout Silver Award—this requires troops to develop a project that will change their neighborhood for the better. But with a local designer as their mentor and a benefactor interest-ed in funding a rebuild, their project grew wings: The girls learned architecture, graphic design, and blueprinting. After interviewing community groups and presenting their ideas to school administrators, they completely redesigned the structure to include a new bathroom, bistro-style café, and more. The construction of the space designed by the middle schoolers begins this month.

Dagny, Ambassador Girl Scout, Grade 11 – App developer

At Girl Scouts of Greater LA’s first-ever Girl Scout Startup Weekend in April (in partnership with Google for Entrepreneurs and Techstars), Dagny was mentored and coached by local business leaders and with a team of her peers launched a startup—from pitch to product. The event includ-ed developing a business plan, marketing, creating a prototype, and developing an app and business model. After participating in a Shark Tank-style competition, Dagny’s team won first place for their app, Line Up, which allows users to play games with others waiting in line at amusement parks.

Mackenzie, Ambassador Girl Scout, Grade 12 – Event director

To earn the Girl Scout Gold Award, which challenges girls to lead a large-scale, sustainable project addressing a community issue, Mackenzie created her school’s first women’s empowerment conference. She led a group of 30 peers in plan-ning the event, negotiated with vendors, estab-lished a strong brand and marketing plan, orga-nized logistics, and recruited high-profile women to speak, including writer and TV producer Marta Kauffman (Friends co-creator). “Earning my Gold Award taught me how to be an engaging leader. I needed to be confident enough with my vision to lead and motivate my peers. I gained skills in public speaking, negotiation, and communicating with high-level executives.”

According to the World Economic Forum, a lack of leadership is considered among the top three global challenges, with 86% of people saying we are currently facing a leadership crisis. But when we look at what girls can do when they put on their power suit—a Girl Scout sash—the answer becomes clear: If we want more effective leaders in business and across all industries, we simply need more Girl Scouts.

Melanie Larsen is Communications Manager, Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles. Learn more at girlscoutsla.org.

Want More Leaders? We Need More Girl Scouts.

‘Girl Scouts gain the confidence needed to overcome future challenges in business.’



Wells Fargo Works for Small Business®:Neighborhood Renovation Program Contests

THIS IS A JUDGED CONTEST AND EACH CITY’S CONTEST WILL BE JUDGED SEPARATELY. NO APPLICATION FEE OR PURCHASE IS REQUIRED TO ENTER OR WIN. Contest runs on www.wellsfargoworks.com/renovation from 12:00 a.m. PT (Pacific Time) on 5/1/17 to 11:59 p.m. PT on 6/16/17 (“Contest Period”). Open to U.S. residents, 21 years or older, who own a retail small business in an economic development focus area/zip code (definition varies by city) in: Atlanta, GA; Houston, TX; Los Angeles, CA; Miami, FL; or Minneapolis, MN. Entrants must be independent owners/operators (owning no less than 20%) of a business that has been in continuous operation since 4/30/15 and has no more than $200,000 in annual gross revenues. To be a finalist or winner in this contest, the owner must have a valid U.S. tax identification number and meet all eligibility requirements at the time of finalist/winner notification. Owners of more than one business location, franchised businesses, and nonprofits are not eligible. Wells Fargo employees, members of the renovation design team and public official and their immediate family members are not eligible. Contest subject to full Contest Rules. See Contest Rules for complete details including complete eligibility, contest questions, judging criteria, and prize redemption requirements. Void where prohibited. © 2017 Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. All rights reserved. Member FDIC. (4451602_20719)

You could win up to $25,000 in renovations for your business

No Purchase Necessary

Your business is important to you, your customers, and the neighborhood you share with them. The Wells Fargo Works for Small Business: Neighborhood Renovation Program Contest is about helping small businesses thrive. Wells Fargo and Rebuilding Together — a nonprofit organization that revitalizes communities — along with a design team will renovate four small businesses in designated economic development focus areas in Los Angeles.

One Winner will receive up to a $25,000 renovation for their business and three Finalists will each win up to a $10,000 renovation.

To enter: • Complete the online contest application• Respond to four questions about your business in 1,000 words or less• Submit three to five photos of the exterior and interior of your business

For full Contest Rules and eligibility requirements, visit:wellsfargoworks.com/renovation/la

Contest ends 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time on June 16, 2017.

Better businesses make better communities. “The impact this renovation has had on my business has been amazing. In addition to my sales increasing, I’m now able to host bigger, more elaborate events at my business. It’s been wonderful!”

– Lisa Phillips (pictured above), owner of Celeebrate Us, a gift basket store in Baltimore, MD and renovation contest winner in 2016

Neighborhoods: Boyle Heights, Central City, Central City East, Chinatown, Crenshaw, Hyde Park, Jefferson Park, Koreatown, Leimert Park, Pico-Union, South Los Angeles, Southeast Los Angeles, and Watts

Zip Codes: 90001, 90002, 90003, 90005, 90006, 90007, 90008, 90010, 90011, 90012, 90013, 90015, 90016, 90018, 90020, 90021, 90023, 90033, 90037, 90043, 90044, 90047, 90056, 90058, 90059, 90061, 90062, 90063, 90089, 90232

TO ENTER, YOUR BUSINESS MUST BE LOCATED WITHIN BOTH A NEIGHBORHOOD AND ZIP CODE LISTED BELOW:

Small business is a BIG deal in Los Angeles.

Contest entry deadline is extended to June 16, 2017.



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USC Marshall alumna endows scholarship fund for women MBAs 30 and over

A woman today might talk about the impor-tance of having “a seat at the table” in terms of building her career. When Marilyn Beau-

dry-Corbett was in business school, she consid-ered herself fortunate they let her in the door.

“I was often the only woman in the room,” said Beaudry-Corbett ’53 MS ’61. “But I persevered.”

After a long and successful career in marketing and a second career as an archeology professor, Beaudry-Corbett decided to give back: She has made a $4 million gift to the USC Marshall School of Business to enable other women to pursue a graduate level business education. The gift will fund scholarships for women MBA students 30 and over.

“Marilyn Beaudry-Corbett’s extremely gen-erous donation is visionary and courageous,” said James G. Ellis, dean of USC Marshall. “She understands first-hand the challenges women still face in advancing their business careers, and her investment helps level the playing field by offering them access to a critical educational opportunity.”

WOMEN AND BUSINESS SCHOOLSBeaudry-Corbett’s gift is well-timed. Studies

show that full-time MBA programs still struggle to attract women, in part because of the age students

typically pursue the degree—their late 20s or early 30s.

“Women at that age know they will have to sacrifice something, either their career standing or their families, in order to pursue a higher edu-cation in business,” said Laju Obasaju MBA ’17. “Knowing that there is financial support available definitely makes it a more viable option and will certainly help attract more women.” Obasaju is an entertainment attorney who attended USC Marshall on a Consortium scholarship and is now starting a leadership rotation at AT&T in Dallas. “I could not have done it without that critical support,” she said.

As all business schools work to recruit and retain more women students, USC Marshall has made robust strides, with the percentage of female students up over a five-year period across programs, including undergraduate and specialized master’s degree programs.

“Creating an inclusive culture in all aspects of USC Marshall’s MBA programs is of the highest importance to our mission,” said Debra L. Lang-ford, assistant dean for diversity and inclusion. “We are building upon several initiatives to increase the visibility of both our current MBA female students, as well as our alumni.”

Emma Sugarman MBA ’14, former president of the Marshall Graduate Student Association (MGSA), recalls the empowering climate at USC Marshall.

“Women were presidents for the majority of

the clubs during my time at Marshall,” she said. “So while you might have a class, where, like most business schools, women are underrepresented at only 30 percent, in our class, that 30 percent was strong. And that 30 percent had no fear and no misgivings about their ability to lead, based on gender or anything else.

“USC Marshall was worth the dedication it required,” she said.

DOING IT HER WAYBorn and raised in Southern California, Beau-

dry-Corbett grew up with a keen interest in the workings of her father’s candy-making business. She enrolled at USC’s School of Business Admin-istration, as Marshall was then known. From there she went to Radcliffe to attend the Harvard-Rad-cliffe School of Business Administration—at the time, Harvard did not admit women.

“We had the same professors and the same coursework,” she said. “But they came to us. We weren’t allowed to go onto the Harvard campus to take classes there.”

Beaudry-Corbett later returned to USC for a master of science degree in industrial sociol-ogy, and entered the nascent field of marketing research, joining Audience Studies, Inc, a mar-keting and advertising research firm. The job took her all over the world, and she eventually rose to become the chief operating officer.

She prospered, investing in real estate, and buying herself a home high in the Hollywood

Hills. But in the 70s, she decided to pivot and pur-sue her passion—archeology. She went on to earn a Ph.D. in the field and launched a second career as a professor. After retiring from teaching and traveling the world with her husband, she began thinking about her next chapter.

“I knew I wanted the money I raised through my investments to do some good,” she says. “I decided on philanthropy and supporting the things I’ve enjoyed in my life.”

And she did enjoy business. “Marilyn’s gift is particularly significant given

the events she lived through as a single, profes-sional woman in an era when women weren’t necessarily allowed to be either,” said Anne Ziem-niak, assistant dean and director of Marshall’s full-time MBA program. “Despite those challenges, she went on to become very successful, and with her gift, she is in essence paying it forward to the next generation of women business leaders.”

Learn more about USC Marshall at marshall.usc.edu.

A Gift for USC Marshall Women MBAs



Vistage is proud to sponsor The L.A. Business Journal Women’s SummitI

© Vistage Worldwide, Inc. 17_261_4006 - LA Women’s Event

For these trailblazers, the sky is the limit. That’s an ethos we celebrate—and empower.

Vistage is the world’s foremost executive coaching and business advisory organization, exclusively for top business leaders. Envision: the most comprehensive services. Leading-edge resources. A network of more than 21,000 peers. That’s just scratching the surface of how Vistage members work through challenges and seize opportunities. Find out how we’ve earned our track record of helping member companies surpass their competition by 3x.

Join LA’s most powerful, inspirational women—including Vistage members—for an exciting day of discussion, celebration and networking.

Friday, June 23, 7 a.m.–1:30 p.m. To learn more, visit vistage.com/lawomen or call Lauren Foster at +1.858.509.5861

“With Vistage, I never felt isolated to make those gut-wrenching decisions.”Mercy Tolentino Steenwyk, CEOVistage member since 2000

Meet Mercy at the L.A.’s Business Journal Women’s Summit

Every day is a chance to #BeMore. Not do more. Not work more. Instead, we encourage one another to be the best we can be and enjoy life to the fullest. Two of Green Hasson Janks’ leaders share their personal stories below.SAYING “NO” TO WHAT ISN’T A PRIORITY IS SAYING “YES” TO WHAT IS

By MARI-ANNE KEHLER

W e’ve all heard the advice borrowed from flight attendants: “Put your own oxygen mask on first!” We cannot be of use to oth-

ers, or ourselves, if we aren’t healthy enough to be effective. Self-care isn’t optional in the long run; it’s critical to real success. But putting that into action is difficult for those who are trying to have it all by doing it all.

I raised a son with a disability into adulthood and typically slept only four hours a night – for 20 years. I got very good at working hard, playing hard and juggling all the balls in the air. But after a health scare, I soon realized I wouldn’t be of much use to anyone for long if I didn’t slow

down and put my own wellness first. Practicing self-care is the best preventative medicine there is. I discovered a few secrets I’ll pass on which are universal truths for all, especially fellow ball-jugglers:

• Self-care is not selfish; it is the most respon-sible thing you can do.

• Treat yourself the way you would a dear friend, with gentle compassion and care.

• Saying “no” to what isn’t a priority is saying “yes” to what is.

• Set clear boundaries for yourself, and stick to them.

• Set realistic goals for yourself and schedule them.

And my favorite truth is from the great writer, Anne Lamott:

Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes.

Including you.

SPONSORSHIP AND PAYING IT FORWARD

By ANITA WU

In a client service profession, our clients are our primary focus, and yet it is just as crucial that we anticipate the needs and exceed the expec-

tations of the people within our organization as when we present ourselves to the outside world.

Looking back at the early stage of my career, two particular situations were instrumental in acceler-ating my development:

Opportunity – I regularly attended client and settlement meetings. So much of what I know about my job was learned through observation. For the first couple of years, I was happy to play a non-speaking role. However with time, my thoughts started to align with the active dialogue, which built up my confidence and allowed me to find my voice in these meetings.

Empowerment – My supervisors introduced me in these meetings as an integral member of our team, and I performed much of the follow-up work including circle backs with our clients. Not only did this pressure me into strengthening my technical skills, but also figuring out how to effec-tively communicate my message to others. As an added benefit, I gradually established my own individual relationships with our clients.

Had my supervisors not afforded me these situations, it is unlikely that I would have had the good sense to seek them for myself, at least not before losing interest in my job. Moreover, having well-respected, strong-minded women as my supervisors shaped my ideal of who I could become.

Perhaps the best way I can express my grati-tude to the generation before me is to be as gener-ous to the newer members of our firm.

Sponsorships require trust and accountabil-ity by and between the persons involved. Gone

are the days of a “one size fits most” career path. Everyone’s definition of success is different, and having a sponsor can help to set a realistic time-line for the achievement of one’s goals.

Being a sponsor keeps us engaged and informed and freshens our perspective of this ever-changing world faster and better than if we were to go about it on our own. And women need to have as many sponsored career opportu-nities as men to ensure the path to leadership is equitable.

At Green Hasson Janks, we focus as much of our energy toward training and team building as we do to servicing our clients. As both a recipient and outspoken benefactor of sponsorships, my connectivity to our firm is strengthened, and I am continuously inspired to #BeMore to my colleagues, our clients and myself. With our com-mitment to anytime/anywhere work, our support of flexible work environments and our passion for health and wellness, our Firm wants people who live their best lives.

Mari-Anne Kehler is Chief Marketing & Strategy Officer, Green Hasson Jankshttps://www.greenhassonjanks.com/about-us/people/mari-anne-kehler/

Anita Wu is Principal, Entertainment Practice, Green Hasson Jankshttps://www.greenhassonjanks.com/about-us/people/anita-wu/

Women Professionals Thriving in the Workplace



T imeless style isn’t the only forward-looking thing about Jessica Rey Swimwear. Designer Jessica Rey’s latest silhouettes are helping

preserve our planet’s oceans too. Rey’s current collection, which includes

one-piece, two-piece and kids’ swimwear lines, continues to offer popular designs with women’s confidence, comfort, and timeless style in mind. No change there. It’s the groundbreaking yarn she’s using that is making a difference in terms of the environment.

Rey has partnered with Italian fabric com-pany Aquafil to create designs that incorporate Econyl yarn, composed of 100 percent regenerat-ed nylon waste, such as abandoned fishing nets, production scraps, and carpet fluff. The waste is transformed into a durable, lightweight, and breathable textile, made new through Aqua-fil’s cutting-edge regeneration system, a pioneer-ing example of the circular economy in action – offering the same quality and performance as traditional nylon, but with the ability to be regenerated an infinite number of times without any loss in quality.

Prior to launching her career as a designer, Rey was a Hollywood actress starring as Alyssa, the White Ranger on Disney’s Power Rangers

Wild Force. As a Power Ranger, saving the world was part of the routine, but for Rey, now it’s for real.

“I have three small children of my own and I want them (as well as their own children in the future) to be able to grow up enjoying our planet’s

natural resources just as our generation did,” said Rey. “It’s heartbreaking to see photographs and footage of the tremendous amounts of unnecessary waste that ends up in our oceans and in landfills. Our designs celebrate women’s confidence, and as swimwear, they are of course a tribute to the ocean as well. It made

sense that we do our part to help heal our planet in some way. The more waste that can be removed and repurposed, reducing demand for virgin fibers, the better off our oceans will be.”

Rey has committed to using Econyl yarn in all her new swimsuit designs this year.

Learn more at www.jessicarey.com.

Swimwear Brand Designer/Founder Gives Back to the Ocean

Rey

T he Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology (GSEP) is an innovative learning community where

faculty, staff, and students of diverse cultures and perspectives work collaboratively to foster academic excellence, social purpose, and personal fulfillment. GSEP values academic excellence,

innovative lead-ership, and work that serves the greater good. It embraces human diversity—which

GSEP believes to be the natural expression of God’s creation—in its work to advance learning and service. GSEP advances, sustains, and advo-cates for multicultural proficiency.

GSEP students prepare to make a difference through practicums, internships, and state-of-the-art on-campus clinics. It is experiential learning to a higher degree.

In keeping with its commitment to innova-tion, GSEP was first to offer a master’s degree in social entrepreneurship and change; a master’s degree in education with teaching credential; and first in California to offer an accredited degree program in learning technologies. Over the last year, GSEP introduced not one, but two new programs: The Doctor of Philosophy in Global Leadership and Change, and the Master of Science in Behavioral Psychology. These pro-grams will aid GSEP in leading its students into the future.

Also critical to GSEP is fostering a learning environment that reflects the richness and diver-sity of the global community. The school’s Diver-sity Council was formed to promote discourse

and foster multicultural proficiency. Comprising students, faculty, and staff, the council meets on a monthly basis at the West Los Angeles Graduate Campus. Beginning in the fall of 2015, GSEP student, faculty and staff met monthly to index records for The Freedmen’s Bureau Project. The initial goal was to index 500 records; GSEP ended by indexing more than 2,213 records. Because of GSEP and many other groups, 100% of documents have been indexed for The Freed-men’s Bureau Project. Millions of people are now able to learn more about their family history through these records.

The Margaret J. Weber Distinguished Lec-ture series, one of GSEP’s signature events, regu-larly features people of color and women. Some recent speakers include author, activist, and educator Dr. Cornel West; author and entrepre-neur Shelene Bryan; and author and educator Sharon Draper.

GSEP’s Foster Grandparent Program offers

a multigenerational approach to community volunteerism. Foster Grandparents are mentors, tutors, and friends to children from infancy to age 21 who have exceptional needs or circumstances. GSEP partners with schools and communi-ty-based organizations in Carson, Compton, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Torrance, and Watts.

Pepperdine Resource, Youth Diversion, and Education (PRYDE) is a prevention, intervention, and counseling program available for at-risk youth and their families. Led by Dr. Robert Hohenstein in collaboration with the Orange County Sher-iff-Coroner Department, the program provides

services and resources that help youth and their families make positive changes in their lives, as well as prevent first-time youth offenders from entering the juvenile justice system.

GSEP’s West Los Angeles Community Coun-seling Clinic sees around 200 clients per year for individual, couple, child, and family therapy on a sliding scale fee. All of the therapists at the clinic

are students in GSEP’s Doctor of Clinical Psychol-ogy program and supervised by licensed therapists who are members of the faculty.

The Career Services Center provides its con-stituents with a customized model of career edu-cation and counseling. GSEP is guided by career development theory and labor market research, and utilizes a multi-faceted approach to engage its industry partners. Career Services has also become one of the first university organizations to forge a partnership with The Future Workplace Network. This partnership allows Pepperdine to strengthen its pipeline between academia and industry. By engaging with thought leaders from companies like Google, Microsoft, and LinkedIn, GSEP will continue to stay current on talent acquisition and development trends.

Pepperdine GSEP is proud of its tradition of excellence, innovation, and diversity. In keeping with this tradition, it will continue to:

• Promote discourse that values the back-ground, experiences, and perspective of each member of its community.

• Recruit, retain, and advance diverse stu-dents, staff, and faculty.

• Develop curricular models for practice in educational and psychological environments.

• Reach out to communities to promote understanding and facilitate solutions to diversity challenges.

GSEP’s spirit, energy, and actions will be an inspiration to education and psychology com-munities, and its students will continue to effect positive and lasting change in the world.

To learn more, visit GSEP.Pepperdine.edu.

A Tradition of Excellence, Innovation, and Diversity

‘The Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology (GSEP) is an innovative

learning community where faculty, staff, and students of diverse cultures and perspectives work

collaboratively to foster academic excellence, social purpose, and personal fulfillment.’

PROGRAMSPOTLIGHT



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LOS ANGELES BUSINESS JOURNALL A B U S I N E S S J O U R N A L . C O M

Vol. 39, No. 5 January 30 – February 5, 2017 • $5.00

By DAINA BETH SOLOMON Staff Reporter

Dante Cardenas packages his oregano, sage, beets, and radishes in Vernon, but just a few years ago

he ran his business, E.D. Produce Inc., out of a low-slung warehouse in the Arts District. He sold the 9,900-square-foot space in 2014, once he realized its value had quadrupled over the $1 million dollars he paid for it just a few years previously.

“It’s better for me to have something

that I can leave for the future, perhaps to my children,” Cardenas said in Spanish. “Now, I have no thoughts of moving. We’re doing very well here.”

The property value is not likely to mul-tiply as it did in the Arts District, but there are other benefits to fleeing the hubbub of the fast-developing downtown neigh-borhood, with its apartments, offices, and eateries. His was among several companies that have taken flight to industrial centers in Vernon, Commerce, the City of Industry, and South Los Angeles.

“The location became challenging,” said Jae Yoo, a senior vice president at CBRE who marketed Cardenas’ warehouse. “It’s not only because the trucks have to compete against people walking on the streets, which becomes a danger and a liability. What they’re doing is thinking about the future.”

As property owners look ahead, many are landing fat paychecks from developers keen on razing or redeveloping old ware-houses, while lessees are finding themselves

Arts District industrial property owners sold on big paydays

Please see REAL ESTATE page 51

New Roots: Dante Cardenas at E.D. Produce

in Vernon.

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By GARRETT REIM Staff Reporter

Bot Home Automation Inc., maker of a video cam-era-rigged doorbell called Ring, last week raised a $109 million Series D round and said it is aiming for an initial public of-fering before the end of the year.

The Santa Monica firm has come a long way since Chief Executive Jamie Siminoff pitched the product on ABC reality TV contest “Shark Tank” and subsequently rejected a tight-fisted investment deal from one of the show’s

Ringer Makes D Series NoiseTECHNOLOGY: Bot Home’s $109 million feeds IPO buzz.

Please see TECHNOLOGY page 12

By HENRY MEIER Staff Reporter

As Snap Inc. moves closer to an expected initial public offering this spring, the Venice photo-shar-ing company is going through a rite of passage: de-fending itself against a slew of legal actions.

Lawsuits filed in the last sixth months include an array of complaints targeting the company be-hind the popular Snapchat app, including claims that parts of the tech unicorn’s underlying product infringe on patent holders’ intellectual property as well as allegations from a former executive that

Snap DecisionsINVESTMENT: Will tech giantfight suits to clear IPO path?

By GARRETT REIM Staff Reporter

Cloud Constellation Corp. has a far-flung idea.

As businesses and governments consid-er ways to protect data in light of increased cyberattacks and surveillance, the startup is offering them a chance to put their informa-

tion out of reach by storing it on servers within satellites or-biting the Earth.

While its system has yet to leave the ground, the compa-ny received a boost last month from Palo Alto commercial satellite manufacturer SSL, which has agreed to build Cloud Constellation’s sat-ellites and invested, along with other backers, an undisclosed sum in the Westwood company.

Cloud Constellation is projecting it will be able to launch its constellation of 14 low Earth-or-biting satellites by the first quarter of 2019.

“The advantage (of our system) is that the data that you are transmitting has no relationship or no exposure to the public networks,” said Cliff Beek, the company’s president. “There are leaks inside the network that we call the internet.”

Cloud Constellation is not alone in its pursuit of a space-based data storage and

Firm’s Data Storage Plan Out of This WorldINTERNET: Startups look to satellites for higher security.

Monthly cost to store 3 terabytes

of data in space.

$5,000

M A I L T O :

Green In Bag

Siminoff

LARRY BUSACCA/GETTY IMAGES

Targeted Tech: Snap Inc.’s Evan Spiegel.

Please see INTERNET page 51 Please see INVESTMENT page 52

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A s critical sources of capital, short-term lines of credit can be a cost-effective way for a business to obtain the funds it needs, when it

needs them, and can provide companies a route to leverage opportunities for growth. Short-term lines of credit offer the flexibility business owners need, such as paying interest only on the amount spent and being able to draw on the business line of credit whenever necessary.

What is a short-term line of credit?Unlike a long-term loan, a short-term line of

credit granted to a business is a debt that must be repaid within a 12 month period. Sometimes the short-term line of credit is structured as part of a larger loan, but it still has the same 12-month expiration.

When can your business benefit from a short-term line of credit?

In this fast-paced and constantly evolving world, a host of unforeseen external and internal factors can disrupt the business landscape with lit-tle warning. While businesses may include a line item in their budgets to cover unexpected expens-es, sometimes there simply isn’t enough available working capital. In other instances, a delay in a

customer paying an invoice can leave a gap in the business’s ability to make payroll. In situations like this, a short-term line of credit can be a conve-nient option to bridge the gap.

Tips on how to use your short-term line of credit

A short-term line of credit should only be used when it’s certain the business will generate enough capital to repay the bank on time.

When a business uses a short-term line of credit, funds received should only be used for a predetermined business purpose such as an investment in new technology, expanding a marketing campaign or purchasing additional inventory to meet a higher demand.

After getting a short-term line of credit, the business should create a timeline for repayment and stick to it. This helps track how much to allo-cate for each month’s payment and more impor-tantly, when the final tally will be paid off.

Businesses trying to reach their growth mile-stones but falling short of projections should consider the many benefits available by using a short-term line of credit. These financing solu-tions are often easier to obtain than traditional

business loans, making them an ideal option for immediate financial needs.

In today’s fast-paced environment, businesses need a knowledgeable banking resource they can rely on to help determine if a short-term line of credit is an ideal solution for their company. Tor-rey Pines Bank offers a customer-centric approach to banking. This commitment to learning about their clients’ businesses allows Torrey Pines Bank to provide the best possible financial products and professional services.

As a division of Western Alliance Bank, Member FDIC, Torrey Pines Bank clients benefit from the financial strength, capacity and sophis-ticated product offerings of a large bank along with the flexibility, deep regional knowledge and

local leadership of a more specialized financial institution. This year, Western Alliance ranks #4 on the Forbes 2017 “Best Banks in America” list, which lists the nation’s top 100 banks based on 10 important metrics related to growth, profitability, capital adequacy and asset quality. (All offers subject to credit approval)

Information for this article was provided by Torrey Pines Bank. Learn more about how Torrey Pines Bank can help your business grow and evolve with a short-term line of credit by contacting your local banking expert. To contact your local banking expert, call the Downtown Los Angeles office at (213) 362-5200, the Beverly Hills office at (310) 623-8901, or visit torreypinesbank.com.

How a Business Can Benefit From a Short-Term Line of Credit


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