CARL DAMERON CHOSEN FOR AMERICAN HERITAGE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ADVISORY BOARD

Carl Dameron presents Dr. Tony Ogiamien, president of American Heritage University of Southern California, with a proclamation honoring the school’s 2008 relocation to larger quarters at 255 N D Street. Dameron Communications, which is also located at 255 D Street, one floor below American Heritage University of Southern California, has assisted the school in its community outreach efforts and Carl Dameron will now further assist by serving as a member of its advisory board. Chris Sloan photo  

(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif) – Carl Dameron, founder and creative director of Dameron Communications, has been chosen to be part of the advisory board of the school of business at the American Heritage University in San Bernardino California.

Dr. Tony Ogiamien, president of American Heritage University, chose Dameron because of his experience in business and his expertise in business and communications.

The Chief Academic Officer of American Heritage University, Jyotirmay “Jay” Deb, is excited about the newest addition to the advisory board.

“Carl is well known in the community and will be valuable as an advisor” Deb said, “He is a business leader in the Inland Empire with twenty years experience as a business owner and will be an important asset on the business advisory board.”

Carl Dameron is the founder and owner of Dameron Communications, a full-service advertising and public relations agency. He holds community leader positions such as President of the Inland Empire African American Chamber of Commerce and Vice President of the WestSide Action Group.

Dameron is an active Board Member for organizations such as the Riverside greater area Chamber of Commerce, the San Bernardino Salvation Army and the Inland Lung Association. He is involved with many other organizations such as the San Bernardino greater area Chamber of Commerce, the San Bernardino Community College District Affirmative Action Advisory Committee, the San Bernardino NAACP and the Rotary Club.

Carl Dameron graduated from California State Polytechnic University in Pomona in 1985. He studied electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, psychology, computer science, economics, oceanography, public relations, radio, journalism, television and radio production graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Communications.

“Dameron’s experience made him the top candidate for the advisory board. It is important that someone with expertise in the field of communications help bring this already excellent program to a higher level,” Dr. Jay Deb said.

The school of business offers many degrees ranging from bachelor programs all the way to doctorates. However the American Heritage University offers several other majors as well.

American Heritage University is an approved private, independent, institution of higher learning offering quality degree programs from the School of Law; the School of Business; the Department of Criminal Justice and Public Policy and the Certified Nursing Assistant Program. The university was founded in 2003 and offers a diverse instructional approach in the classroom as well as online courses.

Since 1989 Dameron Communications has creatively met the needs of its clients locally, regionally and nationally. It is an award-winning communications agency that creates integrated marketing solutions to increase sales and profits, win elections, inform the public or gain acceptance of potentially controversial issues. It uses advertising, public relations, government relations and community relations to advance their clients’ objectives. The web site is www.DameronCommunications.com.

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INVENTIVE DESIGNERS CREATE PLAN TO HELP SALVATION ARMY’S HOMELESS CHILDREN IMPROVE THEIR LIVES

The Art Institute of California –Inland Empire’s interior design team B.L. VENTIV (Belen Martinez, Liyi Martinez, Vickie Anaya Evon Arredondo, Natalie Ustariz, Tracy Ho, Ivan Valles and Veronica K. Gonzales) with Capt. Stephen Ball of The Salvation Army. This team designed a media/study room and a computer room, which will likely be part of the remodel of the Tenth Street shelter The Salvation Army plans to begin in April.

(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) – The Salvation Army, San Bernardino Corps has embarked on a big project, the remodeling of the former Adult Rehabilitation Center into a place homeless women and their families can call home.

Two of the most important rooms in this remodeled shelter will be a media/study room for children, and a computer laboratory for teens and adults. To design these rooms, The Salvation Army relied on some outside help from Interior Design students at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire.

The team designing these rooms, all students in the Winter 2009 Human Factors Course at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire, was known as B.L VENTIV. These are the initials of the first names of each student, and also symbolize their goal, to “be inventive.”

Students were Belen Martinez of Colton, Liyi Martinez of Rialto; lead designer Vickie Anaya of Fontana, Evon Arredondo of Temecula, Natalie Ustariz of Moreno Valley, Tracy Ho of Rancho Cucamonga, Ivan Valles of Fontana and Veronica K. Gonzales of 1000 Palms.

“Carl Dameron of Dameron Communications, who is an Advisory Board Member for The Salvation Army, contacted us to develop a new and exciting place for the children,” Anaya said. “We worked on this project for 11 weeks, meeting with Capt. Stephen Ball, the director, and his staff several times.”

After these meetings, the students developed computer renderings of how they thought the two rooms should look. They also made recommendations for furniture, computers and even decorative murals for the rooms.

They offered these recommendations to Capt. Ball in a presentation held Friday, March 20 at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire. Included in this presentation is a 19-page, full-color bound report highlighting all their recommendations.

“I am excited about having these ideas become a reality in five to six months,” Capt. Ball said. “I have presented this information to the Salvation Army Advisory Board, and we look forward to beginning work on this project in two to four weeks.”

At Capt. Ball’s request, the team developed an interior design concept based on nature. Different parts of the two rooms focus on different areas within nature – the desert, the forest and the ocean.

“The desert is where many of The Salvation Army’s clients may think they are,” Gonzales said. “It looks like all hope is lost, but really the desert is full of life, and there is much hope for them.”

“The forest signifies branches,” she continued. “Like the forest, these people will branch out into new opportunities.”

“And the ocean is a beautiful place, full of life,” she said. “As these children gain knowledge, they have the possibility of creating a much better life for themselves.”

The rooms’ color schemes take cues from the three ecosystems.

“These colors are harmonious, and they will reflect the many options the people using these rooms have before them,” Valles said. “They also will promote stability and productivity.”

Most of the study room, as visualized by the team, focuses on the desert. Walls, carpet and furnishings are in brown tones, symbolizing the sand and rocks that dominate the desert.

This room features comfortable children’s seating around a television set. In this part of the room, children from preschool to middle school will watch educational videos. Another part of this room is set up with a table and sturdier chairs for studying.

Yet another part of this room takes on the “forest” scheme, with everything designed in shades of green. It will have smaller chairs, a low “chalkboard” table and artists’ easels, all designed to stimulate the creativity of the shelter’s younger children.

The adjacent room, which will be designed in shades of blue for the “ocean” scheme, will house 10 computers. The multi-colored computers, and a red desk for tutoring, will represent the many life forms in the ocean.

The computers will primarily be for older students to use for research in their school projects, but also for adults to use in searching for employment, building household budgets and other applications.

“We wish to thank The Salvation Army for giving us the opportunity for designing this space for these children,” Anaya said. “We know they will benefit from it.”

The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire offers Bachelor of Science degrees in Game Art & Design, Graphic Design, Web Design & Interactive Media, Interior Design, Fashion & Retail Management, and Media Arts & Animation. It offers an Associate degree in Graphic Design, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Fashion Design.

The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire offers an Associate degree in Culinary Arts and a Bachelor of Science degree in Culinary Management. Each program is offered on a year-round basis, allowing students to work uninterrupted toward their degrees.

It’s not too late to start a new term at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire. Courses begin April 6 and classes are offered in the day, evening and on weekends for new and reentry students.

For more information or a tour, call Richard Green at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire at (909) 915-2100.

The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire is one of The Art Institutes (www.artinstitutes.edu), with more than 40 educational institutions located throughout North America, providing an important source of design, media arts, fashion and culinary arts professionals.

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K-Frog Graphic Artist Set To Receive Art Institute Degree

Michelle Cossota, graphic artist for K-FROG radio station, took on the challenge of obtaining a second bachelor’s degree while working full-time. She felt the training in graphic design would help her to do her job better. She will receive this degree from The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire on Friday, March 27 as a member of the school’s first graduating class. She's with Jana Rawling, academic director of the Graphic Design program at The Art Institute of California - Inland Empire. Manny Otiko photo


(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) Highland Resident Michelle Cossota already had a great job and a bachelor’s degree, but she wanted to do her job even better.

She started with The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire in April 2006, already working full-time as a graphic artist in the Marketing Department of K-FROG Radio Station. Now, that hard work has paid off, as she will be receiving a bachelor’s degree in Graphic Arts on Friday, March 27.

When she enrolled, Cossota said convenience and flexibility were two of the most important factors in choosing The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire. As it turned out, it was only because of her own and many other people’s flexibility that she is now graduating.

“I was able to balance full-time enrollment and full-time employment due to the wonderful support I received from my instructors and advisors at Ai, my employer, K-FROG, and my husband and family,” Cossota said. “It was the encouragement, understanding, and many times the flexibility from all entities involved that helped me get through the program.”

Some quarters, Cossota was able to take advantage of online, night and evening courses. During other quarters, with the support of her supervisors at K-FROG, she took classes during the day but was given leeway by Art Institute instructors if a K-FROG project interfered with her ability to attend class.

“This was extremely important because I work full time and my job is a priority,” she said.

Cossota, who also has a bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of La Verne, has worked for K-FROG for more than six years. Her duties include putting together event proposals and designing presentation materials, flyers, banners and posters.

“It was because of K-FROG that I went back to school,” Cossota said. “I had been doing a lot of the artwork for the station during my first three years there and in 2006 they gave me the title of Graphic Designer. I wanted to feel like I deserved that title and knew the only way I to accomplish this was to gain the knowledge and technical training.”

Cossota said Art Institute instructors are veterans of their various industries and bring that expertise to the classroom. This was important to her from the beginning, and became even more important as she interacted with them for three years

“They were able to provide students with real world situations and share their experiences,” she said. “The staff has a passion for what they do and what they teach. When I was overwhelmed, it was their passion and encouragement that reminded me of why I am doing what I am doing and reminding me that the stress I might have now is going to pay off in the future.”

Jana Rawling, academic director for Graphic Design, is one of the many Art Institute instructors who has helped Cossota improve her graphic design skills. She’s especially proud of Cossota for her work designing an invitation to the first Graduate Portfolio Review, a quarterly event allowing new graduates an opportunity to showcase their work before potential employers.

“Michelle is a great designer because she understands all of the research and development so her work continues to improve faster than the average student,” Rawling said. “My goal is to enhance her position in the industry so she can get the job she dreams about and move anywhere she wants. I am sure she will do well when she graduates.”

Cossota said that after graduation she wants to continue learning her craft and refining her skills. “It is important for me to love what I do -- design,” she said.

The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire offers Bachelor of Science degrees in Game Art & Design, Graphic Design, Web Design & Interactive Media, Interior Design, Fashion & Retail Management, and Media Arts & Animation. It offers an Associate degree in Graphic Design, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Fashion Design.


The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire offers an Associate degree in Culinary Arts and a Bachelor of Science degree in Culinary Management. Each program is offered on a year-round basis, allowing students to work uninterrupted toward their degrees.

It’s not too late to start a new term at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire. Courses begin April 6 and classes are offered in the day, evening and on weekends for new and reentry students.



The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire is one of The Art Institutes (www.artinstitutes.edu), with 42 education institutions located throughout North America, providing an important source of design, media arts, fashion and culinary professionals. For more information about The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire, call (909) 915-2100 or visit www.aii.edu/inlandempire.

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EDUCATION LEADERS TO LEARN ABOUT ART INSTITUTE AT MEET THE CREATIVES BREAKFAST

Rachel Makowski, a December graduate of The Art Institute of California - Inland Empire displays some of her graphic design work at the first Graduate Portfolio Review. Carl Dameron photo.

A. Majadi, executive director of the Boys & Girls Club of San Bernardino, reacts with pleased surprise to information Tamara Stephens, lead designer for the Fall 2008 Human Factors class at The Art Institute of California - Inland Empire, presents about the kitchen remodel Stephens' class had created for the Boys & Girls Club. Carl Dameron photo

Chef Laurent Ballion with a spread of fresh fruit, similar to what his students at The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of California - Inland Empire will serve with breakfast creations to guests at Meet The Creatives on April 22.


(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.)– High school administrators and other education leaders will receive their own introduction to The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire at the semi-annual Meet the Creatives gourmet breakfast Thursday, April 22.

“This presentation was created to give high school and community leaders an opportunity to see the creative education opportunities available at The Art Institute of California-Inland Empire campus.,” said President Emam El-Hout. “We would also like to share our creative majors, show our work in the community. Our goal is to facilitate a partnership with these administrators as key players in academic excellence and in the creative growth of the Inland Empire’s youth.”

The breakfast is prepared by students attending The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire, which oversees the Culinary Arts and Culinary Management programs. After breakfast, participants will take tours of our campus, hear presentations from the school’s academic directors about the programs offered and also learn about career services and student affairs at the San Bernardino school.

Articulation (the methods by which high schools ensure their students are adequately prepared for various colleges) and the $150,000 in scholarships The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire will offer this year will also be discussed, as will Summer Studio 2009.

Summer Studio is an opportunity for students who will be in high school that fall to work with The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire to design real work for a non—profit organization. Each year, The Art Institute chooses a different non-profit organization with which its Summer Studio participants will work.

“We will show how we impact our community and the role that we play in transitioning our students from high school to active, viable working professionals in the creative community,” El-Hout said.

For more information, educators should call Carl Dameron at (909) 888-0017. To confirm attendance, call Veronica Cordova at (909) 915-2100. The Art Institute of California-Inland Empire is located at 630 East Brier Drive, San Bernardino, CA 92408.

The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire offers Bachelor of Science degrees in Game Art & Design, Graphic Design, Web Design & Interactive Media, Interior Design, Fashion & Retail Management, and Media Arts & Animation. It offers an Associate degree in Graphic Design, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Fashion Design.

The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire offers an Associate degree in Culinary Arts and a Bachelor of Science degree in Culinary Management. Each program is offered on a year-round basis, allowing students to work uninterrupted toward their degrees.

It’s not too late to start a new term at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire. Courses begin April 6 and classes are offered in the day, evening and on weekends for new and reentry students.

For more information, or to arrange a tour, call The Art Institute at (909) 915-2100 or go on line to www.artinstitutes.edu/InlandEmpire.

The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire is one of the Art Institutes (www.artinstitutes.edu/InlandEmpire), a system of more than 40 locations throughout North America, providing an important source of design, media arts, fashion and culinary arts professionals.

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MORENO JOINS SAN BERNARDINO PR FIRM

Luis Moreno at Dameron Communications, where he is a marketing and research intern. Photo by Carl Dameron.

(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) Luis Moreno recently joined Dameron Communications as a marketing research intern. He expects to get the experience and knowledge necessary to become a successful marketing researcher, and maybe someday run his own marketing firm.

“Being an intern allows you to experience how it is in the real world. The theories learned in school are only tools, but the real thing is the experience you acquire working on what you enjoy the most, and that I think builds your character, and fulfills you as a professional.” Luis said.

Moreno is a senior at California State University, San Bernardino, majoring in Business Administration, concentration Marketing, and a minor in Finance. He will be graduating Fall 2009.

His duties as a marketing research intern consist of making marketing promotion proposals, marketing budgets, market analysis, creating visual graphs for data, and researching.

“Luis brings desire and tenacity; not all interns have the vision to see where this career path can take them. Luis has that vision. He is teachable, pays attention and has good knowledge of research,” Carl Dameron said.

Since 1989, Dameron Communications had coach interns. With a full service industry of opportunities for interns to work in any sector, they feel an obligation to teach the next generation of professionals to do work effectively, creative, and honestly. “We always ask our interns what they want to do, and Moreno was the first intern that wanted to work in marketing research. I was very excited” Dameron said.

Luis recently worked updating data for a document titled About the Inland Empire. The document shows how the Inland Empire is doing compare to other counties, and towards what direction is heading to. It also focuses on what is making these two counties (Riverside and San Bernardino) attractive for investors.

“What fascinated me is that not only house prices are less than Orange County or San Diego County, but what this metropolitan area is going to achieve economically in the next years.” Moreno said.

Luis Moreno was born in Riverside California, but raised in Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico, borderline with Imperial County. He transferred from Imperial Valley College to Cal State San Bernardino to finish his major. The Inland Empire is now his new home, and he is happy about it.

Besides marketing, Luis also loves soccer. He plays at Cal Sate San Bernardino, in the Intramurals League, inside the Recreational Center. Although his team didn’t make it to playoffs this quarter, they are eager to qualify next season, and maybe obtain the championship.

About Dameron Communications Since 1989 Dameron Communications has creatively met the needs of our diverse client base locally, regionally and nationally. We are an award-winning agency that creates integrated marketing solutions to increase sales and profits, win elections, inform the public or gain acceptance of potentially controversial issues. We use our 20 years of communications knowledge and experience to advance our clients’ objectives.

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MARQUEZ NAMED I.E.’S ‘BEST TEEN CHEF’

Theresa Marquez of Fontana is all smiles after receiving the gold medal and a $3,000 scholarship in The Art Institute of California - Inland Empire's Best Teen Chef competition held Saturday, March 14. (Chris Sloan Photo)

Theresa Marquez of Fontana cooks up a winning meal during The Art Institute of California - Inland Empire's Best Teen Chef 2009 competition.

(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) –The new Best Teen Chef in the Inland Empire – Fontana’s Theresa Marquez, accepted her applause and beautiful medal with tears of joy pouring down her cheeks as the room erupted in applause and congratulations.

One judge told her, “Your meal and preparation were flawless. You have a wonderful career ahead of you. I’m honored.” Chef Eyad Joseph, academic director for the International Culinary School at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire commented, “I saw you get past your nerves after 10 minutes, then you settled into a zone. It was brilliant.

Coming in second was Brittain Madrid, also of Fontana and third was Briannah Clark of Claremont, who also enjoys drag racing.

They were among 11 area high school seniors, many veterans of the school’s Passport to a Tasty Future program giving them a taste of the Institute’s culinary program and the ins and outs of a career. They were chosen from 20 applicants who submitted original recipes plus a 250-word essay on why they wanted to attend The International Culinary School.

Their challenge? To properly prepare equal dishes to their best ability and to the judges’ delight. But, snowing the judges would be no easy task, since these men were among the world’s best executive chefs and restaurant general managers. They included Claude Dhubert with 45 years as a chef, Fred Bambadji with decades at Europe’s finest eateries, Gilles Dirat with 30+ years experience, Thomas Sandi whose quarter-century in the culinary profession includes many of the great restaurants and resorts and The Art Institute’s pastry chef Laurent Baillon. Bystanders heard more French spoken than English.

Aiding these gentlemen was 19-year-old Kevin Agra, 2008’s Best Teen Chef who is now in his first year with the International Culinary School at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire.

In addition to the aspiring chefs, at least 40 friends and family members showed up to encourage one or another teen. Competitors were Anton Pishchanellsky of Adelanto, attending Victorville’s Silverado High; from Sultana High in Hesperia was Christopher Crawford; Alex Shaffer was from Yucaipa High School; Ashlee Keane of Highland, and Redlands East Valley High; from Fontana’s A. B. Miller High was Brittain Madrid; Jasmine Cervantes of Canyon Springs High School in Moreno Valley; Theresa Marquez of Fontana High; Angelo Cordova of Victorville came from Hesperia’s Sultana High; Melissa Meza from Eisenhower High in Rialto; Claremonts’ Brianna Clark of Options for Youth in Ontario and coming from San Diego County was Ricky Keoman of Escondido High School.

Hosting the day’s event was Chef Eyad Joseph. “Each young competitor will be preparing a four-ounce sautéed chicken breast, sauteed broccoli, rice pilaf and a creative garnish, a sauce of their own, and a shrimp cocktail,” he explained. To the students he said, “You’ll use only the ingredients on your table in the kitchen, and there will be no talking among yourselves. And no giving up; you’ve come a long way to get this far, so don’t quit.”

He reminded the students the importance of safety in kitchens, that when they carry knives they must hold them down at their sides with the other arm out to clear the way in front. “Any other way,” Joseph reminded them, “is grounds for disqualification. Safety and sanitation come first here; cooking is second.”

The group gathered that morning at 9 a.m. for the introduction to the day’s competition, then entered the Institute’s state-of-the-art kitchen at 10:15 until 12:45. As the teens sliced, diced, peeled cooked, prepared and even wiped off the ill-placed grain of rice, the judges strolled among them, clipboards in hand to award points for preparation and cooking technique, knife skills and presentation while guests gazed intently through the wall-length window in silence.

“This is the only culinary school in the nation, and maybe the world,” Chef Joseph said, “doing this. All of our 33 campuses with culinary programs are competing on this same day across the country. While The Art Institute has been holding these competitions for, maybe, 10 years, here in the Inland Empire it’s our third. And with the response we’ve gotten, there’ll be many, many more.”

Marquez, as the top chef, receives a $3,000 scholarship, but, more important, will represent the school at the May 9 National Best Teen Chef final round competition in Charlotte, North Carolina against the best all the other Art Institutes send. At stake is a full tuition scholarship valued at $80,000 with all combined scholarships worth more than $250,000.

The national competition menu will be a lot harder, but (the school’s) Chef Laurent will be your personal trainer for the next two months. He’ll work with you every week.”

And Theresa, while still in thrilling shock, can’t wait.

Theresa has already enrolled in The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire, and will begin her education there in the summer term, after she graduates from Fontana High School. The $3,000 scholarship will help, but she’s definitely hoping to win the full-tuition scholarship offered as the winning prize at the national competition.

The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire offers Bachelor of Science degrees in Game Art & Design, Graphic Design, Web Design & Interactive Media, Interior Design, Fashion & Retail Management, and Media Arts & Animation. It offers an Associate degree in Graphic Design, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Fashion Design.

The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire offers an Associate degree in Culinary Arts and a Bachelor of Science degree in Culinary Management. Each program is offered on a year-round basis, allowing students to work uninterrupted toward their degrees.

It’s not too late to start a new term at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire. Courses begin April 6 and classes are offered in the day, evening and on weekends for new and reentry students.

For more information or a tour, call Richard Green at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire at (909) 915-2100.

The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire is one of The Art Institutes (www.artinstitutes.edu), with more than 40 educational institutions located throughout North America, providing an important source of design, media arts, fashion and culinary arts professionals.

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