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7.19.21_SR_FOB.qxp_SR_Law_Firms 7/16/21 12:22 PM Page 23 An Orange County Business Journal Special Report 2021 2020 WINNERS UPDATE What’s Happened Since They Won a Year Ago? PAGE 24 Family-Owned Business Award Nominees PAGE 39 Awards Ceremony at Irvine Marriott AUG. 26 Presented by 7.19.21_SR_FOB.qxp_SR_Law_Firms 7/15/21 3:39 PM Page 24 24 ORANGE COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL www.ocbj.com JULY 19, 2021 Family-Owned Business Winners Adapt, Expand Drive-Thrus, Booze, EVs Josh Kornoff, who along with his wife, print,” Kornoff said. Elena, in 2017 started Surf City Still Works, Earlier this year, the company launched its Make for a Winning Year SURF CITY STILL WORKS a Huntington Beach distillery, was under- newest product line, hard seltzers, where it n By PETER J. BRENNAN stated when he said it’s been “a really inter- took a novel approach with cocktail-inspired Family Survives, Company Expands esting year.” flavors such as Soda and Lime, Mai Tai, The Business Journal is scheduled to “Where do I even start? We’re still a fam- Moscow Mule and Margarita to differentiate present the annual Family-Owned Business ily—that’s a great thing,” he quipped. its products from competitors such as White Awards on Aug. 26 at the Irvine Marriott. The company didn’t slow down its expan- Claw and Truly brands. It’s our first such live and in-person event sion plans during the pandemic. It has com- Kornoff said product sales are “going very since the pandemic began in March last year. pleted the buildout of its new distillery that is well” and that Target is helping distribute it This week’s Business Journal features now fully operational, becoming the second statewide in 150 stores. dozens of nominees for the event’s annual largest in Southern California. Also on tap for the distillery is nearing awards; the company listings begin on page It has also expanded its reach to more than completion of a major expansion including a 39. 400 retail stores, more than double the full-service kitchen and tasting room. It was What follows are updates from the 2020 amount from a year ago. It’s now in super- supposed to open by July 4th, but has been winners, when our annual event was held markets like Ralphs, Pavilions and Albert- delayed due to permitting process that took virtually: sons. Surf City Still Works is planning to longer than expected; the opening is now set distribute its products in other states begin- for this fall. PRUDENTIAL ning next year after it goes through a lengthy “Everyone’s excited about that restaurant,” Josh and Elena Kornoff at their distillery licensing process. he said. “The timing is in our favor. It looks OVERALL SUPPLY “We continue to rapidly expand our foot- like a lot of pent-up demand.” Back to Work Means More Work A year ago, John Clark had just taken over the CEO role at Prudential Overall IMRI Supply, which his grandfather John D. Clark had begun in 1932, when the pandemic Security Focus, Societal Gains struck, causing a decline in sales. Martha Daniel, founder of tech firm “We’re doing well,” Clark told the Busi- Cytellix and its parent IMRI, saw revenue ness Journal last week. at her Aliso Viejo-based tech security-re- “We’re doing our best to reengage cus- lated service companies fall about $6 mil- tomers who had to shut down or reduce de- lion to around $10 million in 2020. Thanks mand for our products and services. in part to a new contract, she’s bullish that “We’re trying to take advantage of the it can rebound to $18.5 million this year. positive swing in the economy. We’re seeing John Clark She’s been raising capital for the Cytellix Martha Daniel a very healthy rebound in the Orange County Founder, CEO CEO division, where business has been growing economy.” IMRI Prudential Overall Supply due to increased threats to computer net- Clark, who took the top executive position works. challenged many times,” Daniel told the from his father Dan Clark, said his em- quisition opportunities and organic growth,” “Right now, we are excited about the Business Journal. ployee count has remained steady at around he said. “We absolutely have been hiring. growth of Cytellix,” she said. “But I was never intimidated because my 1,900 with annual revenue about $200 mil- We’ve found the market challenging, but we Daniel’s tech career started in 1970 with military background prepared me for that lion. Because of that endurance, Prudential are persistent.” computer science studies in junior college, level, because women were always in the Overall Supply last year won the Business In July, Prudential ranked No. 4 on the followed by a Bachelor of Science degree minority there.” Journal’s annual award for longevity. Selling Power 50 Best Companies to Sell for in computer information systems from Cal- “I was told that I would not be able to be Prudential provides over 28,000 cus- 2021 List. Selling Power, a magazine for ifornia State Polytechnic University, successful in Orange County as an African- tomers with uniform rental services and re- sales managers, says the companies on the Pomona, and an MBA from the University American business, a Black-owned busi- lated supplies through a network of 35 list “have truly world-class sales organiza- of La Verne. ness,” she said. “Obviously that was not a operating locations throughout the United tions.” She also served as a cryptologist in the true statement.” States. About 200 of its employees work in Prudential said it has been certified as a U.S. Navy, and later counted a successful Looking ahead, she is optimistic as she its Irvine facilities. The Prudential roster in- Green Business by the City of Irvine’s Green corporate career, including roles as chief in- sees more Black-owned businesses opening cludes more than 300 customers that have Business Program. In June, it began partner- formation officer at FDIC/Resolution Trust up locally. utilized the company’s services for more ing with Ambercycle to recycle uniforms. Corp. and senior systems engineer at IBM. “We will see the next generation of than 35 years. Said Clark: “We’re proud to be a part of In March, Daniel discussed the chal- Blacks and African Americans venturing It’s kept on growing, in March announcing the Orange County community and hope lenges of being a Black woman in the male- more into entrepreneurship,” she said. “I it’s acquired the customer accounts of that Orange County companies would like dominated world of technology. even hear some of my grandkids saying ‘I Stevenson Uniform Service Inc. of Nor- to partner with a fellow Orange County busi- “Being a Black female, coupled with the want to have my own business.’ To me, folk, Va. ness for uniforms and laundry and rentals.” doubts when I walked into the room, I was even just hearing that being said is nice.” “We are always interested in looking at ac- Roland Spongberg, founder and CEO It acquired two more restaurants of the of WKS Restaurant Group, said work- Costa Mesa-based El Pollo Loco Hold- APEX GOLF WKS RESTAURANT GROUP ing through the effects of the pandemic at ings Inc. (Nasdaq: LOCO), to add to the CARTS his restaurant chains “was not easy.” 70 he already owns, making him the Drive-Thrus Boost Margins “The most difficult part is we had some largest franchisee of the chain that has 470 EV Pivot Finds people get sick, and two passed away,” he restaurants. Buyers said. “We continue to look for acquisitions if The Cypress-based restaurant franchisee they meet our criteria,” he said. “There are owns more than 300 franchised restau- a lot of overvalued stores, which we try to Apex Golf Carts ranked rants, including 127 units of Denny’s stay away from and not get ahead of our No. 9 among the fastest- Caius Griu Corp. (Nasdaq: DENN), where it’s the skis.” growing small private com- Founder, CEO biggest franchisee owner. An interesting investing point was that panies on the Business Apex Golf Carts “Denny’s was a challenge” because of because restaurants only had drive-thrus, Journal’s annual list last year its sit-down nature, he said. their profit margins expanded during this with $2.7 million in annual sales, a 57% spurt over “The drive-thrus performed really well. period. a two-year period. Our sales in the drive-thrus are at all-times “The margins will come back to nor- Founder Caius Griu is switching his fleet to highs.” mal—we’re seeing that,” he said. lithium batteries, which he says are “safer for the en- WKS is also the largest franchisee of “We’re hiring. We need people. People vironment and performance is better as well.” The Wendy’s Company (Nasdaq: WEN) are a problem. They’re not working be- “We were one of the first companies to bring them Roland Spongberg in the state with 55 locations. This year, it cause of unemployment benefits,” he said. to Orange County, and they’re flying off the shelf.” Founder, CEO expanded by snapping up 31 Wendy’s lo- “Things are going back to normal. Cal- While last year, his golf carts cost up to $10,000, WKS Restaurant Group cations in Indiana and Kentucky. ifornia seemed liked it was the last one to this year he’s selling the Evolution Street legal Car- “We stayed very active,” he said. open.” rier 6 golf Cart starting at $11,500.

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