AROUND THE VALLEYS – April 2, 2012

News and notes from around the greater San Fernando Valley area SAN FERNANDO VALLEY North Hills BUBBLES: North Hills-based Imperial Toy announced its partnership with youth marketing company Zim² on a national science-based education program centered on Imperial’s new glow-in-the-dark bubble solution. The Super Miracle Bubbles GLOW Fusion Bubble Solution will be incorporated into science lessons, in which students will learn about the science of glow and create “Chemiluminescent Systems” using the Imperial’s product. Nearly 700,000 children in grades first through third in 2,400 schools nationwide will participate in the in-school program. In a prepared statement, Genna Rosenberg, executive vice president of Imperial Toy, said in combining the Super Miracle Bubbles GLOW Fusion Bubble Solution with a fun lesson plan, the company is providing an educational platform where students can engage and learn valuable scientific lessons. “We view this in-school program as an invaluable targeted resource and look forward to the imperative feedback from teachers and students alike,” Rosenberg said. Northridge The California State University Board of Trustees announced the appointment of Dianne F. Harrison, Ph.D., as the new president of California State University Northridge. Harrison, who currently serves as President of California State University Monterey Bay, will be succeeding retired president Jolene Koester and is expected to begin her new position in June. In a prepared statement, CSU trustee Bob Linscheid said Harrison is bringing a portfolio of experience which includes an administrative background, academic credentials and a student-focused approach to her new position. Prior to Monterey Bay, Harrison worked at Florida State University for 30 years, serving in various capacities including faculty member, dean of graduate students and vice president for academic quality and external programs. “She has an impressive record of accomplishments, a commitment to scholarship, and will provide strong leadership as the campus moves forward,” Linscheid said. CONEJO VALLEY Westlake Village CONTEST: Dole Food Company Inc., a Westlake Village food provider and marketer, launched its annual Dole 2012 California Cook-Off recipe contest. Participants are invited to submit their recipes on the company’s Facebook page for a chance to win $10,000 in cash. Contest finalists will be sent to California where they will prepare their specialty dishes in front of a live audience and a panel of judges at The Grove shopping center in Los Angeles. Submitted dishes must be able to be completed in less than an hour on a gas grill and include at least one DOLE product and no more than seven additional ingredients. Judging, which will be led by celebrity chef Ben Ford, will be based on creativity, flavor and the best use of DOLE products. “This is a challenge for everyone to show their stuff, whether you are the executive chef to your family, the hostess at your own dinner parties, or the full-time worker bee who is challenged to eat healthfully amongst a busy schedule,” Ford said. VENTURA COUNTY Camarillo ACQUIRE: This month, Semtech Corp. completed its acquisition of Gennum Corp., a move that will create instant opportunity for Semtech in the video and data communication markets. The deal between Camarillo-based Semtech and Gennum, headquartered in Toronto, is valued at $500 million. Gennum will now be known as Semtech Canada Inc. The combination of Semtech and Gennum signal products creates a robust analog and mixed signal semiconductor portfolio targeted at the communications and enterprise computing segments,” said Semtech President and CEO Mohan Maheswaran. “This will enable us to help customers reduce bottlenecks in the access, metro and core networks, as demand for bandwidth continues to escalate,” Maheswaran said. Semtech serves several diverse industries, including enterprise computing, industrial, communications and high end consumer products. The company employs 168 people in the San Fernando Valley region and has a total workforce of more than 900. SANTA CLARITA TRAVEL: Princess Cruises of Santa Clarita is entering the Japanese market in response to what its parent company said was a growing interest in cruising in Japan. Carnival Corporation & plc said Princess’s entry into Japan represents the largest deployment by a global cruise line in the Japanese market. The Sun Princess ship will head to Japan for the spring and summer cruising season starting in April 2013. The company expects 18,000 passengers in the first season of Japanese cruising. Princess is launching an 87-day program featuring a total of nine cruises on seven different itineraries operating April through July of next year from both Yokohama and Kobe. The cruises will be from nine to 12 days in length. Carnival formed a new subsidiary, Carnival Japan Inc., to sell the Princess Cruises brand and certain other Carnival brands in Japan. The new company will be based in Tokyo and will be overseen by Eiko Kijima, who will join the board of directors of Carnival Japan. “Our new Japan deployment is three times larger than that of any competitive international cruise program, with superior itineraries specifically designed for the Japanese market,” Alan Buckelew, Princess Cruises president and chief executive officer said in a prepared statement. “It’s the very first time a global cruise line is offering a full season of cruises from April to July designed specifically for passengers from Japan.”