BIZ BUZZ.

Byline: -- Compiled by Ben Jauron

Shop California recently named Janet LaFevre, the senior marketing manager for the Glendale Galleria, its new president. Shop California works with the California Travel and Tourism Commission to help promote California as the premier shopping destination.

In her new position, LaFevre will "direct the rebranding campaign of Shop California with the goal to fully align the organization with the state's marketing tourism campaign Visit California, as well as align Shop California with key national and international tourism trade show delegations and sales missions." She will also oversee Shop California's board of directors.

The Greater San Fernando Valley Chamber of Commerce will hold its Open for Business Expo at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday.The promotional vehicle, networking opportunity and mixer will feature more than 60 exhibitors from industries including financial services, office products, e-commerce, travel and entertainment and more. The chamber is calling the expo the highlight of this year's program. The expo will take place at the Odyssey restaurant, 15600 Odyssey Drive, Granada Hills. Admission is free, but the chamber asks guests to bring a donation for the JFS/SOVA food bank.

The auto dealer group New Century Automotive Group will host an exclusive preview, test drive and registration for the new 2008 Smart Fortwo Thursday from 2 to 7 p.m. at the future site of the Smart dealership in Universal City. Smart, manufactured by the Mercedes Car Group, began production in 1996. It's sold 800,000 cars worldwide, and 12,000 orders have already been made for 2008 vehicles in the United States. The most significant feature of the car is the "tridion safety cell" made of three layers of steel reinforced at strategic points to allow for the absorbtion and redistribution of impact crash energy. The new Smart dealership, scheduled to open in January 2008, will be at 4227 Lankershim Blvd. and will be the only dealership in Los Angeles. For a test-drive reservation, call [phone].

Woodlake Properties LLC has bought a 14,464- square-foot retail property for $5.1 million in Woodland Hills called Woodlake Plaza, the center of which is in the 23000 block of Ventura Boulevard. Michael Pourmirza of Sperry Van Ness represented the seller -- Lilac Real Estate Holding LLC -- and Benik Hovespian of Regal Properties represented Woodlake. Built in 1985, the property is 100 percent occupied by tenants including Arthur Murray Dance Studio, Kobe Restaurant and Designer Kitchen.

Neurologist Lorne S. Label of Thousand Oaks and gerontologist Arnold Bresky of Woodland Hills recently opened the Brain Longevity Center in Thousand Oaks. The center offers medication, management and individualized cognitive therapy to slow down the symptoms of memory loss. The center is at 2100 Lynn Road, Thousand Oaks.

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