Betty Baker has been promoted to the newly created position of chief human resources officer at Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center, the largest private employer in San Luis Obispo.

For more than four years, she has served as human resources director and currently serves as the chairperson for the San Luis Obispo County Workforce Investment Board.

The first-ever TEDxChumash Conference is a three-hour, locally organized gathering of renowned presenters dedicated to helping others develop the ability to tackle challenging issues through powerful thinking.

Deadline to sign up is April 30th, and only 80 seats are available. Jacky Lopez, founder of Queen Global Communications, is bringing a diverse line-up of speakers to the San Luis Obispo Museum of Art on Thursday, May 27.

Speakers include:

• Blake Irving, Professor at Pepperdine University
• Wandia Chiuri, Senior Director of Project Development at Twittrafficpro
• Matthew Linden, Founder of ConciousBuild
• John Battalino, Neurologist & Chief Medical Office for the State of California, 
• Dan Sieben, serial entrepreneur who founded and ran his first company after returning from two years in the Peace Corps in Lima, Peru.
• Dr. Mark Juretic, President of the Marian Medical Center Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Marian Medical Center, and
• Fran Dukehart, Cal Poly Leadership Program instructor

The California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office notified Cuesta College of its intent to award the college with a grant to support the Business Entrepreneurship Center at Cuesta College.

This initiative is one of 10 initiatives supported under the Economic and Workforce Development (EWD) program, which primarily supports community colleges that serve communities embracing the challenge to develop, sustain and advance their role in a global economy.

The Pacific Eye team welcomes all community members to sign up for the first annual Walk-a-Thon, which will raise money for desperately needed cataract surgeries in developing countries. 

It only takes $100 to pay for three basic cataract surgeries in third world countries. With this in mind, the Pacific Eye team is hoping to raise $10,000 dollars to fund over 300 life-changing cataract surgeries.

The Walk-a-Thon will take place on Saturday, April 24 starting at 10 am. The 2.5 mile walk starts and finishes at Ramona Park in Grover Beach. This is a healthy and fun event that is open to friends, family, and the community.  You can participate in several ways; you can walk and show your support, sponsor someone to walk, or make a donation. 

The Land Conservancy recently promoted its top leadership to distribute responsibility among key staff. 

Kaila Dettman now serves as deputy director, overseeing the organization’s fiscal budgeting, day-to-day operations and managing the restoration program and its staff; Daniel Bohlman, as director of conservation science, is responsible for the stewardship, management and protection of all the Conservancy’s conservation and restoration lands; Wende David is stepping up as director of development to manage private fundraising, community relations and Board development.

"The Board of Trustees supports this strategic restructuring and is pleased to recognize the talent of our staff leadership by granting them roles with more decision-making and responsibility," said Lisa Wise, Land Conservancy Board vice president. "Bob, Kaila, Daniel and Wende are extremely professional and accomplished young leaders with an unparalleled amount of energy for the work ahead." 

This month's Good Morning San Luis Obispo lands on Earth Day, April 22, and the San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce has a packed program for its members. 

All registrations must be received by April 20 at 5 p.m.

Here are a few speakers attendees can expect to hear from on Thursday from 7:30 - 9 a.m. and Grace Church in downtown San Luis Obispo.

A new adventure
Lauren Brown is best known locally as the co-founder and longtime CEO of JBL Scientific, a SLO biotech firm that later became Promega Biosciences. After a stint in Madison, Wisconsin, Brown is back. Never happy to sit still for long, he's planning a coast-to-coast solo bicycle ride to raise money for charity. He'll depart the day after GMSLO. Why would a 60-something attempt a lonely 3,000-mile bike trek? Find out.

French Hospital Medical Center’s (FHMC’s) Copeland, Forbes & Rossi Cardiac Care Center can now provide advanced, real-time, full-volume, four dimensional (4-D) images of the entire heart with the addition of the new Siemens ACUSON SC2000 Ultrasound System.

FHMC is the first and only hospital on the Central Coast to obtain the Siemens ACUSON SC2000 Ultrasound System. As one of the top 100 Cardiac Care hospitals in the nation, the addition of this system will allow our physicians to capture 20 full volume images in one second. Siemens' "Echo in a Heartbeat" technology delivers advanced image resolution of the heart, in less time, with better clinical results.

The Extreme Entrepreneurship Tour made its second annual stop at Cuesta College on April 14. San Luis Obispo County residents, business people and students attended the event to learn from young entrepreneurs that have achieved professional success.

The goal of the nationwide Extreme Entrepreneurship Tour is to have college students around the nation graduate with an entrepreneurial mindset.

"With state unemployment at a record high and job prospects grim, more and more college students are thinking about starting their own businesses," said Israel Dominguez, director of the Business Assistance Center at Cuesta College. "The Tour helps students take the next step by offering inspirational and practical advice."

What was the brainchild of innovative and health-conscious Cal Poly graduates 20 years ago is now one of the nation’s best known smoothie chains with more than 700 locations.

Co-founder Linda Olds had sold the two original local stores to the Jamba Juice company years ago, but repurchased them in October 2009 along with several other SLO County locations to give them the attention they deserve.

SLO Chamber staff, City Council members, and other community leaders will present a special plaque dedication ceremony to Olds and Jamba Juice co-founder Kevin Peters on Monday at 11:30 a.m.

To celebrate that same day, the original store at 17 Chorro Street plans to offer free smoothies from 12:20 to 5 p.m.