FOR RELEASE: November 17, 1999

CSUN Celebrates Opening of Family Business Center

The new center, headed by finance professor Daniel McConaughy, is the first community-focused resource of its kind in the Los Angeles area. It will provide unique opportunities for owners of family businesses to learn not only from experts in the field, but also from each other through case studies and networking.

"With approximately 60 percent of all public companies falling under the definition of 'family-owned and operated,' I'm pleased to see Cal State Northridge developing a new Family Business Center that will cater, at minimum, to needs of firms in our immediate vicinity," said William R. Hosek, dean of the College of Business Administration and Economics.

The celebration will take place from 7:30 to 9 a.m. in the Grand Salon of the University Student Union on the east side of the campus at 18111 Nordhoff St., Northridge.

The morning will feature presentations by Rocky Delgadillo, Los Angeles Deputy Mayor and coordinator of the city's Office of Economic Development; Alan Carsrud, chair of UCLA's Family and Closely Held Business Program; Paul Miccolis, CSUN alum and CEO of Chi Chi's Pizza Inc.; Ira Lapides, CEO of Replacement Parts Incorporate; Richard Pocrass of Chocolates a la Carte; and Dale Sheets, CEO of International Ventures Inc., and his daughter, Dina.

For the past few months, CSUNš's Family Business Center has been conducting a survey of local family-owned businesses, assessing their size, scope of business, needs and future plans. Complete results of the survey are expected to be released early next year.

"The keen interest from our sponsors is clear evidence that the center is fulfilling a much needed service to the family business community," McConaughy said. "Given the number of firms that are family controlled, I expect that we can have an important impact on the community of businesses."

The center's sponsors are Arter & Hadden; Dodge, Warren & Peters; Grobstein, Horwath & Company; Imperial Bank; MassMutual; and Sutro & Co. All are San Fernando Valley-based companies

For more information about CSUN's Family Business Center, call (818) 677-4612.