City of Davis

City Honors Locals for Fifth Annual Business and Economic Development Awards

 
January 26, 2012

 
Contact:

• Community Development & Sustainability
• (530) 757-5610

The Davis City Council invites the community to attend an award ceremony honoring the 2011 recipients of the fifth annual Business and Economic Development Awards. The award recipients include Blue Oak Energy, recognized for Business Contributions to Local Economic Development, and Carbahal & Company, recognized for Extended Excellence in Local Economic Development. The awards ceremony will be held on Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at the City Council meeting beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the Community Chambers building located at 23 Russell Blvd. in Davis. A short reception will follow.

Blue Oak Energy
Blue Oak Energy is a commercial and utility‐scale solar project firm founded and headquartered in Davis, CA. Tobin Booth founded Blue Oak Energy with one client in 2003. Over the past eight years, Blue Oak Energy has diversified its client base, expanded its market offerings, hired an ever‐expanding staff and increased its footprint in a succession of four locations right here in Davis.

Blue Oak Energy works to bring highly visible solar energy installations to large multinational corporations such as Google and REI, as well as college campuses and airports across the US. The firm designs and delivers cost‐competitive installations and also provides ongoing system inspections and maintenance.

Blue Oak Energy continues to grow jobs in Davis. Currently the company has 42 permanent full time employees, including 13 graduates (31%) from UC Davis. Half of these employees live in Davis. The company provides additional project based contracted employment ranging between 10-20 employees. In September 2011, Blue Oak Energy proved that Davis is a city where new companies can grow when they moved into a new ten thousand square foot facility in South Davis. Blue Oak Energy anticipates further employment increases within the next two years.

In 2009, Blue Oak Energy was awarded the Small Business Excellence award by the California EPA for its “commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions through a variety of practices including product choice, renewable energy use, and contributing to community outreach.” Blue Oak Energy has demonstrated further commitment to the Davis community through its executive staff, who have long served on the Board of the Davis Food Co‐op.

Carbahal & Co.
Carbahal & Co., is an excellent example of the type of a business that does good while doing well. Manny and John Carbahal opened shop August 1, 1984 with no other employees. They now are a well-respected a full-service accounting and financial planning firm with 17 full time employees and at least 10 part-time and seasonal employees. Over the years, Carbahal & Co. has employed dozens of high school and UCD students as interns and seasonal employees.

Partners and employees of the firm give generously to civic causes, not only money but also time and expertise. Several employees serve on the boards of local organizations, such as the Sutter Davis Hospital Foundation, Davis Public Schools Foundation, the Yolo Family Service Agency, and several others.

The firm generously makes cash contributions to groups and organizations that make Davis a special place to live. They have supported over forty local organizations in doing so, including the US Bicycling Hall of Fame, the Davis Rotary Club, the Yolo Land Trust, Davis Farm to School and many others. Small businesses are the backbone of the American economy, and Carbahal & Co. is an exemplar of the type of small business that goes beyond merely creating jobs by contributing to and enhancing the quality of life in their community.

The city of Davis established the annual Business and Economic Development award to recognize outstanding local businesses, organizations, or individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to their industry and community while strengthening the City’s business and economic development climate. This award highlights the City’s vibrant and dedicated business community and helps citizens become more familiar with the contributions of local business. The Business and Economic Development Commission solicits nominations from the community, and then recommends finalists to the Council.

Award Proclamations from the City will be bestowed upon Blue Oak Energy, and Carbahal & Co. to formally recognize them as the 2011 recipients of the fifth annual Business and Economic Development Awards. Their names will be added to the Business Award Recipients plaque displayed in City Hall. The community is invited to join in this celebration.

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