Biz News: Disneyland Resort president to speak in Costa Mesa

Disneyland Resort President Josh D’Amaro will be the featured speaker at Thursday’s Orange County Business Council Chairman’s Leadership Breakfast at the Center Club in Costa Mesa.

D’Amaro oversees a workforce of 30,000 Disney cast members and is responsible for all facets of the business. He also is leading development of a $2-billion expansion of the resort, including a new four-diamond hotel and the new 15-acre themed “land,” Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.

The breakfast will be from 7:15 to 9 a.m. Tickets are $145, or $85 for club members.

The Center Club is at 650 Town Center Drive.

For more information, contact Sabra Ritter at (949) 794-7241 or [email protected].

Korean bakery chain comes to Eastside Costa Mesa

South Korea-based bakery Paris Baguette has opened a new location in Costa Mesa’s Eastside.

The site at 350 E. 17th St. had contained an office building that was torn down.

Paris Baguette sells cakes, pastries, sandwiches and drinks.

Chipotle’s base completes move to Newport Beach

Chipotle Mexican Grill has completed moving its headquarters to Newport Beach.

The company had been based in Denver, with other corporate staff in New York and Columbus, Ohio.

The company is using a temporary location at Newport’s Fashion Island until a permanent one is found, company officials said. The move affected more than 400 employees, most of whom were in Denver.

Healthcare technology location opens in Fashion Island

Forward, a technology healthcare service, has opened its first Orange County location in Newport Beach.

The site at Fashion Island provides services including biometric body scans, genetic testing and real-time blood testing in 12 minutes, according to a news release.

Forward, which offers monthly access and same-day appointments, also offers cancer screenings, heart health analysis, wellness counseling, nutrition and sleep management and vaccines.

Newport is Forward’s third location, following Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Montage restaurant names new chef

Benjamin Martinek has been named chef of Studio, a restaurant at the Montage Laguna Beach resort.

Martinek has worked at the Montage for seven years as a cook for Studio, a sous chef for the Montage’s Loft restaurant and a sous chef for Studio.

He received the Montage’s Employee of the Year award in 2013.

Pro golfer sells Laguna Beach home

Pro golfer Brendan Steele has sold his Laguna Beach home, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Steele sold the four-bedroom house for $2.6 million, about $200,000 more than what he acquired it for in 2015. The house, a 10-minute walk from the beach, has about 2,300 square feet.

Newport’s Alliant Insurance launches new brand and acquires Miami firm

Alliant Insurance Services, a Newport Beach-based specialty insurance brokerage firm, has launched Imperium Consulting Group, an advisory business that manages commercial risks and resolves complex claims and disputes.

The company will provide services related to construction, government contracts, emergency management and commercial contractual disputes, as well as insurance claims and recovery strategies for damaged properties, according to a news release.

Alliant also acquired Harbor Group Consulting, a Miami-based insurance advisory firm for commercial real estate loans.

Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Costa Mesa software company receives award

The sixth annual Best in Biz Awards recognized Syspro, a Costa Mesa-based business software company, with a bronze award in its Most Innovative Company of the Year category.

Syspro specializes in ERP software, or enterprise resource planning. The Best in Biz Awards are given by a panel of independent judges.

Newport-based ExCapsa Group names new president

ExCapsa Group, a Newport Beach-based financial services company, has hired Rob Greer as president.

Greer is formerly of Capstone Partners Financial and Insurance Services, also based in Newport. He has more than 15 years’ experience in the industry, according to a news release.