Charles Crumpley

Publisher & Editor

Charles weighs in each week with his opinion - his "Comment" - about local business. While he pats the heads of those who make prescient or brave decisions, he's not afraid to kick the shins of businesses that make dunderheaded moves or governments that interfere with free markets. It can be newsy, it can be opinionated, or it can be funny, but the Comment column is always about business in Los Angeles County.

Charles Crumpley has been a reporter, writer or editor for 30 years, mostly with daily newspapers. He was born and raised in Kansas City, MO, and worked for years for the Kansas City Star, mainly as a senior financial writer. He was the editor of the business news section for two daily newspapers, including the New Orleans Times-Picayune. He has won four national journalism awards and studied Japanese banking and business practices in Tokyo as a senior Fulbright scholar. He has been editor of the Los Angeles Business Journal since January 2006.

He can be reached at (323) 549-5225, ext. 208, or by email: ccrumpley@labusinessjournal.com.

Email: ccrumpley@sfvbj.com
Phone: 818-316-3133 Extension: 127

Recent Stories

Gas Is a Taxing Matter in This State

Are Californians finally fed up with unreasonably high gasoline prices?

Will BlackLine Stay in the Black?

BlackLine has been a nice story for the San Fernando Valley. It went public more than a year and a half ago, and the stock has been a solid performer. The company generally has gathered nice reviews from the investment community as well as for its products, financial software.

California Exodus: The New Reality

Recently, I got a note from a local business executive telling me he was retiring and moving out of California.

Making the Housing Shortage Worse

We have a severe housing shortage, and last week our mayor said that he’d help make matters worse.

Bioscience Gives Valley Shot in Arm

I’ve been looking over our Stockwatch page, and I couldn’t help but notice a couple of things.

Bullet Train Losing Business Folks

Do you know what really was deflating when California’s High-Speed Rail Authority issued its latest report a few weeks ago?

Hard to Be Generous in Our State

Poor business people. They’re always in a dilemma.

California’s Version of Brain Drain

Housing shortage hurts Valley businesses.

Could Valley’s Promenade Be Home to Amazon? Dodgers Affiliate?

The Westfield Group is moving ahead with plans to remake the Westfield Promenade shopping center into a big mixed-use complex, including a sports facility that could house a minor league baseball team. But there is a small possibility that Amazon.com Inc. could choose the site as its second headquarters, seriously changing those plans.

2017? C’mon, It Was a Good Year

Despite media reports, 2017 was a good year.

DineEquity: ‘Worst Restaurant Stock of Year’

There’s no doubt that Glendale’s DineEquity had a difficult 2017, what with unappetizing earnings, a departed chief executive and slowing traffic. Yet another low point was hit Friday when a leading stock-monitoring website put out a list showing that DineEquity was the worst-performing restaurant stock of the year.

Hands On Experience

2018 Book of Lists

This year’s ‘Valley Visionaries’ say our region can remain an ‘economic powerhouse’ – with some changes

An Artful Way to Boost an Economy

Boosting the local economy through support of the arts.

Report: Iger May Stay On

The Walt Disney Co.’s possible purchase of the entertainment assets of 21st Century Fox may result in Robert Iger staying on as Disney’s chief executive, according to a report Wednesday in the Wall Street Journal.

Sauntering, But It Feels Like a Jog

Valley economy is growing but it doesn’t feel like it.

Uncovering Little Gems Among Us

Small growing companies point to strength of Valley economy.

Retire? I’ll Try Email-Free Weekend

Retire? Not us! Why the Valley 200 plans to skip retirement.

Local Leaders Win Public Service Awards

Seven Valley-area leaders were honored for their community involvement at a luncheon event Thursday at the Hilton Woodland Hills hotel.

Memo to Metro: May We Survive?

ONE MORE THING: Metro bureaucrats address business concerns with indifference.

Disney’s Lack of Corporate Presence

ONE MORE THING: Disney’s so-so performance as corporate citizen.

Metro to Hear from Businesses It May Uproot

Metro said Wednesday it has scheduled an additional meeting to hear the deepening concerns of more than 100 Van Nuys businesses that could be displaced by a proposed train maintenance yard that would be part of an expanded transit system.

In the Dumps Over New Trash System

Winners and losers in L.A.’s new trash hauling system.

Fernando Award Given to Insurance Agent

Paul Davis, a civically involved small-business owner, on Saturday won the Fernando Award, considered the top honor for volunteerism in the San Fernando Valley and one of the top such awards in the country.

Desalination’s Slipping Resistance

ONE MORE THING: Desalination may be on its way.

Housing Shortage to End Soon. Maybe.

ONE MORE THING: Newhall development could end L.A.’s housing crisis.

Political Leader Gets Earful About PAGA

Businesspeople irate about California’s so-called PAGA law got a sympathetic hearing Wednesday from Assemblyman Adrin Nazarian during a breakfast meeting organized by the Valley Industry and Commerce Association.

Storage Firm’s Fate Packed With ‘Ifs’

Public Storage stock: to buy or not to buy?

Let’s Party Till (Almost) Dawn

The business behind keeping bars open longer.

Why State Tax Deduction Will Stand

A likely future of the state tax deduction.

PAGA: Funny Name, Dire Results

The onerous consequences to employers of PAGA lawsuits.

ESPN Has Fallen and Can’t Get Up

ONE MORE THING: Disney doesn’t have a game plan for ESPN, but ABC has a new star.

VNY: Now Ready for Takeoff

Van Nuys Airport takes off with the business world’s increasing use of private jets.

The New Assault on Part-Time Jobs

Newly proposed AB 5 is no friend to businesses dependent on part-time workers.

Nestle’s Move Hard to Swallow

Nestle’s relocation could say a lot about the state; California needs to spend more on infrastructure.

A Prescription for Prosperity?

Amgen’s surging stock price.

Don’t Unplug That Self-Checker!

Supermarkets should reconsider scrapping self-checkouts.

The Scourge of Compact Parking

More compact parking spaces equals fewer cars.

Cherokee’s Pattern of Self-Renewal

Cherokee’s strategy; public pensions bury Californians.

Where’s Giant Leap for MannKind?

MannKind Corp.’s sales effort fails to deliver, so far; California’s secession threats show divisions between right and left.

Not Getting High on This Vote

Possible costs of legalizing marijuana; lower-cost neighborhoods should attract businesses from L.A.’s costliest areas.

Interim CEO Named for New Horizons

Directors of New Horizons on Wednesday announced the appointment of Roschell Ashley as its interim chief executive officer effective Jan. 1.

Business-Friendly Voter Choices

Charlie Crumpley’s take on ballot measures and candidates.

Easy Choice for State Senate: Fazio

Charlie Crumpley’s business-friendly endorsements.

VICA Speaker Says Valley Could Host Olympic Events

Three Olympic events will be held in the San Fernando Valley if Los Angeles hosts the 2024 Olympics, the chief of the game-luring committee said Friday.

There is Integrity in That Initiative

Finding the integrity in L.A.’s Neighborhood Integrity Initiative.

Valley Businesses Fear ‘Anti-Development’ Measure

The November ballot is crammed with issues, but businesspeople already are fretting about the following election. At least, the so-called Neighborhood Integrity Initiative, which is to be on the March 7 ballot in Los Angeles, got a big share of the attention – and opposition to it got the most applause – at a chamber luncheon Thursday.