Larry Jacobs has been committed to organic, sustainable farming since he was a teenager. When he and his wife started their farming business in 1980, growing and distributing organic produce allowed him to share that commitment with others, including a network of small farmers in Mexico that has grown to 400 members strong today.

Over the years, Bob Thompson of Bay Area Development has helped Jacobs finance three expansion projects; one to purchase warehouse space close to the San Francisco airport, a second to purchase a large farm in Watsonville and a third to purchase another commercial condominium space adjacent to his existing property in San Francisco. All three projects have allowed Jacobs to significantly expand his business and continue sharing his ethos of caring for the earth.

Dave Schlossberg has always loved off-roading and decided in 2001 to turn his passion into a business. While he was still in college, he started Poly Performance, an Internet-based mail order company that sells high performance parts for off-road vehicles. A manufacturing division was added in 2005, the company took off and Schlossberg found himself in need of more space.

Working with Cal Cain of Bay Area Development, Schlossberg was able to purchase the 26,000 square foot building he’d had his eye on for two years. With the additional space, Poly Performance can continue producing and delivering customers with the parts they need to enjoy the hobby they love.

When Don Medine was a police officer he was often asked about the ear piece he invented for himself. After leaving the force in 1996, he turned that interest into a business, manufacturing custom tactical communications equipment and accessories for police officers and soldiers.

Medine’s focus on quality and customer service, combined with the military actions since 9/11, caused demand for his products to grow exponentially. Joe Lampe of Bay Area Development assisted Medine in purchasing a 15,000 square foot facility that allowed him to double his workforce and continue creating the innovative products his customers need.

When Dennis Blackburn purchased a printing business in 1988, he knew nothing about the industry. But by retaining the employees who knew the business well he was able to not only continue providing the level of service customers expected, but grow the business by investing in cutting edge technology.

Bob Thompson has worked with Blackburn three times over the last four years, helping him acquire three state of the art presses as well as a larger facility to house the printing company’s operations. As a result, Blackburn has more than doubled his workforce and is able to work with larger accounts and take on more complex jobs than ever before.

Jay Virk and his family had worked in commercial real estate and hotel operations for years. With a solid understanding of their region’s marketplace, they set out to bring a higher end hotel brand to Clovis.

Cal Cain of Bay Area Development assisted with the financing that was used to help Virk build an 85 room Fairfield Inn. The hotel provides a comfortable place for guests to stay, created new jobs for the city and, thanks to Virk’s attention to detail, is ranked first in Clovis for customer service.

Brothers-in-law Jerry Hancer and Markos Garabetyan came to the United States from Germany in 1978, eager to share their old world sausage recipes with their new country. After opening Ohanyan’s International Deli in Fresno, word quickly spread and Jerry and Markos invented a sausage-making machine to keep up with demand, then added a processing plant in 1994.

Cal Cain of Bay Area Development helped finance a second expansion for Ohanyan’s, which more than tripled their weekly output and gave the company the room it needs to accommodate its growth trajectory.

Antonio Ruiz started his construction company with two goals in mind; providing quality work for his clients and a place for his employees to grow. The result has been a high level of loyalty among clients and employees alike, and A. Ruiz Construction has benefited from both since opening in 1984.

When Tony discovered the building next to his was for sale, he quickly teamed with Joe Lampe of Bay Area Development to purchase it. The end result is much-needed additional space, a dedicated yard to store the company’s equipment on site, and the ability to take on larger jobs than ever before.

What started as a sniffle turned into an international business for Dr. Ketan Mehta. Mehta suffered from chronic sinus infections for years before finding relief through nasal irrigation. With no products on the market, Mehta invented one himself and launched NeilMed Pharmaceuticals in 2000.

Thanks to the product’s affordability and convenience, NeilMed soon outgrew its facility. Bob Thompson from Bay Area Development helped Mehta consolidate operations and increase manufacturing space with the purchase of a 54,000 square foot building. From this new home, NeilMed is able to produce more than a dozen nasal care products that provide relief to millions of customers each year.

When three OB-GYNs joined forces in 1996, their goal was to improve patient experience and provide the best medical care possible. Their plan paid off and the practice grew to be one of the largest women’s health care providers in the greater Fresno area.

In order to support their growing practice, the doctors needed additional space for administration offices. Cal Cain of Bay Area Development helped Omni purchase a facility that will help the practice continue to grow and serve its existing patients as well as a new generation.

Andrew Ly and his brothers escaped Vietnam in 1979 with no money and no English skills. In 1984, they bought a tiny coffee shop in San Francisco and started making doughnuts in the back. Gradually they perfected their recipes and began supplying baked goods to some of the area’s top hotels. By 2005 they were out of space. Ly worked with Joe Lampe of Bay Area Development and purchased a 56,000 square foot facility in Hayward. The new space allowed Ly to add production lines, giving Sugar Bowl national product placement and making it one of Northern California’s largest bakeries.

When Dane Jasper started Sonic.net in 1994, most people still viewed the Internet as a passing fancy. But Dane saw tremendous potential and succeeded in becoming Northern California’s premiere ISP…in just 95 square feet of leased office space. Of course, rapid success often creates growing pains and by 2001 Sonic.net had relocated four times. Determined to find a permanent home for his company, Dane worked with Bay Area Development’s Bob Thompson to do just that. The result was a 35,350 square foot state-of-the-art facility that gave Sonic.net room to grow while holding onto its core values of delivering flawless service to customers around the country.

Even as a child, Elaine Bell knew her career would involve food. By age 24, she fulfilled that dream when she opened Elaine Bell Catering in Sonoma. At that time, wine country was a far cry from the culinary epicenter it is today and Elaine’s success depended on her ingenuity as much as her skills in the kitchen. She soon went from cooking on a propane stove in vineyards to catering large, upscale events and needed space to meet the demand.

Unlike many companies, Elaine knew exactly where she wanted to set up shop and spent over four years navigating Napa’s zoning requirements. The easy part was the financing, which she secured with the help of Bay Area Development’s Bob Thompson. The end result was a 21,585 square foot building that is now home to Elaine Bell Catering; one of Napa’s largest employers.

Known the world over for quenching the thirst of wine lovers, Napa is also home to a company that keeps small animals hydrated. Lixit Corporation manufactures water bottle devices, feeding systems and care accessories for small, domestic animals. With their patented product a favorite of animal owners, the company has experienced significant growth and owner Linda Parks has worked with Bay Area Development twice to help her expand. The most recent project increased her facility by 61% which boosted production enough to earn Lixit the title of largest small animal watering device manufacturer in the world.

After 20 years as a landscape contractor, Avi Weizman decided to turn his industry knowledge and entrepreneurial spirit into his own company. Along with his wife, Ruth, he started Watersavers Irrigation, a full service wholesale irrigation and landscaping supply service based in San Rafael. Sales reached nearly half a million dollars in the first year and by 2003 they were contacting Joe Lampe of Bay Area Development to help them purchase a location in Livermore, followed later that year by a second location in Marin County. When the Watersavers headquarters burned to the ground in early 2005, the Weizmans worked with Lampe again, this time to purchase replacement space for their new headquarters. Today, the Weizmans operate four Watesavers locations; a testament to their resilience and belief in their ideas.