LAMORINDA WEEKLY | business briefs


Kimberly Winter, owner of Total Clean, received Moraga's Small Business of the Year Award. Photo Ohlen Alexander

Total Clean Receives Moraga Small Business Award 2014

Kimberley Winter's Total Clean has taking care of hundreds of homes in Lamorinda for almost 30 years. The service business started by the graduate of Saint Mary's College employs some 20 people who can be seen driving around the area in the spotless white cars displaying the company logo. At the Chamber of Commerce meeting on May 1, Winter received the Small Business of the Year award from the chamber and she is invited to participate in the 14th Annual Small Business Awards Luncheon on May 9 at the Concord Hilton, honoring award winning small business owners selected by their respective chambers of commerce throughout Contra Costa County and the Tri-Valley. Total Clean is located at at 329-B Rheem Blvd. in Moraga, (925) 376-1004, and on the web at totalclean.biz.

Filice Insurance East Bay Relocates to Moraga

1150 Moraga Way, Moraga

(925) 962-1980, www.filice.com

Filice Insurance is a benefits consulting firm that was created by Ron Filice in San Jose in 1989. The company steadily grew and now has a presence in Sacramento, Irvine and San Jose. The East Bay office, led by Dan Michelini, was located on Mount Diablo Boulevard in Lafayette but a few months ago it acquired a completely renovated office building in Moraga. "We have 34 employees here," says Michelini. "The previous office had a great location near the Veterans Building, but it was run down. This one has been completely remodeled to our needs." The new site is wide and lets plenty of natural light in, the offices are spacious and there is even an exercise room for the team. Many of the staff live in Lamorinda and all are quite happy to be in Moraga. "We have started to explore our options for lunch around Moraga," says benefit consultant Eric Bjornson, who lives in Orinda and who would not divulge his favorite. "We are already part of the Moraga Chamber of Commerce and will continue to be very active in the business community," adds Michelini.

GemLust Opens in Lafayette

3529 Mt Diablo Blvd., Lafayette

(925) 385-7121

Ren�e Kubryk is a professional jeweler who works with private clients to procure and design unique presents such as engagement rings. For a while, she's had an EBay store where she sold jewelry and also used designer bags and accessories. She also recently decided to open her first retail shop in Lafayette. "I chose Lafayette because I love the diversity of this community," she says. "I had great pleasure designing a clean and elegant look for my store, to give clients the feeling that they are in a celebrity closet." The shop is inviting and elegant. "I learned that the customer experience must be flawless, whether people come here to buy or sell," adds Kubryk, "and since we have a college here, I added a bargain corner." GemLust is open three days a week, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and by appointment the rest of the time. "I continue to be a private jeweler, that is why the store is open only part time," she adds. The soft opening of GemLust was in April and Kubryk plans a grand opening with the Chamber of Commerce in the near future.

Moraga's Parkmon Vineyard Wins "Best of Show - White"

(925) 631-7981

www.parkmon.com

Parkmon Vineyard won "Best of Show - White" at the Brentwood Contra Costa Winegrowers Commercial Wine Competition. A panel of six judges spent the morning sipping 40 wines from nine wineries, seven of them in Contra Costa County, during the association's third annual event. Parkmon Vineyard belongs to the Lamorinda Wine Growers Association.

Honorees at Coldwell Banker Residential in Orinda

5 Moraga Way, Orinda

(925) 253-4600

Nancy Stryker has earned membership in the Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage International President's Premier Society and Andi Peterson Brown was named to Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage International President's Circle. Stryker grew up in Berkeley and has lived in Lafayette for 39 years. A graduate of the University of Washington and an active member of the community, she is a professional member of the Contra Costa Board of Realtors and the California Association of Realtors. Brown is an Orinda native who joined Coldwell Banker in 2009 after five years of marketing and selling homes with The Mark Company in San Francisco. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa and Magna Cum Laude from UCLA, and was a member of the 2008 USC Lusk School of Real Estate's Ross Fellowship program. She currently enjoys membership in both the California and National Association of Realtors. Reach Styker at (925) 890-6911 or nancystryker@gmail.com and Brown at (925) 818-4588 or andi.brown@camoves.com.

News from the three Chambers of Commerce

Ribbon cutting at Massage Envy, 558 Center Street in the Moraga Rheem Shopping Center, at 5 p.m. on May 8; both the Lafayette and Moraga chambers of commerce will participate.

Lafayette

Monthly mixer at Wine Thieves from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on May 14, 3401 Mt Diablo Blvd. A variety of wines and fresh artisan cheeses will be served.

The Tour de Lafayette, on May 18, is co-sponsored by Go Lafayette and the Chamber of Commerce. Cyclists from all over the area will tour downtown Lafayette as a short tribute to le Tour de France from 2 to 6 p.m. Riders will be stopping in businesses all over Lafayette, who might give a "take-away" ranging from a cookie, to a small cupcake, to a mug of cold beer. The Melt, a local food truck, will be parked in La Fiesta Square parking lot, serving comfort food, like grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup.

12th annual Taste of Lafayette, May 20 from 5:30 to 9 p.m., starting with music, wine and appetizers at the Lafayette Plaza. Tickets on the Chamber of Commerce website, www.Lafayettechamber.org.

Moraga

Community Faire on May 10 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; fun, discovery, food, and activities for the whole family.

Orinda

Mixer at RPM Mortgage from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on May 22 at 51 Moraga Way #2.