AROUND THE VALLEYS

Fifty-five companies from the San Fernando, Conejo, Santa Clarita and Antelope valleys were named to the Inc.com list of the 5,000 fastest growing private companies in the nation. The companies on the list come from a range of industries real estate, finance, media, staffing, hospitality, construction, and information technology with revenues ranging from $2 million to the $90 million range. The Inc.com list was based on revenue growth for private, independent companies between 2003 and 2006. The 5,000 list is an extension of Inc. magazine’s annual 500 list. LoanToolBox, of Westlake Village, landed in the No. 428 spot with 2006 revenues of $14.5 million, a 671 percent increase over the $1.9 million in revenues for 2003. CEO David Fournier credits the growth to finding a way to get relevant and important information that loan officers want and need. “Our members are seeing a benefit,” Fournier said. “It’s how to talk to potential clients and calm them down and how to market themselves to reach out to former or potential clients they didn’t necessarily have the skill sets to work with before.” Making the list were: The Siegel Group, Studio City; NxTV, Woodland Hills; LoanToolBox, Westlake Village; Ionic Media Group, Encino; Trans-Aid, Glendale; Exaktime, Woodland Hills; PrintsMadeEasy.com, Chatsworth; Submit Express, Burbank; The Kern Organization, Woodland Hills; Capital Networking Leasing, Sherman Oaks; DLC, Woodland Hills; Thinkwell Design & Production, Burbank; Precision Welding, Lancaster; Optim Microwave, Westlake Village; First Security Lending, Burbank; Westside Remodeling, Westlake Village; Revolt Pro Media, Van Nuys; Kabuki Restaurants, Burbank; Bruce Clay, Moorpark; Repipe Specialists, Glendale; Pacific Pavingstone, Sun Valley; Century Bankcard Services, Chatsworth; Topaz Systems, Simi Valley; Airstar America, North Hollywood; Network Direct, Van Nuys; The OCJ Group, Tarzana; Account Control Technology, Canoga Park; Channel Islands Data Supply, Camarillo; Mike Rovner, Simi Valley; E-Poll Market Research, Encino; Red Peacock International, Glendale; Providea, Camarillo; Landscape Development, Valencia; SADA Systems, North Hollywood; Micro Solutions Enterprises, Van Nuys; Onestop, Canoga Park; CPAgents Insurance Services, Woodland Hills; California Deluxe Window Industries, Chatsworth; NorthStar Moving, Chatsworth; Western Equipment Service, Lancaster; Detection Logic Fire Protection, Burbank; Microcom Technologies, Calabasas; Exact Staff, Woodland Hills; Line 6, Calabasas; ISWest, Agoura Hills; Munchkin, North Hills; Behr Building, La Canada; Image 2000, Van Nuys; DAP World, Sherman Oaks; A-1 Hospitality Products, Pacoima; ProtoType Industries, North Hollywood; PCC Network Solutions, Chatsworth; ASP Global Services, Chatsworth; TC/US, Westlake Village; Atkinson-Baker, Glendale. SAN FERNANDO VALLEY Burbank Animation: DIC Entertainment, along with CBS and American Greetings Properties launch their new branded programming block “KEWLopolis on CBS” beginning Saturday, Sept. 15. The programming block includes Burbank-based DIC-produced properties Strawberry Shortcake, Sabrina: The Animated Series and Trollz. A web destination and official site, www, KEWLopolis.com, is being created for the launch of the block which ties into all the programming airing on the television block. The online community serves as a destination for children ages 6 to 12 with a portal to individual series websites. North Hollywood Transit: The Metro debuted its new 65-foot Metro Liner bus on the Orange Line busway serving the Valley between North Hollywood and Warner Center. The bus is a full five feet longer than its 60-foot predecessor, and provides room for 66 seated passengers compared to the 60-foot model’s 57 seats. These nine additional seats represent a 16 percent gain in seating capacity. Metro purchased the extra-long bus to meet growing ridership demand on the Orange Line, which marks its second anniversary in late October. “This new vehicle is roomier, quieter, more streamlined and, what’s more, operates on environmentally clean natural gas,” said Pam O’Connor, Metro Board chairwoman and Santa Monica City Councilmember. Universal City Trade: Vivid Entertainment and Club Jenna co-hosted the StorErotica convention and trade show in Las Vegas from Aug. 27 to 29. The show marked the first time that owners and operators of adult stores, lingerie boutiques and the manufacturers and distributors who sell adult products and intimate apparel gathered together under one roof. Attendees participated in professional seminars, workshops and parties. “We’re excited about meeting our distributors and retailers in Vegas,” said David Peskin, National Sales Manager for Vivid. “Their feedback has been invaluable to us in our strategic planning and marketing programs, but it’s a great opportunity to meet face-to-face.” Valley Glen Workplace: A seminar on different generations working together takes place Sept. 19 from 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the Junior Achievement building adjacent to Griffith Park. Speaker Virginia Greene explores the vast differences between the generations and how to create a more cohesive unit. The seminar is a must for anyone interested in understanding the generational differences of their staff and how they can be used for greater productivity. The seminar is free but space is limited. To reserve a seat contact Los Angeles Valley College Job Training at (818) 947-2927. West Hills Home: A block Party for the Valley Million Dollar Home Raffle takes place Saturday, September 8, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Meet radio personality Bill Handel and other celebrities, take a tour of the house and buy a ticket for the raffle for your chance to win a million dollar home or $800,000 cash, plus other great prizes. Raffle proceeds benefit the not-for-profit Kadima Hebrew Academy. Free/open to the public. 6967 Sale Avenue, West Hills (Shoup and Vanowen). For more information, contact (818) 444-4068 or www.valleyhomeraffle.com. Energy: Southern California Gas Co. has expanded its energy-efficiency programs for business, offering rebates and incentives that could exceed $1.2 million annually per customer. The Gas Company’s Express Efficiency rebate program continues to offer up to $200,000 annually per business customer for energy-efficient boilers, commercial water heaters, pipe wrap and other measures. The utility also has expanded its Savings by Design incentive program for energy-efficient new construction. This program pays up to $150,000 per project and customers may qualify for multiple projects within a given year. Savings by Design also allows food-service customers to receive rebates on new cooking equipment. For more information on The Gas Company’s incentive and rebate programs, visit www.socalgas.com/energyefficiency or call (800) GAS-2000. CONEJO VALLEY Thousand Oaks Filming: University Village Thousand Oaks recently served as the set for Mickey Rooney’s latest film, “Wreck the Halls,” being produced and co-directed by Michelle Goetsch, a Thousand Oaks resident. The movie is scheduled to be released in 2008. Camarillo School: California State University Channel Islands President Richard R. Rush welcomed new and returning members of the faculty along with administration and staff at a ceremony on Aug. 23. Classes for the new school year began Aug. 27. Rush commended the campus community for its hard work in the university’s quest to gain accreditation through the Western Association of Colleges and Universities. Rush also spoke about the groundbreaking for the Martin V. Smith Center for Integrative Decision-Making, a state of the art facility connecting the university’s MVS School of Business and Economics with financial markets, and is the first step in attracting community utilization of the campus. Additionally, Rush announced that CSUCI recently received a $100,000 donation from an anonymous donor to begin planning and design work for a performing arts complex on campus. SANTA CLARITA VALLEY Saugus Cars: The 12th Annual Oldies & Goodies Car, Truck and Motorcycle Show will be revving its engines at Saugus Speedway Saturday, Sept. 8, from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Prizes for car, truck and motorcycle of the year will be awarded and attendees can also have the opportunity to win prizes and raffles. Live music will include local British-Invasion band, The Neat, and headliner, The Corvettes, a 5-piece Doo-Wop group out of San Diego. “It’s really more of a car party than a car show,” said Terri Burbank, General Manager of the Saugus Speedway, “and it gets more and more fun every year.” Tickets are $10 for adults, $3 for children 12 and under, with $1 from each ticket sale being donated to the Special Olympics of Santa Clarita. Santa Clarita Classes: The new College of the Canyons campus in Canyon Country opened for classes on August 27. The college will be offering 300 classes in this first semester of operation which will take place in 23 classrooms and five laboratories, all in modular buildings. Construction of the first permanent building is slated for 2009. ANTELOPE VALLEY Palmdale Opening: The City of Palmdale’s Youth Library celebrated the grand opening of its new Homework Center at a ribbon-cutting ceremony held Aug. 29. The library is at 38510 Sierra Highway. Four new personal computers were donated by the Friends of the Library to help students complete their homework assignments. Mayor Pro Tem Mike Dispenza, Library Board of Trustees President Patricia Shaw and Friends of the Library Treasurer Patsy Heald were among those in attendance to mark the occasion. For more information, call (661) 267-5222. Playhouse: The Palmdale Playhouse celebrates its 13th birthday with a concert by The Osmond Brothers, Sept. 8, 7:30 pm. The Osmonds have sold more than 80 million albums worldwide and have 47 gold and platinum records to their credit. The 350-seat Palmdale Playhouse has seats available on a first come first served basis. The Medici Award, given to a member of the community who has shown outstanding support of the arts in general and the Palmdale Playhouse specifically, will be presented to former Palmdale City Manager Bob Toone prior to the concert. Toone played a key role in the creation of the Palmdale Playhouse and its Visual and Performing Arts Program. The Playhouse is at 38334 10th St. East in Palmdale. Tickets are $35 for adults and $30 for seniors, students, military and youth. Tickets: www.ThePalmdalePlayhouse.com. Information: (661) 267-2787 or (661) 267-5685. Housing: The City of Palmdale and the Housing Rights Center will host a free walk-in clinic Sept. 20, 1 to 4 p.m., in its development services building, 38250 Sierra Highway. Housing rights clinics are held on the third Thursday of every month in Palmdale. The clinics provide an opportunity for residents to ask questions and receive answers about fair housing, rent increases, repairs and more. The Housing Rights Center is a nonprofit agency that works to help provide equal housing access to all residents in the communities it serves. The Center assists homebuyers, tenants and housing professionals with free counseling services on fair housing law, public education seminars on housing discrimination and housing discrimination complaint investigation. For more information, call (800) 477-5977, (661) 267-5126 or visit www.hrc-la.org.