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Yung-Jae Lee, Ph.D., has been named the new dean of the Barowsky School of Business at Dominican University of California.

Lee’s appointment begins Aug. 1, the San Rafael-based private institution stated Monday. Lee succeeds Sam Beldona, Ph.D., who recently was named dean of the Kania School of Management at the University of Scranton.

Immediate tasks for the new dean, according to the university, include guiding the Barowski school as it seeks accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business and developing “new degree and certificate programs in line with Dominican’s traditions and strengths.”

Lee comes to Dominican from Saint Mary’s College of California in the East Bay community of Moraga. He spent the past year as interim dean of its School of Economics and Business Administration. Lee, who joined Saint Mary’s in 1998 as a professor of business analytics, also has served as associate dean of graduate business and global programs, director of the professional MBA program, and chairman of the Operations Management and Quantitative Methods Department.

He previously taught at the University of California at Irvine, Chapman University, the University of St. Gallen in Switzerland, and California State University campuses in Fullerton and San Marcos. Courses taught include Global Operations and Supply Chain Management, Operations Management, Quantitative Methods, Data Analysis, and Business Statistics.

He has also consulted with global companies, including Roche, McKesson, OASIS International, Abbot Medical Optics, Lucky Stores, Varian, Transcept and Walt Disney.

Lee earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Korea University and an MBA and Ph.D. in operations management from the University of California, Irvine.

Dominican University of California is one of the oldest educational institutions in the state. It was founded in 1890 as Dominican College by the Dominican Sisters of San Rafael.

https://www.northbaybusinessjournal.com/northbay/marincounty/9759694-181/dominican-university-of-california-barowsky

Golden Gate Bridge District appointed board member Patricia Garbarino to the SMART board of directors, filling the last vacancy of the 12-member group that oversees the transit agency.

Golden Gate Bridge board members voted 12-0 last week to select Garbarino, of San Rafael, to complete former Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit board member Jim Eddie’s term through January 2021. Eddie stepped down from both positions at the beginning of the year.

Garbarino has been a member of the Golden Gate Bridge District since August 2017 and has a background in education, as well as recycling and sanitary services. In 2000, she followed in her father’s footsteps to lead Marin’s Resource Recovery Center, and also serves on the Marin County Board of Education.

Garbarino joins SMART board vice chair Barbara Pahre in her appointment from the Golden Gate Bridge District. Her addition makes six Marin County appointees on the transit agency’s board. Sonoma County has five people on the board, while Pahre is Napa County’s lone appointee.

Ameresco, Inc., (NYSE:AMRC), a leading energy efficiency and renewable energy company, and Sutter Health today announced the completion of a 1.6 megawatt solar energy system at the Sutter Santa Rosa Regional Hospital (SSRRH). The 84-bed acute-care facility is one of 24 hospitals in the Sutter Health network and is known as one of the greenest hospitals in Northern California.

The solar photovoltaic (PV) arrays installed at two sites on the SSRRH campus underscore Sutter Health’s broader commitment to environmental stewardship through the use of renewable energy, setting the Sutter Health Standard for solar. Carport solar panels installed at the hospital’s main parking lot and on the roof of the Bill and Elizabeth Shea House – a private, four-bedroom residence for families of hospitalized children – are expected to generate more than 2.4 million kWh of electricity annually – the equivalent of powering 206 households for one year.

“Clean sustainable solar power benefits patients, employees and the environment,” said Michael Purvis, CEO of SSRRH and Novato Community Hospital. “The addition of an eco-friendly energy source, along with our hospital’s green construction, recycling program and water conservation, helps deepen our commitment to a healthier community.”

The solar panels installed by Ameresco are projected to offset 40 percent of the hospital’s overall electricity usage and 89 percent of electricity used at the Shea House. As an on-site source of renewable energy, SSRRH will avoid 1,725 metric tons of CO₂ emissions annually or the equivalent of 194,021 gallons of gasoline consumed.

“The size of this solar project makes it significant, as does its positive environmental and social impact for the surrounding community,” said Ameresco Vice President Bob Georgeoff. “Beyond the services and shelter provided by Santa Rosa Regional Hospital – particularly in the last two years following harsh wildfires in the region – Sutter Health’s dedication to sustainability and green building practices puts Northern California on a clear path forward to better air quality and a lower carbon footprint.”

In addition to the 1.6 MW solar panel system, Ameresco replaced the hospital’s parking lot lighting fixtures with high-efficiency LEDs. These will generate additional energy cost savings for the hospital over time and create brighter, safer spaces on campus for patients, visitors and employees.

About Sutter Health

Sutter Health is more than 60,000 people strong thanks to its integrated network of physicians, employees and volunteers. Rooted in Sutter Health’s not-for-profit mission, these team members partner to deliver exceptional care that feels personal. From physician offices to hospitals to outpatient care centers and home services, they proudly support the more than 3 million people in their care—nearly 1 percent of the U.S. population, in one of the most diverse and innovative regions in the world. Sutter team members adopt new technologies, make novel discoveries and embrace creative thinking to help patients and communities achieve their best health. From its street nurse program that provides check-ups for homeless people, to telemedicine-aided specialist consultations, to walk-in care clinics, to smart glass technology, the Sutter Health team goes beyond traditional models to make care more convenient and to nurture and empower people throughout their medical journey. For more information about the Sutter Health network visit: sutterhealth.org | facebook.com/sutterhealth | youtube.com/sutterhealth | twitter.com/sutterhealth.

About Ameresco, Inc.

Founded in 2000, Ameresco, Inc. (NYSE:AMRC) is a leading independent provider of comprehensive services, energy efficiency, infrastructure upgrades, asset sustainability and renewable energy solutions for businesses and organizations throughout North America and Europe. Ameresco’s sustainability services include upgrades to a facility’s energy infrastructure and the development, construction and operation of renewable energy plants. Ameresco has successfully completed energy saving, environmentally responsible projects with Federal, state and local governments, healthcare and educational institutions, housing authorities, and commercial and industrial customers. With its corporate headquarters in Framingham, MA, Ameresco has more than 1,000 employees providing local expertise in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. For more information, www.ameresco.com.

The announcement of our entry into a solar energy asset arrangement is not necessarily indicative of the timing or amount of revenue from such arrangement, of the company’s overall revenue for any particular period or of trends in the company’s overall total assets in development or operation. This project was included in our previously reported assets in development as of March 31, 2019.

Wells Fargo said Wednesday that it’s overhauling its corporate philanthropy strategy to focus on three key issues hurting underserved communities: housing affordability, individuals’ financial health and small business growth.

The San Francisco-based bank (NYSE: WFC) said it’s committing $1 billion in philanthropy alone through 2025 to address issues tied to the “housing affordability crisis,” including homelessness, available and affordable rentals, transitional housing and home ownership.

“Wells Fargo is focused on paving a path to stability and financial success for individuals and families who lack access to affordable housing, tools to manage financial health, and capital for small business growth,” said Allen Parker, interim CEO and president of Wells Fargo. “Together, we can help spark systemic change and economic development for underserved communities.

“When people start businesses, learn how to build wealth and can afford a home in their neighborhood, communities will thrive,” Parker said.

Wells also said that it tapped Brandee McHale as the head of the Wells Fargo Foundation, effective Aug. 1. She’s currently a Citigroup Inc. executive and president of the Citi Foundation. She succeeds Jon Campbell who retires at year-end. He’s currently head of corporate philanthropy and community relations for Wells Fargo and head of the Wells Fargo Foundation.

Wells Fargo is also creating a $20 million “Housing Affordability Challenge” that will look for innovative ways to rapidly boost the availability of affordable housing. The bank hopes to find new ways to address challenges in construction, financing and support services tied to providing affordable housing to low- and moderate-income families, seniors and the homeless.

While housing affordability is the issue Wells is tackling first under its new philanthropy strategy, Campbell said the bank could one day work with some of the numerous fintech startups, many based in the Bay Area, that are trying to improve the financial health of more Americans. The Federal Reserve recently found that nearly 40 percent of adults would have trouble finding the money for a $400 expense without borrowing or selling something.

Wells Fargo’s sharper philanthropic focus comes as more companies, nonprofits and philanthropists appear to be upping their game to address problems long associated with the Bay Area and other high-cost areas, such as homelessness and high-priced housing. Such issues are reaching crisis levels in cities across the country.

And things could be even worse in rural America, which the Wall Street Journal recently described as suffering from poverty, crime and other problems that once plagued the nation’s inner cities.

“America’s housing affordability crisis isn’t restricted to a few cities on the East and West Coasts,” Campbell said.

As Wells Fargo steps up, others are doing more, too. Last month, the Glide Foundation said it recently had a conversation with long-time supporter Warren Buffett, CEO of Wells Fargo’s largest shareholder, Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK-A) (NYSE: BRK-B), on how to place the San Francisco-based nonprofit on solid financial footing for the next 50 years.

“Glide is seeing more people seeking help as they put off buying food or medicine so they can pay their rent,” said Glide President and CEO Karen Hanrahan.

In April, Salesforce.com (NYSE: CRM) CEO and homeless advocate Marc Benioff and philanthropist Lynne Benioff said they’re giving $30 million to UCSF to put data behind possible solutions to the Bay Area’s homelessness and housing crisis. The couple’s gift, running over five years, is the largest private donation ever to fund research on homelessness.

So Wells Fargo’s sharper focus is timely. The bank says its philanthropy nationally can be more effective by concentrating on the three areas where it can better leverage its money and expertise.

Two areas of focus that are expected to get less attention from Wells Fargo’s philanthropic efforts are environmental sustainability and diversity and inclusion.

The bank anticipates that it will still have a significant impact on environmental sustainability through its substantial lending power, Campbell said. He sees the bank’s three focus areas in underserved communities as benefitting those who have been helped by its diversity and inclusion initiatives.

How the bank’s sharper focus affects philanthropy in the Bay Area and other local markets will become more apparent over time.

Wells Fargo is a major player in corporate philanthropy, in both the Bay Area and across the country. It’s often among the largest Bay Area corporate philanthropists. The bank’s 2018 cash contributions to Bay Area charities totaled $22.4 million and $369.5 million nationally, according to San Francisco Business Times research.

Wells Fargo’s shifting priorities may spur concern in the nonprofit community, an issue Wells was eager to address.

“By sharpening our focus on housing affordability, financial health and small business growth, Wells Fargo aims to make a bigger impact on solving core societal problems,” said Wells Fargo spokesman Ruben Pulido. “As we align to the three priorities, some funding will shift, but it is a transition that will take place over time. And we may support the same organizations but in different ways.”

Wells Fargo has also consistently boosted its corporate philanthropy over the past 25 years, including a 55 percent jump in contributions after tax reform in 2017. Starting this year, Wells is targeting 2 percent of after-tax profits for corporate philanthropy.

“With this increase in funding, we are able to do more,” Pulido said.

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To honor 50 years of racing history in the Sonoma Valley, Sonoma Raceway has released its limited-edition 50^th anniversary book.

The photo-filled memoir chronicles the raceway’s history over five decades, including its tumultuous early years, emergence on the national racing scene and transformation following its purchase by Speedway Motorsports, Inc. in the mid-1990s. The book includes highlighted sections on the raceway’s modernization in the late 1990s and its community involvement.

The book relied heavily on extensive research and writing by motorsports historian Gary Horstkorta, as well as editing and design by Llew Kinst and photography support by Allan Rosenberg.

“Developing this book was a key part of our celebration of the raceway’s first half-century and all of the amazing events and personalities who have been part of that history,” said Steve Page, Sonoma Raceway president & general manager. “We are very pleased with how it turned out and eternally grateful to Llew, Allan, Gary and our staff for the countless hours of research and archiving that went into it.”

The 50^th anniversary book will be available for purchase for $30 at Wine Country Motorsports, located at the raceway, as well as raceway merchandise stands during major event weekends.