Ambassador Frank E. Baxter is Chairman Emeritus of Jefferies and Company, Inc., a global investment bank focusing on mid-cap companies. He retired as Chief Executive Officer in 2001, a position he had held since 1987.
He is the former Ambassador to the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, where he served from November 2006 to January 2009.
Mr. Baxter has been involved in numerous civic...
Dr. Sabrina Kay is a self-made serial entrepreneur who comes from a diverse and successful business, education, and philanthropic background. She founded California Design College, now Art Institute of Hollywood, as the nation’s first institution for computer-aided fashion design. It became one of the “BIG 4” fashion colleges in California, winning various awards during her...
As Founder and Chairman of Panda Restaurant Group (PRG), the parent company of Panda Inn, Panda Express and Hibachi-San, Andrew Cherng has created a company that strongly believes in its mission “To deliver exceptional Asian dining experiences by building an organization where people are inspired to better their lives.” Andrew’s inside-out approach to both his personal and...
Dr. Armen Orujyan is Founder and Chairman of the Board of Athgo Corporation since 1999. For over a decade, Armen has been developing and providing social entrepreneurial platforms for young people with leading global institutions. These efforts have included coordination with the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs; UN NGO Section; UN University; UN Office of the High...
Dr. Bernie Luskin has pioneered many new programs in education. Some examples include the Webcast continuing education program for healthcare professionals, the High Hopes program for educationally handicapped, the Emeritus Institute at Coastline College, the Center for the Partially Sighted, and many variations of distributed and adult learning programs, including the launch of the first PhD...
As president of the LA Sports & Entertainment Commission (LASEC), Ms. Schloessman oversees and manages the day-to-day operations of the Commission, which acts as the official organization for the City of Los Angeles to seek, host, promote, and retain special sports and entertainment events such as Super Bowls, Grammy Awards and All-Star games. LASEC actively works to maintain Los Angeles...
Mark Young holds the George Bozanic and Holman G. Hurt Chair in Sports and Entertainment Business at the University of Southern California. Dr. Young is also a Professor of Accounting in the Leventhal School of Accounting and holds joint appointments as Professor of Management and Organization in the Marshall School of Business, and Professor of Communication and Journalism in the Annenberg...
Andy Barth is the President, Portfolio Manager, and Director of Capital Guardian Trust Company. The Capital Guardian Trust Company manages, distributes, and supports mutual funds and investment portfolios for millions of individuals. The company also manages assets for institutions such as corporations, government, and nonprofit organizations all around the world. The Capital Guardian Trust...
Bill Simon is co-chairman of William E. Simon & Sons, LLC. The firm, which he co-founded in 1988 with his brother and father, William E. Simon, Sr., former United States Treasury Secretary, has built and manages a diverse and significant investment portfolio, with holdings in real estate, private equity and fixed-income securities.
Mr. Simon also co-founded a successful...
Thomas Levyn was the second three-term Mayor of Beverly Hills since the city's 1914 incorporation. As Mayor, Mr. Levyn created cutting-edge, innovative, and community-building programs. Mr. Levyn's Team Beverly Hills, the nationally recognized leadership symposium, continues to bring great honors and awards to Beverly Hills. While mayor, Mr. Levyn was responsible for balancing general...
Judge Halm was appointed in 2009 to the Los Angeles County Superior Court by Governor Schwarzenegger. Prior to becoming a Superior Court Judge, Mr. Halm was a Partner in the Los Angeles office of Wilson, Elser, Moskowitz, Edelman & Dicker LLP. He has had extensive experience in federal and state trial and appellate courts, with emphasis on toxic tort, professional liability defense of...
Steven Gourley is a nationally known expert on real estate, real estate lending, and securities laws. A Boalt Hall and UCLA graduate, he has served as Chief Deputy Commissioner of Corporations, Director of the California DMV, and Mayor of the City of Culver City.
He currently practices with the law firm of Malek & Malek in Torrance, California. He focuses on representing mortgage...
Mr. Millard practices in the area of international finance, representing foreign and domestic financial institutions and corporations.
In the real estate area, he has represented banks in structuring and implementing construction loans, covering such varied and specialized projects as hotels, government buildings, casinos and health care facilities. He has also represented thrift and...
As a founding partner of Margolis & Tisman, Mr. Margolis handles class actions and other complex cases, including fraud in international joint ventures; other international trade disputes; sexual harassment, employment discrimination and other employment disputes; unfair competition and misappropriation of intellectual property; disputes relating to real estate, commercial, and secured...
Krista Kline is currently the Urban Planning & Design Coordinator with Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa’s Office in the City of Los Angeles. She handles urban planning and land use issues for the Mayor’s Office, including designing an economic development strategy for Transit Oriented Development at station sites and along major transportation corridors. She is also the staff lead...
Jim Childs practices in the business transactions area, with emphasis on corporate, real estate, and partnership transactions. His practice involves corporate acquisitions, both taxable and tax free, real estate transactions, LLC matters, tax planning, and real estate taxation. Jim is a member of the State Bar of California (past chairperson of the Tax Section) and the Los Angeles County Bar...
Mr. Garcetti served as District Attorney from 1992 to 2000. During his tenure as a District Attorney, Garcetti emphasized prosecution of family violence, stalking, hate crimes, workers compensation fraud, welfare fraud, gang violence, truancy, and child-support violations. He created a number of new programs to stiffen enforcement in these areas, including the Family Violence Division, the...
Ms. Schmoyer has over twenty years' experience as a litigation and transactional paralegal, and has been associated with the Los Angeles City Attorney’s office as a paralegal with the Real Property/Environment Division since 1998. Prior to joining the City Attorney’s office, she was associated as a paralegal with several major law firms in Los Angeles and Dallas, Texas. She...
One of the most experienced and innovative sports marketing minds in the United States, with an accomplished twenty-year track record in sports marketing, ticket sales, and corporate partnerships, Mr. Hunter oversees the day-to-day operation of Chivas USA, a Major League Soccer team based in Los Angeles.
Mr. Hunter joined Chivas USA from AEG, one of the world's leading sports and...
As president of the LA Sports & Entertainment Commission (LASEC), Ms. Schloessman oversees and manages the day-to-day operations of the Commission, which acts as the official organization for the City of Los Angeles to seek, host, promote, and retain special sports and entertainment events such as Super Bowls, Grammy Awards and All-Star games. LASEC actively works to maintain Los Angeles...
Eric Affeldt is responsible for all aspects of domestic and international operations for ClubCorp, “The World Leader in Private Clubs.” Founded in 1957, Dallas-based ClubCorp is the world leader in delivering premier golf, private club, and resort experiences. Internationally, ClubCorp’s affiliates own or operate nearly 170 golf courses, country clubs, private business and...
Dr. Miric is an orthopedic surgeon at Kaiser Permanente and serves on its Performance Improvement, Risk Management, and Surgical Services committees. He is the Physician Director for the Surgical Services Quality Committee. Dr. Miric holds a BS in Psychobiology from the University of California, Los Angeles, and an MD from Johns Hopkins.
In addition to his medical practice, Dr. Miric is...
Bob Graziano is Managing Partner of the Wealth Advisory Services Group at Northern Trust. The Wealth Advisory Services Group provides investment management and financial consulting services to successful individuals and coordinates their overall financial services needs.
Prior to joining Northern, Bob spent eighteen years with the Los Angeles Dodgers, during which time he served six...
Mr. Treiger is Managing Director of JadeRock Development Corp., a company with a primary focus on real estate and entertainment/media projects in the People’s Republic of China. He further serves as a Special Advisor to the Chairman of RockVest Group of Investors and sits on the Board of Directors of Graffeo Coffee, Asia.
Brian is Co-Chairman, Los Angeles Committee on Foreign...
As Founder and Chairman of Panda Restaurant Group (PRG), the parent company of Panda Inn, Panda Express and Hibachi-San, Andrew Cherng has created a company that strongly believes in its mission “To deliver exceptional Asian dining experiences by building an organization where people are inspired to better their lives.” Andrew’s inside-out approach to both his personal and...
Steven Mann joined Wells Fargo in 1994 and is currently the Beverly Hills Regional Manager of The Private Bank. Mr. Mann oversees Investment Management, Brokerage, Trust, Banking and Credit services for wealthy individuals and families.
Prior to joining Wells Fargo, Mr. Mann was Vice President of Bank of California’s Trust & Investment Management Group. In 1984 Steve joined...
Mr. Hudson is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Broadway Federal Bank, a financial institution dedicated to serving diverse ethnic markets and reinvesting in inner-city communities. Broadway Federal has assets exceeding $300 million and operates four full service branches serving the South Central and Mid-City Los Angeles market since 1947.
Prior to joining Broadway Federal in...
Nicholas H. Stonnington is President of Stonnington Group, LLC which was founded in 2004 and is headquartered in Los Angeles. It is a Registered Investment Advisor registered with and regulated by the SEC; a Broker/Dealer member of NASD/SIPC; and an insurance agency. The firm offers a platform providing preeminent services for wealth management, benefits administration, and private equity....
Jeffrey S. Levine, President, Levine Management Group, Inc. is a recognized specialist in real estate management and the construction and development of multifamily and senior citizen apartment communities. Over the years, the firm has managed in excess of $100,000,000 of real estate from pre-design through the completion of construction. Levine Management Group, Inc. currently manages in...
Jack B. Corwin is the founder and President of Huntington Holdings, Inc. and Huntington Securities, LLC. Mr. Corwin has primarily acquired mature manufacturing and distribution businesses that have had profitable histories. Industries in which he has acquired companies include sporting goods, hardware, construction equipment, rubber and tire, welding equipment, and industrial controls....
Edward J. Carpenter serves as Chairman and CEO of Carpenter and Company, a California-based investment bank and consulting firm. Carpenter & Company serves more than 1,100 depository institutions. The firm has completed initial and secondary equity offerings totaling more than $8 billion, advised on 250 mergers and acquisitions and provided regulatory consulting, management and strategic...
The Martin Group is one of the largest and most active real estate investment companies in California with a total portfolio exceeding $3 billion. The firm's real estate projects include office buildings (high-rise, mid-rise, low-rise); research & development buildings; retail centers; apartment buildings; single family housing; land developments; mixed-use developments; new...
Andrew Gross is Vice President of Development at Thomas Safran & Associates. Mr. Gross is experienced in many aspects of affordable and market rate housing development, including finance, government agency negotiations, and project management through planning, design and construction.
Prior to joining the team, Mr. Gross worked as an associate at a Los Angeles based investment...
Mr. Strouse is currently the Chief Operating Officer of William Howard Taft University and Dean of the University’s Bernard Witkin School of Law. Mr. Strouse has over two decades of experience in private post-secondary education, having previously held executive positions in two institutions and provided legal and consulting services to numerous others. He is responsible for regulatory...
Dr. Bernie Luskin has pioneered many new programs in education. Some examples include the Webcast continuing education program for healthcare professionals, the High Hopes program for educationally handicapped, the Emeritus Institute at Coastline College, the Center for the Partially Sighted, and many variations of distributed and adult learning programs, including the launch of the first PhD...
Dr. Armen Orujyan is Founder and Chairman of the Board of Athgo Corporation since 1999. For over a decade, Armen has been developing and providing social entrepreneurial platforms for young people with leading global institutions. These efforts have included coordination with the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs; UN NGO Section; UN University; UN Office of the High...
Bill Simon is co-chairman of William E. Simon & Sons, LLC. The firm, which he co-founded in 1988 with his brother and father, William E. Simon, Sr., former United States Treasury Secretary, has built and manages a diverse and significant investment portfolio, with holdings in real estate, private equity and fixed-income securities.
Mr. Simon also co-founded a successful...
