Biz News: H.B. businessman named California Small Business Person of the Year

The Orange County/Inland Empire district office of the U.S. Small Business Administration has named Huntington Beach businessman Jeff Perry as its 2019 California Small Business Person of the Year.

Perry, president of All Industrial Tool Supply at 5482 Commercial Drive, founded the business at his house in 2010. Within a few years, he saw his business growing and he participated in the administration’s Emerging Leaders Initiative, an intensive executive-level training series.

The company has grown 30% to 40% year over year and now has 17 employees and 9,000 square feet of inventory space, according to a news release.

Perry will be formally recognized with the award in Washington, D.C., in May and in Anaheim in June.

H.B. motorcycle builder Jesse Rooke dies

Huntington Beach custom motorcycle builder Jesse Rooke has died.

Rooke, 44, of Rooke Customs, died as a result of a motorcycle accident April 5, according to a GoFundMe page that as of Friday had raised more than $57,000 to cover the costs of his funeral and help care for his daughter, Scarlett.

Rooke was known for his unique designs and being influential in the motorcycle racing, go-kart and custom bike-building scenes.

In addition to Scarlett, Rooke is survived by his partner, Ashley Blair, parents, Dan and Margi Rooke, and siblings and their spouses, RJ and Meegan Rooke, James and Sarah Rooke and Elizabeth Rooke.

Easter Bunny greeting visitors at South Coast Plaza

South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa is hosting the Easter Bunny in a special garden by Carousel Court daily through April 20. The garden is open during mall hours.

The Easter Bunny also will be at a gazebo on Level 1 of the Macy’s Home Store wing during mall hours on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Photo packages are available for sale. Both locations also will sell springtime art activities and crafts.

Newport chamber luncheon to cover interviewing skills

The Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce will present a luncheon Wednesday about interviewing skills for turning business leads into clients.

The guest speaker is Lori Morefield-Berg. The event will run from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse, 455 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach. Tickets are $35 for chamber members and $40 for non-members.

For tickets and more information, visit newportbeach.com or call (949) 729-4400.

OC Fair & Event Center CEO to speak at Business Council event

The Orange County Business Council’s Chairman’s Leadership Breakfast will feature Kathy Kramer, chief executive of the OC Fair & Event Center, on Thursday at the Center Club, 650 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa.

The event is scheduled for 7:15 to 9 a.m.

Tickets are $85 for Business Council members and $145 for non-members.

For more information, contact Sabra Ritter at (949) 794-7241 or sritter@ocbc.org.

Laguna Beach Business Club presents founder of Catmosphere Laguna

The April edition of the Laguna Beach Business Club’s 2019 speaker series will bring the founder of Catmosphere Laguna to talk about how she transitioned from lawyer to proprietor of the cat cafe and adoption center.

Gail Allyn Landau runs Catmosphere Cat Cafe and its parallel nonprofit organization, the Catmosphere Laguna Foundation, which seeks to find homes for homeless, relinquished and special-needs cats and kittens.

Business Club members and non-members are invited to the buffet breakfast and networking round table at 7:30 a.m. Thursday at Seven7Seven, 777 Laguna Canyon Road.

For more information or to register, visit lagunabeachbusinessclub.com or email info@LagunaBeachBusinessClub.com.

O.C. apartment complexes sold

Newport Beach company 41st Street Broadway Investments has acquired an Anaheim apartment complex for $14 million, according to a news release.

The 25-unit complex is at 9922 W. Broadway.

In other news, a 19-unit property at 145 E. 18th St. in Costa Mesa was recently sold for $7.2 million. The buyer was 18th Street Partners of Laguna Hills.

UC Irvine gets new e-sports scholarship

Hyperice Inc., an Irvine-based company that makes recovery and mobility devices, has started a health and wellness e-sports scholarship for UC Irvine students.

Two people with a sports medicine background and e-sports interest will receive the scholarship this fall. The amount of the scholarship was not announced.

“Many competitive e-sports athletes do not prioritize health and human performance at the levels traditional athletes do,” Hyperice Chief Executive Jim Huether said in a statement. “We are excited to implement this first-of-its-kind wellness technology program as a way to support UCI Esports as well as educate the collegiate gaming community on the importance of taking care of your physical health.”

UPDATES:

This article was originally published at 11:15 a.m. and was later updated with the Laguna Beach Business Club item.