Biz News: Costa Mesa man launches company with 32-mile paddleboard trip

A Costa Mesa resident recently launched a company while also accomplishing a personal goal: stand-up paddleboarding from Catalina Island to Newport Harbor.

Thomas Bissell, a graduate of Newport Harbor High School and USC, completed the eight-hour, 32-mile trip on Sept. 8 before starting Solid Sun Logistics, which sells sunscreen, hats, face lotion and other products. The company donates 5% of its online sales to nonprofits, including the Pacific Marine Mammal Center in Laguna Beach.

Bissell said his father accompanied him in a support boat.

In an email, Bissell said the paddleboard journey was “brutal” at times — even frightening with a possible shark sighting — but “I never once thought about quitting. The whole point of this was to test my grit, focus and perseverance — three attributes an aspiring entrepreneur needs for success.”

South Coast Plaza to showcase silk printing

South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa is hosting a silk printing demonstration Saturday through Wednesday.

It will take place in the shopping center’s Jewel Court and will exhibit how Hermes silk scarves are designed by hand.

Demonstrations are scheduled for 11:30 a.m. and 1:30, 3:30 and 5:30 p.m. each day.

Fresh Brothers helps with hurricane relief

Fresh Brothers locations, including those in Newport Beach, are donating 20% of their sales Tuesday to support hurricane relief efforts in Texas and Florida.

“We are a family business helping families across the country whose lives have been affected by these devastating hurricanes,” Adam Goldberg, founder and chief executive of Fresh Brothers, said in a statement. “My wife, Debbie, and I started this company as a way to give back to our local communities. When the hurricanes hit, it was a no-brainer to use our local Fresh Brothers stores to assist in hurricane relief efforts.”

UCI to host tech awards ceremony

UC Irvine’s Applied Innovation will host the third annual Timmy Awards, which recognize tech companies with awards for Best Tech Startup, Best Tech Manager, Best Tech Work Culture and Best Tech Workplace for Diversity.

The ceremony, emceed by author, talk show host and entrepreneur Ash Kumra, will be held from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Thursday at UCI Applied Innovation, 5141 California Ave., Irvine.

Judges looked through more than 150 nominations to form a pool of 40 finalists for the awards.

Spinnaker reaches asset milestone

Newport Beach-based Spinnaker Investment Group, LLC has surpassed $200 million in assets in 16 months, according to a news release.

It has also hired Nichol Bridges, who has 16 years of account and client management experience, as an insurance consultant, which allows the company to offer insurance services to clients.

PIMCO receives Champion for Babies and Families award

MOMS Orange County, a Santa Ana-based nonprofit that provides services to low-income pregnant women, has given Newport Beach investment company PIMCO its inaugural Champion for Babies and Families award.

The award recognizes PIMCO’s “outstanding support of expectant employees, employees who are new mothers and fathers or caregivers and who are returning to work,” according to a news release.

“We commend [PIMCO] for their leadership and commitment to giving new parents the best possible start in their journey as working parents and for their support in helping Orange County families have healthy babies,” MOMS Orange County Chief Executive Pamela Pimentel said in a statement.

Huntington Beach store starts offering U-Haul trucks

A-1 Mail Stop in Huntington Beach has been named a U-Haul neighborhood dealer, according to a news release.

The store, owned by Mark Correll, is at 9114 Adams Ave. It will offer U-Haul trucks, moving supplies and in-store pickup for boxes.