WOMEN BUSINESS LEADERS
On the waterfront
Caryl Hart knows leading the state’s most influential land-and- water commission isn’t always a day at the beach
Inside: Women in trades · Vine Wise Napa Insider · Tech Talk · Sushi Ran Napa Valley Wine Train · Only In Mari n
$4.95
June Issue 2024
From dream to reality
Make it happen with an RCU small business loan.
Pandora, Sabrina, and Emma The Soap Cauldron Business Members since 2022
Our dream was always to secure a space to foster our company’s growth—a seemingly unattainable goal for my sister and myself, single working moms raising daughters. But we were encouraged to pursue this dream with Redwood Credit Union and we got the loan. The support from RCU was unparalleled. They guided us through the complexities, turning our dream into a tangible reality.”
— Emma Mann
Owner & Soap Artisan The Soap Cauldron
We love to help you succeed.
PREFERRED LENDER
1 (800) 479-7928 | redwoodcu.org/business-loans
Certain restrictions may apply. RCU commercial loans are only available on CA properties. Equal housing lender. Business must qualify for Membership with RCU and meet specific criteria set for by the Small Business Administration (SBA).
PROPRIETOR DANICA PATRICK
Inspired by her many visits to Provence, Danica Patrick dreamt of having her own fresh and elegant French Rosé. Through her partnership with the Margnat family, whose winemaking tradition stretches back to the 1790s, Danica made another dream come true.
@DANICAROSÉWINE
June 2024
NorthBaybiz 3
World-class care. Closer than you think.
We’ve brought together some of the leading experts in spine surgery, pain management, and anesthesiology to form the MarinHealth Spine Institute. In partnership with UCSF Health, we offer you dozens of options, from innovative pain management treatments to the most advanced minimally-invasive procedures. Our team is dedicated to one thing: helping you get closer to your best health.
World-class spine care has never been
SpineInstitute.MyMarinHealth.org | 415-925-8200 “MarinHealth ® ” and the MarinHealth ® logo are registered servicemarks of Marin General Hospital and used with permission.
4 NorthBaybiz
June 2024
49 YEARS OF BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE
June 2024 • Volume 49 • Number 8
LEAD STORY 20 Coastal vision Rosie Padilla Caryl Hart clues readers in on the biggest issues facing the coast
WORK/LIFE 13 Vacation 14 Jobs 15 Junk Fees 17 Obsolescence
20
FEATURE STORIES 30 She’s the boss Janet Perry The resiliency of local women business leaders and how they worked their way to the top 40 Scent of a woman Vicki Larson Scent & Strategy owner Lisa Wilson ‘nose’ dives into the fragrance industry 50 Trades women wanted Jessica Zimmer Tradeswomen are breaking down stereotypes and into male dominated fields
30
Helping grow your business isn’t just something we do... it’s all we do!
50
June 2024
NorthBaybiz 5
72
60
58
COLUMNS 11
DEPARTMENTS 8 Letters 58 Great Tastes Alexandra Russell Experience the Napa Valley Wine Train 60 Dine Wise Jason Walsh Sushi Ran in Sausalito 64 What’s Happening Upcoming North Bay events 67 On The Move 69 Celebrating Best Of the North Bay 2024
From the Editor’s Desk Jason Walsh The entrepreneurial endeavors of North Bay women
19 Napa Insider Christina Julian
Out with the old and in with the new for Napa County, but at what cost?
29 Only In Marin Bill Meagherr
The Candy Store in Tiburon is meeting a sour end due to rent increases.
39 Tech Talk Michael E. Duffy
What is ‘guilt tipping’ and why can’t Americans escape it?
The best in the biz gathered to celebrate their accomplishments…here’s a sneak peak
49 Econ 101 Robert Eyler Economic sanctions, part two 57 Vine Wise Adam Lee
72 Biz Scene
BottleRock Napa Valley and the inaugural La Onda Festival 74 Beyond the Boardroom Rosie Padilla Kathy Witkowicki, Sonoma Speaker Series
A shift in grape growing puts cabernet back on top
63 In the Kitchen John Ash
Treat yourself and try this ‘sun’-sational rhubarb crisp this summer
Printed by Publication Printers Corp., an FSC Certified printer. Please recycle this magazine.
NorthBay biz (ISSN No. 1542-3549: USPS 097-770) is owned and published monthly (plus three bonus issues annually) by North Bay Media Group, LLC. Editorial offices are at 3392 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa, CA 95403 USA: (707) 528-4434. Sub- scription price is $35 per year. Periodicals Postage Paid at Santa Rosa, CA 95402 and at additional mailing offices. Copyright 2022, NorthBay biz. Reproduction of this issue in whole or in part is strictly forbidden without written permission by the publisher. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to NorthBay biz, 3392 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa, CA 95403 USA.
6 NorthBaybiz
June 2024
BEST BUSINESS FRIENDLY CITY
R OHNERT PARK
Letters
“Our city staff ensures that we match that commitment to those who choose to invest in Rohnert Park.” —Marcela Piedra, city manager
By Alexandra Russell
W hat makes a city “business friendly”? “Being friendly is about choosing to respect others for their commitment and investment,” says Marcela Piedra, city manager for the City of Rohnert Park, voted Best Business Friendly City in this year’s NorthBay biz readers’ poll. “Businesses in Rohnert Park place high expectations on themselves and have a willingness to execute at an exceptional level. Our city staff ensures that we match that commitment and execution to those who choose to invest in Rohnert Park.” Piedra continues, “Rohnert Park is recognized for its business-friendly environment, which has attracted a diverse range of enterprises. The city fosters an environment conducive to entrepreneurship and innovation, supporting local businesses while also attracting new investment.” Rohnert Park—population 44,000-plus—is known for several key attributes that make it attractive to residents, visitors and the business community alike. It was
Adjacent to Graton Resort & Casino is the Oxford Suites which caters to tourists looking to discover more of Rohnert Park—or maybe test their luck at the casino.
to property owners and commercial real estate brokers,” adds Piedra, who was appointed to her position in January 2023. Rohnert Park staff also delivers via customer service and permit intake assistance to businesses of all sizes, from entrepreneurs to global companies. “In addition to a concierge service designed to assist business owners from concept to completion and beyond, Rohnert Park has dedicated itself to reshaping its permitting programs to ensure a smooth and simple beginning for any company willing to start here. “Marcela [Piedra] has business development as a high priority, and that includes [her staff] doing all they can to make processing more efficient for businesses,” says Lisa Orloff, CEO of the Rohnert Park Chamber of Commerce. “‘The Friendly City’ is the tagline for Rohnert Park, and it shows in many ways including the work by our city staff.” The city recently launched a new digital newsletter— issuu.com/ rohnertparkcity —which highlights current information and news, program and project updates (such as progress on the new downtown and local business spotlights), upcoming events, recruitment opportunities and more. For her part, Piedra is an enthusiastic cheerleader for her city. To NorthBay biz voters, she has this message: “Thank you for voting us Best Business Friendly City. Your support echoes our commitment to fostering a vibrant community where businesses can thrive.” v v
meticulously planned, incorporating thoughtful urban design principles to create a well-organized and aesthetically pleasing community. This planning extends to residential areas, commercial districts and public spaces, contributing to the city’s overall livability. Home to several big box retailers—Costco, Target, Home Depot, Walmart, and others—Rohnert Park also offers a unique opportunity for urban development with its plans to build a downtown area from scratch. What’s more, explains Piedra, “The city offers any small business with a headquarters in Rohnert Park reports on foot traffic and assistance on expansion, connection to the broader
business community through our partnerships with the Rohnert Park Chamber of Commerce and Sonoma County Economic Development Board, and marketing and general promotion through our social media channels. “[We’re] often in direct contact with entrepreneurs and businesses interested in joining Rohnert Park, and we try to connect these businesses
Publisher
Lawrence Amaturo
Letters Here are a few notes of appreciation from various winners of our 35th annual Best of the North Bay awards—winners were celebrated last month in our May issue. Congratulations, again, folks! —Jason Walsh, editor We built this city! Editor: The City of Rohnert Park is honored to be voted Best Business Friendly City again in this year’s NorthBay biz magazine readers’ poll! —City of Rohnert Park Yee haw! Editor: Thanks to the readers of NorthBay biz magazine for voting the Country Summer Music Festival the Best Annual Festival or Event! —Jim Murphy, Country Summer Credit where credit is due… Editor: This year, we were honored to be inducted into the inaugural NorthBay biz magazine Hall of Fame for Best Credit Union at this year’s Best of the North Bay awards. Congratulations to all of this year’s winners! It’s great to celebrate with all of our local businesses and community partners who are passionate about serving the North Bay. —Redwood Credit Union
Marcela Piedra
rpcity.org
Best of the North Bay 2024 BEST ANNUAL FESTIVAL/EVENT
Editor-in-Chief
Jason Walsh
Northbaybiz 81
C OUNTRY SUMMER
“We focus on blending together some of country music’s biggest names with some of Nashville’s newest talent…we’ve managed to create a staple in the festival space.” —Drew Jacoby, executive producer
Associate Editor
Rosie Padilla
By Rosie Padilla
C ountry Summer, the annual three-day country music festival at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds, is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. More locally driven than competitors like BottleRock, Country Summer proved the favorite North Bay event among readers topping Best Annual Festival/Event in the first year we’ve featured the category. [Country Summer is co-produced by Amaturo Sonoma Media Group, which publishes NorthBay biz magazine.] “Country Summer has cemented itself as a major player in the industry,” says Drew Jacoby, executive producer. “We focus on blending together some of country music’s biggest names with some of Nashville’s newest talent, and while routing bands this far west can sometimes be a challenge, we’ve managed to create a staple in the festival space.” Jacoby asserts that a huge part of Country
Contributing Editor
Bill Meagher
Design Director
Anne Schenk
Country Summer continues to have dedicated fans show out every year to get a glimpse of their favorite country artists. [Photos by Will Bucquoy]
Summer’s prosperity is due to its dedicated fans. The feedback of both fans and partners allows the music festival to improve with each year. Another unique aspect of the music festival is its limited capacity. Normally, headliners like Eric Church
or the bathroom. Particularly enthusiastic music lovers will also be able to get a better view of their favorite bands with Sonoma County wine country serving as a backdrop. Each year the search for headliners presents a challenge—it’s not only about attempting to secure popular country artists but also attempting to coordinate with their already busy schedules. Even after an artist expresses interest in performing, after the offer is submitted, the talent scouter must continually push for the date to be a part of the artist’s tour. “Oftentimes the final lineup is a big departure from the one that the festival originally drafted when the whole process started, but that just comes with the territory of being an independent festival in today’s corporate environment,” says Jacoby. This year’s lineup is set to dazzle with headliners like Old Dominion, Little Big Town and Jordan Davis. Single day as well as 3-day passes can be purchased at countrysummer.com . Hotel and camping packages are also available for purchase. “Make sure to snag [your tickets] to secure your place at Northern California’s biggest country music festival and Sonoma County’s biggest party,” says Jacoby. v
Administrative Assistant
Jodi Pasquini
and Blake Shelton perform at events for up to 40,000 patrons a day. Country Summer is hosted every year at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds, capping at 13,000 concertgoers a day. Another selling point, according to Jacoby, is that fans won’t have to wait as long for drinks, food
Marketing Consultant
Lori Rooney
Last year Lynyrd Skynyrd offered attendees a rocking good time. [Photos by Will Bucquoy]
countrysummer.com
72 Northbaybiz
Best of the North Bay 2024
Writers Janet Perry Jason Walsh Jessica Zimmer
We stand corrected… In our 2024 Best of the North Bay awards issue last month, Bank of Marin was celebrated for earning a place in our inaugural Hall of Fame category—reserved for the businesses that have won repeatedly throughout the contest’s 35-year history. In the accompanying profile, we misspelled the name of Bank of Marin CEO Tim Myers. Congratulations again for a job well done, Tim! And congratulations to
Rosie Padilla Vicki Larson
Columnists Adam Lee Alexandra Russell Bill Meagher Christina Julian Jason Walsh John Ash Michael E. Duffy Robert Eyler Photographers Adrian Mendoza Duncan Garrett Will Bucquoy
Bank of Marin! —NorthBay biz
For more recent NorthBay biz issues, check out northbaybiz.com. Email comments, complaints and witty observations to jwalsh@northbaybiz.com. Please include name, address and phone number. Letters will be edited for length and clarity.
Helping grow your business isn’t just something we do .... it’s all we do!
/northbaybiz
/northbaybiz
@northbaybiz
8 NorthBaybiz
June 2024
June 2024
NorthBaybiz 9
B ooks Are P Remember being read to as a child? M y mother read aloud to me, and one of my favorite books was Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White. But what I remember most was the sound of her voice, the rhythm of the words and what it felt like leaning into her, while she read aloud to me. The pages of those books she read transported us to faraway places—real and imaginary—and taught me about life and oPened my mind to all the possibilities. So when I became a mother, I began reading to my kids. And now I’m reading to my grandchildren every chance I get. As for my mom, now a great-grandmother, she still takes great joy in reading to the kids whenever she visits. Remember to take time every chance you get—eat, play, read. Reading helps build language and thinking skills, develops a child’s imagination and empathy for others, achieve better in school, and it’s a great way to spend time together. And best of all, reading aloud to your child makes memories that will stay with you for a lifetime. That’s what my mother was doing years ago when she took the time to read aloud to me. ortable M agic
“For more than 40 years, we’ve protected people from the elements. Now it’s time to help our kids in the community.” —Barbie Simpson, Owner and President Read on Sonoma!
Put Your Trust In Us
Celebrating more than 40 years as a family owned business. Our team is here to meet all of your HVAC needs. 707-576-150 • www.simpsonsheetmetal.com • Santa Rosa, CA
from the EDITOR’S DESK
Women-owned business on the recovery By Jason Walsh
“S he works hard for the money,” sang Donna Summer in her 1983 hit—a song inspired by the singer’s encounter with an exhausted female bathroom attendant at a posh West Hollywood restaurant. Juxtaposing Summer’s own celebrity life against the more common drudgery of some women’s working-class existence, the song is one of the few dancefloor classics to
and career endeavors. From former employees who went on to buy out their former bosses to women finding success in the typically male-dominated trades industries. Then there’s the Mill Valley resident who turned a marketing gig into a fascinating business creating scents for national retail brands (think candles, soaps, perfumes, etc.). Meanwhile, our cover features Caryl Hart, whose “business” has been a life of service
in the public sector—and her latest gig is as chair of the powerful California Coastal Commission. The North Bay is filled with inspiring women doing inspiring work—and it’s NBb’s pleasure to highlight just a few of the region’s many success stories. As Pamela Prince-Eason, president and CEO of the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council, told Forbes recently, women have achieved “immense progress” as owners and leaders over the past decades. But they—and especially with minority-owned women businesses—lack access to the same capital and equity
take on the bleak economic choices faced by many women back then—sing, shake it and hope for a break, or scrub greasy tile floors and stained porcelain fixtures. Things have changed in 40 years. Today, women are no longer relegated to what were once considered gender- specific careers—the old teacher or nurse question—nor are they expected to stay home and remain dutiful housewives (Mrs. Butker, excepted). According to data from Wells Fargo, women-owned businesses last year represented 39.1% of all U.S. businesses—about 14 million. What’s more,
It seems systemic change doesn’t always keep up with female entrepreneurial spirit.
wf.com reports, women-owned businesses between 2019 and 2023 increased at nearly double the rate of those owned by men; and from 2022 to 2023, the rate of growth increased to 4.5 times. That’s pretty incredible. Even more so when one considers women still face workplace challenges their male counterparts rarely, or sometimes never, have to deal with: working through pregnancy, finding and paying for adequate childcare, unbalanced responsibilities in the home, gender discrimination—the list goes on. It’s not all good news, however. That impressive growth of women-owned businesses is partly a recalibration following the pandemic—when women business owners suffered the brunt of the economic hardship, “leaving the workforce and closing businesses at record rates,” as Forbes describes. What appears to be economic growth for women, also looks a lot like economic recovery. Both are encouraging, but there’s a difference. In this issue dedicated to women business leaders, we cast a spotlight on several North Bay women’s entrepreneurial
opportunities as their white male counterparts. It seems systemic change doesn’t always keep up with female entrepreneurial spirit. But she works hard for the money, nonetheless.
Email Jason at jwalsh@northbaybiz.com.
Jason Walsh is editor in chief of NorthBay biz magazine and northbaybiz.com . A North Bay native, he’s spent his career covering the news, lifestyles and people of Sonoma, Marin and Napa counties. When not up to his elbows in page proofs, you can find him and his family exploring all corners of the North Bay from their home base in Novato.
June 2024
NorthBaybiz 11
12 NorthBaybiz
June 2024
Work/Life/ Vacation
By Jason Walsh Shhh! We’re ‘quiet vacationing’ today… E very office seems to have that one coworker who never takes any time off. Maybe they’re THAT dedicated to the success of the company—or… maybe they’re just taking time off on the sly.
stress experts (at least not entirely). Rather, seeming productive in a competitive job market is a career necessity for some. Meanwhile, shrinking PTO allowances, coupled with increasing life responsibilities, causes many workers to hoard their vacation days in case of an emergency—or to turn those hours into a payout if they’re not planning to stay in a job for long. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average amount of PTO a worker gets ranges from six to 13 days a year in the American private sector.
A new Harris Poll survey found that nearly 78% of U.S. workers say they don’t use up all their company allotted paid time off, or PTO. The poll of 1,170 people found younger professionals are least likely to use up their vacation time out of concerns of running out of PTO, or fears of being seen as a shirker. Of course, that doesn’t mean they’re not taking any time off. They’re just not telling their supervisor. Nearly 40% of workers say they’ve taken time off without informing their managers, according to the poll, dubbed the 2024 Out of Office Culture Report . Tactics range from signing off early without telling anyone, working remotely from a beach or park, or even scheduling emails to send on weekends to show they’re working overtime. Some go so far as to purchase “mouse jiggling” software in order to appear active on remote-work platforms like Microsoft Teams or Slack— meanwhile they’re off running personal errands. In an interview with CNBC, Harris Chief Strategy Officer Libby Rodney described “a giant work-around culture at play.” “They will figure out how to get appropriate work-life balance, but it’s happening behind the scenes,” she told CNBC. “It’s not exactly quiet quitting, but more like quiet vacationing.” It’s recreating without formally requesting the time off, career consultant Erin McGoff told MarketWatch recently. Or, put another way, said McGoff: “I’ve been seeing a lot of people talking about summer plans, but they weren’t requesting PTO.” The trend isn’t born of rebellion or a lack of work ethic,
5 tips for successful ‘quiet vacationing’
t Make sure your work gets done t Be aware of your surroundings during video
calls or turn camera off entirely t Don’t let your boss follow you on Instagram t Make sure your Wi-Fi is stable t Schedule as few meetings as possible
June 2024
NorthBaybiz 13
Work/Life/ Jobs
A s the U.S. labor market is slowly cooling off and job openings have come down notably from 2022’s record highs, the worker crunch that plagued many industries for large parts of 2021 and 2022 has eased as well. According to the latest Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey, every industry has seen its job openings rate drop, in many cases significantly, over the past two years. The leisure and hospitality sector for example, the industry most affected by the post-pandemic worker crunch, saw U.S. is going back to work! By Felix Richter
its job openings rate, i.e. the share of jobs in a given industry left unfilled at the end of the month, drop from 10.5% in April 2022 and 8.9% in April 2023 to 7% this April, as the number of job openings in the industry dropped from 1.81 million to 1.26 million over the past 24 months. The accompanying chart shows which industries had the highest job openings rate at the end of April and how the situation has changed over the past two years. The job openings rate is the number of job openings divided by all jobs, filled or unfilled, in a given industry.
14 NorthBaybiz
June 2024
Work/Life/ Junk Fees Legislature walks back ‘honest pricing law’ for restaurants
By Jason Walsh
W e’ve all been there: When that $12 burger shows up on the receipt as a surprising $25 splurge after several hidden fees are tallied by the restaurant at the end of the meal. Well, that will all end this month, when Senate Bill 478 goes into effect, barring businesses of all types from adding undisclosed fees at the end of transactions—ensuring customers are aware of the full price of an item or service at point of order. The bill was co-sponsored last year by 3rd District state Sen. Bill Dodd, who represents portions of Sonoma and Napa counties.
menu.” Despite the attorney general’s previous insistence that restaurant mandatory fees would be reflected in “the price you see,” Dodd’s office says SB 1524’s allowance for restaurant fees to be cited elsewhere was always inherent in SB 478 and the new bill was only introduced to clarify that. The difference between the extra fees being baked into the advertised price or being listed elsewhere
on the menu is largely about how the full price of a meal is communicated to the customer. A restaurant, for instance, may want to charge an additional 15% to customers in order to ease its payroll burden after the state minimum wage increased. In Bonta’s description of the new law, a $10 slice of pie at a restaurant that charges an additional 15% “cost of living” fee for staff wages would now be priced as $11.50 for the slice of pie. SB 1524, however, would allow the restaurant to keep the pie priced at $10, while requiring that somewhere on its menu is noted the customer will also be charged a 15% wage fee. In both situations, the customer is paying $11.50 for the pie; the difference is in how effectively the full price of the order is communicated. SB 1524 was introduced as an urgency measure, in hopes it would be adopted by the state legislature in time to coincide with the July 1 effective date of SB 478. The bill is co-sponsored by Dodd, Sen. Scott Wiener,
As state Attorney General Rob Bonta clarified in May, SB 478—aka the Honest Pricing Law—“makes it illegal for businesses to advertise or list a price for a good or service that does not include all required fees or charges” other than certain government taxes and shipping costs. Added Bonta: The law is about “clear and honest communication with consumers” and “the law is simple: the price you see is the price you pay.” However, that level of transparency didn’t sit too well with the restaurant industry, which argued restaurant owners depend on separating those fees from menu pricing to avoid the appearance of a several-dollars uptick on the cost of a Caesar salad—even though the full cost will still be paid by the customer when the bill is later tallied. In a concession to the restaurant lobby, Dodd this month introduced SB 1524, clarifying that any mandatory gratuity, service charge or other fee levied by
D-San Francisco, and Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel, D-Encino. The California Restaurant Association said it “strongly supports” SB 1524, as it would continue to allow restaurants “to impose service charges, mandatory gratuities, and other common menu charges,” provided the charges are disclosed in advance. Consumer advocates, however, said that while SB 1524 may be better than no transparency at all, it still reeks of an effort to camouflage the true cost of food orders. As Carmen Balber, executive director of Consumer Watchdog, told the LA Times : “You’re expecting consumers to do a lot of complicated math on each menu item.”
restaurants doesn’t have to be reflected in the price of menu items—such as drinks, starters, entrees and desserts—but instead must be “displayed conspicuously on restaurant menus,” Dodd’s office wrote in an announcement. The bill doesn’t specify how conspicuous or where on the menu the charges must be displayed. While Dodd’s office says the extra fees would be cited on menus, the text of SB 1524 states that any mandatory restaurant fees must be “clearly and conspicuously displayed on the advertisement, menu, or other display,” raising questions about whether the fees have to be displayed on menus, or can instead be displayed elsewhere. Still, Dodd’s office stresses that “If a restaurant is charging a mandatory fee they must disclose that fee on their
June 2024
NorthBaybiz 15
Work/Life/ Obsolescence
You won’t find job postings for ‘resurrectionist’ on Indeed these days.
A tough job, but NOBODY has to do it… By Jason Walsh
W hile there’s been no lack of pearl clutching over the threat artificial intelligence plays to certain careers, the fact is modernization has been making certain jobs obsolete since the earliest days of industrialization. The pattern is familiar: A need exists, an occupation is created to meet the need, a product is invented that does it faster and cheaper, occupation no longer exists. Rinse, repeat. While cyborgs locking their sites on our various hard-learned skill sets is no laughing matter, there have been times throughout history when technology has faded out certain careers—and humanity has gotten along just fine despite it all. Here are 9 examples: Pinsetter: In the 19th century, boys were hired to reset pins after every turn at a bowling alley—lucky for them “bumpers” weren’t invented yet. Rendered obsolete by: Mechanized pinspotter machine in 1930s. Knocker upper: Easy, fellahs, it’s not how it sounds. The knocker up was a 19th century British worker who would tap on windows to wake people up for work. Rendered obsolete by: Alarm clocks. Leech collector: Back in the days when bloodletting was a popular cure-all, leech collectors would lead a horse into a swamp and pry off the fresh leeches from the horse’s legs. Those who didn’t own a horse used their own legs . Rendered obsolete by: Advent of scientific medicine. Resurrectionist : As Mary Shelley acolytes will appreciate, resurrectionists in 18th century England would dig corpses out of freshly filled graves and sell them to medical schools. Rendered obsolete by: Scientific medicine’s shift to using fresh pauper corpses instead. (No one said societal “advancements” are always a net gain, folks.) Computer: In the early 20th century, women (mostly) would crunch numbers by hand. Rendered obsolete by: Actual computers. Lector: To mitigate the mind-numbing boredom for 19th century factory workers, a lector would stand on a platform and read aloud from newspapers and other written materials. (See also: Town crier) Rendered obsolete by: Radio
Ice cutter: Up through the early 20th century, men would cut tons of ice from frozen lakes and send it around the country on trains. Rendered obsolete by: Refrigeration. Elevator operator: Early elevators used to be run by a person operating a lever, to stop the elevator at the correct floor. Rendered obsolete by: Buttons. Encyclopedia Salesperson: Hawking the old Brittanica volumes—with convenient monthly installments!—was a staple on the door-to-door sales scene up through the 1990s. Rendered obsolete by: Wikipedia, internet, et al.
Here are 8 classic American jobs you may not even realize are now all-but obsolete.
• Milkman • Paper boy/girl • Drive-thru bank teller • Soda jerk • Full-service gas pumper • Video store geek • Typist • Bridge toll collector
June 2024
NorthBaybiz 17
Left to right: Katie Tognozzi, Nancy Simpson Barbie Simpson, Tanya Bruno, Kendall Richardson, Nancy Taylor, Nikki Crocker, Reyna Jackson, and Sara Young.
The Ladies of Simpson Sheet Metal Celebrate Women in the Construction Industry For Three Generations
S impson Sheet Metal has been a family-owned business in Sonoma County for the past 42 years. Bill and Nancy Simpson worked side-by-side in creating an incredible place of business that has always supported women in the trades. Bill and Nancy’s daughter, Barbie, grew up in the family business, working after school at the age of 16. Through the support and guidance of her father, Barbie now owns and operates the business. Having been raised in an environment that encourages and supports women in the trades, Barbie created a space where men and women equally share in the duties of the day-to-day operations of the business. Barbie’s daughter, Nancy, represents the third generation of women in the business.
As the Simpson team moves forward, they’re excited to now be officially designated as a Woman-Owned Business, having been accredited with the WBENC and WBE certification in 2018. This certification allows Simpson Sheet Metal opportunities in the awarding of projects bid. The entire staff at Simpson Sheet Metal would like to express their thanks to all of their customers and employees at this time, and to thank everyone for their ongoing loyalty to Simpson Sheet Metal. They look forward to the continued support and involvement of women in the trades and will always maintain an environment that honors this ideal. “We do this in honor of a great man and mentor, Bill Simpson”.
Left to right: Nancy Young, Barbie Simpson, seated is Nancy Simpson
707-576-1500 • www.simpsonsheetmetal.com • 2833 Dowd Drive #C • Santa Rosa, CA 95407
Napa Insider
Wine conglomerates continue to coil our vineyard land in a vice grip, further squashing the quaint Napa Valley of decades past.
N apa Valley is no stranger to growth and development, it’s become as prevalent as our world-class grapes, but at what point do our small towns morph from quaint and idyllic to overrun and over developed? Media alert: We are already there, folks. In St. Helena’s scantly populated 5,200-person town alone, there are four proposed hotel properties in various states of review and approval. We have the 65-room Farmstead project, the 79-room Inn at the Abbey, and the grand plans from real estate investor Antonio Castellucci for a 75-room hotel which, if approved, would land smack in the middle of town at the Bank of America/Adams Street location. And not to be bested by all of the above, we have Napa Valley Wine Train parent company Noble House’s hotel at Charles Krug Winery endeavor, slated to hit this year’s November ballot. All the while, affordable housing remains elusive for valley dwellers and the could-be employees needed to staff any one of these projects, let alone all of them. Add to that State Farm’s recent announcement that the company won’t be renewing 47% of its Calistoga homeowner policies and 27% of its St. Helena ones, the word kerfuffle doesn’t seem to cover it. As for my slice of the pie, my hometown of Calistoga continues to rise in notoriety (or is it infamy?) with the opening of Jean Charles Boisset’s Calistoga Depot where you too can score a slice of caramel-banana bread for a mere nine bucks. Pair that with a small $7 bottle of Fiji water and a $18 taco and you have successfully priced locals out. Thanks to the taste factor and neighboring bubbly bar railcar, I no longer care. The quest for survival As the little guy and gal fight for survival, wine conglomerates continue to coil our vineyard land in a vice grip, further squashing the quaint Napa Valley of decades past. Salacious sentiment, or truth talk? That’s for you to decide, but here are the numbers: The Grand Poobahs of vineyard land owners include Treasury Wine Estates with 2,649 acres; Silverado Investment Management Co./Nuveen/ Westchester with 2,500 acres; followed by Laird Family at 2,400; and Gallo and Constellation, with 1,500 and 1,189 respectively. But the land grabs are not relegated to the wine biz alone. In south Napa, the long awaited and debated Costco Warehouse is set to open this fall just in time to commandeer more land with its 157,417-square-foot store and nearly 14,000-square-foot gas station, spread across 16.4 acres at the corner of Kaiser Road and Riversound Way. While my kids are thrilled at the prospect of scoring jumbo, double pack boxes of Lucky Charms, I can’t help but feel this development will further taint the Napa Valley brand and simultaneously suck away business from underdog retailers and small-lot shops. The Napa Valley growth kerfluffle By Christina Julian
On the plus side for job seekers, the opening of the mega- warehouse could open as many as 300 new jobs, which sure is dandy as long as they don’t want to live here. But like all things Costco—there’s an answer for that! The warehouse is only one part of the larger Riversound Redevelopment project, which spans 152-acres of land, some of which has been approved for 945 new homes (140 designated for affordable housing), alongside plans for a boutique hotel, retail spaces and light-industrial-use operations. Like all good marketing brochures, Riversound’s is spinning a dream, with catchy declaratives, including: “Located at the gateway to the world-renowned Napa Valley Wine Region,” which illuminates the rub for me, if no one else. Is this the image we want to project to tourists entering our wine-filled wonderland: Welcome to Wine Country, don’t forget to stock up on cheap wine, booze and buckets of crunchy snacks? If you ask my husband, who for reasons unknown enjoys combing Costco aisles on weekends, that would be a resounding—yes! As for my wayward gal pals who come here to escape the banalities of everyday life and motherhood, that would be a hard no. But, like it or not, bulk food shopping in Napa is here to stay come harvest time. Soul savers Luckily, for every land grab and mega-corporate takeover, there are youth in the community geared up and ready to save our commodity-centered souls, including youth leaders of Napa Schools for Climate Action. This pack of student advocates are working to cut pollution from the source, stopping harmful emissions, and calling on every city within Napa County to pass a ban on dirty- energy infrastructure, i.e. gas stations. As a mother of tweens who ensures that the “diligence pays” catchphrase works its way into dinner conversation at least twice a week—it does. Over the last few years, the actions of these young climate activists have inspired cities to move the climate change mark in positive directions. The City of Napa made the 2030 net zero deadline a guiding principle in its General Plan, the Napa City Council passed a moratorium on new and expanded gas stations, and Yountville and St. Helena have passed bans. Perhaps another mission should be added to their docket: Save Napa Valley—from itself. g
After years in the technology and advertising trenches, Christina Julian traded city life for country and unearthed a new philosophy—life is complicated, wine and food shouldn’t be. Her debut novel, a romantic comedy called The Dating Bender , is now available. Learn more at christinajulian.com . You can reach her at cjulian@northbaybiz.com.
June 2024
NorthBaybiz 19
Coastal
20 NorthBaybiz
June 2024 June 2024
vision Caryl Hart talks housing, sea-level rise and leading one of the most powerful commissions in the state
By Rosie Padilla
The California Coastal Commission was established by voter initiative in 1972 and made permanent by the state legislature with the adoption of the California Coastal Act of 1976. The commission performs a wide range of duties to regulate the use of land and water in the state coastal zone. Caryl Hart, a Sebastopol resident and former director of Sonoma County Regional Parks, was appointed to the commission in 2019, and this year serves as chair of the influential 12-member board.
Caryl Hart, shown here at Salmon Creek Beach, part of Sonoma Coast State Park. [Photo by Duncan Garrett Photography]
June 2024
NorthBaybiz 21 NorthBaybiz 21
Investment Management
Visionary Wealth ManageMent
Our mission is simple: to be the trusted primary advisor and wealth manager for individuals and families who are seeking long term financial security and wish to use their personal and financial resources to make their lives more meaningful and productive for themselves, their families and their community.
Wealth Planning
Above all else, we work as your team to create an integrated financial plan. Contact us today to learn more.
Family Office
5T WealTh, llC • 595 COOMBS STReeT, NaPa, Ca 94559 • (707) 224-1340 • 5TWealTh.COM
Congratulations 2023-24 San Rafael Leadership Institute Graduates
• Jaclyn Beltram, Marin Sanitary Service • Philip Buckley, City of San Rafael • Nathaniel Cartwright, Poppy Bank • Janelle Cavanagh, Marin Community Foundation • Peggy Clark, Marin Sanitary Service • Mimi Cunningham, The Party Queen • Karol Dailey, College of Marin • Lorena Fontanelli, Heritage Bank of Commerce • Quinn Gardner, City of San Rafael • Chris Hess, City of San Rafael • Peter Hsu, Bank of Marin • Magda Loczi, Marin Sanitary Service • Alex Ma, Dominican University of California
• Heather Martinez, Water Components & Building Supply, Inc. • Richard Martinez, Canal Alliance • Kristie McCall, Vivalon • Sara Moseley, Marin Independent Journal • Chelsey Perez, College of Marin • Karen Shelar, County of Marin • Yalawnda Taylor, Bank of Marin • Sarah Tipple, San Rafael Business Improvement District • Seamus Tomkins, West Marin Community Services • Carolyn Tucker, HomeWell Care Services • Apryl Uncapher, Native Water Systems • Bianca Vivas, MarinHealth
Join the 2024-25 cohort at srchamber.com
22 NorthBaybiz
June 2024
Bodega Bay
June 2024
NorthBaybiz 23
“You have to do the work; you’re not going to get anywhere if you don’t put in the time.” —Caryl Hart
Hart, 66, developed a passion for environmentalism at a young age. Born and raised in West Los Angeles, she recalls a childhood spent lying under trees and gazing up at the sky—she craved the outdoors. When she was in sixth grade, Hart’s family moved to the Santa Ynez Valley, where they owned a spacious piece of land; she
Preserve in 2020, about the time of her appointment by then-state Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon to the Coastal Commission. From that girl lying beneath the trees of L.A. to leading one of the state’s most powerful land/water- use commissions, the road to conservation has been as long and winding for Caryl
became an immediate fixture at the rolling creek near their house. The seeds of environmentalism were firmly planted, setting her on a path to pursue environmental law. When considering her career options later in college, the lure of the criminal courtroom shone brighter than that of environmental law, and Hart went on to serve as a public defender in San Francisco and Marin County. She met her husband Mickey—drummer in a little North Bay- based band called the Grateful Dead—in 1990 and they settled in the Sebastopol area soon after. While her frustrations with life as a public-defender grew—the state’s 1994 incarceration-heavy Three Strikes law was a particular sore point—that lifelong passion for conservation blossomed. In the 1990s, she chaired the Sonoma County open space advisory committee, co-founded parks-advocacy nonprofit LandPaths, and went on to earn an appointment in 2000 to the state parks commission, upon which she served for 13 years. For seven years beginning in 2010, Hart was director of Sonoma County Regional Parks and, as an encore, served as interim director of the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space
Hart as it has been rewarding. “It’s like any passion…it’s just part of your DNA and who you are,” she says. We asked Hart about the work of the Coastal Commission, the current challenges facing the California coast—and, most importantly, what’s her favorite local beach. ..... When you first got involved in local land use in the 1990s, Sonoma County wasn’t known for its open space conservation. What changed? Before I even went to grad school to get my doctorate in environmental policy, I was on the Ag & Open Space Committee—I think I was the chair of that for a period of time. I was also on the State Park [and Recreation] Commission which I was also the chair of. During that period—I moved here in 1990-1991—there was very little parkland or open space in the county. In fact, Sonoma County ranked at the bottom of the list for parkland. With friends and people that
24 NorthBaybiz
June 2024
Erosion from sea-level rise is affecting coastal communities like Santa Cruz, where many houses are built upon cliffs.
I met, we started working on how we could take some of the land that was, for example, in the hands of timber companies and look at whether there was a possibility of those areas becoming a park—a state park. And here we are today—thousands of acres have been added to state parks. You always think over your lifetime, what will you remember as something that you really feel good about? I would say it was my involvement in the acquisition of the Willow Creek property. [In 2005, more than 3,000 acres of Willow Creek alongside the Russian River was acquired by and folded into the state parks system; prior to that LandPaths had been its steward.] Why is Willow Creek so near to your heart? It was really just being part of the transition of a property that is as magnificent as Willow Creek. It’s essentially a huge watershed, that part of the property is 5,500 acres. But we started working on the whole area, which is now maybe up to 20,000-plus acres. Willow Creek is one of the most spectacular areas, it’s a big redwood property with big meadows and it goes from the top of Coleman Valley Road all the way down to the Russian River. It has an incredible wetland area, it has beautiful meadows, old growth redwoods and it has trails all over. I just love it so much out there and I feel really happy that ended up [within state parks]. It still hasn’t been opened as a state park, which is a disappointment, but it doesn’t take away from the fact that it has been protected permanently. All the creatures that live there and the redwoods can now go about their business of continuing to grow and thrive. ..... Throughout her career with LandPaths, county parks and in other local land-use advocacy roles, Hart engaged regularly with the California Coastal Commission—so the commission was very much on her radar
when a seat opened in 2019. Two years removed from her tenure with regional parks, she decided to pursue a spot on the powerful coastal board, earning her appointment from then-Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon later that year. According to the CCC website at coastal.ca.gov, “the commission is committed to protecting California’s coast through careful planning and regulation of environmentally sustainable development, rigorous use of science, strong public participation, education and effective intergovernmental coordination.” Of all the service opportunities open to you, why the Coastal Commission? I had such an incredible admiration for the work of the commission and everything they have done. I began to explore how it was possible—how the appointment process worked. The Senate, the Assembly and the Governor each have four appointees—and at the time the commission was full. But I had some friends that worked in the Speaker’s [Anthony Rendon] office and another friend of mine that worked in Sacramento on parks issues and they reached out to me and said that the Speaker might have an opening. So, I went and met with [Rendon] and talked to him about it. I pursued it by the usual route—with recommendations and people sticking up for me. Finally being awarded the appointment must have been very satisfying. When I got the award, I was super excited—but I really didn’t know what I was in for, [only that] it was an opportunity for me to really dig in and get involved in protecting the coast of California. I’ve been on for a little over four years and it’s been great. What are your other commitments beyond the commission? Since the legislative session has started—I’m part of the Legislative Committee—there’s been some legislation that was concerning to the commission, and I have had to engage on that. And on top of the coastal commission, I am now on the Coastal Conservancy
June 2024
NorthBaybiz 25
board—which is the land acquisition board for the state coastal zone. I also chair the Great Redwood Trail Agency, which is about creating a trail from the San Francisco Bay to the Humboldt Bay. It’s been much more intense than I would have thought, it’s really like full-time, plus. For a long time, state agencies and commissions were typically led by men. How is that changing? Well, all I can tell you is, currently on the Coastal Commission, either nine or 10 of the 12 [commissioners] are women. In terms of the California state government, in terms of the resources side, the director of the Coastal Commission is a woman, the director of the Coastal Conservancy is a woman, the director of the Ocean Protection Council is a woman—I mean it’s really crazy. Has it been a concerted effort to level the playing field? I think at least in my field, there is a real openness and a desire for more women to move up—particularly women from more diverse backgrounds. It’s really an emphasis. I would say if you are interested in the environmental field and county or state government, state government, that sort of thing—it’s a really good time. But you have to do the work; you’re not going to get anywhere if you don’t put in the time. I am a big advocate for graduate school. Taking the time; I’ve seen it for so many people make a huge difference in their lives. ..... Hart concedes there is a lack of public awareness about the day-to- day operations of the California Coastal Commission. One common misconception, she points out, is that the commission denies housing along the coast. In reality, says Hart, the commission is trying to
establish more housing—specifically affordable housing. If the agency falls short of housing goals, Hart puts it down to the absence of legislation granting the Coastal Commission any power to mandate affordable housing. This wasn’t always the case. When the Coastal Commission was established as part of the Coastal Act of 1976, there was a requirement that the commission incorporate affordable housing, whenever feasible, into development projects. From 1976 through 1980, nearly 5,000 units of affordable housing were created along the coast, according to Hart. In 1981, however, the state legislature repealed the affordable-housing authority from the commission. “Although the ability to protect and provide affordable housing was stripped from the commission, it still continues to find ways to support and encourage all types of housing consistent with other Coastal Act policies,” CCC officials state on its website. To illustrate the process when projects are presented to the commission for approval, Hart presented a hypothetical: Let’s say somebody in Venice, California proposes to tear down a duplex and build a single-family home with a large deck. The Coastal Commission may deny the proposal because this would reduce density in an area where there should be denser housing. Hart stresses that the idea that the Coastal Commission only ever blocks housing is false—it’s more likely to deny projects that decrease housing. You consider the 1981 repealing of the commission’s housing authority as a turning point for the CCC. What we saw leading up to the Coastal Act was red lining, bigotry and an incredibly biased approach to loans. Removal of families from property they owned on the coast through various eminent domains. The Coastal Act could have—and did during that [1976 to 1981] period—really addressed that. And then that was removed
from us, and we really haven’t been able to do much [about affordable housing] ever since. Marin County recently capped the number of short-term rentals allowed in such coastal communities as Stinson Beach and Tomales Bay. How do vacation rentals fit into the struggle for coastal equity? I can’t comment on that specifically [as it is a decision that will likely come before the CCC at some point], but I will tell you that we just had a public hearing on housing and one of the big presentations was on the impact of short-term rentals. For a long time, commission staff said, “Look, short term rentals are part of access to the coast.” And that’s no longer the thinking? Everyone had a real—it was almost like a shock—because the experts that testified [at the hearing] said that short-term rentals are making it impossible for people to find a place to live near the coast—it’s really a problem. That’s the backdrop now of how we are going to be approaching short-term rentals. There’s becoming a realization, by everyone, that it’s very important to make sure there’s a balance of short-term rentals and housing available for workforce and permanent housing.
26 NorthBaybiz
June 2024
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64 Page 65 Page 66 Page 67 Page 68 Page 69 Page 70 Page 71 Page 72 Page 73 Page 74 Page 75 Page 76Made with FlippingBook - Share PDF online