Briefly In Business

Laguna Curves sponsors food drive

Curves of Laguna Beach is encouraging women in the area to participate in the annual Curves Food Drive. The club is offering incentives for both existing and potential members who participate.

For March, Curves of Laguna Beach will collect non-perishable items and monetary donations for food banks in the area.

“At the core of our business is the message that women are stronger when they rally together, and that is the point we hope to bring home with our food drive,” said Mary Krueger of Curves. “We want to show our community just how powerful the generosity of our members can be.”

Members who donate a bag of groceries or make a minimum donation of $30 during March will receive a reusable Curves grocery freezer bag for free. Non-members who do likewise between March 8 and 20 can join Curves for free. Curves will waive the cost to join.

Curves of Laguna Beach will also be participating in a companywide contest for the most food drive donations collected by Curves locations across the nation. Winners will receive one of several cash prizes to be donated to their local food bank.

“We hope women in the Laguna Beach area will come together and participate in this initiative,” Krueger said. “Even if you’re not thinking about joining a gym, you can still drop off your donations. There are so many families “” right here in our own community “” who need our help.”

Curves of Laguna Beach is at 1100 S. Coast Hwy., Ste. 301C. For more information, call (949) 494-9676 or e-mail 97XVCWA3@curvesmail.com.

VisionScape takes landscape honors

VisionScape Inc., a landscape contracting firm in Laguna Beach, recently won two first-place California Landscape Contractor’s Assn. trophy awards for best residential landscape installation and best residential landscape maintenance for residences in Newport Beach and Corona Del Mar.

The residential landscape installation award was granted for an ocean view, cliffside property in Newport Beach with environmentally friendly California native plants as well as two succulent gardens and a small “victory” vegetable garden. In the residential landscape maintenance category, VisionScape was honored for maintaining a beachfront cottage in Corona del Mar that is designed after a Nantuckett garden theme.

VisionScape is owned and operated by Ruben R. Flores, who combines hardscape elements, custom structures, and use of lighting with different plant materials, antiquities and garden art.

For more information, visit www.visionscapeinc.com.

Nominations open for entrepreneurs

Ernst & Young LLP has announced the open nomination period for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2010 Awards in Orange County/desert cities. The deadline for is March 19, with the awards ceremony scheduled for June 17 at the Hyatt Regency.

The Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards program is in its 24th year. Award winners are selected by a panel of independent judges, including local business owners as well as area leaders from civic organizations and academic institutions.

Last year, eight entrepreneurs in seven categories from Orange County/desert cities were selected as award winners from more than 500 nominations.

“This program honors the outstanding entrepreneurial minds in our local area,” said Kim Letch, program director.

Awards are given to entrepreneurs who have demonstrated excellence and extraordinary success in such areas as innovation, financial performance, and personal commitment to their businesses and communities. Self-nominations are encouraged, and there is no fee.

To be eligible, the nominee must be an owner/manager of a private or public company who is primarily responsible for the recent performance of the company and an active member of top management.

Additionally, the nominee’s company must be at least 3 years old.

All honorees are invited to the national Entrepreneur of the Year gala, hosted by Jay Leno, Nov. 13 in Palm Springs.

The gala is the culminating event of the Ernst & Young Strategic Growth Forum, a gathering of high-growth, market-leading companies. For more information, visit www.ey.com/us/strategicgrowthforum.