president of the board of supervisors. >> what i would like to let you know, is who i am. i have put together a little bit of something. i want to say breedings, and good morning to campos, alioto- pier, and erik mar. i am born and raised in san francisco. i attended school at st. michael's high school, a sacred heart high school, sacramento city college. i graduated from golden gate university with a master's in business. my first job was as a bike messenger at age 16. i love my job and i learned every street and alley way in this great city. i have been in the wine and

spirits industry 38 years. i was working with small businesses such as grocery stores and restaurants and hotels. over the years, i worked up the ladder, and started my career in south san francisco in 1968. in 1962, -- 1972, the mckessen company bought the boreaux company and the was the general manager in reno, nevada. in 1995 i was speaking manager of the company in brisbane. i became the coo of the stars group in san francisco. i worked under jeremiah tower.

in 1996-1999, i was the sales manager for skyy vodka. i had the chance to gravel the u. -- travel the u.s., puerto rico, and the virgin islands. i was the director of public relations at young's market company, where i retired last year. my various positions provided me with ongoing relationships with small businesses, financial and other related issues. i begin by researching the problem to try to be as thoughtful in my deliberations for these decisions.

the visitors bureau, they gave me the opportunity to work with my peers and this has a direct effect on the small businesses. they work with other small businesses and this is critical to the economy of san francisco, for the residence and the tourists. thank you for the opportunity to speak with you today. >> i know that we have been joined by president chu. president chu: thank you for being here. i was wanting to be here as a small member -- as a former member of the small business commission.

there have been people appointed to the committee who have not been working with san francisco small business as required for nomination to the commission. and they have not had as much experience as the commission deserves. i was wanting to have a conversation with you. in the definition, there are a specific number of seats. can you tell us about what he will nominate to be filling up? >this is part of the economic development organization or expert in small business finance? where do you consider yourself? >> can you repeat this? >> category number seven, the members of the commission either need to be owners or officers of san francisco small business. i'll not believe that this time

in that category. what if you are the officer of a neighborhood organization. do you consider yourself an expert in small business finance? >> i understand what all of this is about. >> you talk about how you have worked closely with small business, but it was not clear that you have worked in the small business in san francisco. what's i have been working in a number of them. >> can you talk about this, because it appears you were working in more national cells issues rather than small business. can you tell us what you think about the small business community in san francisco? >> what is happening over the economy, there are a lot of

people in small business communities that need to get more on top of this. and they wanted to get more people involved. one of these things -- >> what does this mean? >> this is by understanding exactly what is happening with small business. i have people coming by where i have learned that they have done a lot of good things. as the economy gets a little bit better, there are more and more people being involved with this in small business. >> i did not understand what you mean by this. people in small business --

>> it seems like they're just trying to go after this and get more and more small businesses. >> i am trying to understand your point. >> for instance, lastly week, wn i went to the event in the mission. so, it seems there is more and more people getting involved and also more communities doing things there. >> getting involved in -- >> bringing in more people and more of the economy coming in. >> ok. i am still trying to understand your point.

you've been working for young's market from orange, california. you have not been here in san francisco working with small business except through sales. >> for many years, i have been evolved with us. i have been living here in san francisco for most of my life. >> what do you see as the top issues facing the small business community right now, other than san francisco? >> i see more and more business coming in. what's more and more business? >> there is more and more business. >> the perspective of everyone in the small business community is that they are facing many challenges that are forcing

small businesses out of san francisco. i have never heard anybody suggest that we have a flood of new business in san francisco. i am trying to understand what you mean by this statement. what do you mean by this statement? >> i just see more and more than i think that there are more people coming in, the opening up businesses. >> you see that seems a pretty easy to open a business? >> i think that this is getting better than it was before. >> can you articulate the other challenges facing small businesses right now? >> this is why i wanted to be involved in all of this, in the small business and getting involved in all of this.

>> do you have a perspective on the payroll tax issues in san francisco and how this affects the small business community. the you have any sense -- about whether the small business is working well right now? what's from one understand, this is doing well. >> do you understand how they are involved with small business? >> i am trying to figure out this part of it. >> do you have any ideas in regulation for small business? >> i am not certain about this. >> how did you end up the coming to this appointment? >> i was at the -- the mayor asked me to be part of the small

business -- commission, the commission for the small -- i'm sorry, i'm not going through this part right. so, it is something i wanted to do and help within what's going on in the city government and everything happening here. >> have you been a part of any small business association? >> i have not. >> i would be involved in part of it. >> do you have any experiences involving the issues facing small business? >> i'd like to get into this. that is what i was wanting to

do, getting involved in being in the small business sector and these projects. >> thank you. supervisor mar: i just wanted to say, i know that this is intimidating and this is difficult to be here in front of a room full of people. i just wanted to give you another chance to convince me that you are qualified for this position. tell me about your main qualifications for this position. >> i understand with the backgrounds that i have in finance and a number of different things. yes. supervisor campos: thank you, mr. patterson. we will open as the public comment and if there are any members who would like to speak on this item, if you can please

come forward. you have two minutes each. >> i appreciate the opportunity to speak on behalf of bob paterson. this is very intimidating but i have known him for 35 years. we worked together in the industry, the wine and spirits industry. the entire function was working with small business. we were consultants to them, he was consulting them. how to run this business and make it better. and how to get financing, how we can help them get through the difficult parts of this business. and there is a lot of diversity. we work for all the different backgrounds, and he has been involved the whole time. he was a sales manager to help them grow their business.

the one thing about him, if he gets the job, he will learn this and he will understand this, and he will be adding to this. he is a great part of this community. that is what i have to say about bob patterson. >> and other any other members of the public who wish to speak? please come forward if you would like to speak on this item. >> i am the commission secretary of the small business commission. we did provide a letter to you in electronic form. i provided some hard copies. the director has met with mr. paterson on number of occasions along with the staff, and the director was impressed with his knowledge of small business finance, and his knowledge of

ownership structures. cash flow and other challenges that businesses face. also employee relations and many other aspects of these finances. the director is looking forward to working with him, and continuing to bring him on board. with more information on the commission about how the office is running. supervisor campos: public comment is closed. i wanted thanksmto thank mr. paterson for being here, and i know that this can be very intimidating to be before the committee. we'll have a right to be nervous about this. that said, i do believe that the questions that were asked by president chu do raise some

issues, and again, because we have limited time to make this decision, i do not want to take anything away from mr. paterson, with what he has accomplished and he wants to serve the san francisco community. i would like to continue this matter. i am not ready to move forward at this time, one way or the other. >> i want to thank the community for spending some time on this commission. i would like to say that i have heard good things about you as a person and a business person and the like to thank you for suggesting that we move forward with this project. there have been a lot of frustrations about the fact that the commission has not been able

to address or fix or proposed solutions to move forward in the small-business world as aggressively as i would like in the small business community. we need to have people with a deep understanding and a deep set of perspectives and opinions about what we need to do to move forward. i would support the decision if you want to continue this for a number of weeks. i would like to have a conversation with them as well, and introduce them to others to see if this position would make a good fit. i think that as a city, we have so much, we have a lot that we have to get done. we need to have people who are ready to go from the first day, ready to tackle the issues. the questions i asked were representative of the issues that the commission is confronted with on a daily and

weekly basis. having this experience is important. >> there is a quorum that we cannot continue this item, and we have to act. we have 30 days. supervisor alioto-pier: mr. paterson, that asked you a few more questions? -- may i ask you a few more questions? a friend of towers? did you gain weight? >> no. supervisor alioto-pier: can you talk about stars and that experience? that was a san francisco resturant for such a long time.

>> this was a very difficult time. jeremiah was a difficult person. supervisor alioto-pier: on the record, and everything. can you tell me about life in san francisco as a small business, that what it was like to help of this restaurant in town. a little bit of background information. >> the first -- first of all, when jeremiah was involved in this thing, he built up this business, which is now being demolished. but he was a person that made certain that everything was working right. and the way the guy -- and the way that i was there, this is

when i got out of this business for a while. i was working and learning about a lot of things from him. he always made certain that everything was taken care of. all the time. >> how many people were employed? >> 24 or 25. then he opened a place in oa kfield. >> it's a vineyard now. >> it's terrible. the other one was in palo alto. this is when it caved in. the money wasn't there. >> this business is tough.

>> the pastry-- pastry chef did everything. and you could learn everything in this restaurant. my daughter, and my wife is here. my daughter, i was the coo. i got her in there so that she could make the same kind of cake that they did. today, she is an incredible -- you -- we want her to go to basically open a resturant in

lafayette. >> get her to open one in san francisco. good for her. as the coo, the operating officer, -- >> i am taking care of everybody. with tehe dollars and cents of everybody working. >> you deal with hirings and firings, figuring out who came into the samll business and grow it. ok. skyy vodka in 1996. you were working with maurice. [laughter]

supervisor alioto-pier: you worked with a few san franciscans. >> skyy vodka was going crazy. it did very well. and basically, mr. canbar sold to campari. and yes. supervisor alioto-pier: do you remember when skyy started? >> it was 19 -- supervisor alioto-pier: when did he sell to campari? >> that was in 2000. that became, that was a huge -- supervisor alioto-pier: how many people were employed in 1996? >> through the country, i was

the sales manager. they had about 120. supervisor alioto-pier: 120 people nationally? how many in san francisco? >> 14 in san francisco. supervisor alioto-pier: what were you doing? >> i was making certain that -- working with suppliers all over the west coast, the entire area. yeah. supervisor alioto-pier: ok. you've been in winte ane and sps business a long time. we don't need to talk about small businesses in 1968.

alright, great. thank you, mr. paterson. supervisor mar: i wish that we could -- i just wanted to thank you. i wish we could continue this item. i don't feel you have the qualifications as a neighborhood economic development expert. you have a wide range of experience in other areas. my motion is to support item four, rejecting your appointment. i do appreciate your service and experience, but i don't believe you fit for this seat. >> we have a motion to move item 4 and table item 3.

one more member of the public would wish to speak. unless there is objection, we call on kevin wesley of the golden gate resturant association. >> bob has served as a trustee on the scholarship foundation for a decade. to allow us to give sponsorships to kids. we have raised $100,000 and there is an element i didn't hear about community involvment. supervisor alioto-pier: thank you, supervisor campos. i disagree with mar. i think that this is a tough

venue. i was a floor commissioner. i remember testifying, thinking, i was about to asay sometinghing inappropriate. his experiencei in san francisco, with stars resturant, taking one samlmall place and adding another two, the ups and downs of the economy. if you are responsible for the goings-on at a particular place, you are dealing with a lot of things, different things being thrown at you. you have to respond or work appropriately.

that is what we need on the commission. skyy vodka, if you are talking about 114 people, not a huge business. the managerial aspects of that are signifigant. i will support his appointment today. supervisor campos: thank you. i want to thank mr. paterson for coming forward. this can be a tough process. i had a good conversation with him a couple of days ago, and appreciated that he was willing to speak to me. he is a very approachable individual. that said, i have to say, based on what transpired today, i

don't feel comfortable moving forward the appointment. it's nothing personal about mr. paterson. he has a record of accomplishment that is such he should be on a commission. it makes sense and i understand why mayor newsom put him forward. i just don't feel that this is the right fit. i will be supporting supervisor mar's motion, which i would believe we would move forward. >> the motion is to table item three and move forward item four. >> can we take a role call? >> alioto pier, no. mar, aye. campos,