Business Buzz

Dec 25 - January 1

By Andrea Estrada

South Coast Beacon

 •  City Manager Fred Stouder has announced the appointments of Vytautas Adomaitis as Building and Neighborhood Services Manager and Todd Strojny as Management Analyst for the City of Goleta.

     Most recently, Adomaitis was employed by Wildan and served the city as a code compliance supervisor. As such, he participated in the implementation and administration of the city’s code compliance program and created and implemented tracking systems for Goleta’s newsrack ordinance and city-wide Citizen Service Request System.

    Prior to taking his position with the City of Goleta, Strojny worked as a senior management analyst with the City of Chino. There he oversaw both the animal control and cable television contracts as well as the city’s $7.5 million refuse collection agreement with Waste Management.

  • Fund It Telecom, a new enterprise launched in November, makes it possible for Santa Barbara area residents to contribute to their favorite nonprofit organizations at the same time they pay their monthly bills.

    By partnering with other local companies such as Fionda, Blue Casa and TMC, Fund It Telecom offers many of the services local residents already use, including local, long distance and cellular telephone service, Internet access, pagers, calling cards and even DISH Satellite TV Network.

   “Most people don’t realize that bills for telephone, Internet, satellite TV, wireless phone and pager service include a cost for marketing and commissions that averages between five and 15 percent,” said Judi Weisbart, president of Fund It Telecom. She founded the company with her husband Harry Weisbart.

     “If only 10 percent of Santa Barbara’s population were to use Fund It’s services, approximately $1.25 million would benefit local nonprofit organizations annually,” Weisbart said.

• Bridget Clancy and David Laxamana have joined the staff at Hamilton & Associates, a Montecito-based educational consulting firm.

   With extensive experience in fundraising for local schools, tutoring and facilitating school library programs Clancy coordinates the firm’s daily operations and special events.

   Laxamana, a former computer consultant and network administrator, will oversee the firm’s PSAT and SAT examinations and assist students with online applications and tutoring.

• Work Training Programs, Inc., a nonprofit organization that provides independent living and employment support services to individuals with disabilities or disadvantages, has selected its 2003-2004 board of directors. The business, technology and community leaders serving as officers include Carolynn Loeppke, president; Larry Rollins, vice president; Catherine McCammon, secretary; and Malcolm Cobb, treasurer. Other board members include Lindsay Baker, Robert Hansen, William Kimsey, Stanly Berman, Izzat Naccasha, Nancy Cullinan and Robert Voorhees.