Biz News: Municipal Water District wins WaterSense Excellence Award

The Municipal Water District of Orange County’s efforts to encourage residents and businesses to be more water-efficient earned the district the WaterSense Excellence Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency last week at the WaterSmart Innovation Conference in Las Vegas.

The district, a wholesale water supplier that covers all of Orange County except Anaheim, Fullerton and Santa Ana, drew the EPA’s attention with the “Sprinkler Spruce Up” program to promote WaterSense, an EPA program designed to encourage water efficiency through the use of a special label on consumer products.

In spring and fall 2014, the district helped present six events at Orange County garden centers where customers learned about WaterSense-labeled weather-based irrigation controllers and the importance of “sprucing up” irrigation systems. The district estimates its efforts will yield nearly 1.6 million gallons of annual water savings.

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Former Pacific Life CEO Walter Gerken dies

Walter Gerken, former chairman and chief executive of Newport Beach-based Pacific Mutual Life Insurance Co., died this month at age 93.

During his tenure from 1975 to 1986, the company nearly quadrupled in size, becoming one of the top 20 insurance companies. Gerken was influential in the decision to move the company from Los Angeles to Orange County, where it was the first company to buy land from the Irvine Co. at Fashion Island in Newport Beach.

Under Gerken’s leadership, Pacific Investment Management Co., or Pimco, was founded as a subsidiary of Pacific Life.

In addition to his work for Pacific Life, Gerken served on the boards of United Way of America, Orange County Performing Arts Center, California Nature Conservancy, Hoag Memorial Hospital Foundation and Times Mirror Co.

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Upgrades scheduled for Avenue of the Arts Hotel

The Avenue of the Arts Hotel in Costa Mesa is slated for multimillion-dollar renovations as part of its debut as a Tribute Portfolio hotel next spring.

After the upgrade, the 238 rooms will feature hardwood floors, granite bathrooms and a design drawing from the art nouveau and art deco styles. The hotel also will have seven meeting rooms, an executive boardroom and a grand ballroom that can accommodate 250 guests.

The Tribune Portfolio, part of Starwood Hotels and Resorts, contains upscale independent hotels around the world.

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Project Access names new leader

Newport Beach nonprofit Project Access has named Kathy McCarrell as its new president and chief executive.

McCarrell, who has 25 years’ experience in social service programming, previously was CEO of Santa Ana-based Heroes and Healthy Families and executive director of the Orange County Child Abuse Prevention Center.

Project Access serves more than 11,000 low-income people and more than 60 family and senior resource centers throughout California, Colorado and Arizona through education, employment, wellness and financial programs.

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Cancun Juice opens in Costa Mesa

Family-owned Mexican restaurant Cancun Juice has opened a location at 2200 Harbor Blvd. in Costa Mesa.

The restaurant, which has four other locations in Orange County, serves tacos, burritos, quesadillas and sandwiches and is best known for its fresh juices and smoothies.