Jeremy T. Ringfield's Blog, page 364
September 8, 2024
Local books: Business exec pens a primer on ‘how to make it anywhere’
A young Bill Grimm used to shoot hoops in the barn, practicing till sometimes 8 at night. He chalked a baseball diamond on a gravel surface and pitched, over and over, into the strike zone, zeroing in on accuracy and teaching himself how to throw a fastball, how field the ball, how to hit. Whether through athletics or academics, he was going to get himself off the farm and into college.
Movies have been made about the kind of life Bill Grimm has led. Since he was born and raised on a dairy farm in Wisconsin, we could imagine a Hallmark screenplay. But the deeply difficult challenges he faced in his youth would shift it to something more “Stand by Me.”
Yet, after Grimm got himself an athletic scholarship to the University of Wisconsin-Madison — the first in his family to attend college — from which he commenced with a degree in chemistry, and then went on to achieve his MBA at Loyola University-Chicago, he decidedly changed his own storyline.
Bill Grimm, chief operation officer at Cannery Row Co. (Courtesy photo)At this point, Grimm, currently the Chief Operating Officer for the Cannery Row Company, anchored by a 22-year tenure, might lean back in his corporate leather chair and survey all he has achieved during a legendary career in business development, project management, leasing, and acquisitions. Yet he’s still in the game and likely won’t even take time for the “seventh inning stretch.”
Grimm has lent his expertise to so many companies — Baskin-Robbins, Dunkin Donuts, California Pizza Kitchen, and Gloria Jeans’ Coffees, to name a few — were he to write a book about his career trajectory, it would have to become either a tome or a trilogy. Instead, he wrote, not about what he has achieved, but what he has learned along the way, so that others might learn from his experiences. All of which he distilled into a 200-page primer. You’ll get the message.
“Attitude of Resilience: How to Get Energized and Thrive” (2023) offers a hard-earned understanding of the mental and emotional elasticity required to play the long game in business. Grimm considers his text a guidebook, in which he has presented strategies on how to construct a solid foundation built with goals and anchored in decisiveness, perseverance, grit. He speaks to the importance of mastering skillsets, developing operating systems, and understanding that networking is not a euphemism for “schmoozing.”
Plus, he gives examples from his own career experiences to help bring home his messages.
“At one point,” he recalled, “I went from a sleepy little town in San Diego to the hustle and bustle of New York. I kept making sales pitches to people, and they kept walking away. Finally someone said, ‘You’re in New York. You talk too much. We’re busy. Get to the point.’ So I took a class on assertiveness.”
Grimm actually took an acting class for non-actors in Manhattan
“I learned what Jack Nicholson and Meryl Streep are all about, how to dominate the scene,” he said, “without the audience even realizing it. I left, singing, ‘New York, New York; if you can make it there, you can make it anywhere,’ and I knew I could.”
Making it everywhereGrimm eventually moved to California, where he became the national director of franchising for Baskin-Robbins. But only after scrolling through microfiche to do considerable research on his competitors, executives at Burger King and Taco Bell.
“I had eight regional sales offices reporting to me. I wanted to grow the company,” he said, “so I put together a plan to introduce a coffee business to Baskin Robbins by cobranding Dunkin Donuts, putting them next to each other. I broke all kinds of sales records.”
In the meantime, Grimm had kept his eye on PepsiCo, which was looking to franchise California Pizza Kitchen, and took note of the concept. He came on board as vice president of Global Franchising. He trained company founders and the executive team, while working to grow the organization, positioning it to sell. Ultimately, he was so successful, when the company sold, Grimm had worked himself out of a job.
“I had to reform my vision, remain resilient,” he said, “and move on. This concept factors prominently in my book. While I was with CPK, I created a speech on Attitude, the most powerful word in the English language. When periods of change come, it is our attitude that helps us roll with the waves, rather than sinking.”
When Grimm, who believes in coffee “in a big way,” received an opportunity to become an officer with Gloria Jean’s Coffee in Castroville, he moved to the area and, during the next two years, grew the company “all over the world.
“Then I formed a French café and coffee concept shop in Santa Cruz and was ready to sign the lease,” he said, “when 9-11 hit. That was a difficult but essential time to maintain the right attitude.”
After a search company asked Grimm if he had heard of Ted Balestreri and the Cannery Row Company, he met with Balestreri and became chief operating officer for the company.
“I saw a great opportunity to coach and develop people,” Grimm said. “That was 22 years ago, and it has only become more important. I didn’t know the word resilience as a youth, but it was in me, and it has led my whole life, my whole career. I have done great things in my life, but only because I’ve had an attitude of resilience, enabling me to network, form a new vision, and stay positive. This is the foundation of my career and my book.”
“Attitude of Resilience: How to Get Energized and Thrive” (2023) is available at River House Books in The Crossroads Carmel and via Amazon.
All about legacy: annual Festa Italia celebrates generations of Italian-American locals
Downtown Monterey got a little taste of Italy this past weekend, as thousands gathered to honor the city’s Italian and Sicilian roots through a shared love of food, music and family.
The 91st Festa Italia Santa Rosalia Fishermen’s Festival took place over the span of three days and welcomed both locals and tourists to indulge in Italian culture. Many of the excited attendees have family roots in Monterey that span generations and have been attending this festival for as long as they can remember.
“One of the things that the city of Monterey prides itself on is our history and our traditions,” said Mayor Tyller Williamson. “We really need to make sure we hold tight to that because it’s what brought us to where we are today. (Festa Italia) is a really great time to come out with everybody in the community and celebrate that tradition and heritage and have a good time while you’re doing it.”
Hundreds of people packed into the Custom House Plaza Saturday afternoon to enjoy the wide variety of vendors, wine, authentic Italian dishes, local bands and the yearly Bocce Tournament. Many people arrived before the day’s official festivities began at 11:30 a.m. to get a good seat to watch the opening ceremonies and remarks by various city officials.
Congressman Jimmy Panetta gave opening remarks at Saturday’s Festa Italia. (Andrea Valadez – Monterey Herald)Congressman Jimmy Panetta recognized his grandfather, Carmelo, who settled in Monterey in the early 1930s and resided on “Spaghetti Hill,” the block of Old Town named after the Italian-American residents who flocked there decades ago in search of community.
“Today is a day in which we get to celebrate our Italian heritage and we get to celebrate … our family’s roots and when we do that, we celebrate Monterey’s roots,” said Panetta.
Following the remarks, there was a procession to Fisherman’s Wharf for the traditional Blessing of the Fishing Fleet with a float dedicated to Santa Rosalia, the festival’s namesake.
The first festa in 1933 was created by Francesca (Ferranti) Giamona, Giovanna Balbo, Rosa Ferrante and Domenica Enea after a statue of Santa Rosalia, patron saint of Sicilian fishermen, was donated to the San Carlos Cathedral in Monterey. The cathedral opened its doors in 1794, making it California’s first cathedral.
A statue of Santa Rosalia was donated to Monterey in 1933. The patron saint of Sicilian fishermen is prayed to for safe passage and a bountiful fishing season. (Andrea Valadez – Monterey Herald)This year’s Grand Marshall was Anthony (Toni) Davi, who has been a Monterey local since he and his brother Peter made the journey from Sicily to Monterey in 1957.
“I’m happy to be recognized by the Sicilian population here in Monterey,” said Davi. “There’s many of them that could have been chosen to be Grand Marshall, but to choose me is special and something that’s very close to my heart.”
Davi has owned three boats, “Sandi D,” named after his wife, “Di Mi Ann,” and “Silver Streak.” He fished mostly herring for many years. “This is my home away from home,” he said. “All my life has been in Monterey.” Out of all of the jobs he’s had over the years, Davi said fishing has always been his favorite. He passed this love on to his own son, Frank, who fished with his father on “Silver Streak” in San Francisco for years.
Toni Davi was honored as this year’s Grand Marshall. Davi was born in Isola Delle Femmine, Sicily in 1944 and moved to Monterey at 13. (Andrea Valadez – Monterey Herald)Another family legacy is that of Antoinette Spadaro Crivello, whose grandparents came from Sicily to Monterey in the early 1900s and her grandfather took a job fishing sardines.
The men in the Spadaro family were all captains of their own Purse Seiner fishing vessels. Years later, Antoinette’s father took over one of those boats and carried on the legacy fishing salmon, black cod and albacore up and down the California coast for years. For Antoinette Crivello, it has never been an option to not continue her family’s history on the Central Coast.
“I would never leave the Monterey area. It’s our community,” she said. Antoinette Crivello was raised on “Spaghetti Hill,” the same area her grandparents first moved to. “My roots are here. My children didn’t even move out of Monterey, they’re still here,” said Antoinette.
Antoinette and her husband Sebastian (Buster) have dedicated hours to making sure Festa Italia properly honors their families and dozens of others like them.
After arriving in Monterey in 1961, Crivello worked for Sea Products, a fish processing company for 43 years and fished in Alaska for salmon and calamari on the “Sea Diamond.” He was then one of the founding members of the Festa Italia Santa Rosalia Foundation and previously served as the president of the foundation for 35 years. “It’s a wonderful way to spread our culture with other people,” said his wife.
“Today, we are proud of our Italian heritage, we celebrate our Italian heritage,” said Panetta. “We celebrate that this is a nation of immigrants, but more importantly we are a nation of risk-takers: the people before us who took the risk to come here to give their progeny a better life.”
Montano kicks a career best 51-yard field goal for New Mexico State
The transfer portal has allowed Abraham Montano a chance to get back on the field and do what he does best.
Montano is kicking this fall at New Mexico State, where the one-time Alisal soccer standout knocked down his first two field goal attempts, including a career best 51-yarder.
The 6-foot-1 Montano showed off his leg strength, sending four kickoffs into the end zone for touchbacks.
Montano, who did not see the field in 2023 for Fresno State, did appear in 12 games in 2022, where he converted 34-of-35 extra points and 12-of-19 field goal attempts.
The left-footed kicker, who originally transferred to San Diego State before enrolling at New Mexico State, is 17-of-26 for his career in field goals and 50-of-51 in extra points.
Montano spent one year at Hartnell College, hitting a school record 50-yard field goal in 2019, where was named Special Teams Player of the Year. He was also a part of Alisal’s 2018 State Northern California championship soccer team.
Top 10 girls’ tennis rankings
Top 10 girls’ tennis rankings
1. Stevenson:
2. Carmel:
3. Santa Catalina:
4. Aptos:
5. Salinas:
6. Hollister:
7. Scotts Valley:
8. Monterey:
9. Pacific Grove:
10. Gonzales:
On the bubble: Notre Dame, Santa Cruz, Alvarez, Monte Vista, Watsonville.
Top 10 girls’ golf rankings
Top 10 girls’ golf rankings
1. Stevenson:
2. Carmel:
3. Salinas:
4. Santa Catalina:
5. Scotts Valley:
6. Hollister:
7. Monte Vista:
8. Pacific Grove:
9. Aptos:
10. Alisal:
On the bubble: Soquel, Monterey, Palma, Alvarez, Watsonville.
High School football: PCAL standings
Pacific Coast Athletic League
Gabilan Division
Palma (2-0), 0-0
Salinas (1-0), 0-0
Aptos (1-1), 0-0
Alvarez (1-1), 0-0
Hollister (1-1), 0-0
Monterey (1-1), 0-0
Soquel (0-2), 0-0
Thursday’s game
Wilcox 38, Hollister 13
Friday’s games
San Ramon Valley 14, Soquel 7
Alvarez 28, Pacific Grove 7
Menlo-Atherton 28, Monterey 7
Palma 41, King City 0
Salinas 24, Valley Christian 7
Mitty 41, Aptos 19
Mission Division North
North County (2-0), 0-0
Monte Vista (1-1), 0-0
Scotts Valley (1-1), 0-0
St. Francis (1-1), 0-0
Watsonville (1-1), 0-0
Alisal (0-2), 0-0
Seaside (0-2), 0-0
Thursday’s game
North County 43, Marina 0
Friday’s games
North Salinas 20, Alisal 19 OT
Watsonville 44, Santa Cruz 21
Monte Vista 42, Santa Clara 6
Saturday’s games
Carmel 58, Seaside 20
Branham 60, Scotts Valley 35
St. Francis 42, Pajaro Valley 25
Mission Division South
Carmel (2-0), 0-0
Greenfield (2-0), 0-0
King City (1-1), 0-0
North Salinas (1-1), 0-0
Pacific Grove (1-1), 0-0
Soledad (1-1), 0-0
Rancho San Juan (0-2), 0-0
Thursday’s game
Los Altos 34, Rancho San Juan 2
Friday’s games
Alvarez 28, Pacific Grove 7
Palma 41, King City 0
North Salinas 20, Alisal 19 OT
Soledad 13, Gonzales 6
Saturday’s games
Carmel 58, Seaside 20
Greenfield 34, Stevenson 28 OT.
Santa Lucia Division
San Lorenzo Valley (2-0), 0-0
Gonzales (1-1), 0-0
Harbor (1-1), 0-0
Pajaro Valley (1-1), 0-0
Stevenson (0-1), 0-0
Santa Cruz (0-2), 0-0
Marina (0-2), 0-0
Thursday’s games
North County 43, Marina 0
Harbor 27, Yerba Buena 18
Friday’s games
Soledad 13, Gonzales 6
San Lorenzo Valley 21, Gunderson 6
Watsonville 44, Santa Cruz 21
Saturday’s games
St. Francis 42, Pajaro Valley 25
Greenfield 34, Stevenson 28 OT
Horoscopes Sept. 8, 2024: David Arquette, evolve into the person you aspire to be
CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Pink, 45; David Arquette, 53; Brooke Burke, 53; Neko Case, 54.
Happy Birthday: See the sights, explore and expand your vision, mind and soul. Changing location or rearranging your routine will give you a new lease on life. Refrain from limiting what you can accomplish due to a fear of failure. Turn everything you do into a learning experience, and evolve into the person you aspire to be. Dismiss temptation and excessive behavior, and embrace knowledge and perfection. Your numbers are 3, 11, 16, 28, 35, 41, 48.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Take precautions, abide by the rules and regulations, and update records, documents or promises that need revision. Standing by your word or addressing pending problems will help reduce friction and interference. Use your wisdom, choose your words carefully and turn a negative into a positive. 3 stars
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Make memories; a precious moment will bring you closer to someone you love. Engage in acts of generosity, and use your charm and attributes to make someone’s life better. Let your actions lead the way and make your feelings known. Be bold, kind and genuine. 3 stars
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Be factual, passing information along, or someone will misinterpret your words and put you in a vulnerable position. Uncertainty will require insight on your part to differentiate between fact and fiction. Don’t give in to emotional manipulation; use your connections to summon the truth. Make personal growth a priority. 3 stars
CANCER (June 21-July 22): You have options. Get out, participate and connect with people who have valuable insight and information to relay. Take better care of yourself by eliminating excess stress and unnecessary bullying or criticism from your life. Make creativity and friendship with like-minded, supportive individuals a priority. 5 stars
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Make up your mind. Inconsistency will be your downfall. Focus on what you want and the best way to achieve your objective. Rely less on emotional input and more on facts, honesty and integrity; you’ll gain momentum. An active pursuit of happiness will pay off. 2 stars
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Put your energy into something worthwhile. Self-improve, take care of unfinished business, adjust your lifestyle to fit your budget and physical abilities, and make your life less complicated. Don’t fear what you don’t know; embrace change and march forward. Write your story and live your dreams. 4 stars
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Explore the possibilities; live, learn and experience what life offers. A day trip, convention or researching an interest will lead to something new and exciting. Embrace introductions, communication and finding out what others think and can contribute. Refrain from sitting at home when an adventure awaits you. 3 stars
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Don’t let anger set in when movement and having fun serve you better. Choose to get together with people of interest and pursue pastimes that challenge you to look, feel and do better. Put your energy into something that matters to you and make a difference. 3 stars
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Don’t underestimate the competition. Someone you least expect will disappoint you. Be on guard, don’t share secrets and choose a minimalist lifestyle. Protect your reputation and outshine anyone who tries to rain on your parade. Turn your attention toward achieving what you set out to do. 3 stars
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Discipline will pay off regarding health and finance. Refrain from following the crowd; do what works best for you and set an example for those around you. Pay attention to detail and do your best to uncover information to help you make better choices. 4 stars
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Don’t count on getting help from others. Rely on your strengths to overcome any obstacle, and you’ll find an outlet for what you can offer. Explore the possibilities and let your entrepreneurial spirit take over. Personal gain is favored, and romance is in the stars. 2 stars
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Trust your intuition and say no to excessively persuasive people. Stay intent on pushing toward your goals and finishing what you start. Stand tall, be proud and pursue your dreams. It’s up to you to build the foundation to house your prospects. Put yourself first. 5 stars
Birthday Baby: You are inventive, charming and capable. You are persistent and charitable.
1 star: Avoid conflicts; work behind the scenes. 2 stars: You can accomplish, but don’t rely on others. 3 stars: Focus and you’ll reach your goals. 4 stars: Aim high; start new projects. 5 stars: Nothing can stop you; go for gold.
Visit Eugenialast.com, or join Eugenia on Twitter/Facebook/LinkedIn.
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September 7, 2024
Pro soccer: Union’s offensive woes continue in loss to San Antonio
SEASIDE — Embarking on the worst scoring slump in its existence, Monterey Bay F.C. can’t seem to find its identity on the pitch under new leadership.
If there isn’t a sense of urgency, there should be as the Union are sinking fast in their bid for a Western Conference playoff spot in the United Soccer League Championship
The Union moved to within one match of tying the team record for consecutive matches without a win, falling 1-0 to San Antonio F.C. at Cardinale Stadium.
Monterey Bay F.C. has now gone eight matches without a win, with its last win coming more than two months ago. It has failed to produce a goal in three straight matches to fall to 11th in the Western Conference.
Since the firing of head coach Frank Yallop, the Union have gone 0-3-2, with new coach Jordan Stewart still searching for that elusive first win, falling to 0-3-1 as the head coach.
With seven matches left in the regular season, the Union are 7-13-7, yet just two points out of the eighth and final playoff spot. But the franchise will have to leapfrog over three teams in front of them.
The last three setbacks for the Union have come from the three worst teams — points wise — in the USL, although San Antonio has now moved into a tie with them in points with 28.
Ironically, Monterey Bay F.C. has never beaten San Antonio, who is 5-0-1 lifetime against them after Saturday’s win.
Six of the Union final seven matches are against opponents that would be in the postseason if the season ended today, including five teams in their conference.
Four of their final seven matches are on the road, where the Union are 3-9-1. However, their last win did come on the road on July 6.
The setback wasted a sensational effort between the pipes from Carlos Herrera, who started in goal over current USL saves leader Antony Siaha.
The match marked a milestone moment for defender Morey Doner, who appeared in his 100th career match for the Union. It also marked the return of the team’s all-time leader in goals in Christian Volesky, who was signed for the remainder of the season.
High School football: Carmel stretches regular season winning streak to 14
CARMEL — While it’s not expectation, or even brought up, dropping 50 plus points on an opponent is starting to feel like a trend for a football program that has produced the counties highest scoring offense in the last 15 years.
For the 10th time in its last 15 games, Carmel put 50 plus points on an opponent, stretching its regular season winning streak to 14 games after Saturday’s 58-20 decision over Seaside.
The Padres only loss in their last 15 games came in the Central Coast Section Division II playoffs to eventual State Division 4AA champion Soquel.
“We have got the ball going to a lot of different people right now,” Carmel coach Golden Anderson said. “Our quarterback takes what the defense gives us. He makes good reads. It’s always pleasing to see first year varsity guys contributing and acclimating.”
While the Padres have a core of players back from last year’s Mission Division South championship team, they did loss 25 players to graduation. Filling those positions continues to be a work in progress.
“A lot of kids got snaps early and contributed,” Anderson said. “We knew it was going to be a hot day. We tried to use more guys than normal to keep fresh legs in there and attempt to wear Seaside down.”
Having opened the season with a come-from-behind road win at Christopher, the Padres will face North Coast Section Division V champion Miramonte of Orinda next Friday.
“Miramonte was in the same NorCal playoff division as Palma last year,” Anderson said. “It’s undefeated right now. We’re trying to get ourselves prepared for our league. It will be a great chance to identify our flaws.”
The Matadors have outscored their first two opponents 86-6. The Padres have produced 93 points in their first two games, which creates the potential for a shootout.
“It will be a different offense and a different defense we see for the third straight week,” said Anderson, the fastest coach in the county to 100 wins. “We look forward to going on the road and seeing where we are at.”
Having a quarterback that has now started 20 games in Hudson Rutherford has enabled Anderson to not hold back on his schemes, as the multi-sport athlete threw for 340 yards in the first half, with scoring tosses to Ty Arnold, Simeon Brown and Skyler Brown.
What Carmel has showcased in its first two games is balance, as evident by Ashton Rees and Dillion Hinds each rushing for a pair of touchdowns and Connor Rielly adding one.
“We felt coming into this week we needed to work harder on our conditioning,” Anderson said. “I thought we looked better today. We focused on simple basic stuff. I thought we were better on the stuff we worked on. And everyone was engaged.”
Seaside, who dressed just 21 players, only found itself down by a touchdown in first quarter after Julius Escort took a kickoff back 77 yards for six.
“Giving up kickoff returns is common in high school,” Anderson said. “They are hard to simulate in practice. Seaside has some good athletes. They make plays too.”
All of the Spartans (0-2) touchdowns were the result of big plays as quarterback Hezekiah Turner tossed touchdown passes of 84 and 60 yards to Escort.
“We have got to get better with part of our game,” Anderson said. “It’s part of the process when you have 20 plus new faces playing varsity football for the first time.”
Greenfield 34, Stevenson 28 OT: AJ Martinez sent the Bruins sidelines into pandemonium after his 10-yard touchdown run on the team’s first offensive play in overtime ended the drama.
The last two champions of the Santa Lucia Division, Greenfield was bumped to the Mission Division South this year after tying the single-season school record for wins in 2023 with nine.
“It’s good to have games early in the season, where you’re tested,” Greenfield coach Adam Barsenas said. “We overcame adversity. When things didn’t go our way, this team doesn’t panic.”
Momentum likely shifted just before overtime when the Bruins Gio Hernandez picked off a pass in the end zone with three seconds left in regulation to force overtime.
“We were milking the clock,” Stevenson coach Kyle Cassamas said. “We made a mistake, threw a pick. We didn’t bounce back. The offense kind of hit a dead pitch. It slowed a little of that momentum.”
That was evident in the first overtime series when Stevenson didn’t score, turning the ball back to the Bruins, where Martinez ended it, running 10 yards untouched into the end zone.
“No question that interception was a momentum shift,” Barsenas said. “When we won the coin toss in OT, I went the opposite of the 49ers in the Super Bowl and put my defense on the field.”
Martinez was a highlight reel for Greenfield (2-0), staking them to a 7-0 lead with a 9-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. He added a touchdown run just before half to stake them to a 21-8 halftime lead.
Yet, the Pirates found another gear in the second half. Highlighted by Reggie Bell’s kickoff return to open the second half, they ran off 20 straight points to take a 28-21 lead in the fourth quarter.
“The first half felt like a scrimmage,” Cassamas said. “This was our first game. We have to learn on the fly. The second half was about making adjustments and making things happen. We didn’t know what to expect. We had some rust.”
The energy Stevenson had, though, was extinguished when the Bruins turned to quarterback Chris Morris, who found Hector Garcia on a 45-yard touchdown pass with a 1:51 remaining to tie the game at 28.
Morris also connected with Naythan Hernandez for a touchdown earlier in the game, while Stevenson quarterback Fin Mink had scoring tosses to Bell and Grady Roth and rushed for a touchdown.
“There is a lot to build off of,” said Cassamas, whose Pirates will visit George Washington of San Francisco next Saturday. “I was proud of how my guys battled. It shows the depth that we have.”
