Biz News: South Coast Plaza to light holiday tree Nov. 16

South Coast Plaza’s annual holiday tree lighting ceremony is scheduled for Nov. 16.

The event will start at 6:30 p.m. at Town Center Park, north of the Westin South Coast Plaza hotel entrance in Costa Mesa. It will include musical performances from Orange County School of the Arts students, plus refreshments and a visit from Santa Claus.

Fullerton group to honor four in Costa Mesa

The Fullerton-based Institute for Community Impact will honor four people Wednesday in Costa Mesa.

The 2017 OC Influencers for Good event from 4 to 6:30 p.m. at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts will recognize Lucy Dunn, president and chief executive of the Orange County Business Council; Steve Churm, chief communications officer of Five Point Holdings LLC; Al Mijares, superintendent of the Orange County Department of Education; and Dr. Alice Police, founder of the UC Irvine Health Pacific Breast Care Center.

“We are fortunate to have outstanding people in Orange County who regularly take steps that make a huge impact and, beyond this, they go that extra step to influence others to do the same,” David Elliott, founder of the Institute for Community Impact, said in a statement.

For more information, visit passkeys.org.

H.B. credit union to give free gasoline and breakfast to military

Huntington Beach-based Nuvision Credit Union will give active military personnel and veterans free gasoline and breakfast on Veterans Day, Nov. 11.

The gas will be given for trucks, cars and motorcycles from 8 to 10 a.m. at the Huntington Beach Mobil station at 16001 Beach Blvd. Veteran or active military identification is required.

The breakfast will be at Nuvision’s headquarters at 7812 Edinger Ave. Guests are asked to register at bit.ly/NuVetsDay.

The company said it plans to donate $5,000 to Veterans First OC.

NuLife Sciences signals merger with San Diego company

NuLife Sciences, a Newport Beach-based biomedical company focused on medical research and technology, is seeking to merge with Ensysce Biosciences of San Diego, according to a news release.

The merged company — the agreement is scheduled to be signed Nov. 30 — will focus on proprietary delivery technologies to combat drug abuse and overdose, particularly with opioids, according to the release.

Pelican Hill names new golf manager

The Resort at Pelican Hill in Newport Coast has named Robert Ford as general manager of its golf club.

Ford has worked at the property before on the club’s opening leadership team.

He also has worked for Western Golf Properties in Orange County and Stonewall Golf Club in Virginia. He has a bachelor’s degree from Ferris State University in business, with a major in marketing and professional golf management.

Mother’s Market donates to wildlife sanctuary

Costa Mesa-based Mother’s Market & Kitchen has donated $5,000 to the Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary in Silverado, according to a news release.

The money came from sales of grocery bags July 1 through Sept. 30.

The donation will go toward field trip transportation to the sanctuary for local students.

Canterbury Consulting names new vice president

Canterbury Consulting, a Newport Beach-based investment advisory firm, has appointed Kinga Gorniak, a chartered financial analyst, as its vice president of alternative investment research, according to a news release.

Gorniak, a New York University graduate, previously worked at Goldman Sachs Asset Management in New York.

Business council to celebrate job creation and cutting red tape

The Orange County Business Council will present an awards ceremony and reception Nov. 16 in Costa Mesa called Turning Red Tape into Red Carpet.

The seventh annual event from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Center Club, 650 Town Center Drive, will honor “outstanding public agencies for implementing policies and programs that cut through red tape, eliminate barriers to economic growth and open the door to private sector jobs creation.”

To register or more information, visit ocbc.org or call (949) 794-7245.

Swap meet to offer free rental space

The Orange County Market Place, the swap meet at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, will offer free rental space to local businesses on Small Business Saturday, Nov. 25.

Applications must be received by Nov. 15.

For more information, visit ocmarketplace.com.