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Cowlick's Hand Made Ice Cream, Fort Bragg

The Inside Scoop on Nancy the Ice Cream Lady

As she wiped the mint-chip off her son’s chin, Nancy surprised herself by asking her friend, “Wouldn’t it be great to own Cowlick’s?”

Nancy knew what it was like to run a food business; she and her husband Bill own two busy Subways, and she’d never considered having a third. So what was it about Cowlick’s that started her dreaming?

Data Distributing, LLC, Santa Cruz

Sherman and Marjorie Hauser, majority owners of Data Distributing LLC and John Kettles, CFO and Nancy Fisher, President & CEO, part owners, were very concerned for their employees and their 24 year old business.  The global recession was bringing their Medical data and storage business to the breaking point.  Due to so many budget freezes in the hospital industry, sales were swiftly declining. They were forced to lay off 6 employees, and their bank was canceling their line of credit. Several other banks denied their requests for a new line of credit.  In desperation, the Hausers and Kettles turned to the Central Coast SBDC in November of 2008 for help. 

California Marine Sports, Fairfield

California Marine Sports is a family-owned dealership that carries Nautiques by Correct Craft, Centurion, Pro Line, Blue Water, Reinell and Klamath boats.  Carrying on a rich family tradition of the love of boating are Grant and Tammy Fulford, owners of California Marine Sports.  In addition to boat sales, California Marine Sports also has a Pro Shop with marine accessories, parts and a service center providing maintenance and repair for all makes and models of boats.  Grant and Tammy started California Marine Sports after Grant was laid off as a manager for Napa Pipe.  They had prior experience operating a marine repair business in Petaluma.

Plaza Oliver Gas & Food, Fairfield

Plaza Oliver Gas & Food is the newest gas station in Fairfield, CA, and is conveniently located at the corner of Rockville Road and Oliver Road (1009 Oliver Rd.) right off the I-80 Freeway.  It has a state-of-the-art car wash, propane fuel dispenser, and a food and beverage center that even features local, Suisun Valley wines.  Currently, it is the only station in Fairfield selling biodiesel fuel.

Paragon Uniform Inc., Oakland

Marilyn Ababio, President of Paragon Uniforms Inc.Paragon Uniforms Inc. is a full service uniform company with a sterling track record of over 25 years of service.  Paragon has won the State of NJ governor’s award for Excellence and Growth, and the Federal Minority Business Development Award.

Next-Generation Internet Opportunity

Pulling Back the Redwood Curtain:
Humboldt County's Next-Generation Internet Opportunity

Joaquin Alvarado, Institute for Next Generation Internet
Ken Ikeda, Bay Area Video Coalition

March 1st, 5-7pm
Wharfinger Building, Eureka

G&S Tool, Inc., San Leandro

Gabor Paulovits, President of G&S Tool, Inc.G&S Tool, Inc. was established in 1994 to service the tool & Die and precision machining needs of the aerospace, lighting, and bio-medical industries. Over the past twelve years, it has proven itself as a valued supplier of precision-crafted tooling and machined components.

Kit and Caboodle – The Hobby Shop, Oakley

Kit and Caboodle--the hobby shop, offers many remote control cars, trains, rockets, science and educational projects providing fun for all ages. Beginning in 1972 and located in Albany, Kit & Caboodle has had many owners; the last being Doug’s grandmother Margaret Collins. Instead of closing the shop Doug, a  Part’s Manager at an auto body shop, and Emily, a middle school teacher, could realize their dream of being entrepreneurs. They chose to move the business closer to their home in Oakley and wanted to re-start the business.

Pupuseria Gemelos, San Francisco

Maribel and Luis Ochoa (owners) of “Pupuseria Gemelos” are the first and newly assigned food concession operators for the Crocker Amazon Soccer Fields in San Francisco. By the end of this summer 2008 “Pupuseria Gemelos” will be operating at a newly built food concession stand located within the Crocker Amazon Soccer Fields; Maribel and Luis Ochoa will be the only food vendors allowed to operate at the field. The food concession will serve refreshments, snacks, and healthy ethnic and local dishes to all the soccer teams and patrons visiting the fields.

Peas of Mind, San Francisco

Helping a friend feed her toddler something much healthier than canned green beans turned into a full time job for Jill Litwin, creator and CEO of Peas of Mind.   The energetic and savvy entrepreneur quickly realized that she was creating more than just a product, she was creating a niche, a rare circumstance in today’s crowded marketplace.  There were baby foods and adult foods but nothing for the in-between “growing child” stage as Jill calls it.  Moms had little more than Cheerios and Goldfish for their 1 - 8 year olds to snack on; Jill Litwin soon had a tasty line-up of healthy and tasty Puffets, natural and organic wholesome meals for moms to feed their delighted growing kids.