BRIEFLY IN BUSINESS

Newport bank inks $10-million deal

Newport Beach-based Buchanan Street Partners announced Wednesday its plans for a $10-million joint venture equity to purchase a 260,000-square-foot office and warehouse space in Irvine.

The deal was made with Hines, a San Francisco real estate firm, which has worked with the Newport investment bank numerous times on debt strategies. This marks the first time Buchanan has taken a role as investment partner.

Buchanan Street Partners provides real estate investment banking services nationwide. The services include debt and structured finance and investment sales.

Local company ranked among top 200 again

Forbes magazine named Costa Mesa-based Resources Global Professionals as one of America’s 200 Best Companies for 2006 last week for the fifth consecutive year.

The professional services firm was No. 66 on the list, which was published at the end of October.

The 10-year-old company was also named to Forbes’ top 100 Fastest-Growing Companies for 2006 list in September.

Resources is a publicly traded company with 79 offices. It serves more than 2,000 clients around the world.

N.B Pacific Life changes guard

Pacific Life Insurance Co. of Newport Beach announced last week that James T. Morris will be the company’s new president and chief executive.

Morris, who has been serving as Pacific Life’s chief operating officer, is replacing Thomas C. Sutton, who will continue to serve as the company’s chairman of the board.

Sutton ends a 43-year career April 2, when Morris will take over. Sutton served two years as president and 17 as the chairman and chief executive officer.

Morris has worked with the company since 1982, when he joined on as an assistant actuary. In 2002, he was named the executive vice president of the life insurance division. In 2005 he became the executive vice president and chief insurance officer of the company.

He was promoted to chief operating officer this year.

Pacific Life offers life insurance, annuities and mutual funds.

Blankstyle sale at Camp lasts through Dec. 15

To anyone looking to avoid traditional malls during the busy shopping month, Blankstyle owner Jared Fisher offers an invitation to the retailer’s “12 Days of Blankstyle” sale through Dec. 15.

Blankstyle is at the Camp shopping center in Costa Mesa on Bristol Street, across from the Lab.

Sale items will be throughout the store.

Chemical company makes big acquisition

Newport Beach-based American Vanguard Corp. announced last week its acquisition of an insecticide product line and the Lock ‘n Load closed delivery system from BASF, a German company.

American Vanguard acquired the products for its subsidiary AMVAC Chemical Corp. and did not disclose the details of the sale, although according to a statement in a news release, President and Chief Executive Eric Wintemute called it the company’s largest deal yet.

O.C.’s UCLA graduates to hit the links

Newport Beach resident Barbara Hubert has begun planning, along with other Orange County UCLA graduates, what they consider the largest UCLA event in the county.

Hubert is serving on the 2006-07 executive committee of the UCLA Orange County Golf Classic, which is scheduled for May 21, 2007. Proceeds from the golf tourney will benefit Orange County students and the UCLA Fund.

Last year, $45,000 was raised, and its raked in $175,000 in its six-year existence.

The event was sold out the last five years, so early registration is recommended. For more information about the tournament go to www.ocbruinsgolf.com.

N.Y.-based legal firm opens office in N.B.

Newport Beach welcomed its newest law firm last week with Jackson Lewis LLP, which specializes in national workplace law.

The Birch Street location is the firm’s 27th office and will deal with such issues like wage and hour compliance, immigration, harassment and discrimination issues.

Jackson Lewis was founded in 1958 and is based in New York.

Businesses invited to H.R.training

The OC Human Relations organization is accepting applications for its new training program for businesses and others who wish to attend.

Its Human Relations 101 will explore the human relations issues to help business leaders and others gain a better understanding of the county’s diversity and the challenges brought about by the demographics.

The course is a 28-hour intensive training on March 8, 9, 15 and 16. For more information, e-mail Barbara Hunt at barbara@ochumanrelations.org or call (714) 567-7467.