Let it BEE.

Shima 0 comments 18.04.2016

Every Monday, I will share a resident of the South Bay contributing to making our community a better place. Today’s MCM title belongs to Lee Williams who rescues suffering bees in hopes of providing organic honey to the community.

Lee Williams spent his early years in Seattle and adult years in San Francisco. After a few years, he moved to San Pedro and today, he rescues bee swarms from yards and places them in safer environments. Williams explains that sometimes bees make bad choices of homes, such as BBQ grills, water meters, attics. “I safely remove them from the places they might have bad interactions with people. I then try to find a place where they can still live locally, just in a spot where they are less likely to bother people or become a problem,” he says.

 Williams says that often bee hives can be housed in back yards and the neighbors will never know. “I have two hives and my neighbors didn't know until I brought them bottles of honey,” he says.

In addition, people may be surprised to find that there are typically 8 to 10 wild hives per square mile here in southern California. When asked what makes bees so important for our community, Lee simply says, “The fact that every third bite of food we eat is produced with the help of honey bees is one of the reasons why saving bees is so important. Bees not only pollinate the flowers in our yards but they also make it possible for our backyard gardens to produce so much fruit and veggies.”

However, since there are only enough flowers, plants and gardens to support 8 to 10 hives per square mile, beekeepers help make sure the bees that are here are healthy and non-aggressive.
“Both of my hives are tame enough to sit next to them in shorts and a t-shirt to watch the sunrise. This is actually one of my favorite things to do. The bees come back to the hive with their back legs packed with pollen and it is fun to try and figure out what plants they had visited,” he says.

According to statistics, 76% of honey sold in stores is poor quality and illegally imported from China. William says that local honey is good for folks with allergies because it contains local pollens and helps with immune systems. “I harvest about 10 gallons of honey in the spring and again in the fall. This is just enough to provide friends and family with a little local honey. As more and more people ask me to manage hives in their backyards, I may start harvesting enough honey to sell at farmer’s markets,” he says.

Williams was inspired to pursue rescuing bees after finding bees at one of the homes he leases to tenants. “I knew the bees were in danger, so I did some research to see if there was a safe way to keep the bees on our property without putting anyone in danger,” he says. He also has a friend who keeps bees and he encouraged Williams to house a hive at his own house.

“I joined a number of beekeeper groups including HoneyLove.org and the Long Beach Beekeepers Club. It took me 6 months to learn enough to feel safe about keeping bees myself,” he says. In addition, he had mentors who helped guide him through the process and kept things safe.

Three years later, Williams is a beekeeper and although still considered a new beak, his passion has helped him learn quickly and help other beekeepers provide safe, treatment free hive management.

Williams says one fun fact is that honey never goes bad. “They have found honey in Egyptian burial sites that is still edible 3,000 years later,” he says. However, he’d like others to know that bees die when they sting so they only sting to defend themselves or their home.

“Most people get stung when they either step on a bee or when they panic and start swatting at a passing bee. I teach people to let them bee,” he says. By letting them bee, he means to never approach a hive unless you know what you're doing and watch where you step when you're splashing around in a pool. He says that bees will leave you alone, especially when they are buzzing from flower to flower and it is so much fun to just sit and watch them.

Williams is an advocate for bees and one of his greatest movements has been speaking to the city council to help legalize backyard beekeeping in LA. In addition, he speaks to community groups and garden clubs to separate fact from fiction when it comes to bees. For example, one of the biggest concerns for folks is bee allergies.

Williams says, “If you think you may be allergic to bee-stings, it is important to talk to your doctor about the simple test and to get an Epi-pen just in case. However, you are almost twice as likely to die from a lightning strike (90 deaths per year) than from a bee sting (54 per year).”

He says that typically, folks who die from bee stings are disturbing a hive and are stung hundreds of times. So, if you see bees flying in and out of a hole in a wall or a tree, don't try poking them with a stick or spraying them with water. Call an expert to have them safely removed.
It is clear that Williams is passionate and knowledgeable about bees. When he is not saving bees, he enjoys living in the South Bay for its weather. “Being so close to the water gives us so much to do and enjoy. We spend a lot of time outdoors, taking pictures and being grateful we get to live here,” he says.

When he is not working, Williams spends a lot of time working to guide the growth and development of his town. He enjoys having an opportunity to create Green jobs with the introduction of Altasea as well as putting San Pedro on the map as a tourist destination with the development of the San Pedro Public Market. “I want to see San Pedro grow in a responsible way to create local jobs while maintaining the close community. We have a lot cool things happening in San Pedro and it is fun to be a part of it,” he says.

To purchase local honey, Williams says to visit a farmer's market near you. “You will taste the difference and the health benefits for folks who have allergies is pretty amazing. I don't currently sell my honey, but I may start as I add hives,” he says.

Thank you, Lee, for providing our community with insight and knowledge for the safety of our bees!

“Bees are our friends. When you spray gardens and lawns with pesticides, bees sometimes carry it home with them and it kills the entire hive. Pesticides are the leading killer of honey bees of please be mindful about the poisons you spread in our environment.”

-Lee Williams

Unleashing the power within.

Shima 0 comments 11.04.2016

Every Monday, I will share a resident of the South Bay contributing to making our community a better place.

Today’s MCM title belongs to Jacob Yowell who is North High School’s Cross Country & Track and Field Coach who has used his love of sports to changes people’s lives by being the source that helps his athletes unleash the power within them.

Jacob, 27, was born in Gardena and later raised in Torrance, CA. Upon graduating in 2006 graduated from North Torrance High School, he studied Sociology at UCI. Today, along with being a substitute teacher for Torrance Unified School District, he is the head coach for the Cross Country & Track and Field programs at North High.

His main duty is to oversee all administrative, financial, and training duties for both programs. A typical day for Jacob looks like this: he gets a call from the Torrance Unified School District, giving him the details of the subbing assignment that he will be working. Upon completing subbing, he heads into his office out at the football stadium.

 

Each day, Jacob oversees a team meeting at 2:00 pm where he addresses the team on any important items or events coming up in the next couple of days and weeks. After that, the team warm ups with his assistant coaches and he heads back to his office to handle any athletic and administrative work.

Finally, he heads out to the track to put his athletes through their work out and once practice is over, he heads back to the office to prepare for the next day. Despite his long day, he commits to completing his own workout in the school’s weight room before heading home to relax.

When asked what being a Coach means to Jacob, he says, “I could tell you that it means everything to me, but even then, the answer wouldn’t do the question any justice. To be a coach means I have the platform and power to be so much more than that to so many athletes. With that great power comes great responsibility.  A responsibility I’ve been blessed and a responsibility in which I cherish.”

Remarkably, Jacob says that he did not choose the career and instead, it chose him. “The last thing I pictured myself doing coming out of college was coaching Cross Country/Track & Field. I felt that my love, drive and passion for the sport was one that only an elite level athlete would possess,” he says.

However, he believed that this mentality wouldn’t lead to success for high school athletes who didn’t share those same feeling and in turn bring frustration to him as a coach. He was then approached by an old coach to oversee the sprints and hurdles for the track team in the fall of the 2012-2013 school year.

He thought back on how dominate the teams at North where when he was attending and knew how bad the teams had gotten with the departure of former coaches. With that in mind, he felt that maybe he could lend a hand in helping rebuild the program. He is happy to say that in his 4^th season as a coach, second as the head coach, the success of the programs is back where it once was and is continuing to grow year by year.

Undoubtedly, he owes his success as a coach to the same love, desire, and passion he had as an athlete which he says is now the same for him as a coach.

When Jacob is not working, he enjoys spending time with his family or exploring Southern California. “I love my family and nothing comes before them so I like to just spend time with them when I can,” he says. He also feels lucky enough to live five minutes from the beach and 2 hours from the snow.

He is inspired by the quote, “Success isn’t measured by the amount of money you make but the amount of lives you impact.” He says that the quote sums up the relationship that is created between athletes and their coach which he says is irreplaceable.

Jacob says that as a Coach, athletes grow on you and you on them.  He has found that they challenge you and you challenge them, they change you and you change them. He enjoys witnessing their growth based on the impact he has had on them and in vice versa.

He’d like others to know how much it all really means to coaches. “In the great seasons, you’re on cloud nine right there with the athletes and in the bad seasons you hurt sometimes more than they do. It truly is an emotional roller coaster. You give them your all and you see them sweat, cry and bleed for you,” he says. Jacob would like parents and athletes to understand how much the coach’s want for each and every one of their athletes to be successful and how they’d exhaust all their means to ensure it happens.

Thank you, Jacob, for being a positive influence in the South Bay community and using your position as a Coach to reach a multitude of young men and women.

Diagnostic Hurdles

Shima 0 comments 03.04.2016

Every Monday, I will share a resident of the South Bay contributing to making our community a better place.

Today’s MCM title belongs to Edward Wilson who specializes in BMW and Mini Automotive repair and is working on becoming a CrossFit coach in hopes of helping others like it has helped him.

Eddie, 29, was born in Long Beach and lived there for five years until his family had an opportunity to move to a small town west of Boise Called Nampa in Idaho.  While in Nampa, he completed all grades 1^st through 12^th in local public schools.  Immediately following high School, he attended and graduated from Boise State University with a three-year Degree in Automotive Technology.

Less than a year later, Eddie made an ambitious decision to pack up only the bare minimum in the back of his Ford Escort and take a leap to try and move back to California. Nine years later, Eddie is still living in Southern California and using his degree in Automotive Technology to his advantage.

Eddie says that California has definitely created more dynamic job opportunities in his field of work than what he might have found had he stayed in Idaho. He currently working at BMW MINI WORX in Lawndale, specializing in BMW and MINI Automotive Repair and Maintenance. Eddie’s past employment jobs and tons of experience has pointed him to finding his passion for European Car Repair.

About four years ago, Eddie was introduced to CrossFit. He says at the time, he’d only played in a Rec hockey league at the local Ice staking rink to stay in shape. He remembers the first time he saw anyone do CrossFit was on ESPN. He says it was the REEBOK CROSSFIT GAMES 2012 and at first all he could see were guys doing crazy workouts that just left him exhausted just from watching.

Despite feeling intimidated, he really wanted to try. A couple months went by and as his hockey season was coming to an end , he figured heI would give CrossFit a try. He went into the Lomita Crossfit box (gym) and says it took him about 8 min to finish a small baseline workout that was provided for him with some very basic body weight movements. He thought to himself, “Why was this so hard??” It was from that point on that he was completely hooked!

He says that CrossFit has completely changed his life. He loves watching how the professionals moved weight, barbells, their physique, and how confident they looked. Even after falling on hard times shortly after he found CrossFit, he said the workouts allowed him to feel empowered again.

Eddie says if he were to tell someone who didn’t know CrossFit was, he’d say two things: “ I would say CrossFit is about learning how to perform and exercise movements that appeal to real life challenges,  achieving a better Lifestyle through Fitness, performing  daily tasks with better posture, Strength, and stamina, being ready for anything that might come your way.. I would also mention the community CrossFit is surrounded by, everyone is so empowering, we all might be at different levels of fitness but NO ONE is better than anyone else, we will wait till the last person finishes before we do anything else, we’re all in it together.”

Eddie’s main goal this year is to help people the same way his coach helped him by attending a Level one CrossFit certification course and to help coach at their local CrossFit Box.  “Over the years, I’ve provided other people with advise from the time I’ve spent through trial and error. Not only does a coach’s advice help out in the gym, but by adapting the way things work and by providing them with challenges, it will always be a learning process, which will only make us stronger for the real world.”

Eddie pays it forward by being a good and honest person. He says he does so by helping people who are in need, going out of his way to give an elderly lady a ride around the corner to the grocery store, helping friends or strangers with car problems or repairs or supporting our military. “Although I was never part of the military or law enforcement, large parts of my family are.  As weird as it seems being a part of the CrossFit community has really made me appreciate all of their sacrifices by dedicating workouts, recognizing, and embracing them and our country as truly something special,” he says.

He also enjoys seeing his family partake in CrossFit and couldn’t be more proud of their recent step on board.

Thank you Eddie for taking your love for fitness as an opportunity to build a better community and help others.

“The constant challenges and diagnostic hurdles definitely keeps me on my toes, I find great satisfaction for what I do and I take pride in that.”

-Eddie Wilson

Changing the Game.

Shima 0 comments 29.03.2016

Every Monday, I will share a resident of the South Bay contributing to making our community a better place. Today’s #MCM title belongs to Bobby Hubert who manages a nicotine research lab at the Veterans’ Hospital in Long Beach and spending any free time developing games for cellular devices.

 Bobby, 31, was born and raised in the South Bay. Growing up, he spent a lot of time at the strip down by the beach as his dad owned a black & white photo lab on Ave I and he would spend a lot of time there. “I loved the South Bay as a kid, always felt safe skateboarding around everywhere,” he says.

Several years later, they moved around the South Bay and Palos Verdes until he at Peninsula high, graduating in 2002. Having absolutely no idea what he wanted to do in life, he decided to go to El Camino college in Torrance where he enrolled in many classes. He says, “I wanted to see what was out there.”

 He started off studying music composition, but ended up deciding to go into psychology.

“I still get to dabble in music every so often but my curiosity about people and health got the better of me and so after a few years I transferred to UCLA where I earned my degree in psych,” he says.

 Bobby says that he’d definitely recommend community college for young students who might not know what they want to do yet or just to get some exposure and explore different subjects before taking the plunge.

He says that if you ask his friends, they'd probably all say that he’s never not working. Bobby says it’s true, however, he enjoys it. During his “off” time, he runs a small indie game dev. studio out of his apartment with his brother and some friends. So he spends most of his waking hours, and probably a few sleeping ones, working on developing games and other software.

 His brother and him grew up on video games. Jokingly he says, “I think our parents must of had some sort of joint custody agreement with Nintendo because we definitely spent a lot of time with those games and so naturally we have a fond appreciation for the classics and I think a big part of what drives us in making games now is trying to capture that same feeling we got from those simple games of the 80's and 90's and bring them into a modern medium,” he says.

Outside of his hobby of developing games, Bobby’s full-time position is managing a nicotine research lab at the Veterans’ Hospital. There, his team does research with the veterans geared towards understanding more about smoking, addiction, and how nicotine, caffeine, and marijuana can affect the brain and how different substances may change the way addiction operates. In addition, they run smoking cessation classes alongside a research program geared towards discovering how to better help veterans with schizophrenia quit smoking.

Bobby says that the most gratifying part of his career thus far is running into a veteran who was in one of their studies months or even years later and having them say they are still cigarette free and how much better they feel. “It's amazing to see someone's life really change for the better and having even a small roll in that is a great reminder of why we do what we do,” he says.

One can learn more about Bobby’s games at www.agog.net or go the AppStore for Agog. Bobby says, “We can't be held responsible if you smash your phone in frustration, just like those old Nintendo games, some of our games are difficult.”

Bobby enjoys paying it forward whenever possible. He says, “I feel like with every little interaction we have with others every day a small part of that should be spent trying to make a person’s day better. Whether that's covering someone who's short on cash, giving someone a ride, or simply saying hi and smiling at the store when checking out, it only takes a second and it's an opportunity to make someone's day just a bit better and hopefully it spreads. So look up from your phone once in a while and smile! It's contagious.”

Bobby can’t imagine living anywhere other than the South Bay He says, “I'm sure it's written somewhere but we probably have the best weather in the world and it's a good thing too because the South Bay is full of things to do and we are so close to all of it; the beach, farmers markets and street fairs, great shopping, quiet parks, beautiful hiking trails and nature, and endless great food. But all that wouldn't even matter without all the awesome people; this area is home to some of the nicest people around and even though it's a pretty big place we make it feel cozy, it's not uncommon to run into friends and neighbors on a daily basis when you are out and about.”

 When Bobby isn’t developing games or aiding our veterans, he enjoys working on his truck, a 66 Chevy. He says, “It will probably never be finished but it's a fun way to spend time and not have to think about all the other work I should probably be doing. The last bit of work I did on it was to the bumper, I discovered about 8 layers of paint under the primer and decided to let a little bit of that history show by sanding through the different layers and I'm really happy with the result.”

 Thank you, Bobby, for inspiring the community by following your passions of developing games all while attaining a full-time position serving our veterans. You are an asset to the South Bay community.

“Just a note to anyone out there trying to follow a passion or wanting to create something new - It's worth it, don't stop.”

– Bobby

Photo credit: Bobby Hubert

Helping our Troops out on the field.

Shima 0 comments 21.03.2016

Every Monday, I will share a resident of the South Bay contributing to making our community a better place.

Today’s MCM title belongs to Vaneh Hartouni who although commutes from the San Fernando Valley to his job in El Segundo, has provided exceptional expertise in technology to South Bay’s well-known company, Raytheon.

Vaneh has lived in Los Angeles for the majority of his life and is currently a Project Lead at Raytheon in El Segundo, CA. He hopes to move closer to the South Bay in the future so that he is closer to his work.

In 2010, Vaneh received his Bachelor of Science from Cal Poly Pomona and received his Master of Science degree from UCLA in 2013. Both of his degrees are in Electrical Engineering focusing on digital systems.

Vaneh has been in the aerospace industry for several years. His experience includes working for multiple aerospace companies such as Raytheon and Northrop Grumman. Prior to that, he was an intern for 2.5 years at another aerospace company while attending school full-time.

Some of duties with his technical background include designing various electronics for different platforms such as navigations systems, electronic warfare and radars. In addition, he has led projects by managing people, schedule and budget. Vaneh has an entrepreneurial spirit and through his passion, he has worked on a side project related to portable fingerprint sensors. Currently, he has a provisional pending patent for his portable lock application.

He finds the most inspiring part of his job is the ability to use unique and exciting technology to build electronics for military to help our troops out in the field.

Vaneh says that Raytheon is known as an aerospace company providing products for military platforms. In addition, Raytheon has commercial and internationals customers. “Matter fact, over last a few years, the international customers generate significant amount of revenue for Raytheon,” he says.

Raytheon gives back to the community by providing a STEM program to help high school students to gain interest in the science field by providing college scholarships.

Vaneh hopes in five years to be a functional or program manager at Raytheon.

He enjoys the South Bay for the beaches and has found that the people are nice, friendly and polite. When he is not working, he enjoys being outdoors, sailing, cycling, basketball, snowboarding and going to the gym.

Thank you, Vaneh for being a wonderful member of South Bay’s respected and admired company, Raytheon and providing extensive help to its continuing growth.

Cooking up a storm

Shima 0 comments 14.03.2016

Every Monday, I will share a resident of the South Bay contributing to making our community a better place.

Today’s MCM title belongs to Parhom Niaki who is the head chef for a sorority at USC and is in charge of creating nutritious meals five days a week for the 142 sorority sisters.

Parhom,32, is California born and raised. Growing up, Parhom didn’t know he wanted to be a chef. He did however know he had a love for food and creating dishes since he was a child. “As a kid, I used to make pasta and pizza but I loved making the sauces. I always did it by myself,” he says. Therefore, he decided to pursue culinary arts as a career.

Although his parents are his role models, he says his grandfather was behind his inspiration to cook. “My grandpa was my inspiration because he loved to cook in order to bring the family together. He did it for love of family,” he says.

Parhom a two-year program where he was trained in all basic skills from cutting, making sauces, cooking meats, breakfast cookery, basic baking, charcuterie and meat fabrication cooking. His classes consisted of four hours a day, four times a week.

Similar to other courses, there were many tests involved. In order to graduate from the school, you’re required to prepare a dish with a protein starch, veggie, and sauce in under an hour. “If you are going into this field, all I can tell you is don’t be stagnant, go to different chefs and restaurants to up your game,” Parhom says.

Today, Parhom is the head chef for the prestigious California based university, USC. Parhom says that the USC job just fell into his lap, after an old classmate contacted him about the position and he felt he was the best fit. His schedule consists of working 53 hours a week, Monday through Friday. He begins daily at 8 and ends at 7 p.m. “I serve them lunch and dinner, made fresh every day. My sous chef makes them breakfast in the morning and I have one prep/ dishwasher that has no cooking experience till now,” he says.

As an executive chef, Parhom creates the menu, orders the products, makes an inventory of products, maintains the budget, cooks the sauces and proteins, and also is responsible for making the foods for girls with dietary restrictions. Such as, being aware of any allergies the girls may have. “We have girls with gluten, soy, salt, pepper, nut, etc. allergies. I usually just find ways to make them meals based on those allergies so there is no real way of making it, I just having to adjust it,” he says.

Parhom says, “The best part of the job is getting the gratitude from the girls, it’s not something that happens often in the restaurant industry.”

When Parhom is not cooking up dishes for the girls at USC, he lives a simple life. “I go to the gym, I play with my dogs, see my friends and watch movies,” he says. Parhom’s goal is to start his own food truck business, creating a new genre of food and eventually turning it into a standing restaurant. “With a food truck, it’s a good way to get your name out there without needing a lot of capital,” he says.

Thank you, Parhom, for providing the young girls at USC  and our future leaders, nutritious meals to keep them focused during their busy academic days.

 “Being a chef isn’t the glamorous career people see on TV. It’s hard work, long hours, and lots of dedication but you have to love the art, not just do it.” – Pahom Niaki

Finding a way without the bullshit excuses

Shima 0 comments 06.03.2016

Every Monday, I will share a resident of the South Bay contributing to making our community a better place.

Today’s MCM title belongs Benjamin Artz who has surpassed possibly all of life’s obstacles and has followed a simple life motto to bring light and health to other’s lives.

Artz, 38, was born in Melbourne, Australia. Since 2005, Artz has been a personal trainer and even had his own business working through a gym in Melbourne. Today, he is currently residing in Torrance and helping other’s reach their fitness goals.

During his time in Australia, he also worked with GNC Livewell and after six years with the company, he was able to purchase a GNC Franchise Store and had one store in Melbourne and one store in Sydney and worked in both from time to time.

Growing up, Artz played sports as a child including football, cricket and basketball. “I was blessed with talent and was able to play at elite levels for my age in all sports,” he says.

Furthermore, he explains he was always a gym person and loved being fit.  At one time, he was an electrician apprenticeship and could not wait to finish work so he could get to the gym each day. He says, “I even started early and worked through my lunch to leave early to go workout out, yeah I was nuts.”

One day his boss came up to him and said, “You’re always working out, why don`t you become a personal trainer?” The next day, Artz resigned and says the rest is history. “It was as simple as that,” he says.

 Although he does not have a particular fitness inspiration, he is always researching the latest science and finds it intriguing. “I am a nerd, if you will, and crave knowledge and I love to teach and spread the knowledge I learn,” he says.

He is infatuated with the human body internally more so than the external so he prides himself on his ability to help get his clients healthy mentally as well. He seeks to help them become a better human through health and fitness.

Artz has several mottos he lives by, but his clients know him most for, “Find a way,” and “No Bullshit excuses.” He says that the sayings mean that no matter how hard things are, “to never give up and just dig deep and find a way to get through a tough workout or exercise.”

He enjoys fitness because he has realized that when he is fit, healthy and training, he feels frees. “I can handle life’s stresses better and feel much more content with life and self,” he says. He also values that he can be a small part of what helps change his client’s lives in a positive way. “Be it through training or nutrition, advice or just being a support base and an ear to listen to and maybe offer advice. That`s what makes me truly tick to change others’ lives in a positive way,” he says.

Artz wants others to know that, “Fitness is not all about ego driven bathroom selfies and all about my ab`s or how many times can one person take a picture of themselves half naked each day.” He believes that fitness is health care and health care prevention and no one ever got well by looking at a fitness ego person posting pictures or their ab`s each day.

He believes that training is like life, you will be challenged and you will grow from it and evolve as a person as an individual. He also thinks that healthy eating is a lifestyle and that results come from consistent effort from doing the right things.

In the next five years, Artz hopes to open his first ARTZFIT health & wellness center where he can focus on health & wellness in many aspects of the human body. “I want it to be a place that you come to not just to train but to get well to create a better a life for yourself,” he says.

Artz has great knowledge in nutrition, naturalistic medicine, sport supplementation, along with his fitness and training knowledge so he hopes to create a 1 stop shop for others.

When he is not working, he loves spending time with his wife who he says is his best friend. He also enjoys playing with his two cats and dog who he calls his “fur babies.” “They’re everything to me. It’s my true happy place,” he says.

Artz’s greatest passion outside of fitness is to make the world a better place through love and happiness. He says that he came from a tough road, was raised by a single mother with five children and both parents were alcoholics. In addition, he lost his business due to a deceitful business partner and lost everything at the age of 35.

He moved to CA with the last few dollars he had with hopes of starting a new life. “None of it has made me bitter, if anything all my life`s experiences has made me more understanding and love as an individual,” he says. He supposes that’s why he follows the motto of finding a way and making no excuses.

Today, Artz is training out of Systems Training Center in Hawthorne. He teaches a group fitness boot camp style of training on Wednesday 7 pm & Sunday 9:30 am. He is also available for one on one training by appointment only and can be contacted through the following:

E: [email protected]

FB : ARTZFIT

IG : Benjamin Artz

Thank you, Benjamin for being a wonderful contribution to the South Bay community by not only helping locals reach their fitness dreams but offering a lending ear to all.

“I don`t aspire to be anything else than a better me- mind, body, soul.” –Benjamin Artz

South Bay’s Favorite SOOSK

Shima 0 comments 29.02.2016

Every Monday, I will share a resident of the South Bay contributing to making our community a better place.

Today’s MCM title belongs to Alireza Nejad, who uses his passion for music and Djing as a way to help the youth stay out of trouble by offering tutorials and classes for free.

Nejad, better known as “Dj Soosk,” 28, was born and raised in Torrance. He graduated from South Torrance High in 2005 and in 2001 decided to pursue his passion for music producing and Djing into a career.

Growing up, Nejad had a strong love for music from a young age. Nejad says that having grown up around three older sisters that had very different preferences in music choice gave him the ability to learn many genres at once. However, it was his youth Pastor, Jim, from a local Christian youth group that inspired him.

Nejad says, “He taught me everything I needed to know and helped me with the business aspects of DJing.” He realized that there is much more to it than standing behind a set of turntables.

He learned the value and hard work of DJ’s early on and explains that he’s not always by the most famous musicians, instead “for the guy that I see djing on a regular basis at the local bar, nightclub or event.” He explains that he/she is the one that inspires him to work harder.

In addition, he finds inspiration from his parents who moved to the country with nothing. He says that almost 40 years ago, his father with broken English started to work immediately and has not stopped since. “Never once did I hear himself or my mother want to give up and settle for less for our family. That’s true inspiration to me,” he says.

His greatest supporters have been his wife, Pricila and family. “They have always supported every decision I have made in life, even if it wasn’t the best for me. Sometimes you have to make the mistake yourself to learn,” he says.

Nejad decided to brand his business after a childhood memory. Growing up, Nejad’s grandmother called him soosk which translates to cockroach in Farsi.

He says, “I was so dark compared to the rest of my family. It stuck when my friends would start calling me that as a joke. If you can’t fight em, Join em.”

Indeed, he joined them! His business grew exceptionally through word of mouth and radio spots on loacal stations and hottest nightclubs in the South Bay area.

Despite the popularity of DJ’s, Nejad wishes people knew that a DJ does not have a 401k or health benefits. “The hours are long, and equipment is very expensive and being able to DJ is a talent. Know the worth of who is being hired,” he says.

Nejad loves living in the South Bay mostly for the people. “It’s the most diverse, influential and relaxing place to live. I have friends and neighbors from every walk of life and you really cannot find that in many places in this world,” he says. In addition, he has found that he can never complain about the weather and enjoys that it is conveniently close major attractions such as, LA, OC, snow, the dessert, Las Vegas, beaches, and mountains. “You can’t go wrong!” he says.

Today, Nejad continues to DJ on a regular basis weddings and cooperate events. An event’s management company organizes his events for him and can be contacted at[email protected]

Nejad gives back to his community by Djing for breast cancer events, schools and other non-profit events at no charge in order to be able to help raise money for a great cause. “I also do classes and tutorials for kids trying to start off and help with the basics. I would much rather have them in the passion of music than getting into trouble. I know it saved me as a youth,” he says.

When he is not producing music pieces, he spends his time as a Father and Husband. “It’s the best job in the world. I love spending time with family and friends,” he says.

In five years, Nejad would love to see himself iving in a nice big house (“That Shima sells me of course”) in the South Torrance area, with his wife Pricila and daughter Soraya. He also hopes to have more children then. He says that he doesn’t know where his life will take him in five years, but he hopes to be Djing as much as he does now.

Thank you, Alireza for using your passion for music to make our community a greater place and keeping our youth out of trouble.

Leaps & Bounds

Shima 0 comments 22.02.2016

Every Monday, I will share a resident of the South Bay contributing to making our community a better place. Today’s MCM title belongs William Wilson, who recruits certified nurses to places in need.

Wilson was born in Torrance and raised in the South Bay. Growing up, he traveled playing Rugby for Santa Monica Rugby Club. Together, the team traveled to several countries including Argentina, Germany and Thailand.

When he was just 22 years old, Wilson was in great shape and playing in his second season of rugby. During one weekend, his team was a part of a rugby tournament which cost him broken bones in his right leg. The doctor said that if they didn’t put Wilson to sleep, they wouldn’t have found that there was a fatty embolism that was going to his heart. Also known as, an “Air bubble”.

In result, Wilson found how precious life is and how appreciative he was to be alive. He realized life is a gift and he has so much left to give others. Soon after, Wilson was handpicked by a prior manager to help recruit nurses. At the time, he was still working for a different company and had to make the ultimate decision of staying with the company or help a new company grow by leaps and bounds.

Wilson chose to take the lead and today, is a full-time Nurse recruiter for United Staffing Solutions Inc. (USSI) and a part-time Entrepreneur. His duties are to recruit the best of the best nurses for 13-week travel assignments.

Nurses that Wilson recruits must have one year “or close to” experience in an acute care setting. This ranges from Medical Surgery, Telemetry, NICU, PICU, L&D, ICU etc.  “They can have pretty much any specialty,” he says.

Wilson does not recruit a specific kind of traveler and says that they can be a true traveler, a new traveler or someone that wants to try something new other than being a staff nurse. A travel nurse is a nurse that wants to take a 13-week assignment.

Wilson claims that now nurses can choose to work as both a staff nurse and take on assignment at the same time to see if they can handle the work load. A typical schedule is 3 days a week, 12 hours a day in a contract. “This is either on top of their 3/12’s already or just by itself,” he says.

Wilson explains that having a CA license is the “hottest thing” for a nurse as the pay is much better in CA than any other state.  Although his company is not working internationally yet, Wilson explains that they work with new graduates on occasion.

Pay for the nurses depends on a few factors. “Crisis rate, need, is the hospital on strike, location and time of year to name a few,” he says. Nurses, however, receive daily meals and incidentals, housing and hourly pay all in one contract. On other occasions, nurses find their housing and are able to receive free money and maximize their return on the contract.

Wilson finds that working as a recruit nurse has many benefits including that you get to travel, get tax free money and get a ton of experience in a short amount of time.

Wilson began recruiting after realizing he loved helping people. “To me, I get the greatest reward by helping people get into contracts,” he says.  Most of his nurses have come from referrals which he says are often nurses who are coming off contract, needing a contract or wanting to try out a better company to work with.

Some of his duties include finding nurses housing, fining the best location whether it is northern, central or even southern, CA. In addition, he is able to provide the nurses insurance if desired. He says, “Nurses are great. In my opinion they save lives. And to me putting a great nurse in a hospital that does just that sells itself. Because don’t you want to work with the best people too?”

This year, Wilson hopes to help 10 people find their dream job. He believes that being a recruiter isn’t for everyone. “However if you can multitask, stay extremely focused, self-motivated and do it for a purpose, it can be very gratifying.” He also values his staffing company and vows them to be, “super important.”

Wilson feels most gratified when he receives a referral because it means that he has earned another’s trust and respect enough for them to refer them.

When Wilson is not working, he enjoys hiking in Palos Verdes, playing Rugby, traveling, lifting weights, networking, reading, cooking and going to movies. He thrives most when chasing his passions.

He pays it forward by trying to give as much clothes to the salvage army as possible. “I sometimes feed the homeless when I see that someone is hungry. If you know what it’s like not to eat, this is a small gesture, however having empathy and compassion is the greatest reward. Especially when you know someone appreciates it,” he says.

He has found that the South Bay has the best people in California. “I think it is a group of highly educated, motivated individuals that want one another to achieve success. This doesn’t mean you have to be from the same industry. And let’s face it… You can be in the glamor in Hollywood one minute, Hermosa beach the next and in Big Bear mountains all in the same day.”

Thank you, Wilson, for providing our hardworking and deserving nurses greater opportunities.

To learn more about recruiting and the benefits, please contact Wilson here on his linkedin.

OR

Cell: (310) 707-6476 or email [email protected]

Wilson’s Websites:

southbaymediallc.com

Southbayyoungprofessionals.com

thefinancrblogger.com

Bringing Laughter to the South Bay

Shima 0 comments 15.02.2016

Every Monday, I will share a resident of the South Bay contributing to making our community a better place. Today’s MCM title belongs to Todd Doram, who is a freelance television producer by day and comic by night, all while mentoring fatherless children and officiating weddings on his free time.

Todd, 34, was born in Torrance and grew up in Redondo Beach. Growing up, Todd knew he always had a desire to make an impact to a wide audience through media. In result, he majored in Communications and Mass Media while in college. For the past six years, Todd and his friends have been creating TV show concepts and pitching them to networks.

Three years ago, Todd was offered a producing role with Glassman Media and has worked with several production companies since. “The thing I enjoy the most is having an idea that starts in our head and eventually makes it on television,” he says.

Today, Todd is a freelance Television Producer for unscripted TV. His role entails casting, pre-production, acquiring permits, preparing storyline and ensuring the show is as entertaining as it can possibly be!

Just a few months ago, two friends and Todd sold their first show to Animal Planet called “Going Native.” Although they only aired one episode, Todd says, “It was a blast making it all happen.”  Together, they create a storyline and entertainment by having the right cast first, and then put them in scenarios where their personalities can shine.

Throughout the years, Todd has been mentored by numerous coaches and trainers who he claims helped him “to be a stand out college football player.” In return, he chose to Pay-It-Forward by coaching/mentoring young athletes or children in fatherless homes or in foster care.

 Every second Saturday, he mentors four young men in the LA Foster Care system through Royal Family Kids which is a worldwide organization. “We start the day with breakfast, then head to our formal “club” activities at church, then go and find something adventurous throughout Los Angeles to do, something they’ve never done before. It’s important for me because looking after fatherless children is one of the most fundamental things Jesus asked of his followers, but even better than that, it’s really a lot of fun and so rewarding,” he says.

When Todd is not producing television or mentoring young children, he is a stand-up comic at Comedy Clubs, Corporate Events, or even at his Church. He has found that the best part of performing comedy is creating entertainment. “Standup comedy is a huge passion of mine, it’s an incredibly unique challenge and distinct art form. To make perfect strangers laugh is incredible,” he says.

Todd believes that everyone always has some sort of challenge or problem in their lives at any given day.  “The way I see it is we all have some huge challenge or problem in our lives at any given day- cancer, dog died, lost a job, brother drank the last of the milk when you wanted Cinnamon Toast Crunch is really bad, so to get in a room and laugh for a few hours is just wonderful,” he says. He doesn’t know if he wants to make it a career, but it’s something he always wants to do.

Comedy in Los Angeles has the highest concentration of amazing comedians in the whole world. On any given night, you can enjoy a free show, and comedians are thankful for audience members. “Without an audience, we are nothing! So come laugh at us, not with us, I’m talkin’ right in your face,” he says.

One unexpected development in Todd’s life is being an Officiant of seven different weddings, with two more scheduled in 2016. “Years ago, one of my best friends since preschool, Randy Evans and his then fiance, Lisset, asked if I would perform their wedding,” he says.  Because he takes public speaking, entertainment, and the sanctity of marriage very seriously, he said yes. “I think what happened after that is people saw a bunch of Facebook photos from the wedding and more invitations kept coming. Every ceremony is fully customized and is as unique as the love story of the couple. It’s a huge honor and I am very humbled each time I get to do it,” he says.

It is clear that Todd’s humor is contagious on and off the stage, joking that when he is not working, he likes to “dominate burritos, emotionally & physically, so much so they advise their immediate family members of the dangers lurking in the dining hall.” He also enjoys a good Tom Hanks marathon on TNT, and out of respect for Tom Hanks, he watches it live, commercials and all.

He is also an active member at his church in Torrance. “I was invited to King’s Harbor Church around 2009 and have been a member ever since. They are a body of people focused on serving God’s purpose in the community and I am grateful to be a part of the mission,” he says.

Todd enjoys living in the South Bay mostly for its proximity to what he identifies as “World Class everything.” However, he values that it doesn’t feel “touristy”

Thank you, Todd,  for being a wonderful contribution to the South Bay community!

“One final thing you should know about me, is that I think YOU should appreciate the musical stylings of Phil Collins more than you currently do. Even if you’re at 100% appreciation, dig deeper. I believe you can do it.”

– Todd Doram`

 You can keep track of Todd’s shows and where he performs on his Twitter @todddoram.