FYI FYI (February 25, 2004)

UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT . . . The CEO of Town & Country Village at El Camino Real and Embarcadero Road confirmed recently he's contracted with Ellis Partners of San Francisco to manage the 51-year-old shopping center. Contrary to rumor, however, Ellis Partners is not acquiring the property. "We're not selling," said Town and Country CEO Ron Wilson.

Ellis Partners is headed by Hal Ellis, the co-founder of Grubb & Ellis Company, one of the nation's largest diversified real-estate firms. He left that company in 1992. Ellis Partners has acquired and developed assets valued at more than $1 billion since its founding in 1993, according to the firm's Web site. Wilson said that improvements at the shopping center will occur slowly and are expected to include finding a tenant for the space next to the Long's Drugs, formerly occupied by the Town and Country Pharmacy, and in upgrading some tenant spaces.

BUSINESS MIXER . . . East Palo Alto's financial outlook will be the topic of an East Palo Alto/Belle Haven Chamber of Commerce mixer on Thursday, Feb. 26 from 6-8 p.m. City Manager Alvin James will make the presentation at California Bank & Trust at 1735 E. Bayshore Road in East Palo Alto. The cost is $5 for members and $10 for non-members. For information, call (650) 482-9711.

ACCOUNTING MERGER . . . A U.S. top 100 public-accounting firm has merged with Pearson, Del Prete & Co. of Palo Alto, resulting in one of the state's top five California-based accounting firms, said officials with Vavrinek, Trine Day & Co. of Rancho Cucamunga. Combined, the merged company's net revenues exceed $22 million, with offices in six cities statewide, 1,800 clients and more than 170 employees. All of Pearson, Del Prete & Co. partners and employees will remain with the company and will continue to operate out of the firm's Palo Alto offices. Richard Blake, a managing partner who joins Vavrinek from Pearson, said the merger will allow them to expand audit and consulting services and position them to help clients with Sarbanes-Oxlety compliance issues. For more information, visit www.vtdcpa.com.

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