California Business Magazine

New Owners for Magazine: The MZ Group of San Francisco has acquired a controlling interest in California Business Magazine, one of the country's largest regional business publications, and transferred its operations to the Bay Area from Los Angeles. The merger has resulted in the layoffs of seven members of the magazine's work force of 28, according to Michael Kolbenschlag, who continues as editor and publisher.

There has been much talk among city leaders in recent years about making Irvine one of the state's most "business-friendly" cities. The September issue of California Business magazine says that Irvine has arrived, selecting it as the second-best mid-size city in the state in which to do business. "We've had an unjust reputation that because of being a new city, we had some unnecessary regulations in place," said Irvine City Manager Paul O. Brady Jr. "It was more perception than reality."

Huntington Beach has been selected as the best big city for business in the state by California Business magazine, which analyzed 55 cities with populations greater than 90,000. Two other Orange County cities finished in the top 10: Anaheim was fifth and Santa Ana was 10th. Los Angeles finished 13th. In its April edition, the magazine graded the cities in five areas--crime, office lease rates, business license tax, the amount spent on education and median home price.

Huntington Beach has been selected as the best big city for business in the state by California Business magazine, which analyzed 55 cities with populations greater than 90,000. Two other Orange County cities finished in the top 10: Anaheim was fifth and Santa Ana was 10th. Los Angeles finished 13th. In its April edition, the magazine graded the cities in five areas--crime, office lease rates, business license tax, the amount spent on education and median home price.

There has been much talk among city leaders in recent years about making Irvine one of the state's most "business-friendly" cities. The September issue of California Business magazine says that Irvine has arrived, selecting it as the second-best mid-size city in the state in which to do business. "We've had an unjust reputation that because of being a new city, we had some unnecessary regulations in place," said Irvine City Manager Paul O. Brady Jr. "It was more perception than reality."

Orange County's best small businesses--the heart and soul of the area's booming economy--are emerging high-technology and medical-related businesses. That entrepreneurial snapshot emerges from California Business magazine's annual tally of the state's best 100 small businesses. Eighteen of the companies call Orange County home. Orange County mirrored the state in general with a high percentage of high-tech firms on the list, appearing in California Business' just-released September issue.

The sale of California Business magazine by Los Angeles businessman Martin Stone to a Texas publishing group collapsed this week after an apparent disagreement over financing and the magazine's value, it was announced Thursday. Stone, who writes a column in the magazine airing his views on politics and the economy, said he now intends to continue operating the monthly business journal and to assume the title of president.

Orange County is home to 10 of the 100 largest privately held companies in California, and four local firms are in the top 20, according to an annual survey released this week by California Business magazine, Pacific Financial Co., a Newport Beach insurance and pension company with annual revenues of $2.09 billion, again heads the list of the county's largest private firms.

Karl Fleming, the publisher and editor-in-chief, figures it will take about 17 months to get California Business magazine out of the car leasing business. By then, he hopes to have a few other knots untangled, too. When Fleming took over the glossy financial monthly last September, he found that 15 of the Los Angeles magazine's 33 employees drove leased cars made available to them by the company. He couldn't break the leases.

New Owners for Magazine: The MZ Group of San Francisco has acquired a controlling interest in California Business Magazine, one of the country's largest regional business publications, and transferred its operations to the Bay Area from Los Angeles. The merger has resulted in the layoffs of seven members of the magazine's work force of 28, according to Michael Kolbenschlag, who continues as editor and publisher.

Orange County is home to 10 of the 100 largest privately held companies in California, and four local firms are in the top 20, according to an annual survey released this week by California Business magazine, Pacific Financial Co., a Newport Beach insurance and pension company with annual revenues of $2.09 billion, again heads the list of the county's largest private firms.

Orange County's best small businesses--the heart and soul of the area's booming economy--are emerging high-technology and medical-related businesses. That entrepreneurial snapshot emerges from California Business magazine's annual tally of the state's best 100 small businesses. Eighteen of the companies call Orange County home. Orange County mirrored the state in general with a high percentage of high-tech firms on the list, appearing in California Business' just-released September issue.

Karl Fleming, the publisher and editor-in-chief, figures it will take about 17 months to get California Business magazine out of the car leasing business. By then, he hopes to have a few other knots untangled, too. When Fleming took over the glossy financial monthly last September, he found that 15 of the Los Angeles magazine's 33 employees drove leased cars made available to them by the company. He couldn't break the leases.

The sale of California Business magazine by Los Angeles businessman Martin Stone to a Texas publishing group collapsed this week after an apparent disagreement over financing and the magazine's value, it was announced Thursday. Stone, who writes a column in the magazine airing his views on politics and the economy, said he now intends to continue operating the monthly business journal and to assume the title of president.

Thomas F. Braun has been named publisher of California Business magazine, which has headquarters in Los Angeles. Braun previously was publisher of Sports Afield magazine.