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Unsung SoCal Leaders: TPR Readers & Editors Offer An Addendum To L.A. Times Power List
In a city as big as L.A., 100 is not enough. TPR adds to the LA Times' list of L.A. luminaries.
This month the L.A. Times published its list of the “100 Most Powerful People in Southern California,” ranging from Eli Broad to Mayor Villaraigosa to Piolín. But even the vast resources of the Times missed many civic, political, cultural, and business leaders who shape our region and our built environment. Based on nominations from TPR readers and editors, TPR is pleased to present its addendum of individuals whose contributions to and influence on L.A.’s urban fabric cannot be underestimated—or overlooked.
Fabian Nuñez
Speaker of the California Assembly
Representing Downtown and East L.A., Nuñez has followed the path of now-Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and former Speaker Robert Hertzberg. In Sacramento, Nuñez leads the Assembly, which annually appropriates $100 billion in public funds.
David Fleming
Of Counsel, Latham & Watkins
The consummate civic leader, Fleming’s contributions speak for themselves. He serves on the board of the MTA, LAEDC, LA Chamber of Commerce, CCRL, and countless others.
Richard Ziman
Former CEO Arden Realty, Inc.
Over 75,000 people have come to events at Ziman’s westside home over the last past few years in support of political and civic causes. He’s was a Co-Chair of Kerry’s campaign, a past chair of the City of Hope, and is the benefactor of UCLA’s Center for Real Estate.
John Gray
Executive Director, Autry National Center & Southwest Museum
As the caretaker of two museums preserving California history, Gray has brought prominence to the Autry and has led the fight at the Southwest Museum to preserve one of the nation’s most important collections of Native American art and artifacts.
Monica Lozano
Publisher, La Opinion
With a massive circulation, La Opinion unites, informs, and engages a community larger than most cities, and it has helped give rise to the region’s many adept Latino civic leaders.
Allan Kingston
CEO, Century Housing
One of the leading affordable housing developers in the region, Century Housing represents the best in public-private partnerships building housing that aims to build community.
Bill Allen
President, LAEDC
The Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp. claims credit for keeping over 100,000 jobs in the L.A. area, and manages the region’s leading organization for monitoring and promoting L.A.’s economy. Without Allen’s and his colleagues’ diligence, L.A. would be a much less prosperous place.
Kathleen Brown
Managing Director, Goldman Sachs
Any number of Brown’s endeavors would qualify her for this list, most notably her term as California state treasurer. Brown currently runs Goldman Sachs’ West Coast municipal finance department, which underwrites billions in municipal bonds. She also serves on boards of Countrywide and the Auto Club.
John Emerson
Capital Group
An investment manager, chair of the Music Center, and fellow at UCLA’s School of Public Affairs, Emerson has worked at nearly every level of government. As much a D.C. insider as L.A., he was a deputy director to President Clinton, a former chief of staff to L.A. City Attorney Hahn, and led the federal task force on the Northridge earthquake.
Brenda Levin
Architect, FAIA
History does not always sit easy in L.A., and Brenda Levin, through her work over the last 25 years preserving, among others, City Hall, Griffith Observatory, Wiltern Theatre and the Bradbury Building, has done more to protect and celebrate L.A.’s built environment than anyone else.
Youn-Bok Lee
Korean Consul General
As the world’s most diverse city, Los Angeles is perhaps the only city in the world that needs its own foreign policy, Lee provide crucial ties between the city one of its most prominent immigrant groups.
Mary Nichols
Chair, LA DWP; Dir., UCLA Inst. of the Environment
A former federal official and California Secretary of Resources, Nichols is the prime mover behind the city of L.A.’s and the region’s greening.
Kevin Sharer
CEO, Amgen
Anyone who thinks that innovation has departed L.A. needs look no further than Amgen. The world’s largest biotech firm has grown up in the Conejo Valley and now employs thousands of the region’s brightest scientists and engineers.
Warren Olney, KCRW;
Larry Mantle, KPCC
With TV news all but irrelevant to civic discourse in So. Calif, what exists in the way of valuable public affairs programming and metropolitan reporting rests on two dedicated public radio stations and their best and brightest: Warren Olney and Larry Mantle.
Cecilia Estolano
General Manager, LA/CRA
With perhaps the most challenging job in all of L.A., Estolano is charged with revitalizing some of L.A.’s most distressed neighborhoods. With a wealth of legal experience and political connections, she is the perfect person for the job.
David Allgood
S. Calif Director, League of Conservation Voters
Much of the region’s efforts to go green can be attributed to Allgood and CLCV. But of even more importance, CLCV acts as a gatekeeper to public office in L.A. and California through CLCV’s endorsement and funding of state and local candidates.
Dr. Fran Kaufman, L.A. Childrens Hospital
Dr. Robert Ross, California Endowment
Drs. Kaufman and Ross are on the front lines of the biggest epidemics afflicting L.A.’s children, including diabetes, asthma, and obesity.
Bill Witte
CEO, Related Cos.
Related is not only leading Downtown’s Grand Avenue Project, but Related is also building and funding affordable housing projects throughout So. California.
Bob Wolf
Co-Chair , So. Calif. Leadership Council
One of the Inland Empire’s civic and business leaders, Wolf is an investor in the civilian cargo airport at March, and a former chair of the State Transportation Commission.
Nick Patsaouras
Electrical Engineer and LA DWP Boardmember
The MTA’s Patsaouras Transit Plaza is appropriately named.
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