Basin Street Properties Added 60 New EV Charging Stations to Petaluma Properties

Basin Street Properties, a prominent real estate investment, development, and management firm, is pleased to announce the installation of 60 new Webasto TurboDX Level 2 electric vehicle charging stations across six of its Petaluma offices properties.

Powerflex EDF Renewables installed state-of-the-art stations at six different Basin Street Properties locations: 5341 Old Redwood Hwy, 1400 North McDowell, 1420 North McDowell, 1800 South McDowell, 2000 South McDowell and the Petaluma Marina. Powerflex was also instrumental in coordinating rebates through the California Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Project (CALeVIP).

“EV charging demand continues to grow with our tenant base and it’s a property feature we feel good about at multiple levels,” said Stephanie Burlingame, Chief Operating Officer at Basin Street Properties. “EV charging is part of our broader sustainability efforts including solar power installations, LED lighting upgrades and water usage reduction strategies.”

The project continues Basin Street Properties’ commitment to offer Class A office space that is environmentally friendly.  The EV charging installations follow on three recent solar installation projects implemented in Sacramento, Petaluma and Santa Rosa. Collectively these projects provide 1,097,230 kW of annual power generation as well as 215 shaded parking stalls at the Sacramento and Petaluma locations.

“As electric vehicles usage continues to grow, the proper infrastructure will be an essential amenity for employees needing a charge while at the office,” said Blake Riva, President at Basin Street Properties. “This initiative is part of our broader efforts to provide outstanding property amenities to help tenants reconnect with their teams as they return to the office.”

“Our tenants are the core of our business,” said Burlingame. “From a property management perspective, tenant satisfaction drives everything we do, and we are actively looking for ways to improve tenant experiences across our portfolio, especially when it comes to sustainability initiatives.”

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ABOUT BASIN STREET PROPERTIES

Basin Street Properties, established in Petaluma in 1974, is one of Northern California’s and Northern Nevada’s most prominent developers, investors and managers of commercial properties. The company owns and manages over 5 million square feet of Class A office space. Basin Street is widely recognized for its office, retail, hospitality, multi-family and mixed-use developments. The company offers a broad range of real estate services, including development, property management, construction management, financial and asset management, and property acquisition and disposition. For more information, visit basin-street.com or contact Mike Williams, 775-954-2821, mwilliams@basin-street.com.

Sutter Santa Rosa Regional Hospital Unveils $150M-Plus Expansion, Set to Open in May

Sutter Santa Rosa Regional Hospital’s new three-story tower should open May 3 and may come in under its $158 million budget, hospital officials said Tuesday during a walk-through of the new facility.

The new facility marks the completion of the first of a two-phase expansion project, which broke ground in September 2019. The second phase, a renovation of the emergency department, is expected to be completed by year’s end, said Dan Peterson, CEO of Sutter Santa Rosa.

The hospital’s expansion project was initially estimated to cost $158 million, to include a $15 million capital campaign, Lisa Amador, assistant administrator and director of philanthropy, told the Business Journal in July 2019.

“We do expect to come in under budget, (but) not a lot under budget,” Peterson said Tuesday. “Until all is said and done, we won’t really know exactly where we came in.”

The $15 million philanthropic component is ongoing, he noted.

The new three-story wing, situated on the east side of the hospital, adds 67,000 square feet of space, which includes 40 more beds in all-private patient rooms, two operating rooms, one endoscopy and gastroenterology room, 20 intensive care unit beds and 11 post-anesthesia care unit bays, as the Business Journal previously reported.

The forthcoming 10,713-square-foot renovation to the existing emergency department will add nine emergency department bays, expanded dietary services, a laboratory and blood bank, and a central sterile processing unit to support additional services, also previously reported by the Business Journal.

During the 2019 groundbreaking ceremony for the new tower, then-CEO Michael Purvis said the hospital had reached capacity soon after it opened in 2014, prompting discussions about an expansion.

The new tower is fully equipped with state-of-the-art technology, down to the clocks at the nursing stations, which are all Wi-Fi-enabled and connected to the world clock, said Jeffery Miller, chief engineer for Sutter Santa Rosa. The idea is to ensure precision in timing across all parts of a patient’s care, such as what time a doctor visited a patient or when a nurse administered medication.

Nursing staff also provided input during the early design phases, and their feedback was incorporated into the final product, said Matthew Boersma, construction manager at HerreroBOLDT, and senior project manager for Sutter Santa Rosa’s expansion.

One of the recommendations met was the installation of a second call button in each patient room, to be located on the wall just inside the door so when a patient inadvertently pushes the button, the nurse can disable it at the doorway.

https://www.northbaybusinessjournal.com/article/industrynews/sutter-santa-rosa-regional-hospital-unveils-158m-expansion-set-to-open-in/

BioMarin Continues to do Important Work in the North Bay

Rare Disease Day

On March 1, BioMarin celebrated Rare Disease Day. As part of this day, the company hosted a special event at our San Rafael headquarters to honor patients and reaffirm our commitment to developing much-needed therapeutic treatments for rare and genetic diseases. Guests included patients, their families, and the founder of a patient advocacy group called CureDuchenne, along with local civic leaders and BioMarin employees.

Thirteen patients from across the country participated virtually in a ceremony of hanging locks on BioMarin’s Trees of Life sculpture. This outdoor sculpture on the San Rafael campus is an artistic representation of the deep-rooted relationships BioMarin has with the patients and communities we serve. Each lock has been placed by a person affected by a rare genetic disease, as well as advocates and physicians who share the mission to make a difference in the development and advancement of innovative therapies.

BioMarin also announced that in 2022 we will provide $25,000 in scholarships for patients living with rare conditions, both for those who will attend four-year colleges or graduate programs and two-year community or vocational programs.

Back to Work/Local Restaurants

BioMarin employees start returning to our campuses in both San Rafael and Novato this month. We are excited to see each other again and get back into the local community. BioMarin has announced a partnership with several local restaurants for lunch and dinner to help boost the local economy. It also gives employees an opportunity to enjoy the local eateries for the first time in nearly two years.

Human Rights Campaign’s 2022 Corporate Equality Index

On January 27, BioMarin made a very exciting announcement: for the second consecutive year, we received the top score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Corporate Equality Index (CEI). The CEI is the foremost benchmarking survey and report in the U.S., measuring corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ+ workplace equality. BioMarin joins 840 other major U.S. businesses that also earned the top mark this year and were named Best Places to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality.

Smart Technology Innovation Award

Our BioMarin team in Shanbally, Ireland, recently earned the prestigious it@cork Smart Technology Innovation award – the first-ever biotechnology industry recipient – in recognition of our groundbreaking technology adaptations during the coronavirus pandemic. Amid regularly shifting pandemic protocols, the team was challenged to implement critical workplace protections while keeping workers, products, and patients safe. Continued manufacturing was essential and shutting down operations was not an option. In response, the team took just four months to design, build, and implement SafeTrace to automatically manage coronavirus social distancing and contact tracing.

Local Charitable Giving

BioMarin continues to build partnerships with local nonprofit organizations that are making a major impact in the community. We are proud to announce our ongoing collaboration with the North Marin Community Services, The Downtown Streets Team, and the Center for Volunteer and Nonprofit Leadership. We are honored to work with these organizations which are helping those most in need.

Bank of Marin Voted by Marin Independent Journal Readers’ Choice Poll 2021, Best Bank and One of the Most Community-Minded

Bank of Marin was voted the Best Bank (5 years running) and one of the Most Community-Minded (4 years running) by readers of the Marin Independent Journal. The Marin IJ’s annual “Readers’ Choice” awards are selected by a survey of their readers. Marin IJ readers vote for their favorite businesses in a wide variety of categories, and those with the most votes are selected for the Readers’ Choice “Best of” list.

https://www.bankofmarin.com/about-us/news/awards/#:~:text=Bank%20of%20Marin%20was%20voted,a%20survey%20of%20their%20readers.

Canine Companions for Independence Team Up with Jean Schulz, Petaluma Animation Studio, for ‘Andy: A Dog’s Tale’

Talk about barking up the right tree.

The new short animated film “Andy: A Dog’s Tale” began with an idea in the mind of Jean Schulz, whose late husband Charles Schulz once had a successful dog-themed idea of his own in the form of the beloved Peanuts character Snoopy.

“I saw something — I think it was over two years ago now — a little animated blurb for a dog organization, and I went, ‘Huh, animation,’” Schulz explained, speaking on Zoom from a meeting room at the Peanuts Studio offices in Santa Rosa.

That moment of inspiration has now come to fruition. The just-completed “Andy“ will have its world premiere this weekend at the Sonoma International Film Festival in downtown Sonoma.

Schulz is an investor in Sonoma Media Investments, the parent company of the Petaluma Argus-Courier.

She is also national board member of Canine Companions, which she became involved with in 1986, and with which she’s served as president and secretary of the board. Over the years, she’s produced a number of promotional documentaries for the national nonprofit, beginning with the 1986 30-minute film “Canine Companions: Dogs and the Disabled? You’d be Surprised.” That film was narrated by Charles Schulz.

A few years ago, Jean Schulz expressed a desire to produce another short film of some kind, to let new generations know about the work of the organization, which trains service dogs to become assistants to people with an array of disabilities. The “animated blurb” she refers to now inspired her to think outside the documentary box.

“We all have short attention spans these days,” Schulz said, “so I thought that a short animated movie that can tell a story about a canine companion would fit right in with the way we all maneuver today.”

Schulz approached Paige Braddock, chief creative officer at Charles M. Schulz Creative Associates, asking if she knew someone who might be able to create an animated promotional video for Canine Companions.

“Paige knew Jamy Wheless and approached him, and he came up here and we talked about it,” she recalled.

Wheless, of Petaluma, is an acclaimed animation director whose past work includes special effects on the “Star Wars” prequels and the “Pirates of the Caribbean” films. He is the animation director/producer of Petaluma’s Ignite Animation Studios, and co-founder of Lighstream Animation Studios, which produced the 2018 short film “The Pig on the Hill,” based on the 2013 children’s book by the English author John Kelly. That film was narrated by Pierce Brosnan and featured a score by Oscar-nominated composer songwriter Matthew Wilder.

“I asked if she wanted something like a commercial or something more like “The Pig on the Hill,” Wheless said. “She said, ‘What’s a Pig on a Hill?’ so I showed her the movie and she said, ‘That. Let’s do that.’”

It was obvious from the beginning that the story they would create together should be told from the perspective of a puppy who, after a few starts and stops, grows up to be a canine assistant to a young girl using a wheelchair. Having already produced live-action content from the perspective of clients receiving their new dog and learning to work as a team, Schulz wanted to take a different tack with the animated short.

“I thought that since puppies are cute and cuddly and funny, showing that same story with a puppy as the center was a more engaging grab of the viewer,” she said.

Over the next few months, Wheless sketched out an original story based on interviews he conducted with a number of people who had personally experienced the Canine Companion program, either as trainers or as clients.

“After I developed the initial treatment of the story, I called John Kelly in London — he’s ‘The Pig on the Hill’ writer, right? — and he wrote a script,” said Wheless, noting that the script originally featured narration, Wheless revealed. “After a few months with a storyboard artist, I knew we could tell the story without a narrator. I really wanted to let the visuals and the music to carry the audience. The music would be a key element transporting us through the story since there was no dialogue.”

Wheless then approached Wilder, who’d done the score for the pig movie, and he signed on to compose the music for the film that came to be called “Andy: A Dog’s Tale.” Wilder had worked with Jerry Goldsmith on the Oscar-nominated score for Disney’s “Mulan,” and wrote the music for the songs in that film, some of which — specifically “Reflection,” released by Christina Aguilera as a single — went on to become hits.

“Matthew’s music took our visuals to a whole new level,” said Wheless. “There are a lot of twists and turns in this short film, and he was able to gracefully make them all come together.”

Wheless also brought in Scott Farrar of Petaluma. An Academy award winning special effect artist for “Cocoon,” Farrar was instrumental, Wheless said, collaborating heavily on the story every couple of weeks. Matt Gaser, another Petaluma resident, pitched in as the production designer and did the original concept and color-work for the film. Ultimately, animators from Ignite Studios partnered with Crater Studios in Serbia to work on the intricately-crafted fur of the animated canines in the film.

“Their production team has done a beautiful job on the look and rendering of the furry puppies,” Wheless said. Compared to “The Pig on the Hill,“ the new film, which runs 8 minutes, was decidedly more difficult, technically. ”The earlier short has 55 shots in it,” he calculated. “’Andy’ has 135 shots. A much bigger story and a bit more complex.”

Asked how the title character came to be named Andy, Schulz told a story.

“Sparky and I once got a foundling, a little dog we wanted as a watchdog,” she explained. “I did some research, and found out that wire-haired terriers are yappy little dogs, which is what we wanted — a noisy watchdog dog. We’d had golden retrievers, but they’re quiet and they welcome everybody into their house, so they aren’t very good watchdogs.”

Schulz went to a local animal shelter and told them what she wanted.

“I brought back this mangy little dog,“ she said. ”He wasn’t much to look at, but I thought, ‘As long as he barks, that’s all that matters.’ But he didn’t bark. He never barked at anything. I called the shelter and asked if it was possible the dog couldn’t hear, and they said, ‘He can hear. He can bark! He barked here all the time!’ Sparky and I finally decided he was just happy here, and almost immediately Sparky fell in love with him. Once his coat grew in he was the fluffiest, funniest little dog. When we got him, he was wearing a leather collar with the name Andy scratched into it, so that’s what we called him — and I wanted the puppy in the movie to be called Andy, too.“

Asked what she hopes the movie will accomplish, aside from entertaining people, Schulz says her goal is education and promotion of the mission of Canine Companions.

“At the most simple level, we will use it as a entry point for people who are interested in supporting Canine Companions, which has eight centers all over the country,” she said, adding that many assume that Canine Companions only trains guide dogs for people living with blindness. That’s a misunderstanding she believes the film will help to correct.

“We certainly do provide that service, but we’re for people with disabilities other than blindness,” she said. “If you have had a spinal injury and are in a wheelchair, we can help by pairing you with a dog to assist you. We also place dogs with kids with learning disabilities. What we mainly hope is that the film will engage people enough to want to ask more questions about Canine Companions.”

Clearly, Schulz is happy she had that initial inspiration to make the film an animated one, and is delighted at how the project turned out.

“I think about Sparky’s cartoons, and how, with one line he could change a character’s whole expression,” she said. “And similar to that, I think Jamy and the animators have done a wonderful job, especially Andy’s eyes. He looks up at someone, or at the door, or at the wheels of a wheelchair, and you know exactly what he’s thinking and feeling. It’s amazing.”

https://www.northbaybusinessjournal.com/article/entertainment/jean-schulz-petaluma-animation-studio-team-up-for-andy-a-dogs-tale/

Bank of America Announces New Secured Credit Offerings and Digital Resources to Help Entrepreneurs Start and Grow Their Businesses

Bank of America today announced the launch of the Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Secured credit card, Business Advantage Secured Credit Line and the Start a Business Center – its latest products and resources for entrepreneurs looking to start a small business or build their business’ credit history.

“Bank of America is committed to providing small business owners with innovative solutions and advice that can help them grow their business and establish long term financial wellness,” said Sharon Miller, president of Small Business and head of Specialty Banking and Lending at Bank of America. “These latest offerings are designed to empower entrepreneurs by providing them with access to resources that will help them to start or strengthen their businesses.”

Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Secured credit card

As small business owners continue to navigate a challenging business environment, the Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Secured credit card provides a new tool to help them establish, strengthen or rebuild their business credit – all while providing cardholders with the benefits that matter most to their business.

The new credit card is available now and has no annual fee. Benefits include:

  • Client-determined credit line from $1,000 to $10,000
  • 1.5% cash back on all purchases, with no annual rewards earn cap
  • Preferred Rewards for Business eligibility, providing access to a wide range of valuable rewards, benefits and savings – all with no fee to join or participate

Secured Business Advantage Credit Line

Additionally, Bank of America will offer a Secured Business Advantage Credit Line for small business owners, scheduled to launch later in 2022.

The credit line includes:

  • Client-determined credit line from $1,000 to $50,000
  • Convenient access to funds via online banking, convenience checks and linked Visa card
  • Annual renewal fee of $150

“Straightforward and convenient access to capital is crucial to ensuring small business owners have the resources they need to succeed,” said Chris Wong, Small Business Products executive at Bank of America. “With the launch of the new Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Secured Credit Card and Secured Business Advantage Credit Line, Bank of America remains committed to helping our 11 million business owner clients build and strengthen their business credit.”

Start a Business Center Digital Experience

Bank of America has also introduced a new resource to assist clients with starting a new small business. The Start a Business Center digital experience guides existing small business clients and aspiring business owners on exactly how to start and run their new business. It also offers an exclusive discount on business formation for Bank of America clients through Incfile.1

The digital experience offers resources such as business plan templates, partners for critical services and access to Bank of America Small Business specialists. Clients can utilize tips and considerations on topics such as writing a business plan, business legal structures, marketing strategy and business financing options.

To view our small business resources, download the Bank of America app or visit bankofamerica.com.

Bank of America

Bank of America is one of the world’s leading financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving approximately 67 million consumer and small business clients with approximately 4,200 retail financial centers, approximately 16,000 ATMs, and award-winning digital banking with more than 54 million verified digital users. Bank of America is a global leader in wealth management, corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. Bank of America offers industry-leading support to approximately 3 million small business households through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services. The company serves clients through operations across the United States, its territories and approximately 35 countries. Bank of America Corporation stock (NYSE: BAC) is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

https://newsroom.bankofamerica.com/content/newsroom/press-releases/2022/03/bank-of-america-announces-new-secured-credit-offerings-and-digit.html

Bank of America to Support Efforts to Expand Access to Safe Water and Sanitation

Water.org announced today that it has received a $3 million grant from Bank of America to expand access to safe water and sanitation for people in need in Asia, Africa and Latin America. The funding will support Water.org’s efforts to use financial solutions to empower people living in poverty gain access to safe water and sanitation. This helps people attain the basic resources they need to build resilience to climate change for the future.

“Bank of America has a long-standing commitment to the environment and finding solutions to some of our most pressing water issues. This funding represents an evolution in our partnership with Bank of America. As an unrestricted grant, it increases our capacity to help build more climate-resilient communities in some of the world’s most vulnerable areas; it also expresses the mutual trust that has emerged from a long and successful partnership,” said Lina Bonova, Chief Revenue Officer at Water.org.

Bank of America has provided more than $8 million to Water.org since 2011. These efforts help to advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal number six — clean water and sanitation for all. Bank of America’s past grant funding to Water.org has supported the expansion of the organization’s microfinance practice, called WaterCredit. The program removes barriers to access through small, affordable loans to people to help establish essential systems like water connections and toilets. This market-driven solution is a critical element to help reduce water-related illnesses in rural and peri-urban areas.

“Water.org is leading the way on water access, which is one of the most pressing issues of our time as climate change continues to have an increased impact on the world’s most impoverished communities,” said Alex Liftman, Global Environmental executive at Bank of America. “This funding will help to scale viable solutions, which then can create economic opportunities, improve health and water access in rural locations, and provide clean, safe water where it is needed.”

Founded by Gary White and Matt Damon in 2009, Water.org pioneers market-driven financial solutions for the global water crisis, breaking down the barriers between people living in poverty and access to safe water and sanitation.

Bank of America’s long-standing support of environmental and social causes spans its global footprint and includes the following:

  • Since 2019, Bank of America has provided more than $60 million in grant funding for environmental initiatives. In 2021 alone, the company provided more than $20 million to environmentally focused nonprofits around the world.
  • Bank of America is committed to net zero before 2050. The company met its carbon neutrality goal in 2019, a year ahead of schedule. It was the first U.S. bank to announce a Scope 1 & 2 greenhouse gas emissions reduction goal with the Environmental Protection Agency Climate Leaders program in 2006.
  • The bank has committed $1 trillion in sustainable finance by 2030 to support clients in their environmental transition. Since 2007, the company has provided more than $350 billion to low-carbon business activities to support clients.
  • Bank of America provides environmentally focused benefits and supports employees through My Environment® employee network, which has more than 25,000 employee participants.

Visit www.bankofamerica.com/environment to learn about more initiatives supported by Bank of America.

Water.org

Water.org is an international nonprofit organization that has positively transformed more than 43 million lives around the world with access to safe water or sanitation. Founded by Gary White and Matt Damon, Water.org pioneers market-driven financial solutions to the global water crisis. For 30 years, we’ve been providing women hope, children health, and families a future. Learn more at https://water.org.

Bank of America Environmental, Social and Governance

At Bank of America (NYSE: BAC), we’re guided by a common purpose to help make financial lives better, through the power of every connection. We’re delivering on this through responsible growth with a focus on our environmental, social and governance (ESG) leadership. ESG is embedded across our eight lines of business and reflects how we help fuel the global economy, build trust and credibility, and represent a company that people want to work for, invest in and do business with. It’s demonstrated in the inclusive and supportive workplace we create for our employees, the responsible products and services we offer our clients, and the impact we make around the world in helping local economies thrive. An important part of this work is forming strong partnerships with nonprofits and advocacy groups, such as community, consumer and environmental organizations, to bring together our collective networks and expertise to achieve greater impact. Connect with us on Twitter (@BofA_News).

For more Bank of America news, including dividend announcements and other important information, register for email news alerts.

https://newsroom.bankofamerica.com/content/newsroom/press-releases/2022/03/water-org-receives–3-million-grant-from-bank-of-america-to-supp.html

Bank of America Financed the Construction Underway on 164-Unit Affordable Apartment Complex at Former Water Agency Site in Santa Rosa

Construction is underway on a 164-apartment affordable housing project at an abandoned government office complex on the west side of Santa Rosa.

Roseville-based USA Properties Fund broke ground this week on the College Creek apartment complex at 2150 West College Ave. near the Finley Community Center.

After years of development setbacks, Sonoma County’s top housing agency in 2020 agreed to partner with USA Properties to transform the 7.4-acre site into affordable housing. The property was once home to office buildings for the Sonoma County Water Agency.

The $69 million project is expected to open by fall of next year. It’s being financed by Bank of America and the California Housing Finance Agency, a state body that makes loans for affordable developments.

The complex set to be USA Properties’ the sixth affordable apartment development in Santa Rosa, including the nearby Vintage Zinfandel senior apartments

Renters earning 30% to 70% of the area’s median annual income – about $24,450 to $57,050 for one person, or $34,900 to $72,310 for a family of four – should qualify for College Creek.

Prospective tenants will likely be able to apply starting next summer. More information about applying to USA Properties projects can be found at https://www.usapropfund.com/communities.

https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/news/construction-underway-on-164-unit-affordable-apartment-complex-at-former-wa/

Exchange Bank’s Officer Helps With War Effort in his Native Ukraine

Exchange Bank trust officer and Ukrainian native Andriy Lesyshyn is described by those who love and support him as not the kind of man who stands back in retreat.

So when faced with his sovereign homeland being bombed and threatened, the eight-year Sonoma County banker, who works in the Santa Rosa-based bank’s trust and investment management division, didn’t just rely on trusting things were simply going to work out. He answered the call to come to the aid of his compatriots.

Going on a leave of absence March 14 until April, Lesyshyn, 42, met up with his brother, Vasyl Lesyshyn, in Warsaw, Poland, to work in a humanitarian aid hub set up by Ukrainian businesses about 50 miles from Ukraine’s western border. The sibling duo receives aid trucks from all over Europe and ship the packages into Ukraine.

On March 19, the “Help Ukraine Center” effort arranged through assistance from the Ministry of Health of Ukraine and the Ministry of Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine accepted aid from 16 trucks and dispatched 19 trailer loads amounting to 150 tons of food and other supplies to the war-torn country. His muscles are sore, but at least he packed anti-inflammatories.

“I’ve walked more than I normally do throughout the day,” he said in a series of texts and emails.

While in Poland, Lesyshyn is also finding varying ways to help Ukrainian refugees fleeing to Poland by connecting them with humanitarian networks and donations.

His motivation to leave the comfort of his Sonoma County home in Cloverdale that he shares with his wife, Karen Lovato, was simple on a few fronts.

“(With) the injustice of unprovoked violence directed at the Ukrainian people by dictator Putin; the courage of ordinary Ukrainians and armed forces who have stood up to it; the thought of hundreds of thousands of innocent people having to leave home under horrible conditions, remaining on the sidelines was not an option for me,” Lesyshyn said.

Plus, there’s the power of family. Lesyshyn still has family members in the country. He grew up in Drohobych in north central Ukraine. His niece living in Kyiv evacuated out of eastern Ukraine when the war started Feb. 24. His cousin’s family safely crossed the border into Poland in the first week of the war, then onto Denmark.

But his loved ones, including his boss, John Mackey, fear Lesyshyn will become involved in more drastic measures, such as engaging in combat.

“So far I feel absolutely safe in Poland. Yes, I am closer to the war than before, but in comparison to Ukrainian cities, this is nothing,” he said, stopping short from saying he wouldn’t join the military effort. “I told my wife that I wouldn’t do it without advance notice.”

He and Mackey, the bank’s senior vice president and managing director, shared a candid conversation about Lesyshyn’s safety during the conflict that worsens by the day and the hours.

“John knew that I had to do something, so my decision to go to Poland didn’t surprise him,” Lesyshyn said.

That’s Mackey’s assessment, too.

“When he first told me of his plans, I said: I’ve been expecting you. Understanding the character he has, there was no way with his family in harm’s way that he was going to stand by and let someone else handle this,” Mackey said. “And I’m hugely relieved he’s found a way to meet this need to make a contribution where his life is not in jeopardy.”

But with the passing days of the crisis escalating, doubts creep in.

“The truth is, I’m scared to death for him,” Mackey said.

There’s also long-term uncertainty about the future of the Ukrainian economy.

“(The Russians) have wrecked the country in the east and the south. But (they) have the ability to recover. It will take allocations of investment dollars that will allow them to recover,” Mackey said.

Lesyshyn agreed, noting the damage inflicted on the Ukrainian infrastructure as to the magnitude to set the country back. He estimated it would take years to recover from the devastation, including sectors related to the seaports, airports and agricultural hubs established in mainly eastern Ukraine.

For now, recovery will require people chipping in when they can and support from others.

To that, Exchange Bank President Troy Sanderson sent an employee bulletin filled with “prayers and support” for Lesyshyn.

“Andriy’s message to us is simple and strong: ‘Continue to root for the Ukrainian people, who have shown their mettle to Putin and to the world,’” Sanderson wrote.

https://www.northbaybusinessjournal.com/article/article/officer-at-santa-rosas-exchange-bank-helps-with-war-effort-in-his-native-u/

Midstate Construction and Burbank Housing Complete Redwood Grove Project in Napa

General contractor Midstate Construction Corporation and developer Burbank Housing Development Corporation recently completed Redwood Grove, a new 34 unit housing community in Napa, CA.

Redwood Grove is a for sale development for income-eligible first-time home buyers.  Two units are set aside to comply with chapter 11B accessibility.  This is a spectacular community built within an oversized cul-de-sac.  The cul-de-sac is often occupied with children playing, socializing, and riding bikes and skateboards.

Designed by Tierney/Figueiredo Architects, this project includes ground up construction of 34 two-story detached single family homes featuring three bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, one car garage and yard on a 1.95 acre site.