APPAREL
The San Clemente-based Old Guys Rule line of surf-inspired menswear will sell “Badge of Honor” of shirts in recognition of an Orange County orthopedic surgeon who runs Operation Rainbow, a non-profit that offers free medical care to needy individuals around the world. The shirts are part of donation to Operation Rainbow, founded by Dr. Gus Gialamas. Old Guys Rule founder and owner Don Craig said his company plans a series of similar shirts honoring organizations and causes worthy of donations.
ECONOMY
Orange County’s workforce included 116,000 individuals who work at their own, unincorporated businesses in 2010, according to data released recently by the U.S. Census Bureau. The 8.2% rate here compares to 8.2% statewide and 6.3% nationally. Costa Mesa had the highest rate of residents who are self employed among all cities in the county, at about 14.2%, followed by Westminster (10.7%), Yorba Linda (10.3%) and Newport Beach (9.3%). Tustin (5.2%) had the least.
HEALTHCARE
A recent study by researchers at the University of California, Irvine, suggests that a dietary supplement that’s available over-the-counter dietary and via the Internet shows indications of stopping progress of multiple sclerosis. Researchers said oral doses of nacetylglucosamine—often sold under the name glucosamine— can bring changes that appear to prevent abnormal immune cells from attacks on tissue around nerves. Such attacks can result in paralysis for MS patients. Tests on humans will be needed to confirm the research and devise dosage standards for patients, researchers said.
MEDIA
Freedom Communica-tions Inc.’s Orange County Register tapped General Manager Michael Henry to serve as interim publisher. He will fill a position left open after the retirement of Terry Horne. Irvine-based Freedom counts the Register as its flagship publication, and owns about 100 other daily and weekly newspapers along with eight television stations. Henry, who has been with the company for 15 years, has served as general manager and chief financial officer since last June. A national search is being conducted for a publisher, according to the Register. Freedom has had on-again-off-again discussions on a sale of all or parts of the company to Denver-based MediaNews Group Inc., according to recent reports. MediaNews publishes the Los Angeles Daily News and several other dailies in Southern California.
Newport Beach-based motorcycle enthusiast magazine Cycle World has been acquired by Bonnier Corp. in Winter Park, Fla. The 49-year-old monthly will operate as a division of Bonnier’s Outdoor Group, led by Vice President and Group Publisher Eric Zinczenko. Bonnier is the publisher of Field & Stream and action sports-oriented TransWorld, among others. Cycle World’s staff is expected to stay with the publication, according to Bonnier. Cycle World has long shared a Newport Beach office building with automotive magazine Road & Track. Earlier this year, New York-based Hearst Magazines, a subsidiary of Hearst Corp., acquired Cycle World, Road & Track and other magazines from New York-based publisher Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S., a unit of French media company Lagardère. Hearst has indicated it plans to keep Road & Track in its fold.
TECHNOLOGY
Aliso Viejo-based Predixion Software raised $6 million in a second round of funding, and plans to use the money develop software for the healthcare industry and increase its sales and marketing efforts. Predixion makes predictive analytics software. It didn’t identify the investor in the latest funding round. Miramar Venture Partners in Corona Del Mar, Irvine-based Palomar Ventures, and DFJ Frontier in Los Angeles combined for a $5 million investment last year.
Irvine-based medical software provider Kareo Inc. received a $10 million equity investment. It plans to use the money to expand its sales and marketing, develop its product lineup, and bolster its roster of suppliers. Kareo provides cloud-based practice management and medical billing software for doctors. Kareo now has about 70 workers and expects to add 30 or more by the end of the year. Greenspring Associates of Owings Mills, Md. led the investment. Other participants included Boston-based OpenView Venture Partners, Western Technology Investment in Portola Valley and Travis Kalanick, an angel investor.
ECONOMIC INDICATOR
UP: The average weekly pay for workers in Orange County during the first quarter, which rose 3.3% from a year earlier to $1,035, according to the most recent data available from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The cost of living in Southern California rose 1.4% over the same period.
