STEVE GOODLING - PRESIDENT & CEO OF THE LB CONVENTION CENTER FRI - NOV. 1ST 2013

READ THIS!!!         THE NOV. 1ST BREAKFAST MEETING IS AT BOGART'S IN THE LONG BEACH CONVENTION CENTER ARENA - DO NOT GO TO THE GRAND

Steve Goodling 

President & CEO
Long Beach Convention & Visitor's Bureau

Come hear STEVE GOODLING, PRESIDENT & CEO of Long Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau, discuss the $40 Million Repositioning at the Convention Center. For the past 12 years, Steve Goodling has led the Long Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau (LBCVB), an organization that makes up a vital part of Long Beach's economic health where overnight visitors generate more than $300 million annually and support nearly 7,000 local jobs.

BIOGRAPHY

Over the past decade, Steve Goodling has been leading the Long Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) through a period of substantial evolution that has impacted both visitors and residents alike. As president and CEO of the bureau, Goodling has continued to be a leader in the community by inspiring others to get involved and develop relationships within and outside of the International City.

The Pennsylvania-born marketing executive has more than 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry. Goodling, who holds a degree in marketing from Penn State University, began his career with Marriott and then Shangri-La Hotels, a Hong Kong-based company that operates luxury hotels throughout Asia. There he served as director of marketing for North America in the 1990s, introducing Fortune 500 companies to China’s emerging tourism trade.

(From the Long Beach Business Journal)

Cliff Ratkovich - Developer - "The Edison" Project Long Beach 10/4/13

Cliff Ratkovich Discusses "The Edison" Project

President - Ratkovich Properties

www.ratkovichproperties.com/

Ratkovich Properties is breathing new life into the idle, mid-century modern City Hall East office building, built in 1959. The Edison will now serve as a new western gateway to the East Village Arts District in downtown Long Beach, and feature 150 urban loft apartments, rooftop amenities, a ground floor restaurant, and retail space. 

BIOGRAPHY

Clifford L. Ratkovich has thirty years of development experience in the real estate industry.  Mr. Ratkovich formed Ratkovich Properties, LLC (“RP”) in August 2004 to develop urban housing and mixed-use developments in targeted cities throughout southern California.  RP’s mission “to transform under-appreciated properties into highly desirable residential and mixed-use communities” embraces the company’s commitment to providing vision for urban living.

Prior to forming Ratkovich Properties, Mr. Ratkovich was President of The Olson Company’s In-Town Communities Division.  In 2000, The Olson Company was selected by Professional Builder Magazine as the Home Builder of the Year, and in 2003, the same publication recognized the company as the fastest growing home builder in the country.  As President, Mr. Ratkovich was responsible for southern California home building operations in which he oversaw the production and sale of over 700 homes with gross revenues of $300 million.

For five years preceding The Olson Company, Mr. Ratkovich was Executive Vice President and Managing Director of Post Properties, Inc.’s West Coast development operations. Post Properties is a New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: “PPS”) real estate investment trust based in Atlanta, Georgia, and one of the largest developers, owners and managers of multi-family apartment communities in the country.

Mr. Ratkovich led Post’s acquisition and development of Paseo Colorado in Pasadena, California.  Paseo Colorado is recognized as one of the country’s most successful “Urban Villages” and includes Post’s development of 400 apartment homes and lofts on top of 600,000 square feet of street retail, entertainment and restaurant uses developed by TrizecHahn.

Prior to joining Post, Mr. Ratkovich served for fourteen years as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of The Ratkovich Company (“TRC”), a Los Angeles-based real estate development firm of urban mixed-use and historic rehabilitation projects.  As a principal of the firm, Mr. Ratkovich’s responsibilities included the development management of 4.3 million square feet of developed and planned office, retail, residential and historic restoration, and the co-management of company operations.

Preceding TRC, Mr. Ratkovich served for seven years as Vice President and Principal of Edward C. Ellis Associates, a Los Angeles-based commercial and industrial real estate development company of over four million square feet of office, retail and industrial projects throughout southern California and the Pacific Northwest.

Mr. Ratkovich graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Southern California in 1976 where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and Finance.  Mr. Ratkovich is founder of “HopeBuilders”, an international and non-profit, faith-based ministry which improves the living conditions of families and individuals in need.  He is a former Trustee of the Long Beach Museum of Art. Mr. Ratkovich was a founding Board Member of the Greater Los Angeles Partnership for the Homeless and a Board Member of the Pershing Square Management Association. Mr. Ratkovich is an Elder of Mariners Church in Irvine, California.  He and his wife reside in Long Beach.

Commercial Real Estate Technology - CoStar Group & Building Blocks CRE @7:30 am Sept. 6th 2013

Technology in Commercial Real Estate

Chris Barbieri and Noah Nazzaro will discuss how technology is effecting and will be effecting the CRE industry.   The fundamental shift that the internet has brought to so many industries is starting effect the CRE industry. As this transition occurs it will create opportunities to and issues for agents.   Noah will also discuss the tool available at Costar and what effects you will start seeing from the CoStar / Loopnet merger.  Join us for a discussion on where our industry is headed in relation to technology.  

Chris Barbieri

CEO - Building Blocks CRE

www.BlocksCRE.com

Professionally, Chris is a software entrepreneur and commercial real estate agent.

On the software front Chris started a CRE CRM company out of the frustration in finding a simple CRM that easy for agents to use.   

On the Commercial Real Estate side, Chris spends much of my time driving around looking at large cement boxes packed with metal shipping boxes that produce a never ending supply of yet smaller cardboard boxes stacked in endless rows.  Or strolling around corporate office suites with brokers with crisp white shirts, where he is constantly wondering how those brokers keep their white shirts so crisp!

While not starting software companies, watching boxes pup smaller boxes or mentally analyzing starch levels in shirts.  Chris enjoys time with my wife Patty of 6 years, his son Cooper and their fur production unit, which Patty loving refers to as their dog. 

Noah B. Nazzaro 

CoStar Group

www.CoStar.com

Noah has been in commercial real estate for over eight years and is a Senior Account Executive for CoStar, the largest commercial real estate research company in the world.  CoStar provides over $4 trillion in market comps, tracks 90+ billion square feet of property data and 1.5 million listings throughout the United States.  Since 2008 Nazzaro has handled CoStar’s top clients in Los Angeles and across the country, providing them with the industry’s leading information and technology platform.  Originally from Bucks County, PA, he began his career in securities lending, then later joined Studley in Philadelphia where he represented tenants in their real estate strategies.  His interests in urban planning, architecture, finance and travel all contribute to his passion for commercial real estate.  

Biographies

Chris Barbieri

JOHN MORRIS - RESTAURANTEUR EXTRAORDINAIRE - FRIDAY, AUGUST 2ND 2013 @7:30 AM

JOHN MORRIS

General Manager

McKinna's 

Our August Breakfast meeting is featuring a special guest speaker Mr. John Morris restaurateur extraordinaire and a guy who can 'Dish Long Beach' better than most! He'll talk about the state of the restaurant business in town. He should know, he has a hand in McKenna's on the Bay, Legends in the Shore and give an update on the sad situation of Kelly's in Naples that PT Columnist Tim Grobaty mentioned last week. I may have missed a few as well. You just never know what he say...you just have to attend to know. Full hot buffet breakfast at the beautiful Grand Conference Center.

BIOGRAPHY

(Courtesy of the Long Beach Business Journal Dec. 4th 2012)

There's a name in this town that makes Long Beach residents, business owners and elected officials react. Like him or not, John Morris has made a dent in this community, starting with the opening of Legends Sports Bar in 1979.

After nearly a decade running a successful operation at Legends in Belmont Shore, Morris opened Mums Restaurant at 144 Pine Ave. in 1988. He served as president of the Downtown Long Beach Associates for several years, working on a revival of the main artery of downtown. In the 1990s, Morris was recognized as one of the most influential businessmen in Long Beach.

He eventually closed Mums and reopened the restaurant as Smooth's Sports Grille, bringing the sports bar concept to Pine Avenue. He closed Smooth's in 2010 and in February 2011 joined McKenna's on the Bay at Alamitos Bay Landing as its manager.

He has since become general manager and a partner in McKenna's, and this year he got re-involved with Legends Sports Bar. Morris sat down with the Business Journal to discuss his entrepreneurial ventures in Long Beach, the bumps in the road along his journey and what it's like to have his business career come full circle.

Randy Gordon - LB Chamber of Commerce - Long Beach Update - July 12, 2013

Randy Gordon

President / CEO

Long Beach Chamber of Commerce

Randy Gordon will be speaking to us about the current state of affairs in the City of Long Beach.   This will be a great way to stay abreast of issues, policies and developing situations effecting the Long Beach.

Please join us this Friday, July 12th 2013.

BIOGRAPHY

Randy Gordon was named President/CEO of the Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce in April 1994.  As President and CEO, Gordon is responsible for providing the leadership, direction and administration for all aspects of the Chamber’s activities.  The Long Beach Chamber is a membership organization of over 1,000 businesses committed to continual improvement of the community, economy and the quality of life in the greater Long Beach region.  Prior to his position at Long Beach, he was the CEO of the Covina Chamber for 12 years.

 Gordon is a past-Chairman of the Board for the Western Association Chamber Executives (W.A.C.E.) and holds the distinction as an Accredited Chamber Executive (ACE).  He was the recipient of the W.A.C.E. Executive of the Year award in 1995, and the 2001 Russell E. Pettit Memorial “Excellence In Leadership” award.  He currently sits on the W.A.C.E. Foundation Board. Gordon is the Past President of Southern California Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives.  He is a 1988 graduate of the U.S Chamber Western Institute for Organization Management at San Jose State University, former instructor at the Stanford Institute, a past member of the Board of Regents of Western Institute, a 1993 graduate from the U.S. Chamber’s Academy at Notre Dame and is currently a trustee for the National Board of the Institute.  He is a past Chairman of the California Chamber of Commerce Advisory Committee, served on the CA Chamber’s Board of Directors and is a member of the U.S. Chamber Committee of 100. He is also on the board of the American Chamber of Commerce Executives.

 Gordon is very involved in his community serving on numerous boards which currently includes; the YMCA, the California Conference for Equality and Justice, Board of Trustees for St. Mary Medical Center, the Long Beach City College Foundation Board of Governors, California State University of Long Beach Advisory Board for the School of Engineering, Chairman of the Miller Children’s Hospital Advisory Board and the Long Beach Grand Prix Board. He is the Treasurer of the new Long Beach Ronald McDonald House. This board raised over 6 million dollars in the building campaign.

 He is a 1995 graduate of Leadership Long Beach.  He is a past president of the 330 member Rotary Club of Long Beach and has 30 years of perfect attendance.

 Gordon enjoys donating his time to dozens of non-profit organizations as their auctioneer at their fundraising events each year in Long Beach.

 Personally, he is a graduate of California State University, Fullerton.  He lives with Nancy Becker and has two grown sons. He is a proud grandfather of four grandsons and 2 granddaughters ages 6,5,4,3,2 and 1.