Business briefs

June 21, 2006

Athleta top 100 in retail sales

Petaluma-based women's sportswear company Athleta was ranked the 96th largest sporting goods retailer in 2006 by Sporting Goods Magazine in its yearly Retail Top 100. The magazine said that the cataloger and online store had $30 million in sales in 2005. The company makes more than 50 percent of its sales online, according to the magazine. Athleta was ranked 95th on last year's list with the same sales figures, with 40 percent of its sales coming from their Web site.

For more information on Athleta, visit athleta.com.

Local cheesemaker wins awards

The Marin French Cheese Company of Petaluma won five awards at the 2006 World Cheese Awards held June 14 in London as part of the Taste of London food show. The awards were for Petit Dejeuner (gold), Wild Blackberry Quark (gold), Garlic Brie (bronze), Pesto Brie (bronze) and Petit Creme (bronze). Cheesemakers from around the world submitted more than 1,500 entries to the competition.

For more information on the company, visit www.marinfrenchcheese.com.

Gambonini elected Dairy Management secretary

Petaluma dairywoman Margaret Gambonini was recently elected secretary of Dairy Management Inc., a dairy industry marketing organization.

As secretary, Gambonini will work with other dairy producers to oversee the long-term strategic direction for producer-funded marketing, research and education programs to help increase sales of and demand for U.S.-produced dairy products and ingredients.

Gambonini is a member of the National Dairy Promotion and Research Board and a director of the Dairy Council of California.

For more information on Dairy Management Inc., visit dairycheckoff.com.