Thumbs up, thumbs down
Thumbs up to the Duncan family, owners of Duncan Enterprises, for being named this year’s California Family Business Award Winner. A Rising Star, Occu-Med, also was honored, along with finalists Arthur Orum Well Drilling, Haron Motor Sales, California Controlled Atmosphere and Poindexter Nut Company. The awards were given this week at the 27th Annual California Family Business Awards, organized by the Institute for Family Business at Fresno State. So much for the old saying about “Never do business with family.” They have discovered the secret.
Thumbs down to the thieves and thugs masquerading as protesters while setting fires and assaulting people during the presidential political gatherings. Dissent is a traditional part of free speech in a democracy, and they give a black eye to this time-honored grievance procedure. They are not fooling anyone. Their goal is transparent: criminal plunder, not politics.
Thumbs up to Stewart and Lynda Resnick, co-owners of The Wonderful Company, for supporting Fresno State ag research with a $500,000 endowment invested in the Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology.
The Jordan Agricultural Research Center is a 30,000-square-foot interdisciplinary research center designed to foster collaboration among students and faculty in agricultural sciences and technology, engineering, science and mathematics. The Wonderful Company, based in Los Angeles, is a privately held $4.8 billion global company with many Valley ties. Its brands include FIJI Water, POM Wonderful, Wonderful Pistachios & Wonderful Almonds, Wonderful Halos and Teleflora.
Thumbs up to Brian Gong and Michael Ohashi, owners of Gong’s IGA Market, for receiving a Mother-Baby Friendly Workplace Award on the steps of the state Capitol recently. The California Breastfeeding Coalition made the presentation. Gong’s was among nine businesses statewide to be so honored because of its supportive environment for breastfeeding employees and customers.
The store has a private room for breastfeeding purposes. There also is a clear policy that customers may openly breastfeed anywhere in the store or use the room. Kristi Ohashi accepted the award on behalf of owners.
According to the Fresno County Health Department, research has found that companies with lactation programs are 60 percent more likely to keep their new mothers as employees than companies that do not. Employers who support their breastfeeding workers have women who return earlier, breastfed babies who get sick less often, which can mean less sick time taken by parents, lower health care costs and happier employees.
Thumbs up to the Fresno Life and Environmental Science Program at Highway City for winning the national Parks Build Community campaign. That honor comes with a $20,000 grant from the National Recreation and Park Association and The Walt Disney Company, including Disney Citizenship, Disney|ABC Television Group and ESPN.
The city of Fresno Parks After School Recreation and Community Services Department’s LES Program was one of 15 projects selected to receive grant funding. The $20,000 will help provide informal hands-on learning opportunities that increase awareness and interest in nature through field trips, activities and presentations.
LES will bring inner-city, low-income urban residents to the San Joaquin River to achieve service projects, river excursions in canoeing, kayaking and stand-up paddle boarding.
This story was originally published May 27, 2016 at 3:22 PM with the headline "Thumbs up, thumbs down."