Automotive
Irvine-based Motorcycle Industry Council hired Erik Pritchard as its general counsel. The appointment was effective immediately and fills a spot left open by the departure of Paul Vitrano, who recently joined snowmobile and ATV maker Polaris Industries as vice president for global government relations.
Education
University of California-Irvine Chancellor Michael Drake said President Barack Obama has accepted the school’s invitation to deliver the commencement address at its June 14 graduation ceremony at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. “We will be commemorating the 50th anniversary of the groundbreaking and dedication ceremonies of our campus,” Drake said. “We are proud of the progress we have made during our first half century, and are looking forward to even greater achievements in the years to come.”
Healthcare
Irvine-based eye device maker Presbia PLC filed a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission to offer $90 million in common stock. The company makes intraocular lenses used to correct presbyopia, a condition of aging that hampers the eyes’ ability to focus close up. The company said it planned to list its shares on the Nasdaq exchange under the ticker symbol LENS. An offering price or date wasn’t disclosed (see related story on Lombard Medical Inc.’s planned U.S. public offering, page 3).
Hospitality
The Newport Beach-based Orange County Concierge Association released its annual list of preferred vendors. It’s made up of no more than 40 businesses allied with Southern California’s hospitality industry, including restaurants, shopping centers, transportation companies and attractions. Locals on the list include South Coast Plaza and restaurants such as Bayside in Newport Beach and Mastro’s Ocean Club in Newport Coast. The association represents concierges and companies in the local tourism and hospitality industry. It said it received several hundred submissions for the list.
Hotel loyalty program Voila Hotel Rewards, whose Americas headquarters is in Newport Beach, said it added Mamaison Hotels & Residences to its roster of member properties. Mamaison, owned by Orco Property Group and American International Group, has 10 hotels in its portfolio, ranging from midscale to upscale in Central and Eastern Europe. Voila offers a loyalty program to independent hotels and has more than 250 member properties representing more than 20 different brands worldwide.
Finance
Pacific Investment Management Co.’s stewardship grade was downgraded from a from B to C by Morningstar Inc. analysts. The firm said it will give its opinion on individual Pimco funds and answer frequently occurring investor questions next month. The new grade closely follows Chief Executive Mohamed El-Erian’s January announcement that he’ll step down this month.
Other
Irvine-based TV maker Vizio Inc. racked up a bevy of honors at the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service ceremony in February in Las Vegas. It won 18 at the annual event, making it the second most decorated company there. Other local winners included Property Insight in Santa Ana; Experian in Costa Mesa; Telogis in Aliso Viejo; Pacific Life in Newport Beach; OptumRX in Irvine; Syspro in Costa Mesa; Toshiba America Business Solutions Inc. in Irvine; I-Flow LLC in Lake Forest; and Kerr Corp. and Ormco Corp., both in Orange.
Real Estate
Irvine-based Auction.com, an online real estate auction company, added Jeff Epstein, former Oracle Corp. chief financial officer, to its board of directors. Epstein, who will chair the audit committee, is an operating partner at Bessemer Venture Partners in New York and a senior adviser at Oak Hill Capital Partners in Menlo Park. He’s the second high-profile addition to the Auction.com board, joining a representative from Google Capital, which announced a $50 million investment in the company this month.
Restaurants
Huntington Beach-based fast-casual seafood restaurant concept Slapfish signed a new franchise agreement for Southern California. The deal, with Abdelmuti Restaurant Group, is for six restaurants to open over the next three years. The first is planned for this year in Newport Beach. Abdelmuti is also considering San Clemente or Irvine for its second location, along with Costa Mesa, Santa Monica and Manhattan Beach for additional Slapfish restaurants.
