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Focuses on the Lincoln Mercury division of Ford Motor Co., and the entrepreneurial strategies of President Mark Hutchins. Creation of the division and history of its performance; Customer demographics; Impact of the success of the Navigator luxury sport utility vehicle; Personnel; Reasons for moving the company to Irvine, California; Innovations, and development of vehicles to appeal to young buyers; Marketing.

The article focuses on California's car market. J. David Power, the Westlake Village, California -based automotive industry analyst, recently surveyed 5,000 U.S. and California residents of driving age. A few telling conclusions are that Californians do own more sports cars than the rest of the nation, but the number still amounts to a modest portion of the product mix 4%, against 2% for the country as a whole. The gap, moreover, is fast narrowing-5% of prospective U.S. buyers now in the market say they are looking for something sporty, compared with 6% of Californians.

NatuEra's CBD Smart Kiosks are designed to mitigate the regulatory risk and liability of dispensaries and retailers carrying hemp-derived products by providing a turnkey product category management solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a corporate profile of Shaklee Corp. in Pleasanton, California. It is the leading natural nutrition and green cleaning products which has been around for more than 50 years and with Dr. Forrest Shaklee as its founder and Roger Barnett as its chairman and chief executive officer. The company started with a vitamin formulation developed by Shaklee which has evolved into a broad spectrum of all-natural cleaning, nutritional and skin-care products that won accolades from Oprah Winfrey. They plan to venture into software-as-a-service (SAAS) market wherein they would work with Salesforce.com to help them update aging applications quickly and relatively inexpensive.

For a fruit that's been around since 3000 B.C., the pomegranate is doing a pretty good job of acting like the newest thing on the fruit stand. A pomegranate drink called Pom Wonderful is supposed to be the fastest-growing drink in the premium refrigerated juice market. Celebrity chefs Jamie Oliver and Nigella Lawson recently unveiled culinary creations using the fruit. Credit Stewart and Lynda Resnick, a Los Angeles couple whose eclectic mix of businesses includes the Franklin Mint, manufacturer of collectible kitsch; Teleflora, a floral delivery business; and Paramount Farms, the largest pistachio, almond and citrus farming operation in California, with 100,000-plus acres. They got research from the Technion university in Israel showing pomegranates contain higher amounts of antioxidants (known to lower cholesterol and keep heart disease at bay) than red wine, green tea or cranberry juice. Paramount Farms persuaded grocery stores to carry brightly colored bins holding up to 300 pomegranates, with instructional booklets attached.

The article reports on the move of Oxford Laboratories to audit its products in Foster City, California. It states that the assessment is part of the company's broader, three-stage planning and review program. It also offers information on the functions of the three committees created by William E. Finney, president of the company, including the Product Planning Committee and the Product Audit Committee.

The article reports on the introduction of extended wear contact lens from Coopervision Inc. in Menlo Park, California. The eyewear company has successfully expanded its product line into the established market of contact lenses and took a large piece of market share. Sales of its lenses, as well as its diagnostic, pharmaceutical and surgical products jumped 48 percent in 1983, to $198 million while net income rose 1 percent.

The article reports on the move of Aperio Inc. to increase its product offering n response to growing demand in California. The products include clinical workflow software, the ScanScope AT slide scanning instrument, and ScanScope FL slide scanning instrument for the quantification of multiple fluorescent biomarkers. Chief medical officer Jared N. Schwartz says that the new offering reflects its focus on creating solutions designed to increase the productivity and efficiency of pathologists.

The article looks at the success of the Forever 21 retail clothing store for young women, run by Do Won Chang. Sales rose 27% to $640 million in 2004, and same-store sales in the first quarter of 2005, a difficult time for many apparel retailers, rose 16%. While Chang watches the books, his wife, Jin Sook, keeps an eye on fashion as head buyer. After a new look is spotted, a sketch or sample is rushed to one of several manufacturers in Los Angeles, California, where 40% of the clothes are stitched. Chang says he shaves six weeks off the time it takes to get items into stores by using labor in Los Angeles. Despite the fickle nature of the fashion business Chang sees no reason Forever 21 cannot reel in more customers.

The article offers steps on how to identify problem areas at Greg's Autobody and make changes to reorganize the shop in Whittier, California. It suggests moving the parts department to the rare of the building next to the tear down area, and identifying the problems in the detail and paint departments. It is also essential to identify disorganization outside the building, recognize the effect of the changes, and continue making improvements.

The article offers information on the PlugFests, a meeting where members of an independent testing laboratory examine new products to certify full compliance with the specifications of LXI. The objectives of the PlugFests, hosted by the LXI Consortium, are to provide LXI instrument manufacturers guidance on design issues and to officially verify that an instrument meets all the qualifications of LXI in support of the technical developments in local-area networks (LAN) products and techniques. Previous PlugFests were held in California, China, and Canada and for 2008, the event will take place in Munich, Germany.

The article focuses on the factors behind the success of Kelly Pipe Co. LLC, a company specialized in distribution, fabrication and processing of pipe, valves and fittings with headquarters in Santa Fe Springs, California. According to Chief Operating Officer Earl Cohen, much of the success is due to its focus on quality control and product management, as well as on geographic expansions. Cohen also credit the success to the good employees who are well trained and have product knowledge.

The article reports that the products and processes of QAD Software are embodies in its new Summerland, California Headquarters, designed by DMJM Rottet. Global companies face tremendous pressure to improve operational performance and profitability while also improving customer satisfaction. Manufacturers turn to QAD because we deliver software and services that help them implement lean processes at their factories," says Tom Buffo, director of product management at QAD Software, an enterprise solutions supplier in Summerland, California.

The article reports on the introduction of the 2D and 3D design and engineering software products for manufacturers for 2010 by Autodesk Inc. of San Rafael, California. The software releases are designed to help manufacturers develop better products, that range from mobile phones to bulldozers, in a short period of time. The product lineup which constitutes the firm's solution for Digital Prototyping includes AutoCAD Mechanical, AutoCAD Electrical, Autodesk Showcase, and Autodesk 3ds Max Design. Furthermore, the releases are indicated to provide greater range of design, visualization, and simulation capabilities.

The article reports on the launch of StuffIt Deluxe 2009 for Windows, an enhanced version of the compression and file management solution, as well as a celebration for the event by Smith Micro Software Inc. in Aliso Viejo, California. The solution is designed to provide intuitive file compression and integration with operating systems and applications that include Adobe Photoshop. StuffIt is offering several tools to automatically perform the complex tasks of consumers and professionals. The company is also hosting an interactive contest titled "Just StuffIt" to celebrate the launch and the success of the product.

The article profiles Optical Designs, an optical retail shop owned by Rick Hogan and established in 1986, situated in Santa Monica, California. Hogan explained having a good product mix is important, challenging the customer's curiosity. Moreover, Hogan exhibits a combination of both classic and artistic styles, which assist customers to look for elusive quality from brands.

The article reports on the announcement of the new features and functionality of the PS/Ship suite of software products by PS/Ship, a division of Lynch Marks LLC in Albany, California. It is stated that the new pricing module allows users to quickly and easily shop for the lowest shipping rates and fastest delivery times available. Its upgraded PS/Ship Label Serve supports additional United States Postal Service (USPS) shipping options, extending the software's existing support for USPS Certified MailT to include USPS ExpressR, PriotityR and RegisteredT mail processing and cost recovery.

The article reports that Oracle Corp. in Redwood Shores, California has launched its PeopleSoft Enterprise Learning Management 9.0. on June 26, 2006. The new product offers significant enhancements to help improve performance and efficiencies across the organization. PeopleSoft Enterprise Learning Management 9.0 demonstrates the company's commitment to continually enhance its applications as part of the "Applications Unlimited" program. This application equips companies with increasingly complex, multinational regulatory requirements and offer users disconnected learning capabilities.

The article reports on the regular supply of exotic stainless steels by Oxnard, California-based Mirror Metals. Mirror Metals is a direct mill distributor specializing in mirror polished stainless sheets, as well as brass, copper and bronze products. Amy Filippini, a former service center sales agent and "architectural specialist" with Reynolds Aluminum Co., founded this company. Mirror Metals stocks about $1 million in inventory in Oxnard, including Grade 304 bright annealed in a range of gauges, sizes and finishes. The company also offers colored stainless sheets produced with a special physical vapor deposition process. As a specialized master distributor, Mirror Metals ships product to service centers all over the country.

This article presents an interview of Josie Rietkerk, CEO of Caterina's based in San Clemente, California, to share her expertise about managing the Confections Category. The biggest challenge is monitoring shelf life. The first two years they were open, they threw away a lot of candy. It's that learning curve of trial and error. She said "Our stores are located in airports, so we don't have to do much marketing. However, we do have repeat customers and we often ship to customers who have purchased from us in the past." The worst problem in all her years of business is getting product through airport security to sell to the customers.

The article profiles General Electric (GE) Capital Corp., which is committed in understanding the needs and culture of the music products industry in El Cajon, California. Retailers are helped by GE's Commercial Distribution Finance Corp. (CDF) in optimizing cash flow by managing their inventory financing more effectively. The company's Money Business Center offers access to cardholders who opened an account at their store and the chance to buy a prospect list of new customers in their area.

The article discusses the highlights of the WESTEC 2009 Advanced Productivity Exposition (APEX) held at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, California from March 30 to April 2, 2009. The APEX focused on taking an offensive approach to the tough economic times where attendees were encouraged to look for new ideas, network and get free education to keep them competitive in the changing economy. More than 260 new products from over 500 exhibitors were on show at the APEX.

This article looks at the strategy applied by growers and shippers to market their farm produce from Salinas Valley, California, in 2008. According to Ken Silveira, president of Tanimura & Antle Fresh Foods Inc., growers and retailers are working together on category management, margin improvement, packaging solutions and understanding the consumer. It is noted that a common theme of the efforts is to make it easier for retailers to sell and consumers to buy and enjoy more produce.

The article focuses on sorting out products and cutting the clutter in retail stores. It explains how Mollie Stone's Markets in Mill Valley, California freed up its space. According to David Bennett, co-owner of the store, they cleared up the clutter by having another store of just 9,500 square feet about two miles away. Mollie Stone's also cleared up clutter between the checkstands by eliminating mismatched cases.

The article focuses on the business and profitability strategies of Orchard Nursery and Florist's Lazy K Gift House in Lafayette, California citing its merchandising and product offerings. They use clever packaging for the products, especially during holidays where they offer two high-quality quest towels packaged with a bar of soap. Similar bundles are created with votives and decorative coasters and packages of small plates and cheese spreaders.

Focuses on the ways to gain market share in San Diego, California. Application of financial analysis; Product development; Responsiveness to the problems.

Reports on branding and entertainment as the center of the retail sector in San Diego, California since 1997. Branding concept utilized by Westfield America; Properties owned by Westfield America; Provision of an outdoor shopping arena by the Viejas Outlet Center, an economic base for the Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians.

The article offers information on a program titled SCUBrand4U that has been developed by the Santa Clara University's Leavey School of Business in Santa Clara, California. It mentions that the program is a personal brand management program that provides assistance in the creation of personal brands. It highlights that the use of social media is a major topic throughout the program.

The article reports on the impact of diversification on the success of DJO Global Inc. in San Diego, California in 2011. It mentions that the company has been ranked as the largest private firm in the city by a journal after its revenue reached 966 million dollars in 2010. According to corporate director Mark Francois, the company's success is triggered by its effort to cater the demand of customers through offering varied product lines.

The article profiles 42-year-old Kent Harle, president of solar electric systems retailer Stellar Solar, in San Diego, California. It notes that Harle's business philosophy is focused on the impact of a great job to customers. The development of new products that competitors do not have access to is what Harley likes about his job. According to Harle his best business decision is keeping their overhead cost very low.

The article announces that Capel Rug has moved its San Francisco Bay area showroom to 200 Kansas Street in San Francisco, California. The new showroom has 5,000 square feet of space and will display over 1,000 selected Capel rugs. Fran Wilson, showroom manager of Capel's San Francisco showroom, says the new location will give Capel the opportunity to effectively introduce its product brand to many designers and individuals who frequent the prestigious design district.

The article reports on the launch of acoustic guitars manufactured by Paul Reed Smith at the National Association Of Music Merchants Inc. (NAMM)'s Show held in California in 2008. It states that the new guitar is nearly four years of design and prototyping with acoustic artist Ricky Skaggs and luthier Steve Fischer who culminated the Angelus Cutaway and Tonare Grand models. The model has come standard with features that are typically considered upgrades.

The article offers information on the leading high-quality medical equipment developer and manufacturer DJO Inc. in San Diego, California. DJO produces products for patient care, injury prevention and at-home physical therapy treatment. It is also a global distributor of the devices that offer solutions for musculoskeletal health and pain management.

The article reports on the high sales of McDonald Corp.'s espresso-based lattes, mochas and cappucinos in San Diego, California which puts up strong competition with Starbucks Corp. products. According to the article, the region is among one of the first places that the firm has introduced its products, which significantly impacted sales. In addition, it states that Starbucks has attempted to bounce back by offering sandwiches in their breakfast menu but eventually dropped them.

The article reports on the new product safety act in San Diego, California. The law, which spurs changes to the Consumer Product Safety Act is said to prompt local law firms to gear up their related legal offerings. New requirements implemented under the act are designed to avoid more rounds of massive recalls on imported consumer products and put stricter safety requisites on manufacturers and retailers in response to concerns about unsafe imports of children's toys from China.

The article offers tips in making a worth paying Web video in Hollywood in Los Angeles, California. Sexy actors and prominent producers tend to go into the trend of product placement as their top billing. For instance, the writers of science fiction "Gemini Division" rework on scripts to accommodate product placement by merging television (TV) with videogames in a form of storytelling that engages audience on multiple levels. Some big names in the industry are also turning into Web video.

The article announces that Cummins Inc. has certified its two new ComfortGuard auxiliary power unit (APU) to meet the 2008 California Air Resources Board (CARB) idle reduction regulation. It states that the product offers two options to meet the emissions criteria, including a stand-alone particulate filter on the product's engine. The company has submitted all the necessary applications for product testing and verification by CARB.

The article reports on the plan of General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. in Rancho Bernardo, San Diego, California to transfer to Poway. Citing increased demand for its product, the aircraft manufacturer has decided to move to Poway, where there is a spacious area to grow. General Atomics plans to occupy 1-million-square-foot of space in eight buildings.

The article reports on the plan of the Rhino Linings Corp. to expand its product line to the garage floor market in San Diego, California. The author stated that a Rhino Home Pro business unit has been formed by the company and will focus on the residential garage floor market. He added that the existing Rhino Lining dealers as well as the home improvement market will be served by the new business unit.

The article reports on the installation of the HRMS SmarTrak barcoded inventory system at Sacramento Container Corp. in California. This inventory system enables the tracking of received sheets, roll stock, raw materials and finished goods inventory through radio frequency bar-coded label scanning. The manufacturer HRMS Inc. said that packaging operations can reduce their manual processes, find units quickly and optimize their receiving process with HRMS SmarTrak.

The article reports on the opening of a fourth major ServicePlus Center for JLG Industries Inc. in Riverside, California, which aims to provide local aftermarket support for its customers California, Nevada and Arizona. The firm's wide range of services include equipment service, mobile technology support and parts stocks. It also provides used equipment for JLG equipment rental and distribution customers and offers service and product training classes.

The article profiles Joanie Smith, a proprietor and founder of Trappings Home Couture based in Sorrento Valley, California. Smith conveyed that she will improve the business by introducing new products which are appealing to the changing tastes of homeowners and designers. She considered referrals and repeat business as her biggest business strength.

The article profiles Paul Otellini, president and CEO of Intel Corp., a large microprocessor manufacturer based in Santa Clara, California. Otellini successfully launched the company's Core 2 Duo chip, which is speculated to click in the market. Over his tenure, Otellini reorganized the company by discarding businesses and dismissing managers to reduce costs. Though it affects the entire operation, Otellini is optimistic that they will survive along with its new product at the market.

The article discusses the plan of middleware software company BEA Systems Inc. to strengthen its services arm and portfolio of service-oriented architecture (SOA) management tools in San Francisco, California. BEA chairman and chief executive Alfred Chuang announces their plans during the annual BEA World user event and reveals that this will prevent and solve the problems in enterprise software. He adds that their new SOA will help the ventue of business and information technology executives.