Business Notes

Zero CEO retires
Gene Banman, CEO of Scotts Valley’s Zero Motorcycles, is retiring from management of the company. Banman joined the company as chief operating officer in 2007 as Zero’s ninth employee. He was CEO within two months and has led the effort to find professional investors to get the company off the ground. According to the company, he has since raised tens of millions and positioned Zero as a worldwide leader in the electric motorcycle industry.
Banman will stay on the board of directors, and day-to-day operations will be directed by Chief Operating Officer Karl Wharton, who joined the company in February.
Think Local mixer on tap
Think Local First in Scotts Valley will host a countywide mixer from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 12, at Bruno’s BBQ, 230-G Mount Hermon Road, in Scotts Valley.
The mixer is open to owners, managers and staff of locally owned businesses and will feature food from Bruno’s and other Scotts Valley eateries, along with drinks from local brewers and vintners.
Organizers will demonstrate the new Think Local First smart phone app and introduce the Scotts Valley Business to Classroom Campaign. Locally owned businesses that join Think Local First at the Scotts Valley mixer will receive six months of free membership with their annual registration.
For information: Andrew Van Valer, av*******@*****gy.com or 345-4557.
Bank offers scholarships
Bay Federal Credit Union will award up to three $1,000 scholarships to individuals pursuing their academic, professional or vocational education at any post-secondary school, college or university.
Information about eligibility requirements and applications can be found online at www.bayfed.com or at any Bay Federal Credit Union branch. The application deadline is May 6.
SV resident buys computer store
Scotts Valley resident Jesse Wilkins of Wilkins Consulting recently bought MC Squared Computers, 5376 Soquel Drive, in Soquel. He has renamed the business Computer Center Santa Cruz.
MC Squared was established in 1994, and Wilkins was employed there in 2004.
Wilkins will also continue to run Wilkins Consulting, a computer consulting and repair business he founded in 2004. He is a member of the Scotts Valley Chamber of Commerce and president of the Scotts Valley Chamber Ambassadors.
For information: http://wilkinsconsulting.us.
Bank appoints two new board members
Bay Federal Credit Union has appointed Jessica Dixon and Kathleen Lawler Bodmer to the bank’s volunteer board of directors.
Dixon, a Harbor High School and San Jose State University graduate in business administration and accounting, has worked for Dominican Hospital for 13 years.
Bodmer graduated from Tufts University in Clinical Psychology and Boston University School of Law with a Juris Doctor. She moved to California and opened her own law practice where she specializes in estate planning and business transactional law.
Free life insurance, estate planning seminar
Insurance broker Frank Keesaw will present a free seminar about life insurance at 6 p.m. April 18 at Boulder Creek Recreation and Park District, 13333 Middleton Ave., in Boulder Creek. At the same time, attorney Keith Dysart will speak about the differences between a living trust and a will.
Then, from 1 to 2:30 p.m. April 30, the two will present tips about how to save money on health insurance and estate planning.
For information: rd*****@***********rm.com.
Submit information about business openings, management changes and other news to pb******@*********er.com or 5215 Scotts Valley Drive, Scotts Valley 95066.