Our Two Cents Podcast

*Holiday Replay* Local music sensation Jim ranger has been involved in music since he was 20 years old. He was on American Idol when he was 28 and the Voice when he was 38. He has also had the privilege of singing the national anthem for the Lakers over 20 times! He has recorded 3 solo albums and 2 eps and produced music for others. In addition to being involved in the music business, Jim has been...

Angel Cottrell has consulted with and coached entrepreneurs and taught entrepreneurship topics for more than 15 years. Most recently, she joined the Kern High School District as Program Manager of Entrepreneurship Resource Centers (ERC). The KHSD ROC & CTEC ERC are designed to support youth in developing entrepreneurial and intrapreneurial mindsets and thinking. As CEO of Apollo Consultancy Group...

Mr. Hathaway is the owner and founder of Hathaway LLC. In 2011, 2012 and 2013 Hathaway LLC was named the fastest growing privately owned company in Kern County by Inc. Magazine and was named the TEEMCO 2013 West Coast E&P Company of the Year. Chad is the co-founder/President of the Kern County Energy Foundation and the Eastside Water Management Area. Prior to starting Hathaway LLC, Mr. Hathaway sp...

Aaron Falk has served as the President and CEO of Kern Community Foundation since 2021. Aaron grew up in Bakersfield, CA and graduated from Stockdale High School. He has a degree in political science from the University of California, Santa Barbara and is currently in the MBA program at California State University, Bakersfield. He also completed the U.S. Air Force Air Command and Staff College as...

Dr. Hugh Beatty, aka "The Wellness Doc", is committed to providing quality medical care for your entire family. Dr. Beatty graduated from Occidental College in 1981 and obtained his BA in Chemistry from USCD School of Medicine in 1985. He has been practicing medicine in Bakersfield since 1998 where he offers comprehensive medical care and pain management procedures.   Kyle Jones welcomes back Dr....

Russell Johnson is a Bakersfield native and after obtaining his undergraduate at Bakersfield College, he transferred to the University of California Santa Barbara where he obtained his bachelor's degree in history. He has extensive experience in government and has served as a District Representative for a local State Senator, Chief of Staff to a County Supervisor, Planning Commissioner, and Counci...

La Rosa has been a family business and a Bakersfield favorite since 1980 and is now in its second generation of owners. Norma Diaz took over the family business in 2004 and has watched it gain even more happy customers. Meanwhile, Norma has also made a strong commitment to the company's community involvement, including La Rosa's sponsorship of a blood drive at Houchin Blood Bank. The "Beat the Hea...

Carli O'Cana is a woman of passion who is here to educate and guide her community through natural options for healthy and comfortable living. Her journey began in 2012 when she learned about the benefits of CBD and pain. Carli searched and thought of noninvasive ways to bring a product to the market that even your grandma wouldn't fear. She is here to help break the stigma around cannabis and all...

Heather has been heavily involved in the advancement in our community in Bakersfield, Ca. She currently sits on the board for local nonprofits and is the chair on a couple committees. She's particularly proud of being a founding chairwoman of The Innovation Lab which is in its fourth year. She has partnered with a national organization, Klemmer to host a three day self development workshop the fir...

Anthony Olivieri, principal of Olivieri Commercial Group, founded the company in 1997 after gaining 10 plus years of commercial real estate experience in Central California working primarily with CBRE.  Throughout his career, Anthony has assisted countless clients with their diverse real estate needs and successfully grown his own real estate portfolio. After managing several successful projects w...

Lois Henry was raised in Fresno and attended Fresno State where she obtained a degree in journalism in 1989 and began work at The Bakersfield Californian in 1990. She worked as a reporter and editor at The Californian for many years and began writing an investigative column twice a week in 2007. She left the newspaper in 2017 and formed SJV Water, a nonprofit website dedicated to covering water is...

Vince Fong began his career with Congressman Bill Thomas, Chair of the Ways and Means Committee, working on international trade policy. For nearly a decade Vince served as the district director to House Leader and Congressman Kevin McCarthy until Vince was elected to the State Assembly in 2016. He is also a lifelong resident of Kern County and earned a bachelor's degree from UCLA and masters from...

Alex Muralles started Get It Twisted as a side hustle when he was trying to make money to go to college. He has always been passionate about making food so when he had the opportunity to create his own business with his family, he took it. Alex decided that the college path no longer interested him and now he runs his business full time! OTC Host Dave Plivelich with The Marcom Group sits down with...

Ginger Wejmar has 22 years of Supply Chain experience with a demonstrated history of working in the food & beverages industry. She also is a mother of two, William and John, and wife to Patrick Wejmar. She currently works for Califia Farms where she is getting ready to celebrate her five-year anniversary! Amanda DiGiacomo welcomes Ginger Wejmar the Senior Director of Supply Chain Planning at Calif...

David Higdon's focus is investment strategy, deal flow, venture portfolio support, fundraising and client relations. He is also the Co-Founder of Qubitekk, the first company to commercialize a new quantum optic-based cybersecurity solution. David served as President of Ellis Energy Investments for 8 years where he guided numerous companies through the investment, growth, and exit process.  David w...

Les Mood's background is in renewable energy project design, development, finance and construction in Central California. For 16 years, his career has been focused on market development for green technology. He has helped some of the earliest and biggest organizations in the industry and helped small ones get started and find a niche throughout his career. Through education and experience, he unde...

Matt Riley is responsible for the growth and development of the Bakersfield Condors, the organization he has guided since its inception in 1998. He was instrumental in negotiations in the January 2014 purchase of the Condors by the Edmonton Oilers and the team's elevation to the American Hockey League (AHL) in 2015-16. Another direct initiative during the AHL tenure was the adoption of the Junior...

Bring Back the Kern is a grassroots movement, started by a group of Bakersfield natives with a deep appreciation for the Kern River. After being promised the return of the river was imminent numerous times only to be disappointed, these residents decided it was time to mobilize to bring about a swifter resolution to the issue. Their goal is to see that the Kern River is used to its highest potenti...

Randy Martin is the founder and Chief Encouragement Officer at Covenant Community Services, Inc. and Covenant Coffee in Bakersfield, California. Covenant's mission is "restoring lives and transforming generations for former foster youth." Randy loves to coach people and help develop their unique potential to find success. He does this daily with his team, his family and friends, and former foster...

Andrea R Hill, is a local CPA and business owner, mother, grandmother and most recently a leukemia survivor. Andrea's firm, Andrea R. Hill, CPA, An Accountancy Corporation, located in downtown Bakersfield, is a full service accounting firm, offering bookkeeping and payroll services, tax preparation and strategies, as well as advisory consulting. She is now also passionate about raising funds and a...

Lizette Patterson's passion is matching individuals seeking new career opportunities with the right position and company. She sits down with the decision makers within a company and gets down to the core of their needs, not just what they need on a resume. She looks into their environment, personality, future growth, and other details that cannot be met by a resume. In staffing, success comes from...

Avery Zaninovich, Tlo's Director of Marketing, studied Agri Business at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, and has worked in the wine industry since the age of 21. She and her family started making wine in 2008 as a passion project, but after only one harvest, Avery encouraged her dad to make wine commercially and focused her senior project at Cal Poly on turning the family's winemaking venture into a fea...

Access Plus Capital is a non-profit, mission-driven, community lender, known in the financial industry as a "CDFI" (a community development financial institution). As a CDFI we provide low-barrier, low-interest small business loans to historically disinvested communities. Our mission is to eliminate economic barriers to financial success through fair and equitable community investment, and we do t...

Anna Marie is a doctor of Traditional Naturopathy, brain health professional, ICF certified coach, certified master herbalist, and lover of life! She is also an author, speaker, employee wellness consultant, and mindset wellbeing coach. Anna Marie is also the formulator of her own brain nutraceutical line which includes, "Happy You, Calm You, & Bright You." Her mission is to end mental health stig...

Family man Danny Hill is co-owner of Hill Broadcasting and is co-host of the Danny & Kait syndicated radio show. Danny & Kait have won Best of Bakersfield, Favorite in the Radio Personality category for 4 years in a row. Their show is currently on 11 radio stations in 6 states! Danny is married to Kait and they have five adorable children. Danny is also an accomplished wedding DJ, winner of the Ke...