BBB Looks for A Few Good Business People
A Carlsbad-based small business is taking its environmental cleanup technology to six Midwestern states.
Sub-Surface Waste Management, Inc., a subsidiary of U.S. Microbics, has established a formal exclusive agency agreement with American Bio Systems in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin, said Bruce Beattie, president of Sub-Surface.
Beattie called Bio Systems a key partner in its environmental work.
“(We plan) to participate in the environmental cleanup opportunities that are currently under way in this industrialized region in the country,” he said. “A key element in American Bio Systems’ plan is to forge strategic alliances with industry and property developers seeking cost-effective, turn-key solutions in optimizing their activity and reducing contingent liabilities.”
U.S. Microbics is a technology company specializing in proprietary microbial applications for agriculture, bioremediation, water treatment and other needs.
The products have been used by insurance companies, contractors, landfill operators, petrochemical manufacturers, cities, states, the federal government and more, Beattie said.
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The Torch:
The San Diego Better Business Bureau is looking for entries in its fourth annual Torch Awards for Marketplace Ethics competition.
Any for-profit company based in San Diego County is eligible for a Torch Award. Categories are based on number of employees, with sizes ranging from small businesses with four or fewer employees, all the way up to large companies of 1,000 employees or more, said Gerry Wilson, president and chief executive officer of the BBB.
“The Torch Awards is the way San Diego rewards and celebrates ethical business practices in our marketplace,” Wilson said. “The Torch Awards recognize local companies that demonstrate ethical business practices, both in operations and in terms of being ethical, reliable and responsive to employees, vendors and customers.”
BBB officials are available to meet in-person to answer questions about judging criteria, offer ideas on how to complete the entry form, show samples of previous entrants and provide phone numbers of previous winners. Erin Jones, BBB director of operations, has visited with more than 40 companies in the past few months, Wilson said.
The $25 Torch Award entry fee goes exclusively toward scholarship grants for high school students who write winning essays on the importance of marketplace ethics in our community. Scholarship grants of $1,500, $1,000, $750 and $500 are available. Scholarship applications are also available at (www.sandiego.bbb.org).
The Torch Awards, as well as the scholarship grants, will be presented at a luncheon Dec. 4 at the San Diego Marriott Hotel & Marina, 333 W. Harbor Drive, in Downtown. Last year’s awards luncheon drew 600 people, Wilson said.
Entry forms are available online at (www.sandiego.bbb.org), or fax a request to (858) 496-2141. The deadline for entries is Sept. 14, 2001.
Happy Anniversary, Costco:
The Costco Wholesale warehouse on Morena Boulevard is marking its 25th anniversary on July 12. When the Morena location opened in 1976, it was the first membership warehouse club in the United States.
That one location , then called the Price Club, prior to its merger with Costco , effectively launched the entire warehouse club industry, said Wendy Reuben, spokeswoman for Costco.
Today, Costco has 11 locations in San Diego County and more than 360 locations throughout North America, Europe and Asia. The warehouse club has more than 17 million members and 87,000 employees worldwide, she said.
To mark the event, Costco will have anniversary cake throughout the day for all Costco members. A special celebration is also planned for current and original employees, Reuben said.
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California Minds Its Own Business:
The state renewed its commitment to small business June 28 when it appointed a spokeswoman for a prominent business organization to the Small Business Board.
Gov. Gray Davis tapped Shirley J. Lewis (formerly Knight), assistant California director of the National Federation of Independent Business, to sit on the board. The board reports directly to the governor, advising on matters affecting California’s small-business owners.
“The governor has a fundamental appreciation of the value of small business as the real engine of the California economy,” Lewis said. “I look forward to helping the administration not only meet the needs of small business, but assist it in heading off potential damage to it.”
Submit small business and retail items to the Business Journal at lzion@ sdbj.com, or call Zion at (858) 277-6359, Ext. 112. The deadline for the July 23 issue is July 13.
