The San Diego Business Journal on Aug. 14 will recognize San Diego’s Next 40 Top Business Leaders Under 40. The event will be from 4-7 p.m. at the Westin San Diego Gaslamp Quarter. Here are some of the 150 finalists, listed alphabetically. Ten names will be released each day for 10 days starting July 30, 2018. LIST TO DATE
Jeffrey Ryan Niles CEO Concierge Cleaning Services Niles is the owner of Concierge Cleaning Services and in four years has grown a small business to be included for the past two years as one of the San Diego Business Journal’s 100 Fastest-Growing Private Companies. Niles was a finalist for the SDBJ’s Most Admired CEO Awards.
Kate Nowlan COO Graced By Grit Nowlan is the founder of apparel company Graced by Grit. She is passionate about empowering and inspiring young women and is on the board of Girls on the Run. She founded Gritty Girls, which inspires females from 10 to 21 to discover and develop their grit. In June, Graced By Grit merged with another apparel company, Hylete, and Nowlan is the top executive.
Seth O’ Byrne President, O’Byrne Team Pacific Sotheby’s International Realty O’Bryne is a San Diego Association of Realtors Award of Excellence Winner and Realtor of the Year in 2017. He has partnered with Realtors from Seattle, Aspen, Los Angeles and throughout San Diego developing real estate marketing. He was the marketing partner and featured agent for Zephyr Development on The Park, Bankers Hill. O’Bryne’s team has been No. 1 among units sold with Pacific Sotheby’s International Realty in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017. He sold $76 million in real estate in 2017.
Seth Odell Vice Chancellor, Marketing National University System Odell started his educational marketing career at UCLA. At Southern New Hampshire University, he was part of the marketing team that helped the institution grow from 7,000 to 70,000 students in four years. In 2017, Odell joined the National University System and launched The Agency at NUS, a full service integrated advertising agency that is projected to save more than $2 million in expenses next year.
Matthew Odgers Attorney Odgers Law Group Odgers is the owner and founder of Odgers Law Group, and he recently opened his third office in Cardiff. He started “Protecting those who Protect,” which offers pro-bono estate planning to active duty and veteran military members and police officers. He also offers pro bono legal work helping Nigerian citizens with asylum applications. Matthew was named a Super Lawyers Rising Star 2018. After college he spent a year in Seoul, South Korea, teaching English, and he also studied International Law in China.
Mike Opera Director of Paid Social Media Power Digital Marketing In addition to leading the Social Media Department in 2018, Opera worked alongside the CEO to develop the technical strategy on three new product offerings: Explainer Video Creation, Conversion Rate Optimization, and Funnel Marketing. Since 2016 he has grown the Social Media Department to 20 people and revenue from $300,000 to $2.5 million in revenue in 2017.
Sara Pagano Managing Director Biocom Institute Pagano uses more than a decade of nonprofit and event experiences to help inspire next generation life science workers. Biocom is the largest advocate for California’s life science sector. Prior to joining Biocom in 2013, she worked for USO San Diego, Discover Pacific Beach and the San Diego Senior Sports Festival. She earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Westfield State College and holds a certificate in event management from University of San Diego. In her spare time, Sara enjoys chasing her toddler, playing with her furry friend Miles and getting outdoors.
Jason Paguio Board Director Asian Pacific American Coalition – San Diego Jason is a leader in the Asian American community and helped produce civic and cultural events promoting civic engagement. He is the founder of multiple 501(c)(3) education-based nonprofit organizations as well as the co-founder and owner of a small manufacturing company. Paguio is also the Land Use Policy Advisor and Grants Advisor to Kristin Gaspar of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors and serves as a Staff Officer of Communications for the US Coast Guard Auxiliary.
Renato Paiva Executive Director Access Youth Academy Access Youth Academy is a non-profit that serves low income students by helping them go to college. Paiva has won many awards as a squash coach, including USA Coach of the Year and the US Olympic Award in 2012. At Access Youth Academy, he has helped placed 55 students in college, yielding more than $6.3 million in scholarships and raising more than $10 million to serve low-income families.
Aviva Paley Co-founder and Senior Director Kitchens for Good Paley has been selected for several prestigious awards and fellowships including Food Tanks list of 20 Food Leaders Under 40, The UC Global Food Initiative’s 30 under 30 Food Leaders Award, The ROI Fellowship, and the Arianne de Rothschild Fellowship. In 2018, Kitchens for Good was recognized as the first culinary apprenticeship program by the state of California. After learning that only 9 percent of all eligible children were receiving an after-school supper, Paley developed a program and secured the capital needed to increase the organization’s meal production from 150 a week to 1,200 a day.
Christopher Pearson Senior Marketing Manager Directed Pearson in 2018 took over Directed’s marketing department after the unexpected departure of the VP of Marketing. He did this while being fulltime in a University of Southern California executive MBA program. One of Pearson’s passions is sharing his love for physics and electronics with the younger generation. He’s taken part in a number of STEM volunteering events throughout North County.
Haley Peterson Account Manager Intesa Communications Group Peterson has expanded the company’s reach to North County. In 2017, she was named by the Vista Chamber of Commerce a “40 Under 40 Best and Brightest.” She is a graduate of Cal State University San Marco’s Leadership North County program and earned a credential from the California States Association of Counties.
Dr. Lindsay Pfeffer Dentist I-Ortho San Diego Dr. Pfeffer was named one of 2018’s Top Dentists by San Diego Magazine. As a business owner she employs and mentors women ranging from 5 years old to 70. As a volunteer faculty member at UC San Diego Medical School’s free clinic, she provides care for the poor. The program serves to help create more compassionate healthcare professionals while providing more than $2 million in free care.
Patrick Pierce PR Manager Oster and Associates In 2018 Pierce was selected to become a board member for the Mission Valley Planning Group. He has led Oster and Associates to embrace and engage with the cannabis. Pierce provides PR support for select Southern California startups and is involved with a number of charitable organizations including Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
Emily Pippin Director of Communications & Marketing Academy of Our Lady of Peace Pippin led a redesign of the school’s website and developed a strategic enrollment management plan. Pippin has been increasing the school’s participation in local awards and recognition programs. She also worked with students to start the Women in Business (WIB) Club on campus. In its inaugural year, the club boasted more than 50 members.