BizFed Installs New Officers

The Los Angeles County Business Federation, or BizFed, has installed new officers for 2017. The grassroots alliance, a body of more than 160 L.A. County business groups including chambers of commerce, trade associations and business improvement districts, has been advocating on behalf of the region’s business community since 2008. This year, it will be helmed by Chairman Mike Lewis, Chairwoman-Elect Hilary Norton, and advocacy Co-chairs Charles Gale, Paul Little, Lou Baglietto and Laura Olhasso. All are voluntary positions. “BizFed’s county-wide alliance of top business leaders has proven to be a successful platform for ensuring all 88 cities across L.A. County remain dedicated to creating jobs and keeping them here,” David Fleming, founding chairman of BizFed, said in a prepared statement. “BizFed’s ability to leverage power in numbers continues to deliver victory on key economic issues.” Lewis is president of government relations consulting firm Lewis Associates and serves as senior vice president of the Construction Industry Air Quality Coalition/Construction Industry Coalition on Water Quality. Norton is executive director of Fixing Angelenos Stuck in Traffic, or FAST, a consortium of civic and business leaders advocating for transit solutions. Gale, Little and Baglietto represent the South Bay Association of Chambers, the Pasadena Chamber and the L.A. Gateway Chamber, respectively. Olhasso, former mayor of La Cañada Flintridge, is government affairs director for the Pasadena Foothills, Glendale and Burbank Associations of Realtors.