september 30-october 13, 2014

September 30-October 13, 2014 lbbusinessjournal.com

HealthWiseThe Future

Of Childhold Cancer

See Page 28

The College

Of Business

Administration

At CSULB

Laying A Foundation

For Engagement At

Work And For Future

Well-Being • See Pg. 4

Long Beach Business Journal2599 E. 28th Street, Suite 212Signal Hill, CA 90755-2139562/988-1222 • www.lbbusinessjournal.com

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� By BRANDON FERGUSON

Staff Writer

W hat – if anything – dowe owe the past? This

was the question that framed arecent discussion held at the LosAlamitos Historic Ranch andGardens, focusing on what thefuture holds for California. A panel of three futurists was

convened to discuss the matter,

Entertainment PermittingDowntown Task Force To Revise Recommendations After CommunityInput, But The $5,000 Conditional Use Permit Cost Expected To Remain

(Please Continue To Page 8)

State’s FutureConversationsPanelists PresentPerspectives On California

Learn More AboutDepartment Directors ForThe City Of Long Beach

See Pgs 30-31

“If [a company] wants to relocate

to a place where they are going to

be a successful, future-oriented

business, they need a creative

workforce. And part of drawing

that group of people to want

to live in Long Beach is

the arts scene.”

Victoria Bryan, Executive DirectorArts Council For Long Beach

Focus On The Arts In Long Beach


InsidePages 13-24 (Pull-out section)

The East Village Arts District

The Emerging Zaferia Arts Community

A World Of Asian Art AtAssistance League Office

City Councilmembers RespondTo A Question About The Arts

� By BRANDON FERGUSON

Staff Writer

L ong Beach city officials arehoping they’ll soon be able

to develop one of the largest col-lections of former redevelopmentagency (RDA) land in the state.It’s an effort they hope will attractretail businesses to the city andshore up sagging sales tax rev-enues. A newly configured city

department, known as the eco-nomic and property developmentdepartment, was recently formed

at the behest of Mayor RobertGarcia to strategically dispose ofthe city’s 259 RDA parcels. Thedepartment is currently awaitingapproval of a long-range propertymanagement plan (LRPMP) fromthe state before it can begin devel-oping the parcels. A spokesmanfor the California Department ofFinance recently told the Business

Journal that the state’s review isnearly complete.Mayor Robert Garcia suggested

formation of the economic andproperty development departmentas part of his Fiscal Year 2015budget recommendations. Therecommendation called for thenew department to assume direct

City Manager Patrick West, left, with Michael Conway, director of the city’s newlyformed economic and property development department. One of the department’sresponsibilities is to oversee of the disposition of the city’s 259 former redevelop-ment parcels once the state department of finance rules on the city’s plan.(Photograph by the Business Journal’s Thomas McConville)

(Please Continue To 2)

� By SAMANTHA MEHLINGER

Senior Writer

A fter a year-long morato-rium on the issuance of

certain business permits in theDowntown Dining &Entertainment District, a taskforce of community stakeholdersreleased recommendations forchanging the entertainment per-mitting process in the district. The business and entertainment

community met those recommen-dations with questions and con-cerns at a public meeting onAugust 21, as well as in direct cor-respondence to the task force. Themoratorium has been extendedanother six months by the LongBeach City Council, and the taskforce intends to take that time torevaluate its recommendationsand conduct more public outreach,according to a city representative.

Last September, a moratoriumwas placed on the issuance ofentertainment permits to busi-nesses with Type 48 ABC liquor

licenses, which apply to bar andnightclub-type establishmentsthat don’t serve food, in theDowntown Dining &

Entertainment District. The pur-pose was to allow a group of com-munity stakeholders consisting ofsix area residents and two busi-ness owners to revaluate the poli-cies governing the issuance ofentertainment permits in the dis-trict, and to recommend changes. Perhaps the most controversial

Economic DevelopmentFuture Development Seeks To Stanch The Loss Of TaxRevenue, According To New Department Head Conway

Shea Newkirk (left) and Eric Gray, members of the Long Beach Music Council, stand outside of Harvelle’s, a jazz club at201 E. Broadway in Downtown Long Beach. The Blue Café, a former popular music venue, was previously located in thebuilding above Harvelle’s before it closed a few years ago. Newkirk and Gray have concerns that a task force re-examiningentertainment permitting processes in the Downtown Dining & Entertainment District might create burdensome costs to inde-pendent music venues in the area. (Photograph by the Business Journal’s Thomas McConville)


1_LBBJ_Sept30_SectionA_LBBJ MASTER LAYOUT 9/29/14 2:35 PM Page 1

INSIDE THIS ISSUE2 Long Beach Business Journal September 30-October 13, 2014

4 Newswatch4-City Council Study Session On New Civic Center4-Long Beach City Hall News In Brief7-Long Beach Revives Zero Emission Bus Project10-MemorialCare Part Of New Anthem Blue Cross System

13 Focus On The Arts In Long Beach(Pull-out section)

26 Real Estate26-Leases And Transaction27-Apartment Association Members Recognized

28 PerspectiveRealty ViewsWill Loan Regulations Be Eased? By Terry RossEffective Leadership Look For The Loose BricksBy Mick UklejaHealthWise The Future Of Childhood Cancer By Dr. Amanda TermuhlenThird Sector Report Interim Leadership: A StrategicNonprofit Solution By Jeffrey Wilcox

30 City Management(Department Directors - Clip And Save)

InsertProgram For The October 12Long Beach InternationalCity Bank Marathon –30th Anniversary!

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NEWSWATCH4 Long Beach Business Journal September 30-October 13, 2014

Council Holds The First In ASeries Of Study Sessions ToDiscuss Civic Center Rebuild

� By BRANDON FERGUSONStaff Writer

On September 16, the city council convened at Long BeachCity College for a special study session focused on a plan tobuild a new civic center building. The meeting was the first ina series of community meetings to be held before the councilvotes on whether or not to select a company to design, build andmaintain a new civic center complex. The meeting set aboutbringing the new council up to speed on the history of the planto build a new civic center, which seismic studies have shownis in danger of collapse in the event of a large earthquake. Addressing the council, City Manager Patrick West said

the discussion wasn’t a matter of city staff merely lookingto get a pretty new building.“We’re here because we have a faulty city hall facility and

a worse library. We’ve known this since 2005. We’ve hadtwo separate seismic reports from separate experts that havebeen telling us this,” West said.Prior to council comments, Mike Conway, director of the

economic and property development department, gave apresentation laying out the history of the civic centerrebuild. It began in 2000 when city officials became awareof extensive water damage due to a leaky roof in the mainlibrary, which is located in the civic center. At that time,efforts to revision the civic center began. Following Hurricane Katrina in 2005, municipalities

across the country were required to assess infrastructure andfacilities. Two FEMA life safety studies conducted in 2005and 2006 found that the city hall building did not meet theguidelines for seismic sufficiency or safe exiting followinga seismic event. Weak welds were discovered on the build-ing’s wings, which contain stairwells. The studies found thewings might sheer off or collapse in an earthquake.Conway explained that city staff looked at three alterna-

tives to deal with the problem, including seismic retrofitand relocating the civic center to another location. Bothoptions he said posed problems and couldn’t be done with-out a general obligation bond leading to a raise in taxes.He added that even with a retrofit, the building couldbecome uninhabitable in the event of an earthquake.Ultimately, staff is recommending a public-private partner-

ship in which the city would pay $12.5 million annually to theproject builder, the same amount the city currently pays formaintenance of the civic center. The city would in effect leasethe new building from the builder for a period of 40 years.Following Conway’s presentation, councilmembers were

given an opportunity to ask questions. Third DistrictCouncilmember Suzie Price asked Conway what the likely riskis to staff and visitors who currently inhabit the building daily.He said the risk correlates to whenever an earthquake strikes.“That’s something we can’t predict,” he said.Al Austin, councilmember for the 8th District was direct

in his questioning.“Why are we still in the building?”Conway explained that staff has been looking for an alter-

native since 2005 but was stymied by the great recession.“We’ve now found a procurement process that we think

can successfully result in a new city hall and main librarywithout a burden on the taxpayer, and we are moving for-ward with that process as fast as we can,” Conway said.Two project designers are currently being considered for

the civic center project: Plenary-Edgemoor Civic Partnersof Costa Mesa and Long Beach CiviCore Alliance. A thirddesigner, Related California, was also under considerationbut dropped out of the bidding process in March. The city council plans to hold two more community study

sessions, one on October 14 in council chambers at 4 p.m.,and another one on November 11 in Houghton Park at 4p.m. The two companies bidding to design the civic centerwill be in attendance. Mayor Robert Garcia has stated publicly that, if the council

votes to award a contract to one of the designers following thestudy sessions, there will be an extensive public review processincluding online forums and council district meetings. �

Long Beach City Hall News In Brief


Business License Waiver – On September 23, the councilvoted 8-0 to direct City Manager Patrick West to provide areport to the council within 30 days identifying the fiscalimpact of waiving business license fees for new businesses intheir first year. Third District Councilmember Suzie Pricebrought the agenda item before the council with the supportof 5th District Councilmember Stacy Mungo and 7th DistrictCouncilmember Roberto Uranga. Price said she was moved topropose the item after hearing the stories of people who havestruggled to start a business.“What you routinely hear is that [small businesses] get hit

from every direction and that it’s very stressful and difficultfor them to get established because they’re paying fees to getestablished to all sorts of entities,” Price said.She added that the study would not consider waiving

assessment fees charged by business improvement districts.During discussion of the agenda item, councilmembers gener-ally expressed their support for the study. Ninth DistrictCouncilmember Rex Richardson said that, with the loss oftools like redevelopment, a business license waiver could be agood incentive to get people to invest in the city. He cau-tioned, however, that the study should be thorough in lookingat potential fraud such as people who might apply for multiplebusiness licenses every few years.“Let’s make sure we evaluate that in this study so we

don’t create a loophole that we have to get ourselves out of,”Richardson said. Councilmember Patrick O’Donnell wasabsent for the vote.Belmont Pool Permitting –At its September 23 meeting, the

city council voted 8-0 to initiate a consolidated coastal develop-ment permit process in connection with the demolition of theBelmont Pool. Closed in January 2013 due to seismic issues,the Belmont Pool is located within two coastal jurisdictions: thestate permit jurisdiction, overseen by the California CoastalCommission (CCC), and the city’s local coastal program juris-diction. In order for the reconstruction of the pool to continue,two separate coastal development permits are required, a situa-tion that city staff said can lead to potential confusion. A con-solidation of the permitting process under the CCC’s review isbeing recommended as the most efficient means of coastalapproval. Councilmember O’Donnell was absent for the vote.Custodial Services – ABM Onsite Services-West, Inc. was

awarded a two-year contract not to exceed $1,007,738 to pro-vide custodial services at various locations throughout the city.The council supported, with an 8-0 vote, the recommendationby the department of finance to approve the contract. ABM pro-vides custodial services in more than 75 buildings operated bylibrary services, parks recreation and marine, police, fire, andpublic works, among others. The previous contract expired onApril 30. The new contract will last for two years and the cityhas the option to renew for two additional one-year periods.Houghton Park – The council voted 8-0 to award a con-

tract to Studio Pali Fekete Architects for the design of theHoughton Park Community Center Project. The total amountof the contract is not to exceed $1,351,192.North Branch Library – By a vote of 8-0, the council

voted to award a contract for construction management serv-ices of the North Branch Library to Vanir ConstructionManagement Inc. of Los Angeles. The total amount of thecontract is not to exceed $1,197,372. The first phase of con-struction is scheduled to begin in November. Civil Marriages – On September 19, Gov. Jerry Brown

signed AB 1525, which allows California city clerks to per-form marriages. The bill was authored by AssemblymemberBonnie Lowenthal and sponsored by the City of Long Beach. According to a press release issued by the city, following the

overturn of the ban on gay marriages by the U.S. Supreme

Laying A FoundationFor EngagementAt Work And ForFuture Well-Being

In fall 2014, 463 new fresh-men and 562 transfer studentsjoined the CBA family. Wealso welcomed seven newtenure-track faculty mem-bers; three in Accountancy,two in Strategy, one inQuantitative Methods, andone in Supply ChainManagement. We continue tostrive to achieve our academicpurpose of providing studentswith highly-valued degrees.

Recently, Gallup and Purdue University con-ducted a survey that examined engagement at workand overall well-being for 30,000 college gradu-ates. Engagement was measured as being intellec-tually and emotionally connected with the organi-zation and colleagues, doing what one is best at,liking the job, and caring about one’s career devel-opment. Well-being was measured as finding ful-fillment in daily work, having strong social rela-tionships, feeling financially secure, being physi-cally healthy, and engaging with one’s community.The likelihood of being engaged at work was 2-

3 times higher if college prepared students for lifeafter graduation, if professors cared for or excitedstudents about learning, if there were mentors orinternships, if a project took a semester or more tocomplete, or if students actively engaged inclubs/organizations. A surprising finding was thatif students were engaged at work, the likelihood ofa higher level of well-being increased by 4.6 times.Many CBA activities lay a foundation for

engagement at work – and by extension, for futurewell-being. Our faculty is passionate about teach-ing and about our students. CBA’s 12 studentclubs are strong and managed/led by studentsthemselves. Our Student Center for ProfessionalDevelopment manages the Corporate MentoringProgram and internships. Our Student LeadershipInstitute, International Collegiate BusinessStrategy Competition, Innovation Challenge, andBoeing Case Competition provide opportunitiesfor in-depth business projects.Previous stories in this series have featured

many of these activities, and CBA’s goal has beento extend the classroom to enhance career suc-cess. By doing so, we are also advancing our stu-dents’ work engagement – and significantlyboosting their overall future well-being.If the American Dream embodies freedom and

the opportunity for prosperity, success, and upwardsocial mobility achieved through hard work, thenCBA plays a wonderful role in improving our stu-dents’ lives. I am filled with pride at how our facultyand staff are committed to promoting our students’future success and how our students are alwaysreceptive to the tools that will propel them forward.(The College of Business Administration at Cal

State Long Beach is an AACSB accredited busi-ness school that provides undergraduates andMBAs with the knowledge and skills necessary tobe successful in their careers and to propel theeconomic development of our region.) �

By Dr. Michael Solt,Dean, College of Business

Administration

(Please Continue To Next Page)


NEWSWATCHSeptember 30-October 13, 2014 Long Beach Business Journal 5

Court, the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder temporarily granted city clerksthe authority to conduct civil marriage cer-emonies. The temporary two-month author-ity was immensely popular. In Long Beach,the city clerk conducted 65 ceremonies.“This is a great day for Long Beach, love

and equality,” Mayor Robert Garcia said ina statement. “I am proud that city clerkscan begin offering civil marriages. I wantto thank the state legislature and GovernorBrown for enacting this law.”Couples wishing to get married at Long

Beach City Hall can take advantage of thenew law beginning midnight on January 1,2015. For more information, call 570-6101.Successor Agency – The successor

agency to the former redevelopment agencymet on September 16 to discuss transfer of10 former redevelopment agency propertiesto the City of Long Beach. Included in thediscussion was the transfer of Harvey MilkPark, located in the 1st District, as well asparcels located at 652½ Alamitos Avenue.The council voted to approve the transfer ofeach property pursuant to the approval ofthe California Department of Finance. Thecity currently has 259 former redevelop-ment properties slated for different usesincluding future development and immedi-ate sale. The properties discussed at theSeptember 16 meeting are slated for gov-ernment use, primarily park space.

USS Ranger – The city council voted 8-0

on September 16 to conduct a study to deter-mine the feasibility of bringing the USSRanger to the Port of Long Beach. The coun-cil also directed City Attorney Charles Parkinto prepare a resolution stating the city has aninterest in bringing the Ranger, a decommis-sioned aircraft carrier, to the port. Vice MayorLowenthal was absent during the vote.Taxiway Access – The council voted 8-

0 to adopt plans to rehabilitate the accessto taxiways E and F of the Long BeachAirport. The contract to conduct the workwas awarded to Griffith Company ofSanta Fe Springs in the amount of$2,584,744. A 25 percent contingencywas authorized, bringing the total amountof the contract to $3,230,930.

Modern Intersections –A 7-0 vote by thecouncil awarded a contract to the FlatironElectric Group to modernize three city inter-sections. The selected intersections willincorporate advanced communication andcontrol systems, signal equipment andimproved lighting. According to city docu-ments, the intersections are on OceanBoulevard at Junipero Avenue, CherryAvenue and Temple Avenue. The totalamount of the contract is not to exceed$2,458,010. Available grant funding from theL.A. County Metropolitan TransportationAuthority will be used to pay for a portion ofthe project. Councilmembers Lowenthal andO’Donnell were absent for the vote.




Disposal Services –The council voted 7-0to award contracts to Consolidated DisposalServices and EDCO Transport Services forreceiving, processing and disposal services.The amount of the contract is not to exceed$1,540,000 for a period of two years. Thecouncil authorized an option to renew thecontract for two additional one-year periods.Election Practices – The city council

received a report from City AttorneyCharles Parkin offering his recommenda-tions to update the city’s current electionpractices. Among these recommendationswas an amendment to the term of the elec-tion cycle to allow additional time for candi-dates to retire their debt. The council voted8-0 to direct City Attorney Parkin to preparethe amendments and return to the councilfor a first reading. Items that require a voteof the people, including an adjustment of thelimit on contributions from persons, werereturned to the Election OversightCommittee for further discussion.Uranga Appointment –The city council

voted 8-0 to approve CouncilmemberUranga’s appointment to the South CoastAir Quality Management District.Council In The Park – Tonight,

(September 30), Vice Mayor Lowenthalinvites residents to stop by the BixbyFarmer’s Market for “Council in the Park.”She will be on hand to visit with neighborswhile they shop. and give out householdrecycling bags for residents to collect used

batteries before dropping them off at thecity’s household hazardous waste collectioncenter. Residents will also have a chance todiscuss the types of play equipment andthemes they would like to see in Bixby Park’snew playground. The event begins at 5:30p.m. The Bixby Farmer’s Market is at BixbyPark, which is located at 130 Cherry Ave.Council Chambers Dark – There is no

city council meeting tonight (September30) as the council doesn’t meet the lastTuesday of the month.Planning Commission – On this

Thursday, October 2, the planning commis-sion considers a categorical exemption andapproval of a site plan review request todemolish two single-story buildings andconstruct two single-story commercialbuildings. The new buildings will house abank and fast food restaurant. The site islocated on the east side of Cherry Avenuenear the intersection of Del Amo Boulevard. Ready Long Beach – On October 4 the

Long Beach Community EmergencyResponse Team (CERT) presents the com-munity preparedness expo at HeartwellPark. The event, which is geared towardraising awareness about emergency pre-paredness, features a shakey quakey house,fire safety demonstrations, emergencyvehicle displays as well as an opportunityto purchase emergency supplies and equip-ment. The event begins at 10 a.m.Heartwell Park is located at 5801 ParkcrestSt. For more information, [email protected]. �

City Hall News In Brief(Continued From Previous Page)



Long Beach TransitBoard Revives Zero Emission Bus Project


Senior Writer

Six months after Long Beach Transitcanceled its contract with Chinese-basedbus manufacturer Build Your Dreams(BYD) for the production of 10 zero-emis-sion buses, the transit agency is rebiddingthe project.During a September 22 meeting, the

Long Beach Transit Board of Directorsvoted to re-solicit a request for proposalsfor the project, which is to be funded witha $9.6 million Transit Investments forGreenhouse Gas and Energy Reductiongrant from the Federal TransitAdministration (FTA). Long Beach Transit and BYD were

forced to cancel their contract in March ofthis year after the FTA notified them thatthe bus company did not meet the FTA’sDisadvantaged Business Enterpriserequirements at the time the project wasawarded, meaning that the grant was notapplicable to the contract. The contract with BYD was plagued

with difficulties, from questions about the

company’s ability to meet Buy Americarequirements, first brought to light by theBusiness Journal, to manufacturing prob-lems and snowballing time delays. Thenthere was the matter of charges broughtagainst BYD by the state labor department,alleging the company had paid employeesin Lancaster with inaccurate or incompleteitemized wage statements and failed to pro-vide two 10-minute rest breaks duringwork shifts. Those citations were upheldbut the financial penalties for them wereultimately reduced. Media attention onthese issues eventually caused BYD to hirethe high profile attorney Lanny J. Davis tohandle public relations matters.At the September board meeting, Long

Beach Transit President and CEO KennethMcDonald said responses to the request forproposals would be due within threemonths. “I want to personally say I am very

excited about this project. I am verypleased we are going out to bid,” FredaHinsche Otto, president of the transitboard, said at the meeting. “I am very muchlooking forward to having alternative fuelvehicles on the streets of Long Beach.”BYD representatives have previously

indicated to the Business Journal that thecompany intends to re-bid on the project.A representative from BYD’s competitor,

American bus manufacturer Proterra, toldthe Business Journal, “Proterra is evaluat-ing the opportunity as it does with allpotential new business.” �



including the owner of the advertising firmInterTrend, Julia Huang; ChapmanUniversity urban studies professor andauthor Joel Kotkin; and Gustavo Arellano,editor-in-chief of OC Weekly. During the two-hour long discussion –

part of the Rancho’s “Conversations InPlace 2014” series – moderated by authorDon Waldie, the conversation wound itsway through various topics including theimportance of cultural literacy, creating asense of place in Southern California andthe state’s dwindling middle class.

More than a 100 people gathered in thehistoric building to listen to panelistsrecount their own unique perspectives onthe history of California and where thestate is headed in a rapidly changing world. Huang, the Japanese born daughter of

Taiwanese parents, was selected as one ofFortune’s top 10 most promising entrepre-neurs in 2014. Twenty-one years ago shefounded Long Beach-based InterTrendCommunications, which advertises toAsian audiences. She described her inspi-ration to go into the advertising field – adisastrous attempt by Kentucky FriedChicken to advertise to Asians. Sheexplained the company’s trademark slogan“finger lickin’ good” translated roughly to“eat your fingers off.” “I looked at it and said, ‘I can do better

than this,’” Huang said of her decision tofound InterTrend.Though there were moments of levity,

such as when Arellano expressed his fond-ness for strip malls as a good source of hid-den culinary jewels, Kotkin’s descriptionsof California as a withering, failed Utopiawere more sobering. Ominously he saidSouthern California was squandering thethings it had built and was essentially wag-ing war with the past.Kotkin explained that Los Angeles was

intentionally designed as a dispersedmetropolis unlike any other in the world.“The idea was to create something that

worked with our climate, that worked withhow we actually wanted to live. And thatreally was to be the basis of what made LAa great city,” Kotkin said.

Unlike the city of Manhattan, which iscomprised of one massive (and expen-sive) center of life, Los Angeles’ far-flungcommunities surrounded what Kotkinreferred to as “multi-polar business cen-ters,” which made for a strong economy.He argued that by the 1980s Los Angeleshad hit its high point economically andwas a magnet for talented people acrossthe world.“What ultimately L.A. offered was an

opportunity for people who came fromelsewhere [to] get something better,”Kotkin said. But, he added, this is no longer the case. “Since 1990, there’s no region in the

United States that’s done more poorly inrecovering the jobs that it had,” Kotkinstated. “Since this recession, we’re about100,000 jobs down. Where, for instance,Houston . . . they’re up 200,000 jobs.”Kotkin went on to explain that the tech-

nology sector in Southern Californiathrived in 1982 and boasted the largest con-centration of scientists and engineers in theworld. Now, as the Southland hemorrhagestechnology jobs, the field continues togrow in places like Seattle. The problem for California, explained

Kotkin, is that the region has fostered ahostile and overregulated business climate,forcing existing companies out of the stateto more hospitable regions while discour-aging new talent from coming to the area.He referred specifically to Toyota’s recentdecision to close its Torrance facility andits move to Dallas.“What we’ve been doing is, we’ve been

getting rid of our middle-class jobs, so thenwe’re left with this situation where peopleare really not coming [here] anymore,”Kotkin said.But providing a stark counterpoint to

Kotkin’s presentation, Arellano criticizedwhat he described as doom-and-gloom pre-dictions from the political class that arguesCalifornia is headed for a dystopian future.He also took exception to Kotkin’s “loveaffair” with Texas.“Yeah, they’re getting all these jobs, and

they’re getting all this population. ButTexas ain’t California,” Arellano said.Far from creeping toward a future like

the one portrayed in the film BladeRunner, Arellano said California is in factin the midst of a high point. He said thiswas a common perspective for people ofhis generation, who are the children ofimmigrants.“This is the best time we’ve ever had.

This is a time where finally, in one way oranother, we’re all kind of at the samelevel,” Arellano said.Referring to Huang’s discussion about

advertising to Asians, Arellano explainedthat, in order for a person to predict thefuture of the region, they will need tohave some level of understanding of othercultures.“If you want to know where the future of

Southern California is, you have to keepculturally literate,” Arellano said. Responding to the question of whether

he felt a sense of place here in California,Arellano expressed an existential andoptimistic take on how people shouldconsciously create a sense of space. Hespoke of growing up in Orange County,

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Panelists PresentPerspectives OnCalifornia’s Future(Continued From Page 1)




which many of his friends – viewing it asbland and lacking identity – left, makingtheir way to places like Austin and SanFrancisco. “I’ve tried to let my generation know

[that] here in Orange County, even ifyou don’t like it, if you want OrangeCounty to not be Orange County, thenstay here and let’s make something ofit.” Arellano said.Toward the end of the discussion, when

panelists were asked to give their predic-tions on where California will be in 10years, Kotkin alluded to the death of thestate’s corporate culture and said it wouldbe up to self-employed entrepreneurs torebuild the economy.“I think it’s going to be a very different

place. But the question is, will we havesuch a terrible regulatory environment thatthese things will not be able to grow?”Kotkin asked.Arellano expressed an admittedly more

optimistic outlook and argued that, as longas a people hustle and have an entrepre-neurial spirit, they can succeed, even intough regulatory environments.“You can either say ‘I’m going to go

some place that doesn’t have any regula-tions’ and just make it easier or put achallenge in front of yourself and makesomething of it,” Arellano said, adding, “Ithink in a way the great recession hasbeen great for the United States because

people are finally realizing you can’t justexpect a break to be handed to you. Youabsolutely have to work for it.”Huang echoed Arellano’s sentiment, but

added that regulation makes it tough forbusiness owners. But when asked whereshe saw herself in 10 years, she said shebelieved she would still be in Long Beach.“You suck it up,” she said. “We want to

be in Long Beach. We want to be inSouthern California.”“Converstions In Place 2014,” now in its

third year, continues October 19 from 1:30-3:30 p.m. Panelists Jonathan Gold, JarenFarmer and Jon Christensen discuss“Urban Nature Isn’t What You Think.” Formore information, visit www.rancholos-alamitos.com. �

We believe in being fully engaged with our business customers and taking the time to understand their needs—it’s a partnership

based on trust, integrity and personal involvement.

businessmadepersonal

International City Bank | 249 E. Ocean Blvd. Long Beach, CA 90802 | 562. 436. 9800 | www.icb.biz MEMBER FDIC

Treasure Hunt AtLocal Businesses ThisSaturday, October 4,Benefits Long Beach

PlayhouseThe East Anaheim Street Business

Alliance (EASBA) is hosting the 2ndAnnual Discover East Long BeachTreasure Hunt this Saturday, October 4,at 9:30 a.m. The hunt begins in theFarmers & Merchants parking lot at3140 E. Anaheim St., where participantswill be given a set of clues. Searching foranswers along East Anaheim Streetbetween Junipero Avenue and PacificCoast Highway, participants will findprizes and be able to collect raffle ticketsfrom businesses along the way. All par-ticipants are to receive a T-shirt, snacks,water and the chance to win prizes val-ued at $5,000. Lunch and activities awaitat the finish line. All funds collectedfrom the $20 registration fee benefit theLong Beach Playhouse. “As we preparefor our 2nd annual event, this will be anexcellent opportunity to introduce peo-ple to all the hidden gems within ourbusiness corridor while supporting oneof Long Beach’s oldest nonprofits, theLong Beach Playhouse,” EASBAPresident Rod Wilson said in a state-ment. “With all proceeds going to thePlayhouse, this event will raise much-needed funds to support the arts in ourlocal community,” Long BeachPlayhouse Executive Director AndrewVonderschmitt stated. To register, visitwww.easba.com or call 562/494-3800.

– By Senior Writer Samantha Mehlinger

Long Beach-Based DentalGroup To Participate In Covered California

Dental Health Services (DHS), founded inLong Beach 40 years ago, has been selectedby the California Health Benefit Exchangeto participate in the state’s health insuranceexchange, Covered California, in 2015.The dental group is to be a part of the

individual marketplace of the exchange.According to a release from DHS, the com-pany is to offer the “only employee-owned,prepaid dental plan” through CoveredCalifornia. “Our entire organization looks forward to

partnering with Covered California to offer

consumers more choice with the new fam-ily dental plans,” Josh Nace, DHS’s execu-tive vice president said in a statement. “Weare proud of the trust Covered Californiahas placed in DHS and look forward todelivering excellent service and dental ben-efits of the highest quality to California.”Founded by Godfrey Pernell, DDS, in

1974, DHS was, according top its website,one of the “first companies to specialize inthe provision of prepaid dental plans, settingindustry standards in service and care. Theconcept – prepaid dentistry – represented anew, effective way to deliver quality andaffordable dental care. Dr. Pernell had 1,500appointments scheduled before his doorsopened. ‘We really had a tiger by the tail,’says Dr. Pernell of those early years.” �



� By STEVE STELPFLUGContributing Writer

For employers, being able to offeraffordable and quality health care bene-fits to employees makes a huge differ-ence when vying to recruit and retain toptalent. Similarly, employees who have access

to a health plan that offers low cost ofentry, minimum co-pays and access toone of the most highly rated physicianand hospital networks in the nation is anopportunity rarely found in today’s work-place.When these two elements come

together, it’s a win-win for everyone, saysBarry Arbuckle, Ph.D., president andCEO of MemorialCare Health System inOrange and Los Angeles counties.“MemorialCare Health System, Anthem

Blue Cross and six other top hospital sys-tems have partnered to offer Anthem BlueCross Vivity, an integrated network offer-ing in Los Angeles and Orange counties,”Arbuckle says. “This is a first-in-the-nation partnership between an insurer andseven competing hospital systems whohave joined to enhance the health of allAnthem Blue Cross Vivity members.

“This is an unprecedented partnershipthat was created to provide employersand consumers with a unique healthcare offering,” Arbuckle says. “AnthemBlue Cross Vivity provides choice, con-venience and affordable access toexceptional physicians and hospitalsthroughout our region. MemorialCare ispleased to be part of this high-value,innovative plan.”The six other health systems include

Cedars-Sinai, Good Samaritan Hospital,Huntington Memorial Hospital, PIHHealth, Torrance Memorial MedicalCenter and UCLA Health.As one of the most unique managed

care plans to emerge in the past twodecades, Vivity continues the move awayfrom traditional fee-for-service reim-bursements that may incentivize increas-ing the volume of medical proceduresperformed by providers, and continuesthe trend of moving toward a structurethat financially rewards activities to keeppatients healthy, Arbuckle explains.“This is an exciting and historic time,”

says Pam Kehaly, western region presi-dent for Anthem Blue Cross. “This inno-vative venture creates a foundation thatwill significantly advance the delivery of

Closing The Gap: MemorialCareHealth System, Anthem Blue Cross

Announce Partnership To Serve LA/OC



medical care, while enhancing the careexperience for our members.”Another aspect of this plan is that it

creates a structure that contains built-inincentives to eliminate waste and redun-dancy and improve overall health, Kehalysays.“This delivery system places a huge

emphasis on preventative medicine,”Kehaly explains. “Longer-term value willcome from future improvements in effi-ciency and effectiveness enabled by suchthings as a common electronic medicalrecords system, shared care managementsystems, joint wellness resources and careprovisions.”“We are clearly focused on our mem-

ber’s long-term health,” Arbuckle says.“Another important focus is to simplifycosts and make them more predictable. “When Vivity members go to the doc-

tor, have a medical procedure or pick up aprescription, all they pay is their co-pay.They won’t have to worry about meetingdeductibles or having to decipher compli-cated medical bills,” he says. According to Kehaly, large group bro-

kers – representing employers with 50 ormore employees – can start requestingproposals as early as October 1, with cov-erage starting on January 1, 2015. “We anticipate a large response to this

plan offering,” Kehaly notes. “We areespecially pleased to be able to offer thisto local employers who want to make areal difference in the lives of theiremployees.” �

Open House Set InOctober To DiscussPlans For L.A. River

Bicycle System Business people and residents are

encouraged to attend an open house onOctober 23 to learn about the final con-struction plans for a federally fundedbicycle project known the “BicycleSystem Gap Closure and Improved LosAngeles River Bike Bath Access Project.”As proposed, according to a statement,

the project creates a continuous, con-nected bicycle route north/south in LongBeach. It features improvements toPacific Avenue and San Antonio Drive inthe Los Cerritos neighborhood of BixbyKnolls, and completes a section of bikelane on Del Amo Boulevard.Over the past year plus, numerous res-

idents of Bixby Knolls area have ques-tioned some of the changes called for inthe plan. Of particular concern were thecircular medians that would eliminateparking in front of homes and businesses.City staff will be on hand to discuss the

project and answer questions about theproject.The open house is scheduled from 6 to

8 p.m. on Thursday, October 23, aty theExpo Arts Center, 4321 Atlantic Ave.

– From Staff Reports

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oversight of the asset management bureauin public works. The move shifts sevenadditional staff to the new department.According to Garcia, the personnel shift isbudget neutral. Included in a booklet of hisrecommendations was Garcia’s explanationfor creating the new department.“This will provide the resources for the

city to strategically dispose of 259 parcelsof the former redevelopment agency,” thestatement read. “[And] provide a cohesivevision for how the city’s economic develop-ment efforts are implemented and realestate assets are managed, and provideadditional staff for the director to workwith the mayor, city council and city staffto achieve our economic goals.”The economic and property development

department is headed by Michael Conway,who has spent several years working for thecity both as public works director and,more recently, as the business and propertydevelopment director. City ManagerPatrick West explained Conway has astrong background in real estate.“When the redevelopment agency was

alive, Mike did all of the city’s propertyacquisitions and property dispositions,”West said. “He’s the one who guided usthrough the eminent domain process.”Many of the city’s former redevelop-

ment properties were acquired years agothrough eminent domain because theypresented constant problems for thepolice and fire departments. The city-owned lots are recognizable by white,two-rail fences surrounding them. TheLRPMP divides the 259 parcels into fourseparate categories based on how the cityplans to dispose of them: government use,enforceable obligations, properties forsale and future development. Accordingto Conway, the properties slated forfuture development will be used toincrease the city’s sales tax revenues.“We want to pursue the hopes and the

dreams of the neighborhoods through thestrategic guide in each of the project areas.We also want to match that up with theretail sectors that are bleeding sales tax,”Conway said, adding that city officials areconcerned Long Beach is falling behindthe rest of Los Angeles County when itcomes to generating sales tax revenues.At a recent city council meeting, 5th

District Councilmember Stacy Mungo,who also chairs the city’s economic devel-opment and finance committee, said lag-ging sales tax revenues were leading to theloss of $18 million annually. During themeeting, Mungo recommended drafting anew city ordinance that would have givenher and the mayor access to review thesales tax records of city businesses. Theitem did not pass, however.Conway said that his department hopes

that once development begins on formerRDA properties there will be a ripple effect

throughout the business community lead-ing to a surge in new business.When asked what the city plans to do

specifically to be more attractive to busi-nesses, Conway said city departments willcontinue to take a holistic approach to deal-ing with companies interested in coming toLong Beach.“I don’t want to say we’ll roll out the red

carpet, but we will absolutely cooperateand commit to cooperate to get businessesin as quickly as possible,” Conway said.As an example, he mentioned a business

that is in the process of setting up shop inthe Douglas Park area. Though he said hecouldn’t disclose the name of the business,he explained that during the applicationprocess several city departments includingplanning and building, development serv-ices and public works gathered together tomeet with the business to help figure outhow to expeditiously move the permittingprocess along.“We had a great group of people. They

looked at every aspect of the city and wesat down with this group and said, ‘whatdo you need, when do you need it by?’Let’s figure out how to get that done,”Conway said. Once the city is cleared to begin develop-

ing its former RDA properties, Conwayexplained that staff will continue discus-sions with developers that were interruptedby the 2012 dissolution of redevelopment.For the rest of the properties, a request forproposal (RFP) will be issued. And once development on RDA proper-

ties begins, Conway said he believes it willbe a strong signal to companies that LongBeach is open for business.“It’s going to be a great economic

driver. That in itself just creates collateraleffects of having other businesses comein. They’ll see all the investment that’sbeing done in the city,” Conway said. “Wethink that it’s going to be a real catalyst toget local businesses and maybe largerbusinesses looking at Long Beach.” �

Workshop On How ToApply For CaliforniaCompetes Tax CreditThe Governor’s Office of Business and

Economic Development (GO-Biz) is hostinga FREE workshop October 15 in the City ofCarson on the new California Competes TaxCredit. The workshop is scheduled from 9:30to 10:30 a.m. at the Carson CommunityCenter, 801 E. Carson St.Small, medium and large businesses

are encouraged to attend the workshopand receive instruction on how to applyfor this new tax credit program availablefrom the state. The program providesupwards of $151 million in tax creditsduring this fiscal year for businesses thatwant to expand their operations or relo-cate to California.The workshop is co-hosted by the cities

of Long Beach and Carson and the localchambers of commerce. �

Economic Development

Efforts Hope To Stop

Loss Of Retail Sales(Continued From Page 1)



Inside This Issue•Foster The Arts, Grow The City• Councilmembers Offer Their

Perspective On The Arts• East Village Arts District

Is A Hub Of Creativity• The Emerging Zaferia District

Arts Community• A World Of Asian Art At

Assistance League Office• Listings For 31 Arts And

Cultural Organizations

Inside This Issue•Foster The Arts, Grow The City• Councilmembers Offer Their

Perspective On The Arts• East Village Arts District

Is A Hub Of Creativity• The Emerging Zaferia District

Arts Community• A World Of Asian Art At

Assistance League Office• Listings For 31 Arts And

Cultural Organizations

“Seagrass” By Barbara Grygutis


FOCUS ON THE ARTS IN LONG BEACHSeptember 30-October 13, 2014 Long Beach Business Journal 15


Senior Writer

A s leadership at Long BeachCity Hall is placing anemphasis on economic devel-

opment through the creation of a new citydepartment, the arts are also starting togain more priority. When the city councilrecently approved the city’s 2014-2015fiscal year budget, an additional $50,000was set aside for the Arts Council forLong Beach to use for marketing.

To Victoria Bryan, the relatively new exec-utive director of the Arts Council for LongBeach, economic development and the artsare closely linked – after all, the council’snew mission statement is to “foster creativityand culture, enlivening communities andenabling a thriving economy.” In an inter-view at the council’s offices, Bryan said theadditional funding from the city – althoughnot significant when compared with the $1million-plus the Arts Council received priorto the dissolution of the redevelopmentagency – is one of the first steps towardsachieving the council’s new mission.In light of certain weaknesses the Arts

Council identified itself as having in its2014 strategic plan, including “unevenboard involvement, lack of performancemetrics, very poor marketing” and evenlack of credibility within the arts commu-nity and with public officials, the councilhas worked with its constituents over thepast few years to find its direction, refineits purpose and develop benchmarks for

promoting, supporting and developing thearts in Long Beach. Through the strategicplan, those guidelines have been directlytied to the city’s growth as a destination notonly for visitors but also for businesses.“I think the way we used to see our mis-

sion and ourselves as an organization wasbased on the assumption that everybodythought about the arts in the same way wedo – recognizing their value,” Bryan said.“It was sort of enough for us to say, ‘We’regoing to be really good at supporting thearts,’ which I think is how many arts organ-izations have traditionally viewed them-selves . . . That is just not the world we livein anymore,” she reflected. “We’re trying to turn the organization in

a new strategic direction and really take onour new role, which is to be a promoter,advocate, facilitator and educator for allthe arts in Long Beach, and align the ArtsCouncil’s goals with those of the city foreconomic development,” Bryan said.Focusing on developing the arts commu-

nity as a catalyst for economic developmentisn’t a new idea, Bryan noted. “When wetalk about up-and-coming cities like Austinor Seattle – cities that are growing and com-panies are moving there, particularly hightech, education and knowledge-based com-panies – we see that the one thing they allhave in common is the creative arts sectoras the real heart or hub of the city,” Bryansaid. “That has always been the case. It hasbeen true for New York and San Francisco,London and Paris. The cities we think of asthe great cities share that common factor,”she explained. “If [a company] wants torelocate to a place where they are going tobe a successful, future-oriented business,they need a creative workforce. And part ofdrawing that group of people to want to livein Long Beach is the arts scene.”The arts have been a draw for startups

and high-tech companies in Silicon Beach– a stretch of beach cities from SantaMonica to Manhattan Beach, where a hub

Foster The Arts, Grow The City The Arts Council On The Arts’ Role In Economic Development

Victoria Bryan, executive director of the Arts Council For Long Beach, visits an empty lot at the corner of Atlantic Avenue and Artesia Boulevard in North Long Beach used in the council’s A Lot project. In the month ofOctober – arts month in Long Beach – vacant lots across the city will be filled with free art experiences through a grant from the National Endowment For The Arts. (Photograph by the Business Journal’s Thomas McConville)

About The Cover

“Seagrass,” a public art piece on the medianat 415 W. Ocean Blvd., was commissioned bythe Arts Council For Long Beach in 2011.“Honoring and inspired by the Long Beachcommunity’s close connection with the PacificOcean, this median sculpture incites the motionof life under water as it ebbs and flows in thecurrents,” artist Barbara Grygutis told theBusiness Journal. The piece is made from fabri-cated aluminum with lighting. The City of LongBeach provided the foundations and electricalcomponents for the artwork. (Photograph bythe Business Journal’s Thomas McConville)

Councilmembers OfferTheir Perspective

On The Arts

For this issue, Business Journalstaffers have been busy talking to

members of Long Beach’s art’s community.While we focused on the voices of those whocreate art, we also wanted to know what ourcivic leaders thought about art’s impact onthe public sphere. We e-mailed and made fol-low up phone calls to each of the city’s ninecouncilmembers to ask them how they viewthe role of art in the city’s development. Sixcouncilmembers responded. Here’s whatthey had to say.

3rd DistrictCouncilwoman Suzie Price“I believe art, in every

form, is a major element inany successful urban setting.I am a proud supporter of

our current arts programs, facilities and offer-ings. These programs enhance our ability toattract locals and visitors to spend their recre-ation time in our City, rather than seek suchopportunities in neighboring cities. One way topromote the arts and create a healthy creativeeconomy is to invest in public art. Publicspaces are essential for thriving communitiesand business districts, providing opportunitiesfor people to interact and share ideas. PublicArt has the ability to activate spaces making

them safer and more economically productive.Additionally, public art creates civic icons andtransforms playgrounds, bus stops, medians,and public facilities into vibrant spaces, inspir-ing civic pride. Data proves that cities with anactive arts scene are more attractive to individ-uals and businesses, spurring economic devel-opment and serving as a symbol of a healthycommunity.”

5th DistrictCouncilwoman Stacey Mungo“Art is many things to

many people. From thedrawing a mother receivesfrom her child to a sculpture

in a fountain to a movie on the big screen. Arts(Please Continue To Next Page)



FOCUS ON THE ARTS IN LONG BEACH16 Long Beach Business Journal September 30-October 13, 2014

of tech companies and startups has takenhold, Bryan noted. In order for LongBeach’s art community to create the samesort of buzz, it has to be a lot more visible.“Raising visibility for the arts community isa big issue and a really great need,” Bryansaid. “That in some ways is quite straight-forward. It’s marketing. It’s promotion,” sheexplained. “That is a very strong part of ourmandate, especially with the new grant ini-tiated by Mayor Garcia and approved by thecouncil, which is all for marketing.”By 2016, the council intends to “develop

marketing efforts to measurably increaseattendance for Long Beach arts” through avariety of avenues. One of the first steps isdeveloping a master calendar, availablethrough the Arts Council’s website, to keeptrack of arts events in the city. “If we wantto raise visibility for the arts for residents,visitors and people in the region, we haveto have a good calendar,” Bryan said.The Arts Council is also looking to part-

ner with other organizations, such as theLong Beach Convention & Visitors Bureauand California State University, LongBeach, to identify collaborative ways tomarket the arts community, Bryan noted. In addition to marketing, making the arts

community more visible both within andoutside of Long Beach is tied to developingmore cohesion within that community. Asthe Arts Council’s strategic plan put it:“Our assets include a major university withthe largest population of art students westof the Mississippi, vibrant museums,opera, symphony, theaters, art profession-als and a music scene – plus a growing rep-utation for events and festivals that alreadydraw regional tourists to the city. However,many of these elements exist largely withinsilos, preventing the full growth of afocused, overall development approach.”Bryan pointed out many arts organiza-

tions have had enough to worry about with-out focusing on developing a cohesivecommunity identity – most have simplybeen trying to get by financially. “That iswhy it seems clear that this is the role theArts Council should take on – being thehub of collaborative marketing,” Bryansaid. “I give full props and credit to allorganizations that have weathered and areweathering that storm,” she added, notingthat arts organizations nationwide havestruggled through and in some cases failedto survive the Great Recession. From the Long Beach Opera to Musical

Theatre West, the Long Beach Museum ofArt and more, the city’s decades-old insti-tutions remain standing. In fact, Bryan

pointed out, the arts community in LongBeach has actually been growing. In addi-tion to the many arts organizations andfacilities present throughout the city, manyarts-oriented events have been gaining pop-ularity in recent years, such as DowntownLong Beach’s Summer and Music series,the East Village Arts District’s Art Walk,the Long Beach Poetry Festival, the newculinary arts-themed EAT LBC RestaurantWeek and more. To achieve the kind ofeconomic growth the city is hoping for,though, there needs to be a strategy to har-ness and pool these events and resources.This is where the Arts Council sees itselfcoming in to the picture.

Using marketing as its principal tool, theArts Council intends to promote andthereby strengthen and highlight the artscommunity and signature art events inLong Beach. Developing the council’s tieswith the city is also key to success, Bryannoted. “Relationship building is at the heartof everything. I think there is opportunityfor us to continue to build relationshipsthroughout the city, and by that I mean withour councilmembers and the mayor ofcourse, many of whom speak very stronglyabout understanding the arts and wantingthem to be important parts of their districtsand the greater city,” she said. Once those relationships have been estab-

lished and the arts community is showcasedboth within the city and regionally, the coun-cil hopes to use that leverage to pursue addi-tional funding opportunities. One of thecouncil’s goals is to advocate a new culturaltrust ordinance to the city council by 2019,based upon the past Percent for Public ArtProgram through the Long BeachRedevelopment Agency, which requireddevelopers to allot 1 percent of their proj-ects’ budgets to public art. “It is one of thelonger-term goals we have in mind if we aregoing to be serious about rebuilding thepublic art program we used to have in LongBeach. That is probably the only way we aregoing to do it,” Bryan said. �

employ our neighbors, enrich our communitiesand let us express ourselves as a City.

The January 2014 Otis Report on theCreative Economy notes that Arts (creativeindustries) make up 7.8 percent of California'sgross products, more than $270 billion annu-ally employing more than 1.4 millionCalifornians (directly or indirectly).Long Beach has been successful in welcom-

ing creative visitors, embracing filming oppor-tunities and recruiting small creative busi-nesses and non-profits that are prime forgrowth. If we can cross-pollinate, get our con-vention visitors to stay a few extra nights toexperience our museums and inform our localbusinesses of the creative local partners avail-able we will all benefit.

Everyone’s life and every business istouched by a creative industry professional.Investing in arts, communicating the success ofour creative professionals and sharing our localmuseums, music and other jewels will driveother local economic development.”

6th District Councilman Dee Andrews“As the seventh-largest

city in California, the City ofLong Beach continues tosupport creative activity. Weare constantly seeking inno-

vative ways to employ the arts to improve andstrengthen our communities.Long Beach has a blooming creative scene

that includes various types of artist, frommusic, stage play to feature films, our city has

it all. The arts has improved our communityimage and status as one of the top filming sitesin California, which builds community identityand pride in our neighborhoods. As more andmore individuals connect with their creativesides, I see the arts as a very important ingredi-ent in renewing our economy. I do look forwardto seeing more concerts and live entertainmentwithin the City of Long Beach.”

7th District Councilman Roberto Uranga“A city’s culture, as evi-

denced by its artistic offer-ings in all its forms, enrichesour populace and stimulatesour economy. The Arts, as

generally described, continues to play a pivotalrole in American history as both a purveyor of

economic wealth during prosperous times andas an amalgam of diverse and sometimes con-flicting cultures and languages during chal-lenging times. During the Great Depression,Federal Project Number One, under the WorksProgress Administration, employed millions ofunemployed Americans to complete publicworks projects and included musicians, actors,writers, and other artists. These projectsworked to keep idle hands and minds engagedwhile simultaneously providing a public good.As we look to how The Arts impacts our

local economy, we must first consider thatapproximately 1 in 10 jobs in the state ofCalifornia is part of the creative industry. InLong Beach, we have an active and diverse Artscommunity, a blossoming music scene, and city

(Stacey Mungo Continued From Page 14)


East Village ArtsDistrict Is A HubOf Creativity


T hough the East Village ArtsDistrict was formally estab-lished during the redevelopment

era some time back in the 1990s, its historywith the arts stretches back much further.In the 1920s a veteran named James

Savery, disgusted by the horrors he wit-nessed during the first world war, decided tohelp create beauty in the world by estab-lished a bohemian-style colony in a group ofrustic brown frame buildings on the cornerof Ocean Boulevard and Atlantic Avenue. The compound soon became a magnet for

weavers, woodcarvers and painters. A LosAngeles Times article from 1930 describedrooms adorned with found objects: lanternsfrom shipwrecked vessels, wagon wheelsand brass dinner bells, as well as a courtyardtheater, which Savery provided free of rentto the Theater Guild of Long Beach. Today, the arts district’s boundaries are

considered to be bordered by Long BeachBoulevard, Ocean Boulevard, AtlanticAvenue and 7th Street, though the websiteof the now inactive East VillageAssociation states that the northern bound-ary was extended to 10th Street in 2007.A community hub for those dedicated to

creating art, Marek Dzida, owner of the1,700-square-foot Hellada Art Center,explained that the arts district remains aplace of discovery. “The east village is a definite focal point

for anyone who is interested in art and cul-

ture, self expression or anything that has todo with creativity,” Dzida said.He added the entire district exudes an

artistic aura that is immediately apparentin its architecture. Stone gargoyles staredown from the top of the Villa Riviera onOcean Boulevard, and the Layfayettebuilding remains a shining example of the1920s art deco movement.“It’s just my guess, but I read it on the

faces of people who come to the EastVillage. If you see people walking downthe street in East Village, they don’t walkthe same in Belmont Shore, Pine Avenueor The Pike. They’re not really classicalshoppers . . . there is some kind of admi-ration on their faces, and also an expecta-tion of something to be discovered,”Dzida said.But while the spirit of artistic exploration

is alive and well in the East Village, Dzidaexplained more government support for thearts is needed in the area as well as more

discussion between citizens and local offi-cials about the process of art.“Education is key to everything, and

being open to the demands of the publicand the demands of the cultural communityis key,” Dzida said. He added that opennessis often challenging for public officialswho are used to making and enforcing therules. “It’s a very tough thing to do for gov-ernment. They’re used to being directorsrather than open-minded facilitators.”In order to see more growth in the arts

district, Dzida said he’d like to see morespace for galleries. “What’s needed is space, public space –

because sharing what you create, sharingwhat you express is part of the process ofart,” Dzida said.He pointed to the example of San Diego,

where the city’s transient occupancy tax isused to fund public art programs and pro-vide space for artists.

Marek Dzida opened the Hellada Art Center at 117 Linden Ave. in the East Village Arts District in1996. Dzida said that he notices something different on the faces of those who visit the arts district, asif they have an expectation of discovery. (Photograph by the Business Journal’s Thomas McConville)

(Continued From The Previous Page)




“What happened there is incrediblebecause, when you have an art gallery inyour bottom floor, that brings up the valueof all the property,” he said.Lisa Hernandez, who owns the non-

profit Long Beach Depot For Reuse,echoed a similar sentiment. She pointed tothe example of San Francisco, which hasits own arts commission. She said she’dlike to see something similar in the east vil-lage to regulate and permit street perform-ers and other artists. “There is a specific program; they actu-

ally have a San Francisco Arts Commissionthat handles [street artists], and permitsthem. [Artists] have to audition to makesure they’re in good taste,” Hernandez said.But Michael Daniel, who in 2012 opened

the 935-square-foot Stone Rose Gallery,located on 342 E. 4th St., told the BusinessJournal that while the arts district may be agreat place to create art, it’s not the samefor those who wish to sell their art. Headded he’ll soon be closing his gallery.“It’s $3,000 a month to run it, and I’m

financing it myself. I just wanted to get towhere it breaks even, and it’s not evenclose,” Daniel said.He was quick to add that his struggles as

a gallery owner speak less to the health ofthe arts community in Long Beach andmore about the art-buying community. Heexplained that people with large amountsof money to spend on contemporary artlikely feel more comfortable buying inplaces like Los Angeles and Santa Monica.“It’s kind of become hip to collect con-

temporary art, but a lot of people withmoney don’t necessarily have taste. Andthey need someone to prove to them thatthis is valid and important, so they’ll go to[galleries] that have been in business inL.A. for 40 years,” Daniel said.The Stone Rose Gallery’s last show will

open on October 1 and will feature localartist Slater Barron, whose work features

intricate sculptures made out of drier lint.Kamran Assadi is co-owner of Utopia,

which operates as both a restaurant and anart gallery. Located at 445 E. 1st St, Utopiaholds six exhibitions annually. According toAssadi, who’s been active in the East Villagearts community for years, the vision to builda thriving arts district has yet to be realized.Part of this, he explained, was due to the risein property values in the early 2000s, whichforced many artists to leave the area.“We envisioned an area with multiple art

galleries and artists, but it didn’t happenthat way. Instead it became an area withhybrid spaces, small specialty boutiquesthat feature art on the walls,” Assadi said,adding that he too would like to see moregalleries and has advocated for funding ofa municipal gallery. He argued that pub-licly supported galleries such as the BixbyKnolls Expo Art Center, a former redevel-opment property leased by the BixbyKnolls Improvement Association, can be aboon to an area’s revitalization.“The Bixby Knolls area, the Atlantic

Corridor is revitalized because of the ExpoArt Center,” Assadi said.Though he said the district isn’t quite

where he would like to see it in terms ofvibrancy, Assadi explained that he’s seenpositive developments in recent years point-ing to the example of the Art Exchange. Located at 340 E. 3rd St., the Art

Exchange is run by a non-profit group andoffers various classes and communityworkshops. Housed in a former redevelop-ment property, the Art Exchange signed alease agreement with the city in 2011,which requires it pay only $1 per monthprovided its operators offer low-cost, after-school art programs. Though, Assadi said, this has been a

great project for the area, more is needed inorder for the arts district to thrive. Hepointed to another property, currently stuckin redevelopment limbo, the vacant EdisonTheater located on Broadway.

“Give it to the art community and we’llcome up with an operating fund for it,”Assadi suggested.While the state continues to consider the

city’s plan for disposing of its former rede-velopment properties, the Urban LandInstitute (ULI) recently conducted a studyon the districts surrounding the waterfront.The group is expected to release a report onhow to proceed with development of thearea in order to increase tourism and theeconomic health of the region. Speaking tothe Business Journal in August, RichardBruckner, who participated in the ULIstudy, discussed the possibility of connect-ing the East Village to the waterfront.“Bring it all the way down and bring

some vibrancy and connectivity for folkswho live in that east portion and providesome open space and park areas for them,”Bruckner said.The full ULI report is expected to be

released October 1.But even though artists and city planners

active in the community may argue more isneeded to make the arts district a more hap-pening spot, Dzida explained, there’s stillno other place like it in the city.“I think we achieved something that no

other area of Long Beach has, which iscommunity understanding of the necessityto be involved in cultural activities and tohave artists around, because they do bringprosperity.” �

backdrops desired by many television showsand feature films. We live in a city that hasalways been integrated with its creative ele-ments: A city that now has effective leader-ship in the Mayor’s Office and City Councilto see The Arts grow and contribute to ourgreat economy in its many forms, styles andgenres. Enjoy!”

8th District Councilman Al Austin“The arts play a signifi-

cant role in economic devel-opment, as evidenced by thethriving arts scene that hasbeen developed throughout

our commercial corridors in the EighthDistrict.

Most notably, the Bixby Knolls BusinessImprovement Association sponsors themonthly First Fridays art walk on AtlanticAvenue between Bixby Road and SanAntonio. This dynamic event features livemusic, dancers, performing and visualartists and more that draws thousands of res-idents and visitors while supporting localbusinesses.The Atlantic Avenue commercial corridor

also benefits greatly from the art venues inBixby Knolls, including the Richard GoadTheater, home of the Long BeachShakespeare Company, the Historical Societyof Long Beach, and the Expo Arts Center,which hosts a number of theater perform-ances and gallery shows.In Virginia Village on Long Beach

Boulevard, the nonprofit organization Long

Beach Arts operates a gallery space and isworking to further enhance the business cor-ridor, while CALB (Cultural Alliance LongBeach) was instrumental in providing out-standing artists performing during SecondSundays in the Village this summer, an eventin partnership with the Virginia VillageBusiness Association.Also, public artwork and murals through-

out several of our commercial corridors helpsto spur economic development by enhancingthe community and showing continuedinvestment in our corridors.The Eighth Council District offers a daily

example of how the arts and economic devel-opment play a vital and mutually beneficialrole in Long Beach.”

9th District Councilman Rex Richardson“A vibrant arts scene is a

crucial part of the vitality ofany community. In the 9thDistrict, we are fortunate tohave the Taste of Uptown

event as part of the A LOT initiative with theArts Council for Long Beach. This helps serveas an economic driver in the neighborhoodwhere community members directly supportlocal restaurants and local artists at the sametime. In addition throughout the city, businessdistricts in Long Beach use quality arts eventsto promote themselves and draw people back tothe stores and restaurants. An engaging artsscene is key to making an area attractive.” �

(Roberto Uranga Continued From Page 16)

Utopia Restaurant at 444 E. 1st St. in the East Village Arts District, holds six art exhibitions each yearaccording to Kamran Assadi, co owner of the establishment. Assadi has advocated for a municipalgallery in the arts district. (Photograph by the Business Journal’s Thomas McConville)

(Continued From The Page 16)

The Emerging Zaferia District Arts Community


Senior Writer

I n 2009, the Long BeachRedevelopment Agency had bigplans for the Zaferia District, where a

creative design district was organicallygrowing along Gladys, Orizaba andCoronado Avenues north of East AnaheimStreet. The city brought on Field PaoliArchitects out of San Francisco as a con-sultant and met with community stakehold-ers to develop the Long Beach DesignDistrict Implementation Plan. The plan,

which was based on the successful cultiva-tion of design companies there such as CarlDene’s Vision Design Studio, sketched outa vision for the area’s future: art walks andexhibitions, streetscape enhancements, sig-nage and a district website, all meant toestablish a cohesive look to the area and toencourage economic development.“There were a number of businesses

looking to coalesce themselves into a dis-trict and organization, and they wantedsome assistance. We did some façadegrants and we created this planning docu-ment with them because we wanted to helpthem become more organized and defined,”Amy Bodek, director of Long BeachDevelopment Services, told the BusinessJournal.The redevelopment agency was dis-

solved before the majority of this visioncould be realized, but two projects man-

Victor Orlando Nieto operates three enterprises out of his offices in the Artist Co-op at 1330 GladysAve., located in the Zaferia District within the East Anaheim Street Business Association. In this studio,he produces local bands under the label Toy Records. The handmade guitar he holds represents anotherone of his ventures – a yet-to-be-named custom guitar business with a line of handmade instrumentscalled Velasco Custom Guitars. He also operates Nieto Enterprises, a consulting software firm, in anadjacent office. (Photograph by the Business Journal’s Thomas McConville)




aged to squeeze through first. One isreadily apparent in the recently com-pleted improvements to Orizaba Park,which now sports a new community cen-ter. The other lies behind the façade of anondescript gray warehouse at 1330Gladys Ave., where, nestled among astreet full of artisan and artist studios, adog kennel and auto body shops, a com-munity of artists has taken hold.Jesse Dean, founder of the interactive

design and website development companyVisualade, originally purchased the build-ing for his company’s use in photo shootsfor clients such as South Coast Plaza,Charlotte Russe, Lucky Brand Jeans andthe Mall of America. Around 2007,Visualade outgrew the space and moved toPine Avenue, but Dean kept the building. “I didn’t really want to let go of the

building. I think I had a stubbornness tokeep it and maintain it,” Dean recalled.Improvements to buildings on CoronadoAvenue by design and creative firms suchas Vision Design Studio and KollinAltomare Architects inspired Dean to stay

in the area and put his building to use forthe community. “I wanted to do somethingthat would serve the needs of the neighbor-hood. That was right about the time theredevelopment agency of the City of Long

Beach was looking to understand why busi-nesses like me were already there – whatattracted us to that location,” he said.“I operated it loosely as a creative

space from the year 2008 to 2010. It was

kind of a disorganized creative co-op,”Dean said, explaining that artists usingthe 5,000-square-foot space in the rear ofthe building had no division of work-space. “It was successful right off the batbut the first thing I noticed was I neededto get some walls up . . . We ended upcoming up with plans for nine studios andtwo shared gallery spaces with a kitchenand bath,” he explained. In front of thebuilding would be office spaces. “In 2010 I approached the redevelop-

ment agency with what I thought was abasic plan for what we needed. Theybought into it right away. They really lovedthe idea. We were one of the last projects toget funding from the redevelopmentagency,” Dean said.After about a year of construction, Dean

opened the doors to the co-op, and eversince it has been filled with Long Beachartists. “We have some sculptors, a lot ofpainters, and even a screen printer . . . andmyself; I build furniture. It is kind of adiverse group,” Dean said.During a heat wave in late September,

(Continued From Page 18)

Painter Hely Gonzalez is one of nine artists with studio space at the Artist Co-op in the Zaferia District.The painting behind him, a compilation of self-portraits, is part of a project called “No Days Off,” inwhich he painted one self-portrait in an hour every day for a year. (Photograph by the Business Journal’sThomas McConville)


Senior Writer

T he Assistance League, anational nonprofit vol-unteer organization, is

known for its dedication to provid-ing compassionate services in com-munities throughout the country.The Assistance League of LongBeach (ALLB), for example, pro-vides orthodontic treatments to fam-ilies with limited resources. Whatmay then come as a surprise to someas they enter the ALLB’s buildingon East Spring Street isn’t the state-of-the-art orthodontics facilityinside, but the halls lined with cen-turies-old artifacts from Asia.The Howard Collection, acquired

through a trust by the ALLB in1948, makes up the majority of theAsian art collection with more than2,000 pieces from China, Koreaand Japan. The vast and variedHoward Collection, which includeseverything from huge, ornatewooden furniture to teapots to silk robes, was collected byMargaret Hare, a pioneering woman who traveled abroadto Asia alone in the late 1800s in the spirit of adventure.“She liked to travel and she would travel on ships to

Asia and Hawaii, which was quite adventuresome at thetime,” ALLB member Jane Jackson told the BusinessJournal during a tour of the collection, which lines thehalls of ALLB’s facility at 6220 E. Spring St. In her trav-els, Hare met Walter Lincoln Howard, and the two eventu-ally married and moved to Long Beach. Over the years,they continued traveling to Asia, bringing back pieces togrow their collection. After both Howards died in the1940s, the collection needed a new home, and theAssistance League was chosen as its steward.A large portion of the Howard Collection is made up of

precious silk pieces. The majority of the silks are stored ina climate-controlled vault, explained Marilyn Heron, anALLB member who occasionally leads tours of the collec-tion. The silks on display are rotated about every six monthsto allow the fabrics to rest, she added.In addition to silks on display in the league’s meeting

room are huge pieces of dark wooden furniture previously

used by the Howards in their ownhome. Among the ornately carvedpieces are a long table, a fireplace,a bureau and other items. Whenthe league was searching for a new

facility seven years ago, part of the reason they chose thebuilding on Spring Street was because it had high enoughceilings to properly display the fireplace, Heron explained.Every 7th grade class in the Long Beach Unified School

District is given the opportunity to tour the league’s collec-tion, according to Kathy De Silva, another ALLB memberwho leads tours. “We always work in a team, banteringback and forth talking to the kids so they aren’t bored,” DeSilva said of the tours. Typically, tours focus both on piecesrelated to school curriculum as well as items children tendto find more interesting, such as tiny slippers from Chinaused to bind young girls’ feet. “A little girl had her footbroken and she walked on her broken feet,” De Silvaexplained of the foot binding process. “In order to getahead, in order to marry a guy who was higher level, themothers thought this is what they should do. And this wasfor thousands of years,” Heron chimed in.Perhaps the favorite item on display among students is

a reproduction of a Japanese samurai’s armor. One of thepoints ALLB docents focus on in particular is the samu-rai’s helmet. “At the top of the helmet is a place to putincense. One of the reasons they did that was, if they

were killed in battle, they would be beheaded and theirhead would be flung somewhere, and they wanted to stillsmell good,” Jackson said.Adults often appreciate art items in the collection, such

as the Japanese wood block prints by the well-knownartist Yoshu Chikanobu, De Silva said. In order to pre-serve their quality, the original prints are not on display –they have only seen the light of day about two dozentimes. “They are perfectly preserved,” De Silva noted.One of the unique characteristics of the prints is theydepict scenes after Western countries had influencedJapanese culture – Japanese women are depicted wearingVictorian style garb, and streets are shown to be lit withWestern-style street lamps.Among the thousands of items are also tea sets, pottery,

fans, mirrors, household items, embroidery work, jade,figurines and more, Jackson said. Before the ALLBmoved to its East Spring Street location near Palo VerdeAvenue about seven years ago, the collection was closedto the public except for special functions, she noted. Now,anyone is able to view the collection free of charge duringthe league’s operating hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondaythrough Thursday, and 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Fridays.“Our charge is to take care of the collection and share it

with the public,” De Silva said. �(For more information about the 900-member

Assistance League of Long Beach, visit: www.allb.org)

Tucked Away On East Spring Street, A World Of Asian Art

At left, a reproduction of a 20th century samurai’s armor is a favorite among school groups visiting theAssistance League of Long Beach’s Asian art collection. In Japanese culture, when a samurai walked past,people nearby were required to lower their eyes in deference, according to league member Kathy De Silva.The armor was a gift from Harold and Lila Bayer. Above, the lobby and halls of the Assistance League’soffices are filled with the group’s Asian art collection, which includes more than 2,000 items, mostly fromChina, Japan and Korea. Much of the collection, such as the carved table in the foreground, was part ofcollection belonging to Margaret and Walter Howard given to the league through a trust in 1948. The carv-ings on each leg of this table represent the four seasons. Above right, Look closely at these ivory figurinesfrom 18th century China and the curvature of the original elephant tusks they were carved from becomesapparent. The figurines, depicting members of the Chinese court, were a gift from Barbara Smith.(Photographs by the Business Journal’s Thomas McConville)




Dean was unsure how many artists wouldbe in the un-air-conditioned co-op in themiddle of the day to chat with theBusiness Journal – but, upon entering, theco-op was full of life. Velasco, a visitingguitar maker from South America,opened the austere metal front door, lead-ing the way into a front office spacewhere he and Victor Orlando Nieto, along-time Long Beach resident with mul-tiple ventures underway at the co-op,were working on a line of custom andhandmade guitars. In the artists’ studiosbehind Nieto’s offices, artists were prop-ping up paintings as they made selectionsfor future exhibitions while painter HelyGonzalez zipped down the hall on hisskateboard.Nieto has rented the entire front portion

of the building – a music studio, twooffices and a loft – for the past three years,and has developed three creative enter-prises there. In the music studio, Nieto runsToy Records, producing local bands suchas the Long Beach Tijuana Panthers and agroup called Pow Wow Now. He uses theoffices for Nieto Enterprises, a consultingsoftware firm with McGraw-HillEducation, a large Irvine-based global edu-cation firm, as its main client. He is alsopartnering with a friend in Portland on aseries of iPhone applications for preschool-ers, using the adjacent music studio todevelop jingles and sounds for the apps.Nieto’s latest venture has been partnering

with Velasco to make and sell guitars,although their burgeoning company has noname yet, he said. “We are working on cre-

ating a company that is going to create artguitars made with exotic woods and specialfinishes,” he said, picking up a handmadewood guitar with a blue finish and gold-colored hardware. In addition to selling thehandmade line called Velasco CustomGuitars, Nieto plans to repurpose and cus-tomize existing guitars.Nieto said he has seen the co-op grow

since he became a part of it a few yearsago. “When we first started, this was anempty warehouse. Jesse [Dean] was rent-ing some of the spaces to artists but therewere no walls. Jesse turned this into aproper artist space. It has been great,” hesaid. Being located near Alex’s Bar, a pop-ular bar and music venue in the ZaferiaDistrict, has helped generate interest inthe co-op, he said.In his studio at the co-op, Gonzalez

acknowledged that many artists in LongBeach develop their talents here and thenshowcase those talents elsewhere. “Thegroup of us are really trying to do some-thing about having legitimate art showshere in Long Beach with fine art and kindof cutting edge, progressive, contemporarywork,” he said. He emphasized he andother artists in the co-op are dedicated to“trying to bring something back to thecommunity we are a part of.”The artist community in the Zaferia

District extends beyond the walls of the co-op to design firms and other artist studioslocated on the same street. Artist John HillsSanders, for instance, has had a studio inthe Zaferia District for 25 years. A gradu-ate of California State University, Long

Beach’s class of 1972, Sanders went on toproduce site-specific artwork throughoutCalifornia. “There are a lot of artists hereand there is a viable artist communityhere,” Sanders said of Long Beach, and ofthe Zaferia District in particular. KarenMcCreary, jewelry designer and owner ofTDM Studios, has also been located onGladys Street for about 25 years. The areapartially appeals to artists because studiospace is affordable, she said.Whether or not Zaferia has the potential

to attract more artists seems to be uncertainto the artist community there, but effortsare underway on the part of the city toattract more creative businesses to the area.

While Bodek said there is no talk ofreviving the Long Beach Design DistrictImplementation Plan, the city is revising itsLand Use Element to encourage creativeuses of old industrial buildings in the area. “One of the big areas of change is

really taking a look at what is happeningin the Zaferia District and a little in theMagnolia Industrial District where youhave these smaller industrial buildingsbuilt in the 1930s or ’40s [that] . . . are toosmall for today’s industrial uses but toobig for a lot of other things,” she said.“Turning them into creative office spaceor creative industrial space is somethingwe’re looking at.” �



Long Beach ArtsAnd Cultural

OrganizationsThe Long Beach Business Journal is

pleased to present a listing of 31 LongBeach Arts and Cultural organizations,with information about each, and how tocontact each group. We hope you will keepthese pages and refer to them throughout

the next year. Another seven organizationsdid not respond to our e-mails or phonecalls to provide information for the freelisting. Organizations shown in color arealso advertisers in this edition of theBusiness Journal. We encourage you tosupport their efforts in presenting qualityvisual and performing arts to our commu-nity and to visitors. Arts are not only vitalto the well being of our city, but also serveas an attraction to businesses when decid-ing where to open or expand their opera-tions. The arts are good for business! �

ARTS COUNCIL FOR LONG BEACH (EST. 1976)Address: 350 Elm Ave. Contact: 562/435-2787 Website: www.artslb.orgHours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday Season: Year-roundKey People: Victoria Bryan, Executive Director Mission: To foster creativity and culture, enlivening communities and enabling a thriving economy.

Art Theatre of Long Beach (est. 1924)Address: 2025 E. 4th St. Contact: 562/438-5435 Website: www.arttheatrelongbeach.comHours: Showtimes vary Cost: $8-$11 Season: Year-roundKey People: Operators Jan van Dijs and Kerstin KansteinerMission: Celebrating the Art of Cinema

AQUARIUM OF THE PACIFIC (EST. 1998)Address: 100 Aquarium Way Contact: 562/590-3100 Website: www.aquariumofpacific.orgHours: 9 a.m.-6 p.m. daily Cost: $14.95-$28.95 Season: Year-round (closed Christmas Day and Long Beach Grand Prix dates)Key People: President/CEO Dr. Jerry Schubel; Board Chairman John Molina. Mission: To create an Aquarium dedicated to conserving and building Natural Capital (Natureand Nature’s services) by building Social Capital (the interactions between and among people).

California Repertory Company (est. 1989)Venue: Royal Theater at The RMS Queen MaryAddress: 1126 Queens Hwy. Contact: 562/985-5526 Website: www.calrep.orgHours: Showtimes vary Tuesday-Saturday Cost: $20-$25Season: September 2014 to May 2015Key People: Artistic Director Anne D’ZmuraMission: Serve as a theatre company dedicated to nurturing artists and challenging audiences bydeveloping exciting, relevant and thought-provoking work. We are a visionary company respect-ing the theatre of the past and creating the theatre of the future.

California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) College of the Arts (est. 1949)Venues: Seven performance halls, a museum and seven student galleries. The College of the Artsis comprised of the School of Art, the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music, and the departments ofDance, Design, Film and Electronic Arts, and Theatre Arts, along with the Richard and KarenCarpenter Performing Arts Center and the University Art Museum.Address: 1250 Bellflower Blvd. Contact: 562/985-7000, tickets; 562/985-4364, general infoWebsite: www.cota.csulb.edu Hours: Performance/exhibit times vary Cost: VariesSeason: September through MayEstablished: 1949 (originally as Long Beach State College)Key People: Cyrus Parker-Jeannette, DeanMission: To provide a dynamic, contemporary learning environment that honors tradition,embraces diversity, inspires innovation, and strives for excellence. Our faculty of artists, educa-tors, and scholars is committed to challenging students intellectually, creatively, and profession-ally, while encouraging them to find their individual artistic voices. The College produces andbrings the highest level of art, teaching, and scholarship to our community in the form of concerts,exhibitions and installations, films, performances, publications, and emerging media.

CSULB University Art Museum (est. 1973)Address: 1250 Bellflower Blvd. Contact: 562/985-5761 Website: www.csulb.edu/uamHours: Noon-5 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday; noon-8 p.m. Thursday Cost: $4 general admission; free for UAM members and CSULB students/faculty staff; $2 non-CSULB with student IDSeason: Year roundKey People: Brian Trimble, Interim DirectorMission: To present education and exhibitions programs that blur the boundaries between visualarts and design, technology, music and contemporary culture. The University Art Museum pro-vides a forum for the investigation of contemporary visual culture and seeks to transform the tra-ditional art museum experience, from the ordinary to the extraordinary and personal.

Earl Burns Miller Japanese Gardens (est. 1981)Address: Earl Warren Drive between Beach Drive and Atherton Street Contact: 562/985-8885 Website: www.csulb.edu/~jgardenHours: 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; noon-4 p.m. Sunday Cost: Donation AcceptedSeason: Year-round (see website for closure dates)Key People: Director Jeanette Schelin Mission: To be a place for refuge, beauty and learning for all who enter its gates.

Historical Society Of Long Beach (est. 1962)Address: 4260 Atlantic Ave. Contact: 562/424-2220 Website: www.hslb.orgHours: 1-5 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday; 1-7 p.m., Thursday; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday Cost: FreeSeason: Year-roundKey People: Executive Director Julie Bartolotto; Board Co-President Evan Anderson Braude;Co-President Roxane PitmorMission: At our facility and through our programs, we promote, develop, exhibit and preserveLong Beach history. We serve students, educators, researchers and those interested in localhistory.

ArtExchange (est. 2002)Address: 356 E. 3rd St. Contact: 562/567-7ARTS (7278); Website: www.ArtExchangeLB.comHours: 6-9 p.m. 2nd Saturdays Art Walk; 6-9 p.m. 3rd Thursdays Open Studios; Noon-2 p.m.Thursdays Community Gallery; Youth, Adult and Art Classes vary.Cost: Most events are free; classes/special events vary. Season: Year-roundKey People: Nicolassa Galvez, CEOMission: Creative programming, artist studios, galleries and special events define the ArtExchangeas a unique place to experience art.

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Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center (est. 1962)Venues: Long Beach Arena, Terrace Theater, Center Theater, three exhibition halls, the GrandBallroom and 34 meeting rooms.Address: 300 E. Ocean Blvd. Contact: 562/436-3661 Website: www.longbeachcc.com Hours: Showtimes vary Cost: Prices vary Season: January to April and August to NovemberEstablished: Long Beach Arena opened in 1962; Center and Terrace theaters opened in 1978Key People: General Manger Charlie Beirne; Assistant General Manager Dan Lee; Director ofSales Kandy Grzebyk; Director of Event Services Marcellaus Taylor; Director of Facilities RayBlanton; and Booking Manager Greg Parkin.Mission: To provide a diverse schedule of programming that is accessible and affordable, as well asattractive to the local community. To provide a destination venue to a wide variety of clients, includ-ing arts and entertainment presenters, associations, conventions and meeting planners, corporations,and trade and consumer show producers resulting in a significant local economic impact for the Cityof Long Beach, facility, hotels, restaurants, merchants and hospitality service companies.

LONG BEACH CAMERATA SINGERS (EST. 1966)Venue: Long Beach City College Auditorium Address: 4901 E. Carson St. Contact: 562/373-5654 Website: http://longbeachcameratasingers.org Hours: Showtimes vary Cost: $10-$40 Season: October to JuneKey People: Artistic Director Robert Istad; Board President Jan Hower.Mission: Dedicated to excellence in choral music. We enrich the lives of our community and per-formers through a broad spectrum of repertoire, innovative programming, and arts education.

Hmong Association of Long Beach (est. 1981)Address: PO Box 6478 Contact: 562/889-6063 Website: www.hmongassoclbca.orgHours: 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday at Homeland Cultural Center, MacArthur Park Cost: Refugee mutual assistance organization – FreeKey People: President Wang L. Xiong; Vice President Mhia Theng Vang; New Year DirectorChao Voue; Secretary Darlene Lee; Grant Writing Karen HarperMission: To assist Hmong and other Laotian refugee groups with adjustment to American life, topreserve Hmong culture, to educate the general public about Hmong history and culture, and tosupport cooperation among Southeast Asian refugees.

INTERNATIONAL CITY THEATRE (EST. 1985)Venue: Long Beach Performing Arts Center Address: 300 E. Ocean Blvd. Contact: 562/495-4595 Website: www.internationalcitytheatre.org; Office Hours: 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Monday-FridayShowtimes: 8 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays Cost: $32-$52; season subscriptions and discounts available Season: Year-roundKey People: Artistic Director/Producer caryn desai; Board President James PreuschMission: International City Theatre was established in 1985 with a mission to entertain, educate,inspire and provoke thoughtful dialogue through live theatre.

Long Beach Ballet (est. 1981)Venues: Long Beach Performing Arts Center Terrace Theater; Carpenter CenterAddress: 1122 E. Wardlow Rd. Contact: 562/426-4112 Website: http://longbeachballet.orgHours: Showtimes vary Cost: $20-$95 Season: December to JuneKey People: Artistic Director David Wilcox; Resident Choreographer Johnny Zhong; Board ofDirectors President Peter Werner; Members Ann de Farra and Eric Frank.Mission: Serving Long Beach for over three decades, to enhance the lives of children and thecommunity through the beauty and discipline of classical ballet.

Long Beach City College Department Of Theatre, Dance & Film (est. 1927)Address: 4901 E. Carson St. Contact: 562/938-4563 Website: www.lbcc.edu/tdfCost: $10-$17, Theatre and Dance; $5-$20, MusicSeason: Year-roundKey People: Production Manager Noreen Kimura; Department Chair Cathy Crane.Mission: Long Beach City College is a comprehensive community college that provides open andaffordable access to quality associate degree and certificate programs, workforce preparation, andopportunities for personal development and enrichment. The college develops students’ college-level skills and expands their general knowledge, enables their transfer to four-year institutions, pre-pares them for successful careers or to advance in their current careers, and fosters their personalcommitment to lifelong learning. Based upon a commitment to excellence, college programs fosterand support the intellectual, cultural, economic and civic development of our diverse community.

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RICHARD & KAREN CARPENTER PERFORMING ARTS CENTER (EST. 1994)Address: 6200 Atherton St. Contact: 562/985-7000, tickets; 562/985-4274, general info Website: www.carpenterarts.org Hours: Box office open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Friday Cost: Varies Season: September to JuneEstablished: 1994 on the campus of California State University, Long BeachKey People: Executive Director Michele RobergeMission: The Carpenter Performing Arts Center at California State University, Long Beachengages its community through artistic, educational and cultural experiences that enrich lives,promote lifelong learning in and through the performing arts, and serve as a gateway betweenthe university and greater community. The Center is accessible to CSULB students and fac-ulty, resident companies, off-campus organizations, and schools through educational outreach,licensed activities, and world-class professional performances.

The Golden Sands Chorus of Long Beach (est. 1952)Venues: St. Timothy Lutheran ChurchAddress: 4645 Woodruff Ave. Website: www.goldensandschorus.com Season: Year-round Rehearsals: Wednesdays 7-10 p.m.Key People: Co-directors Gerry Papageorge and Chris RobertsonMission: A dynamic, award-winning chorus dedicated to musical excellence in the barbershopstyle. We share the joy of four-part acapella harmony through education and cutting-edge per-formances. We encourage camaraderie, confidence, and community relations, and are committedto high energy and the magic we create in every exciting performance.

Rancho Los Alamitos Historic Ranch And Gardens (est. 1968)Address: 6400 Bixby Hill Rd. Contact: 562/431-3541 Website: www.rancholosalamitos.orgHours: 1-5 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday Cost: Free Season: Year-roundEstablished: Donated by the Bixby family to Long Beach in 1968.Key People: Executive Director, Rancho Los Alamitos Foundation Pamela Seager; Curator Pam Young Lee; Board Chairman Gerald MillerMission: The fundamental mission of Rancho Los Alamitos is public education, for the story ofRancho Los Alamitos is a microcosm of the evolution of the region. Over a period of 1,500 years,in the intersecting lives of native people, owners and workers who once called this place home, isthe story of richness, drama and complexity in Southern California.

Rancho Los Cerritos Historic Site (est. 1955)Address: 4600 Virginia Rd. Contact: 562/206-2040 Website: www.rancholoscerritos.orgHours: 1-5 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday Cost: Free Season: Year-roundEstablished: The city acquired and opened the rancho as a public museum in 1955Key People: Executive Director Ellen Calomiris; Foundation Board Chair William Lorbeer.Mission: The mission of Rancho Los Cerritos Historic Site is to restore and preserve the structureand grounds; collect appropriate resources; and interpret the relationship of the Rancho’s diverse peo-ples, from Native American times through the 1940s, to the development of the Long Beach area.

The Barbara & Ray Alpert Jewish Community Center (est. 1948)Address: 3801 E. Willow St. Contact: 562/426-7601 Website: www.alpertjcc.orgHours: 5:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 5:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday; 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday Cost: Varies Season: Year-roundKey People: Executive Director Jeffrey Rips.Mission: The Alpert Jewish Community Center provides programs and services that contributeto the sound development of individuals of all ages and offers opportunities to enhance anappreciation of Jewish and democratic values in Long Beach and West Orange County.

The Found Theatre (est. 1974)Address: 599 Long Beach Blvd. Contact: 562/433-3363 Website: www.foundtheatre.orgHours: Showtimes vary Friday-Sunday Cost: $10-$15 Season: Year-roundKey People: Executive Director Virginia DeMoss; Board President Lois GreeneMission: The Found Theatre’s mission is to provide the community with low-cost, intimate,quality, alternative theatre, and to provide actors, directors and technicians with a home wherethey can refine their craft, experiment, learn from each other and grow as artists. The companynow includes people from a broad range of ages and backgrounds, who share a desire to bringa social conscience, a sense of humor and a high standard of professional quality to their workat The Found.

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LONG BEACH PLAYHOUSE (EST. 1929)Address: 5021 E. Anaheim St. Contact: 562/494-1014 Website: www.lbplayhouse.org Box Office Hours: Wednesday-Saturday, 3-8 p.m. Shows: Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. Cost: $14-$24Season: Studio Theatre, May to November 2014; Mainstage, September to AugustKey People: Executive and Producing Artistic Director Andrew Vonderschmitt; Business andOperations Manager Madison Mooney; Technical Director Sean Gray.Mission: To celebrate the human experience while encouraging the participation of artist andaudience alike.

LONG BEACH MUSEUM OF ART (EST. 1950)Address: 2300 E. Ocean Blvd. Contact: 562/439-2119 Website: www.lbma.org Hours: 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Thursday; 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday-Sunday Cost: $6-$7; Free on Friday Season: Year-roundKey People: Executive Director Ron Nelson; Director of Collections Sue Ann Robinson;Board President Kathy LingleMission: A community-based organization that collects and cares for a permanent art collection,presents changing exhibitions in a variety of media and provides engaging educational program-ming for youth and adults.

Long Beach Heritage (est. 1980)Venue: Bembridge HouseAddress: 953 Park Cir. Contact: 562/493-7019 Website: www.lbheritage.org Hours: 1:30-2:30 p.m. Bembridge House tours on Tuesday and the fourth Saturday of eachmonth. Other historic tours on our website. Costs: Bembridge House Tour $5; Walking Tours $10; Other Tours, Cost Varies Season:Year-roundKey People: Executive Director Mary Kay Nottage; Board President Cheryl Perry.Mission: To help promote public knowledge and preservation of significant historical and archi-tectural sources, neighborhoods and the cultural heritage of Long Beach.

Long Beach Municipal Band (est. 1909)Address: 2760 Studebaker Rd. Contact: 562/570-3150 Website: www.lbparks.org; www.facebook.com/LongBeachMunicipalBandHours: Showtimes vary Cost: Free Season: July-AugustKey People: Parks, Recreation & Marine’s Del Ransom; Conductor Larry CurtisMission: To perform high quality, free band concerts in the parks of Long Beach, entertainingthousands of families each week.

Museum Of Latin American Art (est. 1996)Address: 628 Alamitos Ave. Contact: 562/437-1689 Website: www.molaa.org Hours: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday; 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday. Cost: $6-$9; Free on Sunday Season: Year-roundKey People: President/CEO Stuart A. Ashman; Board Co-chairs Burke Gumbiner and Mike DeovletMission: The Museum of Latin American Art expands knowledge and appreciation of modernand contemporary Latin American art through its collection, groundbreaking exhibitions, stimu-lating educational programs and engaging cultural events.

Long Beach Opera (est. 1979)Venue: Multiple venues in Long Beach and San Pedro

Address: 507 Pacific Ave. (office) Contact: 562/432-5934 Website: www.longbeachopera.org Hours: Showtimes vary Cost: $29-$160 Season: January to JuneKey People: Artistic & General Director Andreas Mitisek; Director of Production DarleneMiyakawa; Director of Development Elizabeth Kurila; President of the Board Sue Bienkowski.Mission: To expand the boundaries of the opera experience by presenting new and rare works thatwill engage a diverse audience and instill a love for opera in youth.

Long Beach Symphony Orchestra (est. 1935)Venue: Long Beach Performing Arts Center Terrace Theater and Long Beach ArenaAddress: 555 E. Ocean Blvd., Ste 106 Contact: 562/436-3203 x226 Website: www.LongBeachSymphony.org Hours: 8 p.m. Saturday (doors open 6:30 p.m.) Cost: $20-$140Season: October 4, 2014 to May 30, 2015Key People: Executive Director Kelly Ruggirello; Board Chair Irv MillerMission: To enrich our community by providing high-quality traditional and contemporary symphonicmusic and life-shaping educational experiences.

See Ad Pg 21

See Ad Pg 24

MUSICAL THEATRE WEST (EST. 1997)Venue: Mainstage performances at the Carpenter Performing Arts CenterAddress: 4350 E. 7th St. (offices) Contact: 562/856-1999 Website: www.musical.org Hours: Office hours noon-6 p.m. Tuesday to Friday; Performances are generally 8 p.m. Fridayand Saturday; 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday Cost: Tickets start at $20Season: October 31, 2014 to July 26, 2015 includes “Big Fish,” “South Pacific,” “LesMisérables,” and “Singin’ in the Rain.”Established: Incorporated as the Whittier Civic Light Opera in 1952; first performed in Long Beach in 1997.Key People: Executive Director/Producer Paul Garman; Board President Marnes Lelesi.Mission: To enrich the cultural life of the community through musical theater; preserves musi-cal theater as a unique American art form; [and] cultivates and educates the audience of tomor-row through education and outreach programs.

See Ad Pg 19

Pacific Island Ethnic Art Museum (est. 2010)Venue: Pacific Island Ethnic Art Museum Address: 695 Alamitos Ave. Contact: 562/216-4170 Website: www.pieam.org Hours: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday Cost: General $5; Students/Seniors $3; Under 12 Free Season: Year-roundMission: To incorporate the diverse cultures of the Pacific Islands into a permanent collection,educational programs, rotating exhibits, and living art.

R.M.S. Queen Mary (est. 1971)Address: 1126 Queen’s Hwy. Contact: 800/437-2934 Website: www.queenmary.com Hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily Cost: $28.95, general admissionSeason: Year-roundEstablished: Launched on September 26, 1934; arrived in Long Beach on December 9, 1967;opened to the public on May 8, 1971



recommendation was requiring “entertain-ment establishments that engage in activi-ties associated with nightclubs” to obtainboth an entertainment permit and a condi-tional use permit (CUP). Entertainmentpermits are issued by the city’s businesslicensing bureau, while conditional usepermits are issued by the planning depart-ment and include processes for ensuringbusinesses with entertainment have suffi-cient sound proofing so as not to disturbnearby residents.Under the Downtown Plan, a document

which established design and develop-ment standards in Downtown LongBeach, CUPs were already required ofnightclubs. But the task force’s recom-mendation would have also requiredrestaurants with entertainment to obtaina CUP. A $5,000 fee would be requiredfor the CUP process, which would takesix months, according to the recommen-dations issued August 21.According to Rachael Tanner, a pro-

gram specialist with the city manager’soffice, there are currently 21 establish-ments with entertainment permits in theDowntown Dining & EntertainmentDistrict. Of those, only two are what arenow considered traditional nightclubs,meaning they have a full bar and enter-tainment but do not serve food.Groups such as the Long Beach Music

Council and Downtown Long BeachAssociates (DLBA) responded to the sug-gestion to require CUPs of all establish-ments with amplified music, dancing andalcohol consumption, with their concernsabout creating a competitive disadvantagefor downtown. “I honestly don’t see any benefit these

regulations would give to a new businesscoming to town,” Shea Newkirk, operatorof the Long Beach Independent websiteand member of the Long Beach MusicCouncil, told the Business Journal. Partof the music council’s mission is to advo-cate for better music and entertainmentpolicies in Long Beach. Newkirk said thesix-month wait time to complete the CUPprocess would cause businesses to losemoney because they would be unable tooperate until the process is concluded.Newkirk’s colleague at the music coun-

cil, Eric Gray, said the $5,000 CUP feewould disincentivize businesses to comein to the area. Gray has served on theDowntown Residential Committee andthe DLBA Economic DevelopmentCommittee, and helped found theHistoric Old Pine Avenue BusinessAssociation. “Package the entertainmentand conditional use permit fees for nomore than $3,000. That would be suffi-cient,” Gray suggested.The district task force met again on

Monday, September 22, to discuss inputfrom community stakeholders such as theMusic Council and DLBA, and ultimatelydecided to revise the recommendation torequire CUPs on such a broad scale.Tanner, who has worked with the taskforce since its inception, said the task

force is now considering requiring onlyestablishments with Type 48 liquorlicenses to get both a CUP and an enter-tainment permit while restaurants withentertainment would only be required toapply for an “enhanced entertainmentpermit.” The idea is to change the enter-tainment permitting process so that itincludes criteria for sound mitigation, sheexplained.As for the matters of the $5,000 fee and

the six-month period to obtain a CUP,those are unlikely to change, according toTanner. “CUP fees are calculated basedon looking at the last five years and howmuch staff time and resources the [plan-ning] department had to devote to theprocessing of conditional use permits . . .for different types of uses,” Tanner said.“There is a major CUP fee, which is$8,500, and a minor CUP fee, which is$5,000.” Most entertainment establish-ments that serve alcohol typically have topay the higher fee to apply for a CUP, soproposing the minor fee for the districtwas a way of looking at a cost savings forbusinesses, she explained.The CUP process and accompanying

fee “will promote high quality operatorscoming into the downtown,” Tanner said. Gray and Newkirk had a different per-

spective.“I don’t see why adding a CUP fee of

$5,000 is important. From my understand-ing, the task force’s reason is they want toweed out unsophisticated operators,” Graysaid. “But as I said to them, unless you arevery wealthy, it takes a lot of money toopen up a space here, and to deter thatinvestment doesn’t make any sense,” heexplained, adding that the CUP fee wouldimpact the ability for mom-and-pop busi-nesses to move downtown.Kraig Kojian, president and CEO of the

DLBA, said the task force’s decision notto require CUPs for establishments withType 47 liquor licenses – that is, estab-lishments that serve both alcohol andfood – was a step in the right direction.He pointed out, however, that the defini-tion of what constitutes a nightclub mustbe more clearly defined moving forwardbecause not all establishments with Type48 liquor licenses meet the traditionalidea of a nightclub. “How do you want to define a night-

club? My definition is pretty easy. Iwould say it’s a Type 48 [liquor licenseestablishment] that doesn’t serve foodand has dancing,” Kojian said. “Now youcould turn around and say then the BlindDonkey or House of Hayden orHarvelle’s would be nightclubs,” he said,referring to bars in the East Village and ajazz club on the Promenade. “But wouldthose really fit the nightclub definition?Or is Club Sevilla a nightclub? BlindDonkey is the furthest thing from anightclub, but it doesn’t serve food. Andif it did have an entertainment permit,would it be a nightclub?” These are thequestions Kojian hoped the task force isgoing to examine as members refine theirrecommendations.Gray and Newkirk pointed out some of

the task force’s recommendations wereclearly supportive of musicians and enter-tainment, such as allowing outdoor enter-tainment from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sundays

through Thursdays and until midnight onFridays and Saturdays. “I am behind itbecause when you have music on thepatios it adds to the ambiance of down-town,” Gray said. Moving forward, Tanner said the task

force hopes to hold another communitymeeting in mid-October after releasingrevised recommendations with a week-to-10-day comment period. “Our game planis to be as expeditious with the recom-mendations and then changes to themunicipal code as possible,” Tanner said. After the recommendations are codi-

fied, the city attorney would create an

ordinance to be brought to the city councilfor approval. “We have to be done byFebruary, but we hope to be done muchsooner than that,” Tanner said.In the meantime, the moratorium on

issuing business licenses to those seekingType 48 liquor licenses remains in effect.While Kojian acknowledged the morato-rium was necessary to complete theprocess of revaluating how entertainmentpermits are issued, he said it has deterredsome prospective new businesses with con-cepts similar to the Blind Donkey or Houseof Hayden from being able to considermoving downtown. �

Entertainment

Permitting Draws

Cost, Other Criticism(Continued From Page 1)


REAL ESTATE26 Long Beach Business Journal September 30-October 13, 2014

Leases AndTransactions

The following transaction information wassubmitted by Inco Commercial Realty:• Zhanping Chen purchased a 4,876-

square foot industrial building at 1612 E.Colon St. in Wilmington for $1,065,000.Inco’s Doug Shea handled the transaction.• Katharine Tanaka, M.D. signed a seven-

year lease for 1,941 square feet of officespace at 5512 Britton Ave. in Long Beach.Shea handled the transaction.• Javier Montes and John Pyre leased

4,000 square feet of industrial space at 824Anaheim St. in Wilmington for 39 months.The transaction, valued at $216,186, washandled by Shea.• UTC West, LLC signed a 37-month

lease for a 7,800-square-foot industrialbuilding at 2400 Gundry Ave. in SignalHill. Valued at nearly $175,000, the trans-action was handled by Shea and PeterPappageorge of Inco.• Earlier this year, Shea and Debra Orth

handled a transaction that placed OrthoMattress in a 5,250-square-foot retail spaceat 6252 E. Pacific Coast Hwy. in MarinaCenter Long Beach. The 65-month leasetransaction is valued at $570,000.• HTL Automotive purchased a 20,860-

square-foot industrial building at 3330 E.29th St. in Long Beach for $2,750,000.Inco’s Jim Arias and Brad Miles handledthe transaction.• Soledad Enrichment Action Inc. leased

9,392 square feet of industrial space at 495E. Market St. in North Long Beach. Thefive-year lease is valued at $804,206 andwas handled by Shea and Arias.• M&M Containers signed a three-year

lease for 4,000 square feet of industrialspace at 1472 Cota Ave. in West LongBeach. The transaction, valued at $92,724,

was handled by Inco’s Bill Townsend.• E.J. Malloy’s East signed a 10-year

lease for 3,428 square feet of retail space at5506 Britton in Long Beach. The site is theformer FishTale restaurant. The transac-tion, valued at more than $10,000 a month,was handled by Shea.• Dr. Ronaldo Roque signed a five-year

lease for 1,695 square feet of office space at1760 Termino Ave. in Long Beach. Thetransaction was handled by Miles and Shea.• 26 Alamitos Ave. Partners LP purchased

a residential complex at 26 Alamitos Ave. inDowntown Long Beach for $3,225,000.Inco’s Mark Beat and Eric Christopher han-dled the transaction. The same tandem sold

Shoreline Gateway Project ProceedingAt the southern end of the East Village Arts District (outlined in yellow) at Ocean Boulevard near Alamitos Avenue, the first phase of the Shoreline Gatewayproject is moving along. Plans for the $70 million, 17-story tower include 223 rental units, a rooftop pool, a Zen garden, a fitness center and other ameni-ties as well as ground-floor retail. The Current is scheduled for completion in 2016, after which a second, 35-story residential tower is breaking ground.(Aerial photograph taken September 22 by the Business Journal’s Thomas McConville)


REAL ESTATESeptember 30-October 13, 2014 Long Beach Business Journal 27

another residential complex at 717-719 E.Medio St. in Long Beach for $2,325,000.The following transaction information

was submitted by Lee & Associates:• Yellow 108 has singed a five-year lease

for 4,938 square feet of retail space at 237Long Beach Blvd. in Downtown LongBeach. The firm, relocating from nearby, isexpected to move in by mid October andjoin Heartbreak Coffee in the renovatedbuilding. The transaction, valued at

$450,216, was handled by Lee’s NoelAguirre and Sean Lieppman.• 155 Marine signed a lease for 2,512

square feet of office space at the 100 W.Broadway building in Downtown LongBeach. Lee’s Shaun McCullough and JeffCoburn represented the landlord andCarson Jones of Partners National repre-sented the tenant.• Also leasing at 100 W. Broadway is

O.W. Bunker North America Inc. The firm

is occupying 1,680 square feet of space.McCullough and Coburn represented thelandlord and Cushman & Wakefield’sRobert Alperin represented the tenant.The following transaction information

was submitted by Coldwell BankerCommercial BLAIR WESTMAC:• Alfonso and Blanca Madrid leased

6,400 square feet of industrial space at1327 W. Gaylord St. in West Long Beach.The transaction, valued at $736,000, was

handled by CBC’s John Eddy and TylerRollema. • Frederick Caruso leased 2,460 square feet

of industrial space at 2642 E. Spring St. in atransaction valued at $500,000. Eddy andRollema handled the transaction for CBC. • Sandi Goldstein Norene and Richard

Norene leased 1,386 square feet of officespace at 400 W. Ocean Blvd. in a $440,000transaction. CBC’s Sheva Hosseinzadehhandled the transaction. �

Apartment Association Members RecognizedDuring its 46th Annual Trade Show and Industry Awards Breakfast at the Long Beach Convention Center, the Apartment Association, California Southern Cities honored several of its members with certificatesof appreciation. Clive Graham, left, chair of the association’s board of directors, presented awards to, from left: Frankie Alvarez, Michael Brennan, Paul Bonner, Arnie Corlin, Lisa Harris, Kristine Ramos,Lucille Aresco-Crowley and Burt Sirota. (Photograph by the Business Journal’s Thomas McConville)


PERSPECTIVE28 Long Beach Business Journal September 30-October 13, 2014

EDITOR & PUBLISHER

George Economides

SALES & MARKETING EXECUTIVE

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DISTRIBUTION

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Brandon Ferguson

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Steve Stelpflug

PHOTOJOURNALIST

Thomas McConville

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Vol. XXVII No. 19

September 30-

October 13, 2014

S eptember isN a t i o n a l

Childhood CancerAwareness Monthand a time to honorthose who have faced,or are currently bat-tling pediatric cancer.Cancer knows no lim-its and affects chil-dren throughout theworld, across all ages,ethnic groups ands o c i o - e c o n o m i c

backgrounds. It remains the No. 1 cause ofdeath by disease in children. Fifty years ago, a childhood cancer diagno-

sis was a death sentence. Today, as a result ofresearch and treatment advances, more than80 percent of childhood cancer patients arecured and become survivors. Though survivalrates for childhood cancer are at an all-timehigh – and 80 percent survival is a hugeimprovement – to cure just “most” children ofcancer remains unacceptable. This is why theneed for research is imperative in the hopes oferadicating these deadly diseases. Pediatric cancer clinical trials are a key fac-

tor in making progress toward better treatmentand prognosis. A clinical trial is an investiga-tive study of a particular treatment plan, new

drug, combinations of drugs and therapies,modes of drug administration and more.Clinical trials are among the fastest and safestways to find treatments that work againstpediatric cancer. The significant advances inthe success of treatment of pediatric cancerhave come, in part, from the high participationrate of patients in such studies. Treating pediatric cancer is different than

treating adult cancer. In the adult cancer ther-apy arena, there have been new drugs that killonly the cancer, and are not toxic to the nor-mal cells of the person. These “targeted thera-peutics” have had great success in a number ofadult cancers; unfortunately, pediatric cancersare different from adult cancers. Targeted ther-apeutics must be developed specifically forpediatric cancer. As a result of recent research break-

throughs, updated pediatric chemotherapyregimens with a “targeted” approach were dis-covered for a few childhood cancers. Thisapproach can be highly effective without a lotof additional side effects. These advancementsshow why it remains imperative that research,specifically for childhood cancers, is a neces-sity to lead to significant improvements incare for cancer patients in the not-too-distantfuture. Curing cancer still comes at a cost.

Treatments like radiation and chemotherapy

can take their toll on normal tissues and cause“late effects” – second cancers, heart disease,teeth problems, bone weakness, infertility andmore. A cure, without long-term side effects,for every child who faces a cancer diagnosis isthe goal, and research efforts remain critical todiscover less toxic, more effective treatments. Childhood cancer research remains a wor-

thy cause and without the help of families andpatients who agree to participate in clinical tri-als and research efforts, the rarity of these dis-eases would preclude any possibility ofimproving the rates of cure.As a pediatric oncologist, I can only

acknowledge the great strides that have beenmade over the past years due to the participa-tion of families in research. Their dedicationto this cause has changed the very face of howwe approach children with cancer. Today, we can proudly say that most chil-

dren go on to be cured, go to school, have theirown families and live. This has only been pos-sible because of the generosity of patients andfamilies facing cancer. And for this, we andthe future children who will benefit from theirhelp can only offer our thanks and apprecia-tion. (Amanda Termuhlen, M.D., is the medical

director, Jonathan Jaques Children’s CancerCenter, Miller Children’s Hospital LongBeach.)

The Berlin Wall wasbuilt with a purpose

in mind. The high wall,the barbwire at the topand the “Keep Out”signs plastered every-where removed all doubtof its intent. DO NOTENTER!Humans are great at

building walls, espe-cially the emotional kindthat keep people out. It

is so easy to throw vulnerability out the win-dow by putting up emotional brick and mortaralong with some barbwire for extra protection.Sometimes the decision to build barriers is asubtle one. The result is that people are closedout because of the wall that has been erected.Its intent? DO NOT ENTER.What goes unnoticed is that there are two

sides to wall building. If we build that wall, they won’t get close

enough to hurt us. The other truth is that theywon’t come close enough to help us.So what does this have to do with strength-

ening our networks? One of the keys to building relationships is

first understanding that people build barriersaround themselves. The walls vary from per-son to person, but they are essentially there toprohibit access and to ensure protection. Yet here’s the irony – protection dilutes

connection. It weakens our ability to net-work. The more people trust you, the morethey will begin to let you in – both profes-sionally and personally.The reasons for building these walls are

numerous. The range goes from misunder-standing, betrayal, insecurity, fear, to mistrust.

How can these barriers be penetrated? Oneof the best metaphors I’ve heard for buildingrelationships is to find the loose brick in thewall. Expert bricklayers will tell you that every

wall has a loose brick. The walls we build alsohave a loose brick. Be alert and look for it.That’s the place you gain entrance into theirlives. The loose bricks are their interests, theirdreams, their strengths and skills. The loosebricks might also include their fears, theirwounds, their betrayals and disappointments.The loose brick is about them, not you. You

might hit on an experience that wowed them orone that wounded them. Discover the loosebrick and you discover an entrance that leadsto their heart.So how does it work? Here are four keys

to remember:1. Look for the loose bricks. What special

interests do your associates have, and howcould this increase opportunities to deepenyour connection? Bypass any defensivereaction and go to the loose brick. It willchange the conversation and, as a result, therelationship.2. Gain insight into their interests and expe-

riences. That becomes valuable informationthat can be used at a later date. It can be a kindgesture or note regarding something that con-nects you with what interests them. It could bein the form of an article that highlights thatinterest, or even an appropriate gift.3. Match the depth of the dialogue to the

context. Don’t just jump to business jargon.Deeper connections come from finding com-mon ground that’s not work related.4. Diffuse heated topics by saying, “Well,

that’s one issue we’re not going to solvetonight.” Or say, “I certainly understand your

perspective,” minus the “but” that’s sitting onthe tip of your tongue. You don’t win pointsby always being right. Leaders don’t have tohave the last word. Sometimes the middleword is best.The level of connection will differ with each

relationship. Your professional contacts mustremain professional. But they can also bemore personal. So look for the loose bricks,because personal connections are strongerthan professional connections.By the way – it pays to be nice. Here are a

few bonus questions1 to help find those loosebricks. Ask…1. What’s your connection to the event? This

can lead to a series of questions.2. What keeps you busy when you are not at

events like this or at work? They will now berevealing a few of their interests and passions.3. Are you getting away for the summer?

This goes to family and special interests.4. Are you involved with any charities? This

might lead them to share what they value.5. How did you come to be in your line of

work? This could get very interesting as theyrevisit their story. You will get a lot of clues asto what makes them tick.Keep an eye out for the loose bricks.1Allison Graham, From Business Cards to

Business Relationships: Personal Branding andProfitable Networking Made Easy, 2nd edition;(Ontario, John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd., 2012).(Mick Ukleja has co-authored several books

including Managing the Millennials. He helpsorganizations create environments in which allgenerations can thrive. He is a keynotespeaker and president of LeadershipTraq, aleadership consulting firm. His clients haveincluded Fortune 500 corporations and non-profit organizations. Check his weekly blog atwww.leadershiptraq.com.)

� EFFECTIVELEADERSHIP

By Mick Ukleja

Look For The Loose BricksThe Key To Strengthening Your Network

The Future Of Childhood Cancer

� HEALTHWISE

By AmandaTermuhlen, M.D.


PERSPECTIVESeptember 30-October 13, 2014 Long Beach Business Journal 29

I t is no secret thattwo of the biggest

issues in the housingindustry ever since themortgage bubble burstin 2007 have been thewholesale changes inthe way lending isregulated and the lim-ited access to credit,both of which have

been seriously stifling the market.While getting Congress to agree on

anything – especially a lending and hous-ing policy – can be a Herculean task, twoleaders in the field of mortgage lendingcoming from opposite sides of the spec-trum seemed to agree in principle duringrecent speeches with the premise thatchanges in regulation and in access tocredit are necessary in order to move for-ward and get housing back on its feet.John Stumpf, the CEO at Wells Fargo,

and Julian Castro, the newly appointedsecretary of the U.S. Department ofHousing and Urban Affairs, bothacknowledge that over-regulation is hurt-ing the housing market, and that improve-ment is dependent on changes not only inregulations but in the culture of homemortgage lending.Stumpf blamed the constriction of

credit availability as the chief deterrent tothe housing market today, despite low

rates and prices that are more attractivethan before the recession. He noted thatthe mortgage market is being stifled inpart by a fear of putbacks – where lendersare forced by Fannie Mae, Freddie Macand the U.S. Federal HousingAdministration to buy back loans theyhave sold into the secondary market if theloans are determined not to meet thoseagencies’ standards.“There are certain parts of the market

where you can’t get a conforming mort-gage because we know what happenswhen loans go into default,” Stumpf said.Stumpf also pointed out that many put-

backs are based “on technicalities,” citingan example of different versions of thesame name on a borrower’s application asa possible reason for one. Becauselenders are worried they may have to laterbuy back the loan if it goes into default,they are being extra cautious.Even if guidelines from the govern-

ment-sponsored enterprises say it isacceptable to lend to a borrower with a580 credit score, the lender will set athreshold of 680 in order to protect itself,Stumpf added.He also pointed to the increased regula-

tory burden that all institutions, particu-larly the largest ones, are operating under.He cited stress tests, new liquidity andcapital rules, and the Volcker Rule (whichprohibits banks from making speculative

investments), acknowledging that they arepart of a legitimate effort to end “too big tofail” scenarios like we saw in 2007-2008.Stumpf said the combination of new

rules has become problematic. Any one ofthese changes “all make sense in the sin-gular,” he said, but, in the aggregate, “it’sa large load.” Now there are concernsabout cyber risk, interest-rate risk, anti-money laundering risk and more. He saidthe San Francisco-based bank hasincreased its capital to $181 billion from$99 billion, and holds 24 percent of itsbalance sheet in liquid assets.Wells Fargo can no longer make $1 of

loans per $1 of deposits due to the addedrequirement. “Today we have $11 ofdeposits and $8 in loans,” he added.Stumpf said that policymakers should

step back and stop adding new require-ments, at least for now, noting that thereis an economic price if there is excessiveregulation and too much capital on thesidelines. He also said issues inWashington, including battles over thedebt limit and fears of a fiscal cliff, havehurt economic growth.“When Washington behaves badly . . . it

has an impact on the real economy,”Stumpf noted, but he added that regula-tors are beginning to understand theimpact of these regulations and they arelooking for ways to “open the credit box.”It would appear that Castro is going to

push for more proactive legislation to getlending back on track; he expressed sup-port for a bipartisan U.S. Senate bill toreform the housing finance system thatwould make lenders more confidentabout extending credit.Lending standards, he said, have become

too tight. “This has to change,” Castro said.The FHA is planning to move ahead

with a housing counseling program calledHomeowners Armed with Knowledge –HAWK. FHA borrowers who adhere tothe counseling regime will save on theaverage nearly $10,000 over the life ofthe loan, according to Castro.The FHA has also put out a Loan

Qualify Assessment Framework to pro-vide lenders with clear underwritingguidelines to help them identify loandefects and determine how serious thosedefects are. “By clarifying the compli-ance process, we’re giving lenders theconfidence they need to lend,” Castroadded. “Now we must keep pushing untilhousing reform legislation gets over thefinish line – once and for all.”And hopefully, for a change, regulators

and lenders can stay on the same page tosolve a problem.(Terry Ross, the broker-owner of TR

Properties, will answer any questions abouttoday’s real estate market. E-mail questionsto Realty Views at [email protected] orcall 949/457-4922.)

REALTY VIEWS

By Terry Ross

Will Loan Regulations Be Eased?

I t all began cen-turies ago, but

one would thinkthe idea of strate-gic interim leader-ship for an organi-zation was new. While there are

differing opinionsabout the originsof interim or“bridging” leader-

ship, most generally credit the Presbyteriansin Scotland for initiating the process ofdeploying temporary pastors into congrega-tions where clergy had been reassigned orleft. The goal: Make sure that a continuity ofleadership is in place that doesn’t miss abeat in an organization’s ability to serve itsmission and its people. In the decades thatfollowed, interim pastors became common-place in other denominations. Three centuries later, interim leaders for

nonprofit organizations have become a hotcommodity; and, for good reason.The unspoken truth about most nonprofit

organizations, like family-run businesseswhere a change at the top is imminent, isthat things can get very messy:Disagreements erupt about how a departurewas managed or whether a departure waseven warranted; a sudden and unplannedvacancy took unprepared people by sur-prise; a quick hire turned into a bad hire; oran unsuccessful search process turned upno candidates leaving everyone in limbo.The incidence of nonprofit leadership

transition is going to increase.CompassPoint Nonprofit Services inOakland reports in its Daring to Lead studythat more than two-thirds of nonprofitexecutives in the United States anticipateleaving their current positions within fiveyears. Only a third of those execs indicatehaving confidence that their boards areequipped and able to hire the right succes-sor. Moreover, last year’s UnderdevelopedReport from CompassPoint paints an evenmore sobering portrait about predicteddevelopment officer turnover.When leadership vacancies occur, acting

quickly doesn’t always equate to actingwisely: Slotting an unemployed board-member or a current associate as “the act-ing leader’ can incur costs and casualtieswhen those individuals have little or noexperience leading a corporation and itsstakeholders through a leadership changewhile still paying the bills.Today skilled interim professionals

help nonprofits to decipher what isneeded in their organizations as opposedto perceptions of what is wanted. Interimsare able to redefine and re-engineer lead-ership positions by being in them.Especially long-term executives can havethe added benefit of working with aknowledgeable and experienced peer whodoesn’t want the job, to shepherd anentire organization through a positiveleadership transition. Interims are alsowelcome relief for boards and executiveson matters related to offering sabbaticals,managing leaves of absence, and estab-

lishing new first-time positions. Even thecourts are now appointing interims toevaluate an organization’s ability toemerge from bankruptcy.Interim leadership is not limited to the

corner office. Interim development, pro-gram and financial officers afford an exec-utive director with unique advantages priorto taking the hiring plunge. Some nonprof-its have gone so far to as create an “interimboard” as an important bridge between anorganization’s past and its future.Good interims conduct a thorough,

expert assessment of an organization, addan experienced voice to the hiringprocess, realign or re-engineer functions,manage crisis, establish systems that canbe maintained by others, offer short-termskills that may not be needed in the long-term, and resolve conflict.In our community, Long Beach Day

Nursery, Comprehensive ChildDevelopment, The Center, Long BeachSymphony Orchestra, and LeadershipLong Beach are but five examples of trulyoutstanding organizations which chose, atone time, interim leadership as a strategicdecision for their institutions.Also in our community, Nancy Kindelan,

former CEO of the Long Beach Chapter ofthe American Red Cross; Ron Van Winkle,former CEO of Orange County RonaldMcDonald House; Joan Van Hooten, for-mer executive director of the Arts Councilfor Long Beach; John Glaza, formerConsulting Services Director for LongBeach Nonprofit Partnership; and Carol

Hass, former deputy director of develop-ment at Los Angeles Gay and LesbianCenter and currently president ofCommunity Works Consulting, are but fiveexamples of truly outstanding profession-als who chose, as part of their careers, toserve as interim leaders.Innovative nonprofits include exploring

the merits of an interim as part of theirstanding succession policies. From my vantage point, Long Beach

organizations and our local nonprofit pro-fessionals stand at the national forefrontdemonstrating that a century’s old commit-ment to leadership continuity is today’sstrategic solution to evolving our commu-nity’s vital institutions.(Jeffrey R. Wilcox, CFRE, is president

and chief executive officer of The ThirdSector Company, Inc. Join in on the con-versation about this article at the LongBeach Business Journal websitewww.lbbusinessjournal.com.)

Interim Leadership:A Strategic Nonprofit Solution

� THIRD SECTOR REPORTBy Jeffrey Wilcox

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CITY OF LONG BEACH DEPARTMENT MANAGERS AND DIRECTORS30 Long Beach Business Journal September 30-October 13, 2014

Mission: To plan anddirect the implementationof city programs in accor-dance with city councilpolicies, the City Charter,and the Municipal Code,and provide leadershipfor efficient and effectivemunicipal services for thecommunity.Background: Pat West

began working for cities at age 16 as an ocean lifeguardin Huntington Beach. He went on to be the assistantdirector of the recreational instructional program atUCLA, and worked for 25 years with the City ofParamount as the parks and recreational director, com-munity development director/executive director of theredevelopment and 11 years as city manager. In 2005,West was appointed the director of community devel-opment and executive director of the redevelopmentagency in Long Beach. He was appointed city managerin 2007. He holds a MBA from CSU Dominguez Hills,a master’s in recreation administration CSU L.A., anda bachelors in social science from UC Irvine.

City ManagerPatrick West, City Manager

Mission: To plan anddirect the implementa-tion of city programs inaccordance with citycouncil policies, theCity Charter, and theMunicipal Code, andprovide leadership forefficient and effectivemunicipal services forthe community.

Background: Tom Modica, who joined the city in2002 as a management assistant, guides and facili-tates department projects, leads special initiatives,solves problems, continues the city’s innovation andtechnology efforts, and maintains Long Beach’s posi-tion as a regional leader on municipal issues. Heoversees external affairs, maintaining oversight overgovernment affairs, communications and regional ini-tiatives like water quality, transportation, regionalplanning, and state and regional funding issues. Healso oversees the tidelands capital improvement divi-sion, which is responsible for a $125 million capitalimprovement program in the city’s coastal area.

City ManagerTom Modica, Deputy City Manager

Mission: The missionof the Department ofDisaster Preparednessand EmergencyCommunications is toprotect the lives andproperty of the commu-nity and first respon-ders through compre-hensive planning, train-ing and communication

to ensure that daily requests for emergency andnon-emergency services, as well as response andrecovery for major emergencies and disasters iscompleted in an effective and efficient manner.Background: Reginald “Reggie” Harrison has morethan 25 years of experience in municipal governance,joining Long Beach in 1996. Prior to being nameddirector of the newly created department of disasterpreparedness and emergency communications, heserved as deputy city manager since 2001. He hasserved in several interim roles for the city and cur-rently is interim director of the Long Beach Airport.

Disaster Preparedness &Emergency CommunicationsReginald Harrison, Director

Mission: To contributeto a safe and sustainablecity that honors its pastand embraces the future.Background: As direc-tor of the Long BeachDevelopment ServicesDepartment, AmyBodek, AICP, overseesall development-relatedfunctions for the City of

Long Beach. The Department includesAdministration and Financial Services,Neighborhood Services/Code Enforcement,Housing and Community Improvement, Planning,and Building and Safety Bureaus, with nearly 200employees and an operating budget of $117 mil-lion. Bodek also serves as president of the LongBeach Community Improvement Company, theCity's wholly owned affordable housing non-profitcorporation. Her background is in urban planning,redevelopment and real estate transactions.

Development Services Amy Bodek, Director

Mission: The CivilService Departmenttreats all customers withintegrity, courtesy andrespect, and providesquality candidates thatreflect our diverse com-munity through a fairand timely employmentprocess.Background: With 13

years of human resources and education experience,Kandice Taylor-Sherwood joined the city as directorof Civil Service this past June. She previously servedas deputy director of Human Resources and managerof Employment/Recruitment and OrganizationalDevelopment/Training for the City of Anaheim. Shealso served as a principal human resources special-ist with the L.A. Unified School District and hastaught part-time at Cal State Long Beach. Taylor-Sherwood also owns a consulting business. Sheearned a bachelors degree in psychology and a mas-ter’s in industrial organizational psychology.

Civil ServiceKandice Taylor-SherwoodDirector

Mission: It is the mis-sion of the City Attorney’sOffice to serve the citi-zens of Long Beach byproviding to our clientsaccurate and timely legalcounsel and representingthem aggressively inState and Federal Court,consistent with the pow-ers and duties conferred

upon the City Attorney’s office by the City Charter.Background: Charles Parkin was elected to a four-year term as city attorney in June. He began hiscareer with the city in 1985 in the department of oilproperties. In 1995 he was hired by the city attor-ney’s office as a deputy city attorney, with promo-tions to principal deputy city attorney in 2006 andassistant city attorney in 2012. He was appointed bythe city council as city attorney in August 2013.Parkin graduated from Pacific Coast University,School of Law and received his bachelors degree inbusiness administration from California StateUniversity, Long Beach.

City AttorneyCharles Parkin, City Attorney

Mission: The city audi-tor provides independ-ent assurance that pub-lic funds are spentwisely and responsibly;promotes transparency,accountability and effi-ciency in city opera-tions; and preventsfraud, waste, and abuseof city resources.

Background: Laura Doud was first elected in 2006and re-elected in 2010 and 2014. Long Beach is oneof only four cities with elected city auditors inCalifornia – giving citizens the benefit of having anindependent city auditor to review the operations ofthe city. Doud and her staff work on taxpayers’ behalfto ensure public funds are spent appropriately, effi-ciently, and effectively; to prevent fraud, waste, andabuse of city resources; and to ensure the city collectsall revenue due. Doud was born and raised in LongBeach where she received all of her education. She isa graduate of Pacific Coast University School of Law.She is a CPA and a certified fraud examiner.

City AuditorLaura Doud, City Auditor

Mission: The depart-ment is committed to pur-suing excellence throughtrust, respect, caring, andby being accountable andresponsible, by followingthese guiding principles:provision of accessiblelegislative services to all,including the obligationto inform and notify the

public; conducting all elections in an efficient andaccurate manner and as mandated by law; recordingand maintaining official city government documents ina manner that promotes security and ease of retrieval.Background: Larry Herrera was appointed city clerkin December 2002. His local government manage-ment career includes work for the cities of Commerce,Santa Barbara, Santa Monica and the County of SantaBarbara. He holds a masters in public administrationfrom Cal State Fullerton and a bachelors from CalState L.A. He completed the Harvard University,Kennedy School of Government, program for seniorexecutives in state and local government in 2004.

City ClerkLarry Herrera, City Clerk

Mission: It is our mis-sion to ethically andeffectively prosecute theguilty, protect crime vic-tims, and improve thequality of life in LongBeach. We are commit-ted to ensuring that jus-tice is done.Background: DougHaubert was elected city

prosecutor in 2010 and reelected in 2014. He has over14 years of experience as a civil and criminal prosecu-tor. He has partnered with the police department andschool district to develop the Parent Accountabilityand Chronic Truancy Program, secured injunctionsagainst criminal street gangs and increased gangprosecutions, and utilized new technologies toimprove efficiency in the office while reducing costs.Prior to his election he was a deputy city prosecutorfor Long Beach, then joined the municipal law firm ofAleshire and Wynder, where he became a partner andserved as city prosecutor and city attorney to severalcities in Southern California on a contract basis.

City ProsecutorDouglas Halbert, City Prosecutor

Mission: Newly formeddepartmentBackground: MikeConway joined the city inJune 2001 after serving inacquisition, developmentand project managementpositions with LegacyPartners Commercial forseveral years and UnionPacific Rail for more than

10 years. He was appointed director of public works inlate 2007, a position he held until March 2013 when hewas named director of business and property develop-ment. This included serving as lead staff for revisioningthe Civic Center, disposition of City Hall East, acquisi-tion of Federal property for East Police Headquartersunder Base Realignment and Closure Act, redevelop-ment of the Queen Mary shore-side property andCarnival Cruise Line expansion. Conway holds a bach-elor of science degree in business administration witha focus on real estate, finance and law from CaliforniaState University, Los Angeles.

Economic And PropertyDevelopmentMichael Conway, Director

The Long Beach BusinessJournal is pleased to present thestaff leadership of the City of LongBeach. While three of the positionsare elected every four years by thepeople of Long Beach – city attor-ney, city auditor and city prosecu-tor – and two positions areappointed by the Long Beach CityCouncil – the city manager and thecity clerk – all of these men andwomen serve the citizens andbusinesses of Long Beach. CityManager Patrick West, with twoexceptions, is responsible forappointing all department direc-tors, including the police and firechiefs. The Long Beach Board ofHarbor Commissioners selects thechief executive of the HarborDepartment/Port of Long Beach;and the Long Beach Board ofWater Commissioners selects thegeneral manager of the LongBeach Water Department.


CITY OF LONG BEACH DEPARTMENT MANAGERS AND DIRECTORSSeptember 30-October 13, 2014 Long Beach Business Journal 31

Mission: To deliver anuninterrupted supply ofquality water to our cus-tomers; to effectively dis-pose of, or reclaimsewage; and to operate ina manner that is econom-ically efficient and envi-ronmentally responsible.Background: The LongBeach Board of Water

Commissioners appointed Kevin L. Wattier as generalmanager of the Long Beach Water Department onJune 1, 2001. He reports directly to the board. Heoversees the day to day operation and business activ-ity of one of the most reliable and advanced municipalretail water agencies in the country, and leads a teamof over 230 water system professionals in regulatingthe sale, use, and distribution of water in the city.Prior to joining Long Beach, he worked for McGuireEnvironmental Consultants. Wattier received a bach-elor of science in civil engineering from SouthDakota State University and his master’s. in environ-mental engineering from Clarkson University.

Long Beach WaterKevin Wattier, Gen. Manager

Mission: Provide com-munication and informa-tion systems and technicalsupport services to citygovernment and the pub-lic to enhance their abilityto provide and receive thehighest level of service atthe lowest possible cost.Background: ChrisWilding is the newly

appointed interim department head for innovationand technology. He has a 25-years of internationalleadership experience in the private and public sec-tors, across a wide range of industries. Recently heserved as the CIO for the City of Henderson,Nevada, where he led several government transfor-mation initiatives and was responsible for effectivedelivery of IT services to city departments. Prior tothat he held various CIO and IT leadership roles forBechtel on U.S. Department of Energy nuclear pro-grams in the USA and internationally on large-scaleinternational projects. He is a civil engineeringgraduate from Westminster College in London, UK.

Innovation & Technology Chris Wilding, Interim Director

Mission: To maintainand enhance the city’sinfrastructure and envi-ronment for the benefit ofthe public.Background: In addi-tion to serving as directorof public works, AraMaloyan is also the cityengineer. He was hired inJuly 2012 as the deputy

director of public works and city engineer and becamedirector in January 2014. As director, he's responsiblefor the city's roads, sidewalks, trees and structures,implementation of the City’s Annual CapitalImprovement Program, among other charges.Maloyan came to Long Beach after working for the Cityof Beverly Hills for 23 years, most recently as its cityengineer. He worked for the City of Los Angeles for fiveyears prior to joining Beverly Hills. He has a bache-lor's degree in civil and structural engineering fromCal State Los Angeles and a construction managementcertificate from UCLA.

Public WorksAra Maloyan, Director

Mission: To becomeCalifornia’s safest largecity.Background: JimMcDonnell was namedchief of police in 2010following a 29-year careerwith the Los AngelesPolice Department, wherehe held every rank in thedepartment up to chief of

staff, or second in command. He has receivednumerous community and department awards,including the LAPD’s highest award for bravery, theMedal of Valor. McDonnell holds a bachelors incriminal justice from St. Anselm College in NewHampshire, and a master's in public administrationfrom USC. He is also a graduate of the FBI’s presti-gious National Executive Institute, the SeniorManagement Institute for Police and has completedexecutive education programs at Harvard’s KennedySchool of Government. He was appointed to the U.S.Attorney General’s National Task Force on ChildrenExposed to Violence.

PoliceJim McDonnell, Chief

Mission: To provideleisure programs andservices through people,places and partnerships toresidents and visitors,which enhance neighbor-hoods and improve qual-ity of life in Long Beach.Background: GeorgeChapjian was appointeddirector in January 2011.

He had been serving as director of community serv-ices and parks with the City of Glendale, where he hadworked since 2003. The department is a four-timerecipient of the National Parks and RecreationSociety's "Gold Medal" award for outstanding man-agement practices and programs, with the mostrecent award in 2013. The department also overseesthe Long Beach Animal Services Bureau and the LongBeach Marine Bureau, which includes the largestmunicipally operated marina system in the nation.Chapjian holds masters degrees in social work andgerontology, and a bachelors degree in psychology,all from the University of Southern California.

Parks, Recreation & MarineGeorge Chapjian, Director

Mission: To safely pro-vide price-competitivenatural gas utility servicesto residents and busi-nesses, to commerciallyaccept regional refuse forconversion into generatedelectrical power for resale,and to manage in an envi-ronmentally safe mannerthe city and state’s

onshore and offshore production of oil and natural gasto maximize production levels and revenues.Background: A 30-year city employee, in 2000Chris Garner was appointed director of the new citydepartment Long Beach Energy, and in 2004 alsoassumed the role of director of Oil Properties. InOctober 2005 the two departments became one underthe current name. Garner now manages all of the city’senergy operations: the gas utility, the oil operationsand the SERRF trash-to-energy power plant. Born andraised in Long Beach, Garner holds a master’s degreeand bachelor of science degree in business adminis-tration from Loyola Marymount University.

Long Beach Oil & GasChristopher Garner, Director

Mission: The LongBeach Public Library iscommitted to meeting theinformation and learningneeds of our culturallydiverse and dynamic pop-ulation. We provide qual-ity library servicesthrough a professionalstaff that is responsive,expert and who take pride

in providing public service. We offer a wide selectionof resources and materials representing all points ofview. We support lifelong learning, intellectual curios-ity and free and equal access to information.Background: Glenda Williams, a Long Beach resi-dent since 3rd Grade, has more than 33 years of expe-rience in the public library field, all of it with the LongBeach Public Library She was appointed director ofLibrary Services in August 2009. She holds a bach-elor of arts in psychology from the UCLA, a master’sof library science from San Jose State Universityand a master’s of public policy and administrationfrom California State University, Long Beach.

Library ServicesGlenda Williams, Director

Mission: To provideleadership and opera-tional support to Citydepartments to enhancetheir ability to recruitand retain a qualified,diverse workforce and toeffectively manage busi-ness risks.Background: Deborah“Debbie” Mills was

appointed director of the Department of HumanResources for the City of Long Beach on May 10,2010. Debbie has 32 years of experience working forthe City of Long Beach. As director, she supervisesfive bureaus that comprise the department;Administration, Personnel Operations, LaborRelations, Risk Management and the Pacific GatewayWorkforce Investment Network. Prior to her appoint-ment as director, Debbie served the City as managerof personnel operations, as well as the employeebenefits officer. Mills serves on the city’s EconomicDevelopment and Finance Committee, as well as thePersonnel & Civil Service Committee.

Human ResourcesDeborah Mills, Director

Mission: Improve thequality of life by promot-ing a safe and healthycommunity in which tolive, work and play.Background: KellyColopy joined the city asdepartment head inSeptember 2013. Prior tothat she served as networkdirector for OptumHealth

in Salt Lake City. From 2005-2012 she served in a vari-ety of positions for the Office of the Mayor in Salt LakeCity, and from 1996-2005 she worked with the UtahDepartment of Human Services. Colopy earned hermaster’s from Duke University, Institute of PolicySciences and Public Affairs, and her bachelor’s in gov-ernment from Smith College. She serves on the UtahAfterschool Network and was chair for three years. Shealso served on the executive board of the DiscoveryGateway Children’s Museum. She enjoys spendingtime with family and friends; mountain sports (hiking,biking, skiing and snowshoeing); training and compet-ing in triathlons; traveling; reading; and learning.

Health And Human Services Kelly Colopy, Director

Mission: The Port of LongBeach is an innovativeprovider of state-of-the-artseaport facilities and serv-ices that enhance economicvitality and improve qualityof life and the environment.Background: Jon W.Slangerup was named the

Port of Long Beach's chief executive in June 2014 bythe Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners. Hecomes to the port with 34 years of corporate leadershipexperience and for the past 20 years has served as apresident, CEO and/or director of both public and pri-vate companies. With expertise in aviation, logisticsand clean technologies, Slangerup has built globalbusinesses ranging from technology startups to a bil-lion-dollar subsidiary of FedEx. He is a former presi-dent of FedEx Canada. He holds a master's degree inbusiness administration from Kennedy-WesternUniversity, and a bachelors in aeronautics from Embry-Riddle. He is a certified board leadership fellow with theNational Association of Corporate Directors.

HarborJon Slangerup, Chief ExecutivePort Of Long Beach

Mission: The missionof the fire department isto protect lives, propertyand the environment,improving the quality oflife and safety of thecommunity.Background: MikeDuRee, a 20-yearemployee of the depart-ment, was named fire

chief in July 2012. DuRee is a 5th generation City ofLong Beach employee and a 4th generation fire-fighter in Long Beach. He has served in a variety ofpositions with the department, including firefighter,paramedic/firefighter, captain, battalion chief andassistant chief. He served with the rescue boat pro-gram and as a public safety dive team member. Heholds a bachelors degree in public administrationand is a graduate of Harvard University, KennedySchool of Government executive fellowship programfor senior executives in state and local government.He has been certified by the State of California as apublic information officer for large scale incidents.

FireMike DuRee, Chief

Mission: To manageCity financial operations,to provide financial policyadvice and direction thatkeeps the City financiallystrong, to provide trans-parent financial reporting,to provide a sound budgetprocess enabling budget-ary decisions that servethe best interest of the

City, and to provide collection and business servicesin a manner that well serves City goals.Background: John Gross has been a finance directoror executive director for more than 40 years. He joinedLong Beach as its director of financial management inMay 2011. He previously served as finance director ofAurora, Colorado, for 20 years. He held similar posi-tions for Arlington Heights, Illinois, and Mt. Lebanon,Pennsylvania. He also served as chief fiscal officer forthe Illinois Bureau of Employment Security. Grossholds a bachelor of science in mechanical engineeringand a master’s degree in urban and public affairs. Heenjoys digital video and audio editing and bump skiing.

Financial ManagementJohn Gross, Director


september 30-october 13, 2014

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