Magnificent Seven

Seven inductees joined the past 56 members of the Hall of Fame at the Valley Industry and Commerce Association annual awards at the Sheraton Universal Hotel in Universal City. At the June 20 ceremony, which also celebrated VICA’s 70th anniversary, inductees Aerojet Rocketdyne, California Resources Corp., Westfield, Paris Industrial Parks, Gaines & Stacey, Pacific Federal and Los Angeles Department of Water and Power all joined the ranks of legendary businesses operating in the Valley area. “For 70 years, VICA has been telling the city of Los Angeles that it’s doing everything wrong,” joked Master of Ceremonies Fritz Coleman, local weatherman and stand-up comic who filled the role for this 11th time. Commemorating his 11th year at the organization, VICA President Stuart Waldman noted the notables in the house, which included State Senators Robert Hertzberg and Henry Stern, City Councilman Paul Krekorian, and Brad Rosenheim of Warner Center-based Rosenheim and Associates and next in line to be VICA chairman. Developer Richard Weintraub, Valencia-based U.S. Bank District Manager Millie Mia and Chase Bank of Encino’s Nicholaus Harrison were also present. “He started the Me Too movement by hugging people against their will,” Coleman quipped about Hertzberg, who’s known as “Huggy Hertzberg.” As if to illustrate the joke, Hertzberg embraced his friend and honoree Fred Gaines, who was sitting in the front row. At the podium, Tim Gaspar of Gaspar Insurance Services praised the host organization, telling the ballroom that “VICA protects businesses from harmful litigation and ballot measures. The same laws (created) to protect businesses are taken advantage of with frivolous lawsuits.” Gaspar and U.S. Bank were the presenting sponsors for the event. Each organization that received an award represented one decade of VICA’s 70 years. The LADWP is VICA’s longest serving member, having joined the organization in 1949. By providing water to the Valley, the utility – the nation’s largest municipal utility – is still considered critical to the Valley’s history and development. Jill Banks Barad, who sits on the board of LADWP, introduced Westfield Senior Vice President Larry Green, who spoke on behalf of the shopping center developer. “We always appreciate the past but we really look forward to the future,” said Green — whose parent company is now the Europe-based Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield. For Westfield, that future includes a $1.5 billion investment to redevelop the Promenade mall to include residential units, an office tower and 15,000-seat event stadium. California State University – Northridge’s Francesca Vega introduced Aerojet Rocketdyne, whose executives, Mark Vetter and Greg Chapek were on hand to accept the plaque for the Chatsworth-based propulsion and defense systems company. The company is a VICA member since 1979. AeroRocketdyne has been involved in 135 Space Shuttle missions as well as the Apollo 11 moon landing; the company celebrates its 50th anniversary this month. From the dais, Vetter conveyed his company’s pride in producing the components for these space program endeavors, “all built right here in the San Fernando Valley.” Margita Thompson accepted for California Resources Corp., California’s largest independent gas and oil production company which “helps fuel California, the (world’s) fifth-largest economy,” while San Fernando Valley Business Journal Publisher Charles Crumpley introduced Pacific Federal’s Jim Garrison, who founded his Valley-headquartered business as the Planning Corp. in 1977. Garrison spoke generously of VICA’s role. “VICA does the best job of truly communicating our concerns … to (city and state) officials,” said Garrison, who thanked wife Rachel and two of his four of their children in attendance, Sam and Max. He also expressed appreciation to PacFed’s high-profile clientele, including National Basketball Players Association, Northeast Valley Healthcare Corp., Neighborhood Legal Services in Pacoima, Los Angeles Zoo, Coca-Cola bottler and distributor Reyes; and Hertz Corp., which has car-rental hubs at California’s five major airports. Wells Fargo San Fernando Valley Region Vice President Robin Choi introduced Sanford Paris, a major player in the Valley’s industrial real estate industryy. Paris, whose Paris Industrial Parks is based in Canoga Park, thanked his wife Valerie and colleagues such as Wells Fargo Senior Vice President of Private Banking Services Sandy Sang, who attended the event, and Keystone Mortgage Senior Loan Officer Robert Buchanan. Paris joined VICA in 1968. Mission Community Hospital of Panorama City sponsored Gaines & Stacey’s induction. As a real estate-centric law firm addressing land use, zoning and environmental law, the 1997-formed practice has helped land approvals for a diversity of major entities, including Comcast Corp.-owned Universal City Walk and Los Angeles Jewish Home. Gaines thanked his colleagues, attorneys Sherman Stacey and Lisa Weinberg; and his mother Arlene Gaines, also in attendance, who Gaines said was one of the Valley’s first female executives. Calabasas Mayor David Shapiro appeared to root on pal Gaines, who recently ended his term as the city’s mayor. Alluding to Calabasas’ celebrity first family, Coleman teased Shapiro, telling attendees that “at night, he works at the security gazebo at the Kardashian compound.”