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IN PRINT: The 10 Most Powerful People In Long Beach by Long Beach Post | Ten Most Powerful | 10.14.11 |
+  Skip A. Keesal, Jr. is Long Beach's most powerful person. 6:15am | This marks our fifth annual 10 Most Powerful People In Long Beach list where we highlight the people in Long Beach who are making a difference. There are thousands of people who impact Long Beach each day in powerful ways so narrowing the decision to the top ten is not an easy task. Click here to find our October 2011 print version of the Long Beach Post. Nominations from our readers and the advice from Long Beach Post staff including current and former writers assisted in developing this year’s list. This list is full of people who have gained notoriety for the decisions they have made, the actions they have taken, and their leadership throughout Long Beach to produce results. We also looked for “the ones to watch” who will continue to have influence in the future. We look to these ten people who use their power to shape our community so that Long Beach continues to be the best city in the world. 1. Skip A. Keesal, Jr. Founding Partner Keesal, Young & Logan There are few people in Long Beach who have ever had breakfast with the President and dinner with the Queen of England. Only one can do both and then squeeze in hosting a luncheon fundraiser for the Long Beach Boys and Girls Club with a Four-Star General as the guest speaker. Few people, that is, besides Skip Keesal, Jr., founder of the city’s largest law firm, Keesal, Young & Logan. Skip’s influence reaches far beyond the courtroom into the lives of everyday Long Beach residents, whether it is in his role on the Board of Governors at Cal State Long Beach, the Board of Trustees for the Boys and Girls Club or his involvement with the Long Beach Police Foundation. He is also an influential businessman with major development assets in Downtown Long Beach. Skip is the heartbeat of Long Beach — his fingers are firmly on the pulse of the city and nothing big happens unless Skip is behind it. Skip is our most powerful person in Long Beach.  2. Dr. Charles B. ReedChancellor The California State University A resident of Long Beach since assuming his post as Chancellor in 1998, Dr. Charles Reed is the leader of the California State University (CSU). Headquartered in Downtown Long Beach, the CSU is the largest higher education institution in the world. The CSU boasts 23 campuses, nearly 433,000 students, 44,000 faculty and staff, an annual budget of $5 billion, and has achieved the rank of being the most diverse, and one of the most affordable university systems in the country, if not the world. At the top of the list of powerful institutions is a powerful man who in thirteen years at the helm as Chancellor has seen good times and bad times. Increasing investments in the CSU by California’s Legislature welcomed Dr. Reed to his post early in his tenure. Over time, that funding eroded, causing friction between the faculty unions, students and elected officials at all levels of government over the best course of action to protect the future of the CSU. Chancellor Reed never wavered from what he believed was the best way forward. He told the Long Beach Post in January 2009, “If we continue to chip away at public funding for higher education, we jeopardize the very investment in our state’s human capital and in the strength of the economic engine that has propelled California to a position of global leadership.”  3. Bob FosterMayor City of Long Beach Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster continues to make major impacts on our city and the region. His work ranges from replacing nearly 20,000 container hauling trucks in the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles with cleaner-burning models. Foster has built a reputation of keeping the city focused on fiscal responsibility. He presented and successfully secured the passage of a balanced city budget this past September. Included in the budget deal was a historic pension reform plan that the Mayor personally negotiated with Long Beach’s police union. The plan is estimated to save the city over $100 million in the next decade. When Governor Jerry Brown proposed the elimination of redevelopment agencies back in January, Mayor Foster was one of the first Mayors in the state to vocally oppose the Governor’s proposal. In 2007, Mayor Foster championed the Architecture, Construction, and Engineering (A.C.E.) Academy at Jordan High School which now graduates 270 young people each year. Sacramento-based Capitol Weekly recently named Mayor Foster one of California’s “10 Good Mayors” recognizing him for his long-standing ability to “give-and-take with the press” and his “practical knowledge of politics and business.” Mayor Foster’s powerful ability to get things done is not going unnoticed.  4. The Molina FamilySince being founded in 1980, Long Beach-based Molina Healthcare has been continually noted as one of the nation’s best healthcare systems. When their father passed away in 1996, his sons Mario and John took over as President/CEO and as CFO, and since then the company has flourished, becoming a prominent healthcare enterprise serving the city’s vulnerable populations. John and Michelle Molina are constantly exercising their power in the realms of healthcare, charity, development, and media throughout the city. Michelle is one of Long Beach’s most tireless charity advocates. Her sister Janet Molina Watt has broken new ground with her Little Owl Preschool in North Long Beach, the first privately-owned LEED (Leader in Energy and Environmental Design)-certified building in the city. It’s just one more example of the changing face of education care of the Molina crew. Lastly, Martha Molina Bernadett has taken a proactive role with the ever-expanding Molina Foundation, taking profits made through investments and reinvesting them into the community through various local charities. Truly, the power exercised by the Molina Family ranges through many aspects of Long Beach life.  5. Chris SteinhauserSuperintendent Long Beach Unified School District Eloy Ortiz Oakley Superintendent-President Long Beach City College Dr. F. King Alexander President California State University, Long Beach Dr. F. King Alexander, Eloy Ortiz Oakley, and Chris Steinhauser collectively impact the lives of over 160,000 students each day. Education and political leaders from around the world routinely call upon the three men to talk about the Long Beach College Promise, a pact between all three institutions dedicated to increasing college access and seamless education in Long Beach. Individually, they lead large education centers dedicated to providing high quality education to all that seek it. Together, they are a powerful force for change, innovation and partnership.  6. Patrick WestCity Manager City of Long Beach Long Beach City Manager Patrick West leads the day-to-day operation of California’s seventh largest city. Working with Mayor Foster and the members of the city council Patrick has a tough job managing the various priorities and projects coming out of city hall. Since becoming city manager in September 2007, Pat has transformed city government by eliminating hundreds of city government positions, cutting nearly $170 million in general fund obligations, all the while remaining focused on improving the lives of all Long Beach citizens. As an avid cyclist, Patrick is dedicated to making Long Beach one of the country’s most bike friendly cities. He was instrumental in the implementation the bike lanes in downtown and the sharrows in Belmont Shore to name a few. Patrick is a hands-on leader who is active in the community and is seen all over town meeting with people and looking for ways to get a better understanding of how Long Beach can do better.  7. Wayne A. Cheney, Jr.Pastor Antioch Church of Long Beach Over forty five years ago, his grandfather set the stage for a young, aspiring Wayne. A Long Beach legend for a generation, the late Joe Chaney Jr. inspired many into service and to becoming the best they could be. The young Wayne grew up and now leads Wayne Chaney Ministries. Pastor Chaney is in the business of transforming lives and he does so through the Antioch Church of Long Beach. Pastor Chaney and his wife Myesha also founded the Long Beach Gospel Fest. A summer gathering of over 35 of Long Beach’s religious organizations for a showing of music, food and community, it has grown into the premier religious event in Long Beach. Pastor Chaney told the Los Angeles Times this past summer, “Against the backdrop of a big-city skyline, it has an especially beautiful resonance. Beyond the gospel music, we are witnessing the addition of something new and wonderful to Long Beach.”  8. Justin RuddFounder Community Action Team An exclamation point is a commonly used punctuation mark typically used to indicate strong feelings. In Long Beach, the exclamation point is synonymous with the name Justin Rudd! He can definitely spark strong feelings of volunteerism. Through his non-profit, the Community Action Team, Justin hosts a number of events ranging from Beauty Pageants, to Spelling Bees, to the famous Howl’oween Dog Parade to nearly 200 beach clean-ups. Thousands of people depend on Justin to provide diverse opportunities to improve the city they love.  9. Suzanne FrickAssistant City Manager City of Long Beach Amy J. Bodek, AICP Director Development Services If anything is to be built in the city of Long Beach there are two lines of defense that any development project must encounter: Assistant City Manager Suzanne Frick and Development Services Director Amy Bodek. Frick is intimately involved in the details of every major project and Bodek is focused on navigating the tedious development process from start to finish. Both have the best interest of the city at heart. And, every developer knows that nothing can be taken for granted when going up against Frick or Bodek.  10. Steve JamesPresident Long Beach Police Officers Association Since 2001, Steve James has served as president of the Long Beach Police Officers Association, the union representing the sworn officers of the Long Beach Police Department. Steve James has been at the helm of the city’s most powerful union for over a decade and he has no intention of slowing down. He has made the LBPOA a dominating force in local politics. A call by Steve James is answered by everyone in City Hall and Sacramento. He recently negotiated a historic pension reform package with the Mayor and the city council passed the plan which will save the city millions in costs over the next decade. Ones to Watch...  We Love Long BeachBrother and sister Scott and Robin Jones love Long Beach. So much so that they started a local non-profit and named it We Love LB. We Love LB grew from an idea in 2008 to nearly 40,000 Facebook fans dedicated to knowing and serving the people and neighborhoods of Long Beach. Along with Adam Ferry, the three leaders are focused on the future. As they enter their fifth year in 2012 many will be watching to see what the future holds for one of Long Beach’s most powerful non-profits.  Mario CorderoCommissioner Federal Maritime Commission Last year, Long Beach Harbor Commissioner, community activist, and vocal advocate for the Latino community Mario Cordero was appointed to the Federal Maritime Commission. His new role took him away from Long Beach to be back in Washington, D.C., however, his impact on Long Beach will continue and that is something to continue to watch for.
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30 Comments so far.
Mike in LB Without the Democratic machine driver LB Democratic King Maker Eric Bradley (not the writer-the other Bradley) this list is incomplete Earnie Congratulations to a fine group. Sam_Lowry Lists like these are boring, irrelevant, and a poor substitute for real journalism. Amused What a hilarious piece! I LOVE satire! JVD Where is Harry Saltzgaver? He's the man! Bored same boring people. i'm sure the 10 most powerful people mentioned don't care. Sparky in LB Who are ypu trying to suck up to? LB Pathetic Post Posting a story like this is a confession that you don't want to do real journalism -- good luck hiring a "leader" for your team. This may be a "media" website, but it's not a news website. PKL You say Bob Foster is credited with "replacing nearly 20,000 container hauling trucks in the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles with cleaner-burning models". I do believe the credit should go to the Ports of Long Beach/Los Angeles and their staff in the planning divisions - you know - the so called "worker bees" that actually got the job done. Hmm. Lines like this: "his fingers are firmly on the pulse of the city and nothing big happens unless Skip is behind it. Skip is our most powerful person in Long Beach" are a bit scary. Nothing big happens unless he is behind it? Is he Supreme Dictator of Long Beach? CHS I can't give this list much credibility when some folks are allowed to be part of group (e.g., the 3 top educators at #5) while others must "go it alone." Seriously? That's funny, so it's the same as the 10 wealthiest people in Long Beach awards? I guess power is money. Brian People really show who they really are with these weird and crazy comments. Does anyone take a moment to be the least bit logical and rational at all anymore? First off, for all those who are griping about the list this year...again. Wouldn't stand to reason that the same people would be on here year after year, I mean if we are putting our brain cells to use and all, people who do big things continue to do big things. Let's take for example the Mayor, yes he made the list last year because he is ummm...the Mayor and he made the list this year, because he is ummm...the Mayor. You all liking these people has nothing to do with their influence, because after all, the list says most influential, not who would you like to have a beer with. lbnikkiv this is not right. lb post should be highlighting common everyday people who work too hard, don't get paid enough, and support families in long beach. this is just another example of corrupt politics and corporations taking credit for the little mans work. lb 10 most powerless people nurses teachers students parents volunteers artists musicians the disabled the elderly when will our society learn?????? laVasca Looks like a repeat of an earlier list but puhleez, with all the stuff going on in the world, what possible value is there in perpetuating this unending parade of kissing the hem of people who have made commitments to public service - They have their own reasons for doing so and it's their business why - I appreciate their service if they do the right thing by the people but that does not always happen, they are not always altruistic in intention. These 'chosen' people probably both love and hate the publicity here, but chances are they love it and I can imagine the politics behind the Top 10 list..in any case, who can say whom is most influential anywhere? Still, few people are out there doing that work so I have to take my hat off to those who are. as voters, are job is to make sure we cast our precious vote in the right place when it comes to elections and re-elections. That's the best we can do. Brett Congratulations to all of you. Your hard work and dedication to the citizens of Long Beach can hardly be summarized in a list, but it's good to see your getting the muchly deserved recognition you deserve. Please continue to care as your unselfishness is rare! LBCityGirl @Brian: I love the idea of making a list of the "Top Ten People I'd Like to Have a Beer With!" Great idea! That would actually be entertaining, as opposed to this list. porky420 Why not call these people what they are, the top ten influence peddlers. Mayor Bob and Bob Shannon gave us the medpot debaucle, squandering the precious dwindling resources of this city, to impose their will on those who find this medicinal herb usefull. I see that the estimated amount of money that was collected from coops, collectives and dispensaries illegally has gone up to $800,000. And it all must be returned. But that is not the complete cost picture. You must take into account all the council and staff time wasted. ALL THE POLICE RAIDS WERE ILLEGAL. Once all the claims for damages are processed the total cost will likely run up into millions of dollars. The council has been totally irresponsible with its blatant, compassionless approach to ignoring the human,civil,and constitutional rights of its weakest and most vulnerable citizens. Shame on the whole bunch. Simply put, it's corruption. Would like to Love Long B This is a list of the most powerful people in Long Beach. Are they the most ethical, selfless, or caring? NO! In fact some of them are responsible for more damage to our business structure and the middle class than the economy itself. Look at the empty Real Estate in this Town. And as for some of the others, they are responsible for the machine that continues to destroy the lives of families everyday. Powerful? Yes. Good. Not necessarily. Jim Lewis Power is exercised from one’s position, but Leadership is through influence. I would change the focus from Power to Influence. Gee I guess that's the thing: I didn't expect this list to include people like the Mayor, the Chief of Police, the City Manager, and the Assistant City Manager... it's like um... duh. We know who our governing bodies are. But whatever. It's just boring. That's all. Great Idea I agree, have a new list of the top 10 people you'd like to have a beer with! For Porky, you're a nut! The criticism should be directed at the Council for even attempting the ill-fated Pot Clubs for Teens. And Skip will definately be pushing his power on getting the Port to instead spend their hundreds of millions on his property instead of the WTC. Looks like he is doing well so far by getting the Mayor to push his two new appointees to kill the WTC deal. Paul d Bored said," i'm sure the 10 most powerful people mentioned don't care." That is probably so, but how much public money is behind thier wealth? That includes Edison who can rate gouge, or get other favors such as cutting our heritage trees, at the whim of some of these people. Cee in LB The reason this list is so boring/predictable is because this is a lame boring stupid question. George It's my belief that the title of the list is off-putting. Replace "Powerful" with "Revolutionary" or something else. We as a people don't respect and cow-tow to power. We follow and respect humble leaders who have ethics and morals. Humility, standards and respect of others is what I follow. I emulate those that respect all people, big, small, powerful or powerless. I'm sure Justin Rudd would agree with me. Unsung heroes are the ones we forget but should not. Nativeson Same old group that has their name as the Savior. Fortunately, of all the comments, one rings loud and clear to my ears the comment left by Lbnikkiv mentioning the 10 most powerless people--or lifestyles - occupations. When will we learn that the bulk of success is measured on the little people's backs? Brian Ok, so I think I just may do that, let's make it happen LB Post. Top Ten People in LB that you would like to have a beer with. 10 Biggest What? Any list that has Pat West on it ought be include the word "worst" in it somewhere. As someone pointed out in an earlier version of this list, many of the people who are included are directly responsible for things that made the LB Post's list of 10 worst decisions. So now they are being recognized for being powerful - powerful enough to make really big mistakes, is that it? Confused mm Mad Now there are all these good people but who's giving out jobs? None of these people really help people like me.
Ten Most Powerful
We are asking for your nominations in creating our Fifth Annual list of The 10 Most Powerful People in Long Beach.
Each year, we ask our readers to nominate people who have gained notoriety for the decisions they have made, the actions they have taken, and their leadership throughout Long Beach to produce results. In the Comments section below, nominate anyone that you believe deserves to make the list. You can nominate a single person or create your own Top Ten list.
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