C-Suite Quarterly by CSQ Magazine

VISIONARIES IN SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Rick Eiserman, Selema Masekela, Walter O’Brien, Angela Ruggiero, A.G. and John Spanos

MICHAEL JORDAN: A PROFILE IN FAILURE by Jeff Stibel

PLAY FOR ALL C-SUITE QUARTERLY | LOS ANGELES SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT SUMMER 2017

LA84 Foundation President & CEO Renata Simril on using sport to affect change

PETER UEBERROTH

His one-of-a-kind story includes the 1984 Olympics, MLB Commissioner, and an $820M Pebble Beach deal PLUS:

Demystifying Auckland’s growing wine, golf, tech, and investment opportunities; Dwyane Wade & Anthony Davis’ new style ventures; the 2017 NextGen 10 in Sports & Entertainment

Cover

VISIONARIES OF THE YEAR ALLYSON FELIX & JANET EVANS How two Southern California Olympians, along with Casey Wasserman and the City of Los Angeles, are working together to bring the Olympics back home

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Features Summer 2017 — Vol 9. No. 3 Sports & Entertainment

OPINION

VISIONARIES 64 Selema Masekela fuses a passion for action sports with a longing to tell stories and a willingness to give back at VICE and Red Bull 66 Rick Eiserman and his team at Trailer Park are stagehands behind the curtain, playing pivotal roles in production and marketing for the biggest movie, TV, and sports franchises 71 Walter O’Brien turned his unexpected intelligence into an upcoming syndication deal via the hit CBS drama “Scorpion”

VISIONARIES OF THE YEAR

72 Renata Simril is president and CEO of the LA84 Foundation – a sports-driven nonprofit that has impacted more than 3 million youth – where she is leading by example alongside civic and private sector leaders 75 Angela Ruggiero is fighting for equality in sports at LA 2024 and the IOC while merging sport and tech at her newly founded Sports Innovation Lab

50 Michael Jordan: A Profile in Failure by Jeff Stibel, Vice Chairman, Dun & Bradstreet and Partner, Bryant Stibel 52 Los Angeles: The Olympic City A historical analysis of Southland athletes in the Olympics, from Apolo Ohno and Greg Louganis to Serena Williams and James Harden

80 68 76 TOC Visionaries

A.G. & John Spanos on three generations of legacy and leadership, and the excitement surrounding their now Los Angeles Chargers From the 1984 Summer Olympics to MLB Commissioner and that $820M Pebble Beach deal, Peter Ueberroth has made raising the bar his life’s mission

Allyson Felix and Janet Evans The SoCal natives and world-class Olympians are working in tandem at LA 2024 in an effort to bring the Olympic Games back to Los Angeles

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Contents

DESIRABLES

48 SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

20 Olympic Travel Whether you see snow in Seoul or 3-on-3 hoops in Tokyo, don’t board the plane without these essentials

24 Style NBA superstars Dwyane Wade and Anthony Davis partner with Saks Fifth Avenue on exclusive product lines

22 Olympic Sports Olympics-inspired gear for the golf course, tennis court, and more

26 Air A roundup of noteworthy high-flying news from JetSuite, A3, and Zoom 28 Land Examining the value of local motorsports events like the Long Beach Grand Prix plus the newest Porsche 911 and a four-seat Ferrari

TOC Departments

32 Water Analyzing the Ritz-Carlton’s newest debut – a luxury cruising yacht debuting in 2018 34 Buying Time A list of Baselworld 2017 debuts that provide a sportier look for added flexibility

24 Style

52 Los Angeles: The Olympic City

Departments

48 Olympics by the Numbers

12 Masthead 18 Editor’s Note 16 Contributors 117 C-Suite Advisory Index 137 The Network 144 Editorial Index 145 Advertiser Directory 146 C-Suite Quoted

55 The Business of the LA Olympics 56 Close Up 58 Innovative Office

34 Buying Time

NG 10 60 NextGen 10 The newest members of our under-40 community of founders, disruptors, innovators, and entrepreneurs represent a changing of the guard in hospitality, media, film, and sports

87 119

Our roster of experts tackles mergers and acquisitions, security and insurance, the evolution of digital media, and the impact of social media

C-SUITE ADVISORY

DESTINATIONS

98 NEW LEASE ACCOUNTING STANDARDS Scott M. Sachs, CPA CohnReznick LLP

88 New York Minute The Four Seasons expands downtown, Wolfgang Puck debuts his newest CUT, and renowned NYC chef Dan Kluger goes off on his own at Loring Place

100 DEAL EXECUTION IS A TEAM SPORT Jim Freedman & Brian Levin Intrepid Investment Bankers 102 FIVE SECURITY STANDARDS TO PROTECT JEWELRY Robyn Welch HUB International 104 LET’S GET TOGETHER William Mark Levinson Thompson Coburn LLP 106 IT’S PRENUP SEASON Stacy D. Phillips Blank Rome LLP

CULTURE & TASTE 90 New Zealand Recently declared the world’s best country to conduct business by The World Bank, New Zealand’s lush landscapes and vibrant vistas – normally home to world-class golf and wine – are seeing an influx in U.S. tourists (many of whom don’t return home) and a resulting boom in their economy, largely driven by tech

TOC Advisory

108 DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION IN SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT Michael Abraham & Jeffrey Stewart CCG 110 RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT AND SOCIAL MEDIA Jennifer Hurless Go Be Social Media

126 Proprietor’s Profile 120 Exhibits & Performances Some of summer’s finest entertainment can be found at LACMA, The Getty, The Huntington, and on stage at The Music Center 124 Lifestyle Report Leaders from California Coast Yachts, Catch LA, and The Waldorf Astoria discuss how sports and entertainment impact their marketing strategies 126 Proprietor’s Profile Walter Manzke cooked in five three Michelin-star kitchens around the world before settling in Los Angeles where he and wife Margarita own République and Petty Cash 130 Fine Dining Four impressive new culinary debuts – Delilah, Kismet, Pizzana, and Tallulah’s – sprinkled across Los Angeles

112 WHAT HAPPENED TO ESPN Mike Schaffer Echo Factory

132 Happy Hour & Business Lunch Our picks for mid-day meetings or end-of-day-drinks

114 A DOZEN RELIABLE TIPS FOR RAISING AMAZING CHILDREN Shay Hughes Hughes Marino

134 Required Reading Inspired by the spirit of the Olympics, we spotlight a trio of books worthy of Gold medals 90 New Zealand

CSQ SUMMER 2017

On the Cover Janet Evans Allyson Felix Photo Ian Logan

C-SUITE QUARTERLY

CSQ.COM

Publisher & Editorial Director David L. Wurth

Videographer Cleon Arrey

CONTENT

Graphic Designer Ashle Imbriale

Managing Editor Matthew Seukunian

Illustrator Maxim Zudilkin

Guest Editor Jeremy Rosenberg

Senior Editors Allison Dean Elyse Glickman

C-Suite Advisors Michael Abraham Jim Freedman Shay Hughes Jennifer Hurless Brian Levin William Mark Levinson Stacy D. Phillips Scott M. Sachs Mike Schaffer Jeffrey Stewart Robyn Welch

Contributing Editors Ryan Byers Brittany Fuisz Bryan McKrell Tony Principe

Special Thanks Kate Green Tucker Hughes Lewis Kay Jeffrey Pollack

Editor-at-Large Jason Dean Art Director Dima Kuzmichev

Contributing Writers David Davis Jessica Ferguson Jacob Freedman Brandon Garing Jeff Stibel Neftalie Williams Andrea Zarczynski Photographers Albert Evangelista Tim Hans Ian Logan Jon Soo Hoo Zach Lipp

ADVERTISING & MARKETING

INQUIRIES

Manager, Sales & Marketing Dana Santulli-Muhlgay

Advertising advertising@csq.com

Manager, Business Development Brent Ludlow

Advisory advisory@csq.com

Account Managers Dorie Leo Matthew Dorle

Editorial editorial@csq.com

Masthead

C-SUITE MEDIA ADVISORY BOARD Larry Braun Diana Derycz-Kessler Jim Freedman Paul Kessler Steve Lehman Robin Richards James Segil Irv Zuckerman

Marketing Assistants Chris Coronel Andrew Rahal

OPERATIONS Manager, Operations & Finance Tiffany Weatherman

Events events@csq.com Reprints reprints@csq.com Subscriptions subscriptions@csq.com

Operations Consultant 1100 Media Accountant Stan Arutti Legal Scott Barlow Steven C. Sereboff Distribution Right-Way Distribution Intern Callie Strull

CSQ / C-Suite Quarterly is published four times per year by C-SUITE MEDIA, INC. It is mailed to C-level executives, business owners, and ultra high-net-worth residential communities as well as distributed at upscale locations throughout Los Angeles and Ventura counties by C-SUITE MEDIA, INC. PO Box 8696 Calabasas, CA 91372 818/225.8168 All rights reserved. CSQ, C-Suite Advisory, and C-Suite Quarterly are registered trademarks of C-SUITE MEDIA, INC. No articles, illustrations, photographs or any other editorial matter or advertisements herein may be reproduced without permission of copyright owner. C-Suite Quarterly and C-Suite Media, Inc. does not take responsibility for the claims provided herein. Printed in the U.S.A.

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Editor’s Note

Citius. Altius. Fortius. The Olympic motto, translated from Latin, reads Faster, Higher, Stronger. These words certainly ring true on the track, in the pool, or on the court. They also, however, ring true in a deal room hashing out numbers, in a garage turning an idea into a reality, or in a pitch meeting raising capital. This year’s Sports & Entertainment edition is admittedly out of our wheelhouse. It’s our second consecutive edition spotlighting a female as a Visionary of the Year and this year, we have two – Visionaries of the Year. Said visionaries are Janet Evans and Allyson Felix (p. 80). The former, a five-time Olympian and the Vice Chair of LA 2024 is working hand in hand with the latter, one of 100 members of LA 2024’s Athlete Advisory Commission, to ensure that Los Angeles’ message is clear – the Olympics belong back in Los Angeles. In addition to learning Janet and Allyson’s stories of success athletically, we also learn about their motivations as it relates to LA 2024. From Qatar to Lausanne, Janet and Allyson have carried a message that leaned heavily on history and inclusion in their pitch to bring the games back to Los Angeles. We are humbled to have Mr. Peter Ueberroth’s story (p. 76) in the edition – from organizing the 1984 Olympics, the only privately funded games in history that resulted in a $235M surplus, to serving as MLB commissioner and most recently, co-purchasing Pebble Beach for $820M. Ueberroth’s quick wit, uncanny business savvy, and willingness to take risks served him and the city beautifully in 1984.

Editor’s Note

We learn from Renata Simril (p. 72), President and CEO of the LA84 Foundation that a portion of the ‘84 surplus helped found and fund the LA84 Foundation more than 30 years ago, and has now helped inject over $250M into the city - ensuring the games have a lasting impact. Off the Olympics beat, we sit down with third-generation NFL executives A.G. Spanos and John Spanos (p. 68) of the again Los Angeles Chargers and discuss what they are most excited about here in Los Angeles as well as the impact their grandfather, Alex Spanos, has on them. As we do every summer, we induct another class of up and coming movers and shakers into our NextGen (p. 60) Community – now comprised of more than 100 founders, entrepreneurs, and disruptors under the age of 40. In the Destinations department, we took a trip to one of Los Angeles’ sister cities – Auckland (p.90). In addition to being a brisk 13 hour flight (and only 4 hours behind Los Angeles in the next business day), Auckland – and New Zealand as a whole – are producing world class wine, golf, tech, and investment opportunities in one of the world’s cleanest, safest, friendliest, and most beautiful environments. Another quarter riddled with the history of our region, the leaders behind our progress, and a lens into the future of what’s to come. David L. Wurth

CSQ.COM Read more articles on csq.com Market Updates from New York, Colorado, Hawaii, Mammoth, and Laguna Beach Exploring Vancouver Additional thought leadership and industry insight from an expanding roster of C-Suite Advisors

Pelican Hill

Contributors

JESSICA FERGUSON is a Los Angeles-based writer, creative consultant, artist, and aspiring abolitionist. In addition to her freelance work, she serves as a brand and sales strategist for a local cloud-based tech company. Her editorial emphasis focuses on female entrepreneurship, cultural change, and individual empowerment. She is currently in the process of writing her first two books. An alumna of UC Santa Barbara with a degree in English Literature, she is also a student of art educated in America, Italy, and France. Renata Simril Visionary Profile, p. 72

DAVID DAVIS is the author of Waterman: The Life and Times of Duke Kahanamoku, Showdown at Shepherd’s Bush: The 1908 Olympic Marathon and the Three Runners Who Launched a Sporting Craze and Play By Play: Los Angeles Sports Photography: 18891989. His work has been anthologized in “The Best American Sports Writing” series, and his writing has appeared in Sports Illustrated, Smithsonian Magazine, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Deadspin and Vice. He lives in Los Angeles.

ALLISON DEAN is an editorial consultant and writer with a BA in English Literature from Pepperdine University. A Southern California native, she has worked with numerous publishing firms including Sage Publications, John Wiley & Sons, Penguin Random House, HarperCollins, and C-Suite Media. Her interests include travelling, singing, bike riding, and spending time with loved ones.

Peter Ueberroth Visionary Profile, p. 76

Angela Ruggiero Visionary CSQ&A, p. 75

Contributors

IAN LOGAN is an award-winning photographer originally from London, England. His clients include ESPN, Skechers, Allure Magazine, the 2002 Olympic Committee, and more. Ian’s photography book, It’s Not About Pretty, which focuses on women’s skateboarding, was published in 2017. Ian lives with his wife and two dogs in Hermosa Beach, California and enjoys surfing when not behind the lens.

Janet Evans & Allyson Felix Visionaries of the Year Profile, p. 80

NEFTALIE WILLIAMS lectures and conducts research at the USC Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism and as a Ph.D. Candidate at the University of Waikato in New Zealand. His work involves the analysis and documentation of the effects of globalization on issues of diversity, identity and youth empowerment, using the lens of emerging sport culture.

Selema Masekela Visionary CSQ&A, p. 64

WE WERE VERY FORTUNATE ... THE CITIZENS OF LOS ANGELES PUT ASIDE THEIR DIFFERENCES AND WELCOMED THE WORLD. IT WAS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF, WHEN ENOUGH PEOPLE CARE ABOUT ANYTHING, ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE. Peter Ueberroth Visionary Profile p. 76

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20 Olympic Travel 22 Olympic Sports 24 Style 26 Air 28 Land 32 Water 34 Buying Time

The Richard Mille RM 50-03 McLaren F1 Ultralight (p. 34) debuted at one of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s premier timepiece and jewelry events, Baselworld. 2017 was Baselworldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 100th anniversary and saw more than 100,000 attendees.

CSQ SUMMER 2017

Desirables

Part 1

Desirables Intro

TRAVEL

Olympic Travel Whether seeing snow in Seoul or catching 3-on-3 basketball in Tokyo, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hit the tarmac without these essentials

HIFIMAN RE2000 EARPHONES Ten-year-old audio company HiFiMan has released its highest quality in-ear monitors (IEMs) to date, the RE2000. The New York-based company, founded by Dr. Fang Bian, a man with a Ph.D. in chemistry and a focus in nanotechnology, continues to build on previously stellar models, offering world-class sound while also boasting an acoustically kind brass exterior and 24-karat yellow gold plating. $2,000 | hifiman.com

Desirables Olympics Travel

DJI INSPIRE 2 Though intended for commercial use, the newest Inspire model from drone manufacturer DJI is simply too hard to pass up. With a maximum speed of almost 60 mph and a control range of more than 4 miles, the Inspire 2 turns any city, business or pleasure, into your own backyard with 1080p live view and 4K resolution capabilities. Inspire 2 was built from scratch with state-of-the-art propulsion, battery, and imagery systems as well as a highly intelligent workflow prioritizing system. $2,999 | dji.com

CUSTOM HOUSE INTERNATIONAL KIRKMAN VALISE Named after mid-century architect Wallace Kirkman Harrison, instrumental in the planning of Rockefeller Center, Lincoln Center, and the United Nations, the Kirkman Valise suits trips of up to 10 days, comfortably housing clothing and business essentials. Founded in 2016 by Andrew Yang after more than a decade traveling as a design journalist, the brand is designed with a seamless transition from dinner meeting to airport in mind, ensuring organization and maximizing your travel time. $350 | customhouseintl.com

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BRAINSTORM GOLF EYE ALIGN PUTTER The original Happy Putters by Brainstorm Golf were known for their unparalleled adjustability in loft, lie, and weight. The newest version, the Eye Align, not only offers the same customization but also was put together with input from PGA Tour players. The Eye Align heads (blade and mallet) have three interchangeable alignment guides, appealing to a broad spectrum of players and ensuring alignment is anything but your biggest challenge on the greens. $350 | brainstormgolf.com

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DESIRABLES

CSQ SUMMER 2017

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NBA stars Anthony Davis and Dwyane Wade flex their creative muscles off the floor Davis and Wade have partnered exclusively with Saks Fifth Avenue as they’ve released unique menswear lines – Saks Fifth Avenue x Anthony Davis and DSquared2 By Jessica Ferguson

Widely regarded as the NBA’s most fashionable player, Dwyane Wade of the Chicago Bulls is taking his lauded street style to the public – or, at least, to those who shop at Saks Fifth Avenue. This spring, Wade revealed that he has partnered with longtime friends and fashion inspirations Dean and Dan Caten to debut their Dwyane Wade for DSquared2 collection. Wade, who wore a custom-designed DSquared2 tuxedo to his own 2014 Miami wedding, is both honored and excited by the opportunity to foray into fashion with the artists he believes best align with his personal brand. A balance of elegant, approachable, and daring, Wade’s collection pays homage to his athletic career and personal style while maintaining the refined flair and quality of the Catens’ posh purview. He attributes the exclusive contract with Saks Fifth Avenue to the lasting relationships DSquared2 has previously built that have blossomed. When we asked how he manages to juggle a thriving athletic career, brand development, social engagements, travel, family, and now fashion, Wade says, “You have to have great people surrounding you. I couldn’t possibly do it all. From being a father, to an athlete, to a businessman – I have great support.” He adds, “It’s important to have people around you who understand you and are care givers of your life, and of your brand. I am definitely lucky to have people around me who I trust.” Wade joins fellow NBA star and future Hall of Famer Anthony Davis of the New Orleans Pelicans in exclusive-to-Saks style notoriety. Davis, who launched his collaboration with Saks last fall, was the first athlete to ink a partnership with the 92-year-old department store’s private label. He prides himself on the sophisticated simplicity of his 11-piece athleisure capsule collection, along with its comparably accessible price point (pieces range from $58 - $188). Tom Ott, the senior vice president of Saks’ menswear, has highlighted the rising influence professional athletes are having over modern men’s fashion trends, and he’s enthusiastic about Saks planting its flag at the intersection of sport and style. The runway for future collaborations between the store and star players is as fresh as the sneakers that pepper the court. end

Desirables Wayne + Davis

YOU HAVE TO HAVE GREAT PEOPLE SURROUNDING YOU. I COULDN’T POSSIBLY DO IT ALL. FROM BEING A FATHER, TO AN ATHLETE, TO A BUSINESSMAN – I HAVE GREAT SUPPORT. 24

DESIRABLES

CSQ SUMMER 2017

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Desirables Air AIR

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PIAGGIO’S

New turboprop lands in Southern California The newest edition of Piaggio’s Avanti P.180 Twin Turboprop – the Evo – is officially taking off from John Wayne Airport. The P.180 is one of the Italian personal transportation behemoth’s more unique vehicles, offering a three-lifting configuration. Evo is the third gener-

DESIRABLES

A roundup of new and notable aviation headlines you may have missed

ation of the P.180 design and comes equipped with five-blade propellers, new cabin layouts that seat eight comfortably, and enhanced safety features all while cruising at up to 463 mph for more than 1,900 miles. The Evo are in John Wayne through a partnership with West Coast Aviation Services, which will use them for both charter and fractional ownership programs. On her own, Evo sells for approximately $7.7M. piaggio.com

A3 – the Silicon Valley Outpost of global aviation leader Airbus – is experimenting with an on-demand helicopter service in São Paulo, Brazil known as Voom. Voom allows users to book a helicopter flight anywhere from seven days to one hour before departure, costing roughly 80 percent less (as little as $77) than traditional helicopter service. Users are ushered from downtown to the airport in 15 minutes or less, as opposed to ground transportation which takes up to three hours. A3 did their market due diligence as São Paulo has more than 400 available helipads in the metro area and 700 helicopters, making it one of the world’s business cities for helicopter traffic. Voom plans to expand into markets globally while they eye a Mexico City launch in 2017. airbus-sv.com

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CSQ SUMMER 2017

The San Ysidro Estate

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CITY LIGHTS VIEW SIX BEDROOM

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Desirables Auto Experience LAND

Raised on Hot Wheels The thrill of a photo finish experienced at local motorsports events can remind you why you became a car enthusiast in the first place By Tony Principe

Top: 2017 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach winner James Hinchcliffe

DESIRABLES

Bottom: A trio of drivers navigating the 11-turn, 1,968mile Pirelli World Challenge “Roar by the Shore” in Long Beach, CA

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CSQ SUMMER 2017

Top Photo: Grand Prix Association of Long Beach. Bottom Photo: Briant Brantley/Grand Prix Association of Long Beach

The connection between cars and youth is strong. From an early age, many of us dream of owning a particular brand or model. Kids collect posters, scale models, and buckets of hot wheels representing their favorite makes and models, further strengthening an already powerful bond with these machines. As children grow into adults, the previously established dreams often become a reality as they are finally able to afford those elusive dream cars. Each time someone steps inside these mobile “ego feeding pods,” they become lost in the experience. The smell of the interior, the sound of the engine, and the whistling of the turbos when pressure from the foot is applied to the pedal help make anyone feel transported onto the racetrack (as opposed to the reality of bumper-to-bumper traffic on the Ventura Freeway). These cars quickly become an extension of personality and represent an alter ego. True motorheads have read countless articles and visited many local showrooms and car shows to see every possible iteration of the various makes and models, unable to quench their ardent thirst for more. For these individuals (and perhaps for you), this thirst might mean it is time to take on the exciting and visceral experience of attending a regional motorsports event. I recently attended the Toyota Long Beach Grand Prix with my son, where we had an exciting and unique experience that the local auto mall simply can’t offer. Not only does the Grand Prix offer the well-known Indycar series, but also my favorite, The Pirelli World Challenge Race. The mission of the Pirelli World Challenge® Championships is to provide teams, manufacturers, and aftermarket suppliers a competitive production-based race series in which to prove their products. The series pits manufacturers such as Ford, Porsche, Ferrari, McLaren, Audi, Lamborghini, Mercedes, and Bentley against each other in challenging road courses around the U.S.—including Long Beach and Sonoma, Calif. The cars featured on the track are heavily modified versions of what we see on the streets and can reach speeds of 200 mph. To further enhance the experience, fans are encouraged to walk through the paddock areas and visit drivers, owners, and pit crews in between races. This behind-the-scenes access affords a very unique experience and allows you to get up close and personal with these fabulous machines. Although the car in your driveway may not be built to the same specifications as Sunday’s podium finisher, and your driving skills may not be ready for the 24 hours of Daytona, when you are behind the wheel of your dream car and staring at that insignia on the steering wheel, you immediately connect with the racing DNA engineered within your car. end

Travelstore

FERRARI GTC4LUSSO Ferrari’s newest debut — the GTC4Lusso — is a four-seat behemoth designed in the “shooting brake” style, a three-door version of a 2+2 coupe. One of Ferrari’s uniquest debuts in recent memory comes equipped with all-wheel-drive, all-wheel steering, and all-knowing stability control. The Ferrari baby seats are optional, but available. Top Speed 208 mph 0-60 3.5 secs Engine 6.3 liter, V12 Transmission 7-speed dual clutch Max Power 680 hp at 8,000 rpm Starting at $298,000 ferrari.com

Desirables Revving Engines Reign- Supreme Land

LAND

Two of 2017’s hottest debuts – Ferrari’s spiritual successor to 2011’s beloved FF model and Porsche’s new 911 GT3 – flirt with design perfection while boasting the world class performance we expect and deserve

2018 PORSCHE 911 GT3 Debuting in 1999 – a year in which the GT3 won both the 24 Hours Nürburgring and the 24 Hours of Daytona – Porsche’s newest GT3 hones in on its predecessor’s value. The 2018 model boasts a new engine, redesigned chassis, and various options to enhance your drive.

DESIRABLES

Top Speed 197 mph 0-60 3.2 secs Engine 3.8 liter, DFI flat-six engine Transmission 7-speed dual-clutch (standard); 6-speed manual (optional) Max Power 500 hp at 8,250 rpm Starting at $143,600 porsche.com

CSQ SUMMER 2017

ThinkTank Media

WATER

Throw Off the Bowlines

The Ritz-Carlton expands its reach toward the horizon, becoming the first luxury hotel brand to offer luxury yacht experiences By Andrew Rahal

SUMMER EVENT CALENDAR Pebble Beach Concours dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Elegance Monterey, California Aug. 20 Newport Bucket Regatta Newport, Rhode Island Aug. 25 - 27 Venice International Film Festival Venice, Italy Aug. 30 - Sept. 9

In partnership with Douglas Prothero and Lars Clasen as well as funds managed by Oaktree Capital Management, The Ritz-Carlton officially made its splash into the cruise line industry in June 2017. The first luxury hotel operator to venture to the seas in its operations, The Ritz-Carlton will provide luxury hospitality service under a long-term operating agreement. Scheduled to embark in the fourth quarter of 2019 is the first of three cruising yachts in a series, a specially designed small capacity vessel which will measure 190 meters and accommodate 298 passengers within 149 suites â&#x20AC;&#x201C; each with a private balcony. In true Ritz-Carlton fashion, guests will be able to enjoy a

signature restaurant by Sven Elverfeld of Aqua, the three Michelin-starred restaurant housed within The Ritz-Carlton, Wolfsburg, as well as a signature Ritz-Carlton spa. Though itineraries are still being developed, the end goal is for guests to experience the luxury of The Ritz-Carlton while also capitalizing on the freedom of a yachting or cruising vacation. Ports of call (dependent upon season) will be anywhere from the Mediterranean to Northern Europe, the Caribbean, and Latin America. When not aboard the ship, guests will be treated to ports of call that are more intimate than standard cruising, due to the unique size of the vessel. These locales include Capri, Portofino, St. Barths, and Cartagena. end

Desirables Water

Cannes Yachting Festival Cannes, France Sept. 12 - 17 Monaco Yacht Show Monaco Sept. 27 - 30

Capitalizing on its smaller size, The Ritz-Carlton Yacht will make more boutique destinations such as Capri, St. Barths, and Cartagena normal ports of call

Reservations open in May of 2018. The three ships of The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection are also available for charter.

DESIRABLES

CSQ SUMMER 2017

HOW DO YOU REWARD YOURSELF?

California Coast Yachts

B E V E R LY H I L L S , C A (310) 230-5075 Exclusive West Coast & Pacific NW Dealer For

Baselworld 2017 revealed a focus on pushing boundaries. New, lightweight watch case materials, coupled with colorful adaptations of traditional designs and the blending of technology with sport, inspired vivid detail and created a high level of variety for the consumer. These six debuts boast new materials and designs and can be worn in the board room and on the go. By Bryan McKrell

BUYING TIME

Baselworld 2017’s Best Debuts HUBLOT BIG BANG UNICE DEPECHE MODE

PATEK PHILIPPE AQUANAUT

JAEGER-LECOULTRE MASTER COMPRESSOR CHRONOGRAPH CERAMIC

Desirables Buying Time

Hublot has once again teamed up with the world-famous rock band Depeche Mode to release a limited number (250 pieces) of 45 mm Big Bang watches specifically emblazoned with the name of the band’s tour, along with the symbol of their charity “Water.” The charity’s sole goal is to bring clean drinking water to the estimated 663 million people worldwide who do not have access to it. The ceramic case, engraved with thousands of pyramids housing the brand’s proprietary movement, makes this an easy charity to support.

The “Sporty” Patek celebrates its twentieth anniversary by focusing on the details. The Aquanaut model has personified the understated elegance of the brand over the past 20 years with its rubber strap, minimalist design, and subtle stainless-steel case. The new anniversary model boasts a 42 mm case constructed of white gold with a watch face that fades from midnight navy blue to black along the perimeter. The movement boasts an accuracy rate of -3 to +2 seconds per day, making it one of the more accurate calibers in the industry.

The latest JLC Master Compressor model features a unique blend of materials and engineering. At 46 mm, the large ceramic case is accented by trapezium-shaped pink gold hands as well as a pink gold crown and pushers. The 300-piece chronograph movement is powered by twin barrels that provide adequate power to maintain the accuracy of the movement during timing. A Trieste cloth strap along with luminescent hour markers remind the wearer that this watch can handle nearly any situation.

$24,100 Hublot Beverly Hills

$38,557 Polacheck’s Jewelers Calabasas

$15,400 Westime Beverly Hills

DESIRABLES

CSQ SUMMER 2017

INSPIRE. CONNECT. EDUCATE. CSQâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s LA Visionaries Summit is the annual invite-only platform where our Visionaries, Companies, and Next Generation Innovators converge to exchange ideas, opportunities, and insight across industries, trends, and technologies.

CSQ - 2017 Summit

Request access for the 2017 Visionaries Summit CSQSUMMIT.COM

OMEGA SPEEDMASTER 38MM

RICHARD MILLE RM 50-03 MCLAREN F1 ULTRALIGHT

The desire to find non-traditional, technologically advanced materials has enabled the engineers at Richard Mille to create large watches that are deceptively light yet remarkably durable. Their latest creation boasts a split second chronograph (the ability to time multiple events such as laps in a race) combined with a tourbillon in a total package weighing less than 40 grams. Combining carbon and a completely new nano-material known as Graph TPT, or graphene, makes this possible.

$980,000 Richard Mille Beverly Hills

Desirables Buying Time

PARMIGIANI BUGATTI AĂ&#x2030;ROLITHE PERFORMANCE

The Omega Speedmaster model has been a stalwart of the brand for nearly forty years, and its design is synonymous with the term chronograph. The new 38mm collection looks to provide variety and refinement to the last decade where chronometers have continued to expand in size. Fourteen models will provide differing metal and material combinations offering a multitude of options, but the traditional three sub-dial configuration will remain constant. Each watch will contain the brandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s co-axial driven movement.

Parmigiani continues its partnership with the ultra-exclusive luxury automaker Bugatti. Known for its immaculate finishing, this piece holds strong to that tradition, with laser-etched diamond patterns on the exterior of the case and on the face of the watch. In addition, the band carries the diamond-embossed leather reminiscent of the seats found in the cars. An in-house proprietary chronograph movement is further enhanced using blue, white, and red racing colors featured on the watch display.

Inquire Feldmar Watch Company

$22,900 David Orgell Beverly Hills

DESIRABLES

CSQ SUMMER 2017

FAR BEYOND HOSPITALITY

Luxe Hotels

HOTEL LOS GATOS LOS GATOS, CA (In Silicon Valley)

LUXE CITY CENTER HOTEL LOS ANGELES, CA (Downtown)

LUXE RODEO DRIVE HOTEL BEVERLY HILLS, CA

LUXE SUNSET BOULEVARD HOTEL LOS ANGELES, CA

THE GARLAND NORTH HOLLYWOOD, CA

We don’t just turn down a bed. We think about the day (or night) you might have had before you reach your room. The moment you’ll have when you ﬁnd all this waiting. Thinking about you is one of the most important things we do. And we do it for every guest. In every part of the hotel. Everywhere we are.

A WO R L D A B OV E +1 866 589 3411 (USA/Canada Toll Free)

DISCOVER.LUXECOLLECTION.COM

GDS Code: LE

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

CORPORATE ENTERTAINING

1 PRIVATE SUITES Entertain in style with STAPLES Center Private Suites – the perfect setting to entertain a client or potential investor, reward employees or enjoy an evening out with friends and family. Recently renovated, each suite features an open floor plan which includes comfortable seating and furnishings to promote optimal socializing, networking, and conversation. Experience the best of Los Angeles.

STAPLES CENTER, HOME OF THESpecial STARS Downtown Los Angeles, CA

Section AEG

STAPLES Center has clearly established itself as the sports and entertainment center of the world. As the home of four professional sports franchises – the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers, the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings, and the most recent 2016 WNBA Champion Los Angeles Sparks – STAPLES Center has also played host to some incredible concerts with performances that have brought international stature to the Downtown Los Angeles arena by Adele, Taylor Swift, The Rolling Stones, Ed Sheeran, U2, Garth Brooks, Paul McCartney, Drake, Kanye West, Roger Waters, Britney Spears, Beyoncé, Justin Bieber, Katy Perry, Justin Timberlake, and more. Hosting more than 250 events a year and over 4 million guests annually, the arena’s reputation for world-class amenities, and commitment to the quality of service and the guest experience is second to none. Whether you are interested in professional sports, live music, award shows or family shows, STAPLES Center Premium Seating has something for everyone.

PREMIER SEATS STAPLES Center Premier Seats offer some of the best seats in the house. Engage with those most important to your business and never miss a moment of the action with upscale in-seat food and beverage service. It’s a great investment. In fact, generating just one piece of business could pay for an entire season. Make it a done deal with Premier Seats.

3 PREMIER TABLES AND LOUNGES Make a lasting impression with your friends, family, and business associates with STAPLES Center Premier Tables and Lounges. Located in the exclusive San Manuel Club, each Table and Lounge includes the delicious Chef’s table, beer, wine, and soda. You and your guests are sure to have a VIP experience each and every time.

4 MICROSOFT THEATER BOXES Microsoft Theater Boxes offer first-class amenities, impeccable sightlines, an exclusive environment, and a full array of benefits for essentially every event at Microsoft Theater. Don’t miss your opportunity to watch the ESPY Awards, Emmy Awards, American Music Awards, and other world-class events in your very own private Theater Box.

For information on availability and pricing, please contact David Brewster with STAPLES Center Premium Seating at 213/255.9367.

CSQ SUMMER 2017

Special Section AEG

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

CORPORATE ENTERTAINING

Special Section 1 ENTERTAIN LIKE A CHAMPION Rose Bowl Pasadena, CA

As part of one of the crown jewels in Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sporting landscape, Rose Bowl Premium Seating offers clients a combination of amenities and unique experiences in a setting that is equal parts historic and timeless. With an event lineup that includes UCLA football, Rose Bowl Game, CFP Semifinal, the Arroyo Seco Weekend music festival, world-class concerts and international soccer matches, the Terry Donahue Pavilion is the only way to guarantee the best seats to entertain business clients, reward your employees, or spend quality time with family and friends. A state-of-the-art building on the west side of the Rose Bowl Stadium, the Pavilion features over 55,000 sq. ft. of entertaining space comprised of Luxury Suites, Loge Boxes, and Club Seats. 40

LUXURY SUITE A Luxury Suite at the Rose Bowl affords you a unique vantage point within one of the most historic stadiums in the country. From unmatched sightlines to views of the San Gabriel Mountains, hosting guests in a Luxury Suite is an unforgettable experience. Suite holders and their guests enjoy VIP parking and an exclusive premium entrance.

2 STADIUM CLUB SEATS Rose Bowl Stadium Club Seats offer prime seating locations along with exclusive Club Lounge access. With over 15,000 sq. ft. of space, the Club Lounge offers Rose Bowl Club Seat clients the opportunity to relax in a discerning environment while enjoying a complimentary Wolfgang Puck inspired menu and full cash bars and watching the game on one of many televisions while overlooking the action on the field and the beautiful San Gabriel Mountains. Professionally decorated, fully furnished, and adorned with upscale features, food and beverage counter, drink rail, and extra-wide, cushioned exterior seating, the Rose Bowl Club Seats provide our clients and guests with every comfort imaginable.

3 LOGE BOXES The Loge Boxes combine the intimacy of Club Seats with the upscale amenities of a suite to create a unique viewing experience. Loge Boxes (48 in total) offer a comfortable, upscale, and semi-private area between the 35 yard lines. Loge Box holders also enjoy VIP parking and an exclusive premium entrance as well as access to the exclusive climate-controlled Loge Lounge located on the 50-yard line. The Loge Lounge has table seating, leather lounge furniture, a private bar, and a wide array of complimentary Wolfgang Puck inspired food and beverages.

CSQ SUMMER 2017

FANTASTIC AMENITIES UNIQUE EXPERIENCES AFFORDABLE OPTIONS ALL IN A TIMELESS SETTING

LUXURY SUITES LOGE BOXES Special Section CLUB SEATS

- UCLA FOOTBALL Rose Bowl ROSE BOWL GAME CONCERTS

LEARN MORE TODAY! (626)585-6800 | premiumseating@rosebowlstadium.com

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

CORPORATE ENTERTAINING

THE SPORT OF KINGS Thoroughbred racing has captured the attention of kings, queens and sheikhs for centuries. The sport is glamorous, challenging, and unpredictable, setting the stage for spirited debate and excitement.

1 Consider the new 100-to-1 Club, a private space where fans can compare wagers over champagne and gourmet bites in SoHo House-style hovering over the track below. Perched over Santa Anita’s heart pounding first turn at the closest point to the track, the sunlit space was fully renovated in early 2017 and now offers uninterrupted views of the races thundering below, just beyond reach. A private betting concierge and wagering services ensure guests of the club never miss a minute of the action as horses thunder around the first turn at breakneck speed toward victory.

SANTA ANITA RAISES THE STAKES

The intrigue doesn’t stop there. Hidden within the heart of Santa Anita is an invitation-only Prohibition-era inspired Speakeasy. Make your way through a secret tack room and pull on a pitchfork to be transported back to the 1920s. Sip champagne or a cocktail while discussing the day’s odds with the bartender and invited race fans.

Special Section Santa Anita Park 3

Arcadia, CA From racing newbies to die-hard handicappers, no one can deny the unbridled excitement of a day at the races. A sport unlike any other, Thoroughbred racing condenses unparalleled courage, speed, and strength into several unforgettable minutes of heart-racing action. From the building energy of watching the top equine athletes in the world speed toward the finish line at 30 miles per hour, to the thrill of seeing your horse take the lead by a nose, there’s nothing quite like an afternoon at Santa Anita Park. For more than 80 years, Santa Anita has set the stage for the most dramatic moments in horse racing. On its hallowed turf, improbable heroes like Seabiscuit, Zenyatta, and American Pharoah crossed the finish line into notoriety. This energy lives on today, as the top horses in the world train and race to take their place atop the Triple Crown. No sport connects audience with athlete like Thoroughbred racing, where thousands of live fans watch, wager, and will their favorites to take first place. One of the most prestigious tracks in North America, Santa Anita has masterfully retained its Old Hollywood intrigue and art deco design. Hot off a recent $40M renovation, the park now features new and exclusive spaces that connect attendees to the soul of the sport while elevating their experience at the track. From the sleek 100-to-1 Club to the glittering Chandelier Room equipped with a secret speakeasy, there has never been more to explore at Santa Anita Park.

For a premium viewing experience, head up to The Suites at Santa Anita, created for business executives and racing enthusiasts of discerning taste. Offering total privacy, comfort and style, these indoor-outdoor spaces feature direct views of the finish line, ensuring maximum entertainment from the first post to final finish. Consult the racing program with your dedicated betting concierge and make your wagers through a private betting machine. After the race, take a paddock tour for the chance to meet the horses and rub elbows with top owners and jockeys.

4 If you’re feeling social, raise the stakes in The Chandelier Room. Within this impressive ballroom, watch live races and results on oversized screens or from the upstairs open-air balcony while savoring cuisine by some of the city’s finest chefs catered on top race days. Or, sidle up to the marble bar beneath the room’s original chandeliers and toast to trifectas over a mint julep or a glass of champagne with friends.

With the magnificent San Gabriel Mountains as the backdrop, Santa Anita Park is the perfect setting to entertain clients, reward employees, celebrate milestones, or spend an afternoon with friends and family as horses blaze around the first turn at breakneck speed toward victory. For inquiries, contact Alison Wright at 626/574.6383 or alison.wright@santaanita.com

CSQ SUMMER 2017

INTRODUCING

PREMIUM SEATING AT SANTA ANITA The best seats in the house are waiting for you. Enjoy private, luxury accomodations in your own private suite or the new 100-to-1 Club, with fine dining, personal concierge and spectacular views of world-class Thoroughbred racing.

Special Section Santa Anita Park

285 W. Huntington Drive, Arcadia, CA | (626) 574-6383 | santaanita.com

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

CORPORATE ENTERTAINING

The demand on the modern-day executive is intense both physically and mentally. Sports Academy is a 96,000 sq. ft. elite-level training campus designed specifically to enhance, restore, and maintain its clients at their peak performance. With full medical and recovery capabilities, state-of-the-art technology, sports psychology, and elite-level instructors, Sports Academy is changing how their clients perform in every facet of their lives. The C-Suite Leadership Experience takes the approach of a professional athlete and translates it to the board room. By combining CQD® with Mindset Development, C-Suite Leadership Experiences will help executives perform at the optimal level consistently. CQD® is a high-intensity, dynamic program designed to help both individuals and teams perform effectively and efficiently under stressful situations. CQD®’s proprietary training methods and validation process will empower executives to deliver and encourage positive results from themselves and those around them.

A Note from Chad Faulker, Founder of Sports Academy Impacting social change remains at the forefront of our company’s philanthropic and foundation-based initiatives. Our Empowerment Through Sports enrichment program works in collaboration with corporations, small businesses, and multiple public and private sector organizations to provide a powerful platform for learning skills, character traits, and personal values that translate into self-confidence as well as personal and business success. Sports Academy Foundation – a registered 501(c)3 public charity – uses sport as the vehicle to empower at-risk youth and military veterans. We welcome the opportunity to explore partnerships with other foundations helping organizations reach their goals and individuals reach their dreams.

Special Section Sports Academy

TRAINING WINNERS AT SPORTS ACADEMY Thousand Oaks, CA

C-Suites executives, like professional athletes, need to be alert, engaged, and confident in making critical decisions. Located in Thousand Oaks, Sports Academy’s C-Suite Leadership Experience utilize real-time, high-stress situations to develop and enhance both physical and mental skills through two high-demand disciplines: Close Quarters Defense (CQD®) and Mindset Development.

Bonds are reinforced and exemplary leaders emerge with a newfound confidence in their self, their teammates, and their environment. CQD® is the building block in which participants are tested and physically pushed to their limits, while the certified sport psychology consultants in Mindset Development focus on developing the necessary cognitive skills to overcome mental or emotional obstacles. Sports Academy’s Mindset Development understands the need to encourage and sustain a positive focus while under pressure. Training the mind is like working any other muscle – mental skills training provides an in-depth understanding of specific tools that executives must learn, practice, and master in order to reach full potential. The C-Suite Leadership Experiences will prepare its executives with the proper techniques for any obstacles that may come, whether they are mental or physical. In the end, it is about results and this program is meant to help executives better assess the situation, anticipate outcomes, respond to complications, and continue forward towards success. For the group wanting unique high tempo, high adrenaline events then maybe the Dark Series is for you, but 99.9% need not apply. See darkseries.com for contact details.

Learn more about Sports Academy at sportsacademy.us/corporate-services or by contacting Rudy Flores at rudy@sportsacademy.us.

CSQ SUMMER 2017

Special Section Sports Academy

VISIONARIES

CSQ Alumni Community of Visionaries in Sports & Entertainment

LAILA ALI Boxer & Public Figure

JOHN MAIER CEO, Blue Microphones

KEITH BRACKPOOL CEO, Santa Anita Park

PATRICK MCCLENAHAN Former CEO, Special Olympics World Games 2015

JEANIE BUSS Managing Owner, Los Angeles Lakers MELISSA CARBONE Founder & CEO, Ten Thirty One Productions BRYAN CLAY Olympian ROB FRIEDMAN, Advisor to the CEO, Lionsgate

Visionaries of the Year

PETER GUBER Chairman & CEO, Mandalay Entertainment DARIN HARVEY Founder & CEO, Fight Tribe Management

CSQ Visionary Alumni LISA HENSON CEO, The Jim Henson Company

TROY CARTER Founder, Atom Factory Global Head of Creator Services, Spotify DAN BECKERMAN President & CEO, AEG

2016

CHERYL BOONE ISAACS The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences BRUCE (CAITLYN) JENNER Olympian & Public Figure

2015

STAN KASTEN President & CEO, Los Angeles Dodgers JON KIRCHNER Chairman & CEO, DTS, Inc.

DANA WALDEN Co-Chairman & Co-CEO Fox Television Group

2014

CLIVE DAVIS CCO, Sony Music Entertainment

2013

STEVE LEHMAN Founder & Chairman, Business Rockstars

RICHARD RADDON Co-CEO, ZEFR RYAN RADDON (KASKADE) DJ & Public Figure KEN RUTKOWSKI Co-founder, Business Rockstars JAY SAMIT Vice Chair Deloitte Digital GENE SIMMONS Musician (KISS) & Co-Founder, Rock & Brews PAUL STANLEY Musician (KISS) & Co-Founder, Rock & Brews DAVID STERNBERG CEO, Rugby International Marketing JOHN TERZIAN Co-founder, The h.wood Group BRIAN TOLL Co-founder, The h.wood Group MIKE TOLLIN Co-Founder, Mandalay Sports Media JOSH WELSH President, Film Independent

OPINION 50 Michael Jordan: A Profile in Failure 52 Los Angeles: The Olympic City CLOSE UP 56 2017 World Baseball Classic PICTORIAL 58 Innovative Office INFOGRAPHICS 48 Olympics by the Numbers 55 The Business of the Los Angeles Olympics LIST 60 NextGen 10 VISIONARIES 64 Selema Masekela, VICE 66 Rick Eiserman, Engine North America & Trailer Park 68 A.G. & John Spanos, Los Angeles Chargers 71 Walter O’Brien, Scorpion Computer Services 72 Renata Simril, LA84 Foundation 75 Angela Ruggiero, LA 2024 76 Peter Ueberroth, The Contrarian Group

Sports & Entertainment

Part 2

Sports & Entertainment TOC

VISIONARIES OF THE YEAR 80 Janet Evans & Allyson Felix, LA 2024

2017’s Visionaries of the Year Allyson Felix and Janet Evans – having fun during their photoshoot – (p. 80) have a combined 14 Olympic medals (10 of which are gold).

CSQ SUMMER 2017

OF NOTE

Olympics by the Numbers A look at global progress, American dominance, and all-time great Olympians

A MODERN HISTORY OF THE SUMMER OLYMPICS AND PROJECTIONS FOR TOKYO Year

Host

Nations

Athletes

Events

1948

London, England, UK

4,104

136

1952

Helsinki, Finland

4,955

149

1956

Melbourne, Australia

3,314

151

1960

Rome, Italy

5,338

150

1964

Tokyo, Japan

5,151

163

1968

Mexico City, Mexico

112

5,516

172

1972

Munich, Germany

121

7,134

195

1976

Montreal, Canada

6,048

198

1980

Moscow, USSR

5,179

203

1984

Los Angeles, USA

140

6,829

221

1988

Seoul, South Korea

159

8,391

237

1992

Barcelona, Spain

169

9,356

257

1996

Atlanta, USA

197

10,320

271

2000

Sydney, Australia

199

10,651

300

2004

Athens, Greece

201

10,625

301

2008

Beijing, China

204

10,942

302

2012

London, England, UK

204

10,768

302

2016

Rio, Brazil

207

11,237

306

2020

Tokyo, Japan

207

12,000+

324

Sports & Entertainment Of Note

Sports

AMERICA & THE OLYMPICS

Michael Phelpsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Total Medals1

Athletes on Team USA in 2016

558

Highlights of the most dominant nation in Olympics history

Total Olympic Medals

2,803

Oldest Member in 2016

522

Gold Medal Total

1,118

Youngest Member in 2016

163

Michael Phelps is the most decorated Olympian of all time

Phillip Dutton won a bronze medal in the individual equestrian Sydney McLaughlin was the youngest member of the U.S. track and field team in Rio 2

SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

THE HOSTS WITH THE MOST These three nations have hosted the Olympics the most since 1896

8 5 4 USA

FRANCE

JAPAN

CSQ SUMMER 2017

COUNTRIES WITH THE MOST TOTAL MEDALS WON AT THE OLYMPIC GAMES

2,803

USA 1,204

Soviet Union 873

Great Britain France

824

Germany

824 691

Italy

MOST SUCCESSFUL PARALYMPIANS BY (GOLD) MEDAL COUNT Athlete

Country

Sports

Gold

Silver

Sports & Entertainment Of Note

Bronze

Trischa Zorn

USA

Swimming

Ragnhild Myklebust

Norway

Multiple

Béatrice Hess

France

Swimming

Reinhild Moeller

Germany

Multiple

Michael Edgson

Canada

Swimming

Jonas Jacobsson

Sweden

Shooting

Roberto Marson

Italy

Multiple

Gerd Schoenfelder

Germany

Skiing

Mike Kenny

USA

Swimming

Zipora Rubin-Rosenbaum

Israel

Multiple

MOST SUCCESSFUL OLYMPIANS BY (GOLD) MEDAL COUNT Athlete

Country

Sports

Gold

Silver

Bronze

Michael Phelps

USA

Swimming

Larisa Latynina

Soviet Union

Gymnastics

Paavo Nurni

Finland

Athletics

Mark Spitz

USA

Swimming

Carl Lewis

USA

Athletics

Ole Einar Bjørndalen

Norway

Biathlon

Bjørn Daehlie

Norway

Skiing

Birgit Fischer

Germany

Canoeing

Sawao Kato

Japan

Gymnastics

Jenny Thompson

USA

Swimming

1 49

OP-ED

Michael Jordan: A Profile in Failure

Despite being the best basketball player – and one of the best athletes – of all time, success was not always a slam dunk for the Jumpman By Jeff Stibel

Michael Jordan needs no introduction. Something of a legend for turning failure into success, he is the author of the longest quote on my company’s failure wall — which was tricky to paint but worth the extra effort:

Sports & Entertainment Profile in Failure

Most of us don’t fail or succeed in the glare of a national spotlight, much less do it thousands of times, with analysts endlessly critiquing every move. Perhaps that’s why people love sports: they provide a black and white analogy for the gray backdrop of life. The ball is in or it’s out, the basket is made or missed, the game is won or lost. Watching our favorite stars pull through when the chips are down inspires us to do the same in our own lives. And no one has inspired more sports fans, young and old alike, than Michael Jordan. The story of Michael Jordan not making his high school team has been told and retold, but continues to inspire with each retelling. In 1978, sophomore Michael Jordan tried out for the varsity basketball team at Laney High School. When the list was posted, Jordan’s name wasn’t on it. Instead, he was asked to play on the junior varsity team. The reasoning behind the choice wasn’t that Jordan didn’t have enough talent or hadn’t already distinguished himself as an outstanding basketball player. Rather, it came down to seniority, size, and a strategic decision: The varsity team already had eleven seniors and three juniors. That left space for only one more player, and the coaches chose another sophomore, Jordan’s friend Leroy Smith. Smith was not as good as Jordan but he added size to the team, as he was 6’6” compared to Jordan’s diminutive 5’10”. What’s more, the coaches knew that if Jordan had been chosen for the varsity team, he would play 50

SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Illustration: Maxim Zudilkin

I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times, I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.

only when needed as a substitute for the more senior varsity players. On the junior varsity team he would get more playing time and a chance to truly develop. It was a perfectly logical choice for the coaches to assign Jordan to the junior varsity team for his sophomore year. But 15-year-old Jordan was devastated when the list was posted without his name. In his mind, it was the ultimate defeat, the ultimate failure. “I went to my room and I closed the door and I cried. For a while I couldn’t stop. Even though there was no one else home at the time, I kept the door shut. It was important to me that no one hear me or see me.” Jordan was heartbroken and ready to give up the sport altogether until his mother convinced him otherwise. After picking himself up off the floor, Jordan did what champions do. He let his failure and disappointment drive him to be better. He played on the junior varsity team, and he worked himself to the limit. “Whenever I was working out and got tired and figured I ought to stop, I’d close my eyes and see that list in the locker room without my name on it, and that usually got me going again.” It became a pattern throughout Jordan’s life that a disappointment or setback resulted in a redoubling of effort. High school rival player Kenny Gattison, who led his team to beat Jordan’s team for the high school state championship, put it this way: “You got to understand what fuels that guy, what makes him great. For most people the pain of loss is temporary. [Jordan] took that loss and held on to it. It’s a part of what made him.” For most people, public failure becomes public humiliation, and that leads to retreat. Fear of public speaking is a good example. Few people are psychologically afraid of speaking their mind and even fewer have physical speech impediments preventing them from doing so. Yet glossophobia, the technical term for speech anxiety, is consistently ranked among the most prevalent mental disorders, with a reputed 75% of the world’s population experiencing some degree of anxiety around public speaking. Our fears have little to do with speaking, of course, and far more to do with the perceived impact and reaction that our audience may have. But for Jordan and elite performers like him, the fear of failure and public ridicule is transformed into a drive for success. The pattern of defeat followed by success would follow Jordan to the University of North Carolina and later to the NBA. His relentless drive would lead him to break numerous records and become the most decorated player in the history of the NBA. What’s more, he’s credited with dramatically increasing the popularity of basketball both in the United States and internationally, and inspiring the next generation of basketball players including Lebron James, Dwyane Wade, and Kobe Bryant. You can’t think of the word “champion” without thinking of Michael Jordan, and there’s no better proof that failure is simply a stepping stone to success. Michael Jordan faced another formidable challenge decades later, when he became the owner of the NBA basketball franchise, the Charlotte Bobcats. Jordan had been a minority owner since 2006 but bought the majority stake from Bob Johnson in 2010. At the time, the business was hemorrhaging, so Jordan used his own money to cover the signifi-

HIS RELENTLESS DRIVE WOULD LEAD HIM TO BREAK NUMEROUS RECORDS AND BECOME THE MOST DECORATED PLAYER IN THE HISTORY OF THE NBA ... HE’S CREDITED WITH DRAMATICALLY INCREASING THE POPULARITY OF BASKETBALL BOTH IN THE UNITED STATES AND INTERNATIONALLY, AND INSPIRING THE NEXT GENERATION OF BASKETBALL PLAYERS ...

cant operating losses the team was experiencing. The first season was lackluster but things got worse. In the 2011-2012 season, the team earned a mere 7 wins alongside 59 losses – the worst record of any team ever in the history of the NBA. In addition to—or maybe because of—their disastrous record, the Bobcats had poor community support. The Bobcats brand was synonymous with disappointment, despite having one of the best basketball brands of all time at the helm—Michael Jordan himself. But after the 2012-2013 season came to a close, Jordan started to turn things around. First, he brought in former Lakers assistant coach Steve Clifford to replace Mike Dunlap. In a change every bit as important as the new coach, Jordan agreed to remove himself from the process of managing the team’s operations. Instead, Jordan focused on what Jordan can do better than anyone else: revitalizing the brand. He applied for and received permission to change the team name to the Charlotte Hornets. Jordan himself became more involved in community events and forged a connection between the team and the city. The changes paid off. The team finished the 2013-2014 season with a winning record of 43-39, the second best year in the history of the franchise. They even made it to the playoffs. At the same time, ticket and merchandise sales skyrocketed and public opinion improved dramatically. The team was well on its way to making both a comeback and a profit. Most of us look to successful people and assume they can do anything because of their past successes. The old joke about asking your doctor for stock tips comes to mind, as if just because you can cure an illness, you have wisdom about everything. Doctors don’t make great stockbrokers, brain surgeons are horrible rocket scientists, CEOs aren’t usually exceptional cooks, and basketball stars are rarely great baseball players (you can ask Jordan about that last one as well). Experience and knowledge are only valuable where applicable. This mindset doesn’t just fog our external lenses, it also blurs how we see ourselves. It is often hard for successful people to admit that they won’t be good at something new. In Jordan’s case, his basketball skills didn’t translate into basketball management. It took some time, but Jordan certainly deserves credit for acknowledging what wasn’t working and trying new things until he hit on a winning combination. He gave up managing and focused on marketing, a skill he was uniquely qualified for. For Jordan, that became the recipe for success:

Sports & Entertainment Profile in Failure

CSQ SUMMER 2017

JEFF STIBEL Vice Chairman, Dun & Bradstreet, Partner, Bryant Stibel Jeff Stibel is the author of Wired for Thought: How the Brain Is Shaping the Internet and Breakpoint: Why the Web Will Implode, Search Will Be Obsolete, and Everything You Need to Know About Technology Is in Your Brain.

It’s harder than most people think. Some people have been in this business a lot longer and still haven’t put together a sustainable, successful scenario. When you make bad decisions, you learn from that and move forward. I think I’m better in that sense. I’ve experienced all of the different valleys and lows about ownership and the success of businesses. Does that constitute me being a better owner? Then I guess I am. Hard, yes, but flexing a new muscle is also exhilarating, especially when you eventually succeed. As Jordan puts it, “...it’s been fun. It’s been hard, but I’ve had fun doing it.” end

Sports & Entertainment Angelenos in Olympics OP-ED

Los Angeles: The Olympic City A brief history of famous Southland medalists By Jacob Freedman

SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

In Los Angeles, there is a sport for everyone. Whether it be soccer players darting up and down the scenic Ferraro Fields that nestle in the shadow of Griffith Park, or rowers putting in a morningâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s workout as the sun rises over the tranquil shores of Long Beach, countless athletes in Southern California commit themselves to the everyday pursuit of greatness. Los Angeles is the premier Olympic City not only because of the two (and potentially a third in 2024) Olympic Games it has welcomed, nor because it is the home of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and the LA84 Foundation. It is the Olympic City because of the thousands of Olympians who call Los Angeles home. Whether they be fifth-generation or first-generation citizens, it is these Angelenos who proudly serve as the embodiments of the Olympic Movement. The tales of all of these world-class athletes would take years to tell. As Los Angeles

continues to celebrate its unrivaled Olympic past and aim for greater heights, learn the history and meet the world-class athletes behind an acclaim more than a century in the making. Long before the 1932 Olympic Games Opening Ceremonies saw over 100,000 people fill the LA Coliseum to welcome athletes from across the globe, Los Angeles found itself fertile soil for developing world-class athletes. The 1900 Summer Games in Paris marked the first instance of Californians making their way onto the Olympic stage. Few were as true an Angeleno as Marion Jones Farquhar, a tennis star who became the first American woman to earn medal distinction. The first non-British woman to play at Wimbledon, Farquhar also happened to be the daughter of U.S. Senator and Santa Monica co-founder John Percival Jones. Four years later in St. Louis, University of Southern California (USC) student Emil Breitkreutz took home the bronze medal in the

800-meter race. Little did the world know that this engineering student was the first ripple in a tidal wave of USC and University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) students who would challenge entire nations for medal supremacy in the years and Games to come. Eight years later, in 1912, USC freshman and 110-meter hurdler Fred Kelly crossed the finish line first at the Stockholm Summer Games to win the first gold medal for his Trojans. Kelly later became the first president of what later became known as the Southern California Olympians and Paralympians Association, the oldest and largest chapter in the United States. In 1924, one of the most compelling encounters in Paris involved two Angelenos fighting for the boxing gold medal in the featherweight division. Jackie Fields bested Joe Salas, the United States’ first Latino Olympian, in a bout among close personal friends. UCLA joined its crosstown rival atop the podium at the 1932 Games in Los Angeles, where the hometown Bruins collected 10 medals, 5 of them gold. Since 1932, it has become a quadrennial rite of passage for the schools to triumph how the “Bruin Nation” or “Trojan Nation” stacks up with the competing countries at each Olympic Games. The two schools’ combined 30 medals at the 2016 Rio Summer Games would have placed them eighth among competing countries, while their combined 570

medals all-time is topped by only five nations. Elite athletes from across the globe seek out Los Angeles as a place to live and compete. At the Rio Games alone, Olympians from 26 countries represented the two schools. The 1932 Games put Los Angeles on the map as a hub for Olympic sport, and their conclusion saw many departing athletes vow to return. One of those competitors was Babe Didrikson Zaharias, a gold medalist in the javelin and 80-meter hurdles and silver medalist in the high jump. Zaharias was introduced to the sport of golf during the 1932 Games, took lessons in LA the next year, became the first woman to compete in a men’s tournament at the 1938 Los Angeles Open, and even opened a women’s sport clothing store in Beverly Hills. With top-notch facilities, coaching, and idyllic weather for year-round training, it comes as little surprise that world-class athletes, through school or other methods, continue to call Los Angeles home. A vast and diverse metropolis, Angelenos also aspire for Olympic Winter Games glory. World champion figure skater Michelle Kwan, eight-time Olympic medalist short track speedskater Apolo Ohno, and fellow short track world champion JR Celski are among the Winter Olympians who’ve called Los Angeles their home base. Angeleno trailblazers continued to achieve following the success of the 1932 Summer

Games. Local sprinter Mack Robinson, brother of baseball pioneer Jackie, ran alongside Jesse Owens en route to silver at the 1936 Berlin Games. Also participating in 1936 was legendary distance runner Louis Zamperini, a South Bay native whose story, which included drifting at sea for 47 days and surviving as a prisoner of war in the South Pacific during World War II, was celebrated in the book and movie Unbroken. As the Olympics resumed in 1948, a pair of local divers overcame racial inequality to reach the pinnacle of their sport. Korean American diver Sammy Lee, who as a youth had a sand pit dug in his backyard since Asian Americans were not regularly allowed at the pool, brought home gold in London at the 1952 Helsinki Games. Lee later coached local prodigy Greg Louganis, who became a hometown hero after taking home a pair of individual golds at the 1984 Games in Los Angeles. Lee was joined atop the diving world in 1948 by Vicki Manalo Draves, of Filipino descent, who became the first woman to win gold in the 10-meter platform and 3-meter springboard in a single Games. The second woman to achieve the double was Orange County native Pat McCormick, who achieved the feat twice, first at Helsinki in 1952 and again in Melbourne in 1956. With warm weather and sunny skies (almost) year-round and the Pacific Ocean to the

Sports & Entertainment THE TWO SCHOOLS’ [UCLA & USC] COMBINED 30 MEDALS AT THE 2016 RIO SUMMER GAMES WOULD HAVE PLACED THEM EIGHTH AMONGOlympics COMPETING COUNTRIES, WHILE THEIR COMAngelenos in BINED 570 MEDALS ALL-TIME IS TOPPED BY ONLY FIVE NATIONS.

1. Sammy Lee was the first Asian American to win an Olympic gold medal for the United States 2. Babe Didrikson Zaharias (far right) won two gold medals at the 1932 Olympics before winning 10 LPGA major championships

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Sports & Entertainment IT IS THE OLYMPIC CITY BECAUSE OF THE THOUSANDS OF OLYMPIANS WHO CALL LOS ANGELES Angelenos in Olympics HOME. WHETHER THEY BE FIFTH-GENERATION OR FIRST-GENERATION CITIZENS, IT IS THESE ANGELENOS WHO PROUDLY SERVE AS THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE OLYMPIC MOVEMENT. 3. Apolo Ohno has won eight Olympic Medals 4. Serena and Venus Williams grew up in Compton, California, starting to play tennis at the age of three 5. Paralympian Candace Cable won 12 medals and was the first woman to win medals in both the Summer and Winter Paralympics

SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

west and south, it’s only fitting that Los Angeles’ proclivity for aquatics manifests in Olympic dominance. Local sensation John Naber won five medals, four of them gold, at Montreal in 1976. That same summer, close friend and eighttime medalist Shirley Babashoff anchored the United States 4x100-meter freestyle relay team to gold in a stunning upset of the East German side in what is still considered the greatest race in women’s swimming history. Inspired by Naber, Babashoff, and the 1984 Olympic Games in her backyard, Janet Evans (p. 80) notched four gold medals in Seoul 1988 and Barcelona 1992. Soon after, Gary Hall Jr., an activist in the communities of Greater Santa Barbara, won 10 Olympic medals in Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000, and Athens 2004. Even if the sport is merely near the water, Angelenos know how to find Olympic glory. The beach volleyball duo of Kerri Walsh Jennings and Misty May-Treanor lived near and trained on the beaches of Los Angeles en route to three straight Olympic gold medals. The current coach of the US Women’s Volleyball Team, Karch Kiraly, won three gold medals total between indoor and beach volleyball. Like the displays along Hollywood Boulevard, the light of Los Angeles’ Olympians star power never fades. Nine-time Paralympic Candace Cable is at the forefront of the adaptive sports movement, also serving as a vice

chair on the LA 2024 bid committee. Along with Cable, Angeleno Olympians playing a leadership role in LA 2024 include Evans; 1976 Olympian, International Olympic Committee Executive Board member, and LA84 Foundation President Emeritus Anita DeFrantz; and four-time hockey medalist and fellow IOC member Angela Ruggiero. Hop on a court and the accomplishments continue: Lisa Leslie, James Harden, Russell Westbrook, DeMar DeRozan, and Diana Taurasi are among the titans of the NBA and WNBA with an Olympic gold medal to their name and Southern California to call their home. The Williams sisters, Venus and Serena, learned the ins and outs of tennis while also growing up in Los Angeles. Head out on the track and you’ll find hundreds more Olympians who grew up or moved to Southern California and have an Olympic story to tell. Chief among those is the iconic Rafer Johnson, gold medalist in the 1960 Olympic decathlon in Rome and civic-minded activist who later founded Special Olympics Southern California. On July 28, 1984, it was Johnson who lit the Olympic Cauldron during the Opening Ceremonies in front of an awestruck Coliseum crowd. In that moment, it was one Angeleno lifting 90,000 out of their seats and enrapturing billions around the world. Los Angeles, the Olympic City, hasn’t slowed down since. end

The Business of the Olympics in Los Angeles

INFOGRAPHIC

All figures courtesy of LA84 Foundation; 2024 projections via Beacon Economics LLC and UC Riverside School of Business Center for Economic Forecasting

GAMES OF THE X OLYMPIAD

GAMES OF THE XXIII OLYMPIAD

Exploring the economic impact of the Olympics Games in 1932, 1984, and – prospectively – 2024

GAMES OF THE XXXIII(I) OLYMPIAD

1932 1984 NEXT

Sports & Entertainment $232.5M Economic Impact

$1M

Cost to fund the games, came via a state bond

$1.2M Approximate surplus following conclusion of the games that repaid the bond, with the remaining funds being distributed across the City and County of Los Angeles

Surplus created from the 1984 Olympics

60% went to the U.S. Olympic Committee for elite athlete development

40% was used to create the Amateur Athletic Foundation, today the LA84 Foundation

The following figures are projected based on Los Angeles securing the 2024 Olympics

74,308-79,307 new full-time jobs

$152M—$167M additional tax revenues

$225M investment LA84 has made in Southern California since 1985 $776M net primary economic impact on the local company from the 1984 Olympics, as reported via a study by Economic Research Associates in 1985 $1.5B value of the local “induced impact” of the 1984 Olympics $2.3B approximate total positive economic impact of the 1984 Olympics

$4.88B—$5.11B worker earnings

$6.72B—$7.07B

increase in direct additional spending

$10.62B—$11.18B gross economic output

*Figures reflect 2024 specific economic study

CSQ SUMMER 2017

Sports & Entertainment World Baseball Classic

SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Close Up 2017 World Baseball Classic March 22, 2017 Dodger Stadium United States 8 Puerto Rico 0

Photo: Jon Soo Hoo

CSQ SUMMER 2017

Members of Team USA celebrate their 8-0 victory over Team Puerto Rico in the 2017 World Baseball Classic, a tri-annual tournament of international competition. The semifinals and finals both took place at Dodger Stadium, previously the home of Baseball in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympiad. Baseball will return to the Olympics in Tokyo 2020, having not been an official Olympic sport since 2008.

Sports & Entertainment World Baseball Classic

PICTORIAL

Industry Film Location Santa Monica, CA Project Lead Lee Pasteris Duration 2012 - present What’s Next A large refresh of the screening room Architect Gensler Furnishings Knoll Sq. Ft. 142,000

SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Photos: Courtesy of Gensler

INNOVATIVE OFFICE: LIONSGATE ENTERTAINMENT When CSQ sat down with 2016 Visionary Rob Friedman last Summer, Lionsgate’s Santa Monica, CA headquarters were in the midst of a large scale, all encompassing renovation. A year later, we present a photographic examination of what makes Lionsgate – one of Hollywood’s most important entertainment and media companies – so successful.

Sports & Entertainment Innovative Office

CSQ&A Lee Pasteris Partner, Gensler

What was Lionsgate looking for in their renovation? Lee Pasteris Lionsgate sought a workplace that would allow them to become one, fully-integrated team in a single building, better supporting collaboration and fostering the creativity and dynamism of the people within the company. The resulting solution is a workplace that supports its people by blending the outside with the inside to provide more natural light, provides a variety of spaces that not only support individual focus work but also multiple settings for collaboration, and affords employees with choice in where they can work from standing-height work surfaces to informal collaboration zones.

Sports & Entertainment Innovative Office

What were some of Lionsgateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s specific wants and needs for the space? LP Lionsgate prioritized right-sizing space to meet the growing population, incorporating workplace research to blend open workstation and focus work with collaboration and socialization spaces, modernizing their workstations, and providing a brighter and more open environment.

How long did the project take to complete? When did it start and when did it end? LP We started working on Lionsgateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s macro-program toward the end of 2012, and continued to test fit multiple sites in 2013. After making the decision to stay in place, construction for the new interior space started in the fall of 2014. Initial phases were built throughout a period of two years. Additional phases started in 2016, including the addition of a small screening room, and the most recent work started in March 2017. We are embarking on our 11th phase which will commence later this summer and will include a refresh of their large screening room.

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NG 10 COREY CONRAD

reach one goal, I push myself to achieve the next one. Local Companies You Admire Caruso and AEG Talent You Want to Work With Derek Jeter, Billy Joel, and Jordan Spieth App You Can’t Live Without Waze

Before Bed Check phone, read email, and read the (lighthearted) news. Advice You say it, you mean it. Success The satisfaction of knowing you made a positive impact and the reassurance that you’ll be enabled to do so again. Mentors Danielle De Palma-Sherman (EVP, Digital Marketing, Lionsgate); Dr. Andrew J. Maxwell (pediatric cardiologist) Local Companies You Admire In VR: Kite & Lightning and WEVR; in Entertainment: A24 and Annapurna Pictures; in Media: ZEFR and theAmplify Talent You Want to Work With Ridley Scott App You Can’t Live Without Google Maps (my sense of direction is woeful) Awards and Honors 3-time Webby Award winner, Variety’s “Hollywood’s New Leaders” 2016, and numerous Clio Key Art awards (now called the ‘Clio Entertainment’ award)

STEVE EZELL

DAVID GRAY& Entertainment Sports EDWARDS NextGen 10

SENIOR DIRECTOR, BRAND & GLOBAL PARTNERSHIPS SBE Hotels, Restaurants, Nightlife, Events & Catering

Age 30 Residence West Hollywood Education Belmont University HQ Los Angeles Company Founded 2002 Impact of LA on Company Success The City of Angels is where sbe was founded. As our company grows, we strive to capture the same energy we have in LA. In the Morning Enjoy a cup of espresso and catch up on emails. Before Bed Kiss my wife. Advice “Every man dies, not every man truly lives.” Success I constantly set new goals so that I am always pushing myself to get to the next level. Once I succeed and

SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

SENIOR VP, DIGITAL MARKETING LIONSGATE Age 32 Residence Culver City Education SDSU HQ Santa Monica Company Founded 1997 In the Morning Check phone, read email, read the news, make coffee and – of course – shower.

CO-FOUNDER & CEO CRAFTX Exclusive craft beer, delivered monthly Age 36 Residence North Hollywood Education Univ. of Michigan HQ Cerritos Company Founded 2016 Impact of LA on Company Success Our initial brewery partners were based in Los Angeles and helped give us a jumpstart in the brewing community. In the Morning Let the dogs out the back door. Before Bed During the NBA season, watch SportsCenter. Otherwise, watch The Daily Show. Advice My mom’s advice on why not to worry about spending money on chasing your dreams – “You can’t take it with you.”

NEXTGEN 10 SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT 2017

Since we introduced our NextGen 10 (our annual list of under 40 disruptors, innovators, and rising stars) in Sports & Entertainment in 2013, the dividing line between sports and entertainment has blurred to virtual nonexistence. The convergence in many ways is thanks to the continued advances and implementations of technology (see Snap and Instagram, referenced below) as well as media advances (see Erik Huberman’s Hawke Media and Gabriel Ornelas’ dc Media Ventures below). Whatever the reasoning for the convergence, one thing is certain – the world of sports and the world of entertainment are more dynamic today than they have ever been, thanks in part to this class of NextGen leader – so strong we needed 11. Together, they are elevating their companies and industries and further shaping Los Angeles.

Success Feeling like I’ve made a positive impact on my industry and my customers. Local Companies You Admire All of the local, independent craft breweries. I’ve seen how hard they work and how small the ROI is on both their time and financial investment, but they do it with passion every day. Talent You Want to Work With That’s tough to answer. I’m a diehard Phoenix Suns fan, so it would probably be one of their current or former players. App You Can’t Live Without Slack

Age 36 Residence Hollywood Education CSUN HQ Downtown Los Angeles Impact of LA on Company Success LA is a city of endless entertainment and is the center of music, movies, and television. In the Morning Barry’s Bootcamp. Then catch up on the news of the day. Before Bed Watch TV, read, or listen to music. Advice If you work really hard and you’re kind, amazing things will happen. Success When I know that I’ve helped create a memorable experience for someone, or helped someone create a moment for someone else. Mentors Danielle Edouarde, Don Graham, Lee Zeidman, Rick Merrill Local Companies You Admire The Walt Disney Company and Pixar Animation Talent You Want to Work With Ryan Seacrest, mostly because I’d like to understand how he has time to do everything in the industry! Apps You Can’t Live Without Dropbox for work and Instagram for entertainment Awards and Honors Venues Today Magazine 2015 Generation Next Recipient (also nominated in 2012)

ERIK HUBERMAN

brain a few minutes to wind down. Advice Swing the bat. Just keep pushing and doing, and something will hit. Success Being able to sustain doing something you love to do. Local Companies You Admire ZipRecruiter and TaskUs for bootstrapping in the beginning, eventually building massive and successful companies. App You Can’t Live Without Captio Awards and Honors Forbes 30 Under 30, Inc Top 25 Marketing Influencers, American Business Awards Agency of the Year

Sports & Entertainment NextGen 10

RUSSELL GORDON

SENIOR DIRECTOR, EVENTS & VENUE OPERATIONS MICROSOFT THEATER

CSQ SUMMER 2017

FOUNDER & CEO HAWKE MEDIA Digital marketing agency with month-to-month services

Age 30 Residence Santa Monica Education University of Arizona HQ Santa Monica Company Founded 2014 Impact of LA on Company Success Our company was built thanks to the unique LA startup ecosystem – where there is a shared “all ships rise together” outlook. Our largest advocates would be harsh competitors in other cultures. In the Morning Scroll through social media. I used to jump out of bed quickly and go right about my day, but I found that doing something simple for just a few minutes in the morning really helps me manage stress the rest of the day. Before Bed Something mindless as well. I need to allow my

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SOUMYA JAIN

ERICA LEE

GABRIEL ORNELAS CO-FOUNDER POPMARK Platform to find or advertise real estate for popups

EVP, DEVELOPMENT & PRODUCTION THUNDER ROAD Film and television production company

Age 26 Residence West Hollywood Education UCLA HQ Los Angeles Company Founded 2016 Impact of LA on Company Success The city’s diverse and collaborative spirit is essential for fostering innovation. In the Morning Coffee, email, and the news Before Bed Read (Currently: The Rational Optimist by Matt Ridley) Advice Someone is always willing to work harder and learn more than you, so give it your best shot. Success Having worthy goals that create meaningful impact and value. Mentors My friends and my parents Local Companies You Admire Snap, Pixar, SH//FT, SpaceX, and The Virtual Reality Company App You Can’t Live Without Instagram. It’s a great way to source prospective clients. Awards and Honors Recognition by Prime Minister of India in 2008

Age 36 Residence Los Angeles Education Florida State HQ Santa Monica Company Founded 2004 In the Morning Drink coffee Before Bed Check my email Advice Don’t ever stop receiving Success Ability to balance work and personal life. Being able to make movies you love, that are both critically acclaimed and perform at the box office. Mentor My grandfather Local Companies You Admire Amblin, See’s Candy Talent You Want to Work With Damien Chazelle, Cary Fukunaga, Jordan Peele Apps You Can’t Live Without Instagram, Waze Awards and Honors Producers Guild of America

Success Going somewhere I’ve never been before, both literally and figuratively. Mentors My father Ralph Ornelas, a chief of police, who taught me about discipline and following my personal path; Jennifer Breithaupt (Global CMO, CitiBank) is a leader in marrying experiential branding and entertainment experiences; my business partner David Codikow; and Steve Prefontaine. Local Companies You Admire Stance Socks, Casamigos, SpaceX, GT Kombucha, and Netflix Talent You Want to Work With Virgil Abloh, Es Devlin, Bozoma Saint John, and Donald Glover Apps You Can’t Live Without Uber, Instagram, Resy, and Product Hunt

Sports & Entertainment NextGen 10 MILANA RABKIN

SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

MANAGING PARTNER DC MEDIA VENTURES Boutique management and brand strategy consulting agency

Age 30 Residence Venice Education USC HQ Los Angeles and New York, but in the digital age, we are everywhere. Company Founded 2012 Impact of LA on Company Success As one of the cultural and creative capitals of the world, Los Angeles is filled with risk takers and dream makers who help the city stay constantly changing and evolving. In the Morning On my hourlong bike ride, I contemplate how this day will be different than the next. Before Bed Shut off the lights. Advice Would you rather win or be right?

CO-FOUNDER & CEO STEM Distribute and monetize content across digital platforms (i.e. YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music) while auotomating payment to writers and producers.

Age 29 Resident Hollywood Education UCLA HQ Hollywood Company Founded 2015 Impact of LA on Company Success We’re lucky to have offices walking distance to recording studios and music publishing companies. Los Angeles has also positioned us in proximity to world class talent who have worked at places like MySpace, Hulu, Apple, and Riot Games. Advice Be diligent; reference check everyone before you work with them. Mentors Kara Nortman (Partner, Upfront Ventures) who is our investor and first board member. As a former CEO, she has been an extraordinary mentor on the business side and her coaching has leveled me up so much. On a personal level, I admire her as a mother, wife, and friend. Vivien Lewit (Global Head of Artist Relations, YouTube) has been a mentor since I was a young agent at UTA. Melody McCloskey (CEO, StyleSeat) has been my peer mentor. She gave me the confidence I needed to take the leap from my cushy job at UTA to being a founder. I’ll never forget when I first told her my idea for Stem in the artists’ area at Bonnaroo over a beer (we were there for a bachelorette party). She looked at me and said, “Just do it, I’ll hold your hand through it.” And boy has she; I have leaned on her literally every step of the way. Local Company You Admire Parachute Talent You Want to Work With Chance The Rapper, Taylor Swift, and Bill Nye the Science Guy Awards and Honors Variety’s “Hollywood New Leaders” and one of Refinery29’s “30 under 30” most influential rising stars in 2012

MACKENZIE TODD

FOUNDER & CEO UGP Comprehensive golf development center combining expert coaching, club fitting, fitness, and health service

Sports &

CSQ SUMMER 2017

or position to be attained but rather a service to be given. Success Impacting the world in a positive way that reminds us of why we are on this earth. It starts within, and then into our homes, into our work, and then throughout our community. Success is about listening to who you are, and stopping at nothing to link your dreams to your living reality. Local Companies You Admire Chocovivo, a chocolate company that grinds chocolate in the manner done in Mesoamerican times. I admire companies that apply ancient rituals and practices to modern consumerism. App You Can’t Live Without iCal

will take care of itself and it always has. Success Success is teambased (on the court and in the boardroom). I am most fulfilled when my whole team has worked together, grown together, and accomplished something together. Mentor Todd McCormack; he taught me to see the the underlying structure of the sports business, rights. Once I knew what to look for, everything was easier and the landscape became a creative canvas to build upon. Local Companies You Admire BYD, Two Bit Circus, Red Bull, Mattel App You Can’t Live Without Flipboard. It’s the best way to read hundreds of sources of information in a beautiful, visual presentation. Awards and Honors 2015 Sports Business Journal’s 40 Under 40

JENNIFER VAN DIJK Entertainment

Age 32 Residence West Los Angeles Education University of Colorado HQ West Los Angeles Company Founded 2013 Impact of LA on Company Success Los Angeles is home to innovators, thought leaders, and the best of the best across all industries. UGP is here to impact and transform the golf industry from the inside out, making LA the perfect place for our formation and development. In the Morning Writing three things that I’m grateful for and three things that I appreciate about myself. Starting the day with compassion and gratitude helps me navigate my life with more joy, connecting me authentically with my team and community. Before Bed I typically fall asleep cuddling my two wonderful kids. The family ritual of bath time and storytime consumes my evenings. Advice Blake Mycoskie has had an immense impact on my views on entrepreneurship and work/life balance. The main message I’ve become aware of is that leadership is not a rank

NextGen 10

CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER LA CLIPPERS Residence Downtown Los Angeles Education Mount Holyoke College HQ Downtown Los Angeles In the Morning Coffee and Flipboard to read the news Before Bed Set an intention for the next day. Advice Do great work and come what may. The rest

2/2 63

1 VISIONARY CSQ&A SELEMA MASEKELA HOST & EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, VICE WORLD OF SPORTS

Special Olympics Masekala

He introduced the general public to action sports and now he’s using sports as an entry point to tell even deeper stories By Neftalie Williams

Selema “Sal” Masekela is a cultural icon. Known to many as the voice of action sports, the New York-born, Venice-residing Renaissance man is a commentator, journalist, musician, producer, fashion line owner, and nonprofit leader. After a 13-year stint hosting the X Games on ESPN, he’s now the host and executive producer of VICE World of Sports and a host of the Red Bull Signature Series. He’s also the founder of Stoked Mentoring – an action sports nonprofit. With skateboarding making its Olympics debut in Tokyo in 2020, we felt there was no better time to chat with the action sports icon about his past, present, and future. Neftalie Williams Tell me more about your

Viceland show.

Selema Masekela When we first decided to

SELEMA “SAL” MASEKELA Age 45 Residence Venice Favorite Action Sport Surfing Charity Supported Stoked Mentoring Passions Outside the Office Crossfit (at the Deuce Gym in Venice) and surfing

SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

make VICE World of Sports, we had to figure out what the objective was. For us, it was the opportunity to showcase cultures, places, and people in America and the world you normally would not get to know, with sports as an entryway. NW You were the face – and voice – of action

sports for so many years. You grew people’s knowledge of the culture so organically. Can you talk about the professional risk of leaving ESPN and no longer hosting the X Games? SM My relationship with ESPN was fruitful

for a long time. I got an education in how to be a broadcaster, while having the opportunity to share with ESPN my depth of experience and knowledge of action sports culture. It reached a point where the X Games were no longer championing the culture of the sports. It was starting to feel like, ‘Let’s just see the most extreme thing we can put on television, take some of the core aspect, squeeze it down, and give it token time.’ To walk away was actually the easiest thing to do. A lot of people thought, ‘How could you leave the worldwide leader in sports? ESPN is so safe.’ But, I saw what Red Bull Media House was doing in making an investment and supporting the various cultures of these individual action sports and that’s what originally got me going. Red Bull and now Vice have given me freedom and it’s wild to be working in these two places that are pivotally making a difference in how people consume and view groundbreaking content. I couldn’t dream of a better situation. NW What about still having visibility? SM That was the main thing people ques-

tioned me about. I’d been on television for a long time and had seen different levels of fame. Everywhere I went, I was the man. I was fully recognizable. But you don’t get any special powers from it. You don’t get satisfied at

a soul level. I found myself at a loss between the person everybody knew on television and what’s left. I said, ‘Who are you and what do you want?’ There was a gnawing feeling in my stomach that I wasn’t being true to myself. NW In the African American community,

many have said that former President Barak Obama had to live the double life. He needed to be good to the ‘black’ community and connect with them in a way that was authentic, but he also needed to balance his approach because if he appealed too much or close to that audience, it would change the way other people thought about him and his policies. Not to compare you too much to the [former] President…. SM [Laughing] I think [late sportscaster] Stuart Scott was the greatest inspiration for me because he walked the line perfectly. He was well-spoken but he also made sure that Biggie and Pac references were abundant and spoke in a way everyone could identify with. He went through the same things I did and gave me the clearance to stay true to myself. NW When you’re a person of color, especially

being black in America, you must be ‘exceptional’ and that is sometimes perceived as making you an ‘exception’ to your race. You’re never just the ‘anonymous nobody’ or an average human being – everything you do either falls in line with what people expect, or it doesn’t. It cuts both ways – it’s empowering, but it’s also sad and hurtful. Do you feel that? SM I never felt empowered by it. I always felt awkward, and when I was really young, I didn’t know how to react so I’d be quiet. It took a few beat-downs to say ‘no more.’ The last straw was getting fired from a surf shop by being told that there was no more room on the schedule, then finding out later that the owners decided they didn’t like their ‘experiment’ because I didn’t fit the image of what a surf shop was. At nineteen years of age, it was my dream to work at that shop. After being fired, I went back to being a bank teller. Two months later, the surf shop manager who had to fire me came in and told me the truth, and started crying because her conscience had been killing her. That was it. That was when the real revolution began, because I wanted to sue those people. I told myself it was going to be my name on that surf shop. My mother said to me, ‘Well, you could legally do that. Or you could find a way to use this to do what you want to do, actually find your place in that industry, and hold your head high.’ Eight years later, that same shop would end up carrying my brand, Alphanumeric.

SM My parents could have moved anywhere when we came from the East Coast when I was sixteen. They had no idea what they were choosing, but chose a place that happened to be the cultural hotbed of the explosion of action sports culture. You didn’t just participate in these activities casually. It was a place where you lived that lifestyle. NW So why move to LA? SM I’d reached a point where I was like, ‘Al-

right I’m killing it here, I’m the guy.’ I had awoken the creativity within me, and got represented by an agent in LA. It was really, really hard. North County is a utopia for a skater or a surfer. LA skateboarding’s core scene is spread out, while surfing only has a handful of people. LA has a hardcore skate scene, but it’s the opposite with surfing. It’s a novelty, and finding a community of people who live it is very, very difficult. I chose the Westside, because I at least needed to feel like I had some of that. NW It was a good business move for you to

go to LA, but do you think skaters and surfers care enough about the business side? Have you seen a change from when you started? SM Definitely. In the beginning, people enjoyed being professional because it gave them a means to keep doing what they loved. They weren’t encouraged to think long term. There were very few owners paying them the type of money where they could grow and feel like they had skin in the game. People would get excited about the fact that they were getting free shit and $2,000 a month. There was a long period there where the companies refused to deal with agents because ‘they’re not like us.’ It was a bro-driven industry, but those who felt guilty about wanting to get what’s best for themselves would get fucked as a result. Now, it’s a different deal. There’s business managers and agents that the companies deal with. These athletes are business-savvy, too. They’re investing their money and starting brands and sub-brands. The relationship now between an athlete and agent starts as young as nine or ten years old for kids who really show long-term promise. It’s crazy.

Special Olympics STUART SCOTT WAS THE GREATEST Masekala INSPIRATION FOR ME ... HE WAS WELL-SPOKEN BUT HE ALSO MADE SURE THAT BIGGIE AND PAC REFERENCES WERE ABUNDANT AND HE SPOKE IN A WAY EVERYONE COULD IDENTIFY WITH ... HE GAVE ME THE CLEARANCE TO STAY TRUE TO MYSELF. CSQ SUMMER 2017

NW That happened in North County, San

Diego, where you used to reside. You’ve lived in two of the most historic surfing and skate areas in Southern California and, really, the world. You live in Venice now, but tell me about coming up in North County.

NW When did you feel it was okay to start

calling yourselves “athletes?”

SM I never thought of talking about it that way

until I got to ESPN. To reach this person in Nebraska, Atlanta, New York, it was necessary for them to understand they were witnessing athleticism of the highest order. An order as high as Kobe [Bryant] or Michael Jordan, or any great player in any other sport. From a business standpoint, riders thinking of themselves as athletes elevates their sense of self. They think ‘Kobe or Lebron [James] might do what they do on the hardwood, but I’m just as much of an athlete when I throw myself down these twenty stairs.’ It’s just a different playing field. end 65

Behind the scenes and off camera, Rick Eiserman and his team at Trailer Park are very likely responsible for core aspects of the production, marketing, and distribution of your favorite television, film, and sports properties

VISIONARY RICK EISERMAN CEO, ENGINE NORTH AMERICA & TRAILER PARK

By Matthew Seukunian

No matter your love of film or television— whether you’re watching CGI dinosaurs or monkeys on a big screen or binging Netflix’s new series on your Apple TV— odds are Rick Eiserman and Trailer Park have had their hands on the project at one time or another before it found its way to public consumption. Trailer Park, one of the biggest players in the Hollywood ecosystem despite flying under the radar, is the entertainment marketing and production arm of Engine Group, a conglomerate of agencies each with their own specialty and focus, owned by private equity firm Lake Capital. Eiserman grew up in Detroit where his first job involved the Detroit Free Press and a bicycle before he moved to San Diego at age 15, trading in blistery winters for sunshine year round. During his formative years in San Diego, he drew inspiration from what he grew up around – his father was a businessman and his mother a teacher – and found advertising, saying, “at a very young age I knew I wanted to be in advertising before I even knew what it was.” Eiserman would go to art school after high school. “I took a mix of art and business classes while working at the local ad club in San Diego and multiple marketing agencies. “I took every internship and job in the business I could get; I wanted to get exposure to as much of the industry as possible.” After graduation, Eiserman met with recruiters from agencies of all shapes and sizes, ultimately deciding he wanted to work for the biggest and the best and joining the Young & Rubicam executive training program. “Very quickly I found myself working in new business development and with the top global executives from the company.” His timing was good as Y&R New York HQ drove over $1B in new business that year and earned Adweek’s Global New Business Agency of the Year award. Eiserman’s foray into advertising— print, radio, and television—at Y&R came with success on accounts like 7-Up, Sony Electronics, and Campbell’s. Building on that momentum, he and his boss at the time pitched the concept of a new, non-traditional marketing agency—BrandBuzz—to the Global Chairman of Y&R

RICK EISERMAN Age 44 Residence Laguna Hills Education California Art Institute Family Wife, three children Mentors Terry Graunke, Ron Smith Passions Spending time with family, entertaining, golfing, travel

Charity Supported Jessie Reese Foundation Lesson Learned Listen twice as much as you talk. Garage Range Rover and lots of bicycles Travel Wine country anywhere

SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

TRAILER PARK Founded 1994 HQ Hollywood Employees 500+ Notable Brands / Properties Art Machine, Paperboy, Synchronic Notable Projects Inhumans, ABC & Marvel Dear White People, Netflix Cars 3, Disney Pixar Baby Driver, Sony

Photo: Zach Lipp

Sports & Entertainment Eiserman

Group. They were met receptively and given the green light and 12 months of funding. They launched BrandBuzz in 2000 which he reflectively calls “one of the greatest gifts I could have ever gotten.” Eiserman would run BrandBuzz for six years before leaving New York in 2005 to run Y & R Group’s Southern California operation – nearly 250 employees – out of Irvine, California. It was a significant transition from the speed of New York City to the easygoing vibe of SoCal. “After my first week of watching the agency empty out at 5:30pm every day, I bought a neon ‘OPEN’ sign and hung it in the window of my office. We had great people, we just needed to create a culture where people were passionate about the work and motivated to grow,” he says. The culture shifted and the excitement peaked, and Eiserman would go on a two-and-a-half year run in Orange County, building out a client roster to include Hilton Hotels, Mattel, and Land Rover.

While planning a return back to New York City (so much so that he was house shopping), Eiserman took a call from a private equity firm, Lake Capital, about a job in Hollywood at a place called Trailer Park. A much smaller shop at the time, Eiserman didn’t think that a Trailer Park sounded like the best career move. He would entertain the offer nonetheless over a cup of coffee in Beverly Hills with Terry Graunke, Lake Capital’s principal and founder, and as he proclaims, “By the end of the cup of coffee I knew I wasn’t moving anywhere and this is what I was going to do.” Was the coffee that good, I ask him. The coffee was good but the offer was better. “One thing I loved was that I would have the opportunity to truly run a business and a company ... I loved that Lake Capital’s approach was different, they were less worried about financials from month to month,” he says. “Their aspiration was to build businesses that would transform industries... that was a muscle I had not had the opportunity to flex. It was both terrifying and invigorating.” Eiserman’s excitement grew as he got to know his new digs. In the early days, he remembers walking through the offices and seeing “people creating content, designing things with an incredible passion for the business ... it was a maker culture.” Today, a little over nine years after coming on board, Trailer Park is the world’s leading player in the Entertainment and Content Marketing space thanks in part to Eiserman doubling down on Trailer Park’s size. “As the agency grew and we added additional specialty marketing divisions, our scale enabled us to respond quickly, ramp instantly, attract top talent, and increasingly take on global, integrated marketing campaigns,” he says. Though an industry leader now, there were trying times. Eiserman points to the Great Recession as a big test for him and his team (clients would often ask to see Trailer Park’s financials to ensure they would be in business many months down the road when they delivered a project) in addition to industry-focused hurdles such as the television writer’s strike.

When asked how the most recent paradigm shifts have affected his company’s outlook, Eiserman notes that Trailer Park seeks to help clients navigate this new world that is being disrupted in real time. “Early on we scaled a strategic planning department, launched an OTT division, built out media capabilities, and acquired businesses so we can be in the forefront of emerging technology ... that is what makes us a valuable partner in the space, not just another vendor.” Though landscape changes across the industry have presented challenges, Eiserman identifies a silver lining. “The work continues to get more interesting and our roster of clients has continued to expand … we are working with several of the new players that came onto the scene in just the last few years.” What has set Trailer Park apart since Eiserman’s arrival? Their approach. “Beyond all of the creative and production capabilities, we work with clients to address the strategic and business challenges as well... we have a specific approach to helping to build audiences and properties.” While moving full speed ahead in the entertainment space, Eiserman and his team used their experience and talent in the advertising industry as well. “We want to continue to be at the forefront of marketing content in the entertainment business ... but we also want to be part of the overall change in the advertising business,” Eiserman says, explaining that brands have begun to behave more like entertainment companies—they have created their own studios and are creating their own content. Eiserman was recently promoted to CEO, Engine North America. With one foot squarely in Trailer Park, he is now responsible for seven additional companies in the group and a combined staff of more than 1,100 employees. As our time together comes to a close, Eiserman—a proud but humble man—takes a moment to discuss what he is proud of. “I’d like to think I’ve been able to break new ground ... I’m not [sure] I can take credit for that ... but throughout my career, wherever I’ve been ... I’ve tried to push the organization to make the company better and the industry better.” end

Sports & Entertainment Eiserman

THEIR ASPIRATION WAS TO BUILD BUSINESSES THAT WOULD TRANSFORM INDUSTRIES ... THAT WAS A MUSCLE I HAD NOT HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO FLEX. IT WAS BOTH TERRIFYING AND INVIGORATING. CSQ SUMMER 2017

VISIONARIES A.G. & JOHN SPANOS PRESIDENT OF BUSINESS OPS PRESIDENT OF FOOTBALL OPS LA CHARGERS

Third-generation NFL executives A.G. and John Spanos, grandsons of Alex Spanos, Chargers owner for more than 30 years, are looking forward to growing their brand and advancing their family legacy on and off the field in their new home — Los Angeles By Andrea Zarczynski

Sports & Entertainment Spanos

A.G. SPANOS (L)

Founded 1960 Spanos Ownership 1984 Stadium StubHub Center from 2017-2020; L.A. Stadium & Entertainment District at Hollywood Park beginning in Fall 2020 Practice Facility Costa Mesa, CA Full-Time Employees 130 non-rostered employees Franchise Value $2B+ (via Forbes, as of Sept. 2016)

Age 38 Education USC Residence Laguna Beach Family Wife, two children Passions Family, golf Organizations / Charities YPO; “I have chaired events for the Alzheimer’s Association and for the American Cancer Society.” Lesson Learned The power of gratitude Garage Sedan for me, SUV for my wife

SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

JOHN SPANOS (R) Wrist Rolex Travel Italy Business Over a Drink Craig’s

Age 37 Education Wake Forest University Residence Corona Del Mar Family Wife Mentors Grandfather and father Passions Family, golf, outdoor activities Charities Huntington’s Disease Society of America; Susan G. Komen; American Cancer Society

Lesson Learned The importance of communication. Perseverance is a necessity. Garage Mercedes CLS AMG 63 Wrist Something with blue on it – usually a Rolex Datejust with a blue face Travel Hawaii and Ireland Business Over a Drink Still getting to know the area!

Photo: Tim Hans

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS

WE DIDN’T KNOW WHERE WE WOULD BE PLAYING, AND NOW IT’S BEEN AWESOME — NOT ONLY DO WE GET TO COME TO A TREMENDOUS MARKET LIKE LOS ANGELES, BUT WE ARE GOING TO BE PLAYING IN WHAT WE BELIEVE IS GOING TO BE THE VERY BEST STADIUM IN ALL OF THE NFL. – JOHN

Football has become a way of life for A.G. and John Spanos. Growing up the sons of Dean Spanos – active owner and chairman of the board of the Los Angeles Chargers franchise – and grandsons to Alex Spanos – an immigrant whose rise to professional success is nearly unparalleled – inspired the brothers and pushed them to discover a deeper and more meaningful passion for the sport of football. While the Spanos’ legacy is unassailably tied to the Chargers (and NFL) brand today, that was not always the case. Originally established and incorporated as the Los Angeles Chargers in 1959, the organization was a founding member of the 8-team American Football League from 1960 until 1970. The franchise’s first owner was Barron Hilton, the son of Hilton Hotels founder Conrad Hilton. By 1970 the AFL and NFL had merged and the Chargers had made a new home for themselves in San Diego. By 1984, they were riding high after stringing together several consecutive winning seasons. In 1984, Alex Spanos had purchased a majority stake (60%) of the franchise for $48.3M and throughout the next ten years, Spanos would continue to purchase the shares of minority owners, buying them out until he owned 97% of the franchise. Today, the Spanos family is sole owner of the franchise valued north of $2B by Forbes. Born in Stockton, Calif., A.G. and John moved with their parents to San Diego before they both reached second grade. While the brothers enjoyed playing in youth sports leagues together, they chose to attend different high schools, which brought forth a healthy dose of sibling rivalry. “Our parents said, ‘We want to expose you to everything.’ We played many sports, took piano lessons… we were very active but always gravitated toward sports,” says John. “We loved being outside.” The third-generation league executives also adopted deep family values, instilled by their grandfather Alex Spanos, as they continue to enjoy the rewards and traverse the obstacles that come with managing a professional NFL team. “When I think of sports, especially team

sports … accountability, teamwork, and coordination – there are a lot of life lessons in sports that you don’t realize until you’re older,” A.G. adds. Now as the Chargers’ first season back in Los Angeles approaches, A.G., president of business operations, and John, president of football operations, are kicking off the next era of a family football legacy. Growing Up With the Team

The brothers learned quickly that Chargers dream jobs are earned, not given, in the Spanos family. A.G. and John both started working summer jobs for the organization as teenagers, trying their hands at almost every entry-level role in the franchise. “My first job was working training camp, and I had every low-level task you could think of – from handling administrative paperwork to being a ball boy,” John recalls. “It’s a great way to learn the organization from the ground up, meet all the people involved, and see how it functions.” The brothers’ roles with the organization expanded after college, and eventually John moved from the team to the league office his first year out of college. Working out of the NFL’s New York City offices, he worked closely with the management council department that handles collective bargaining agreements, salary caps, player contracts, personnel rules, and roster transactions. He returned to San Diego in 2003 to assume the full-time role of assistant in the Chargers’ Pro and College Scouting Department and also worked in the Salary Cap Player Contracts department, assisting with the draft class each year by negotiating contracts and scouting collegiate athletes in the fall. His role grew quickly in the scouting department as he expanded his reach, jumping from visits to 12 schools to nearly 40. “I feel so grateful to have had all the opportunities to work at every level of the organization,” John says. “Today I oversee everything on the football side. It wasn’t like one day my dad named me president. Over the last 14 years, I have slowly but surely taken on more.” Like his brother John, when A.G. wasn’t occupied with classes or assisting the team during college, he had an internship with

the Chargers’ local television partner KFMB Channel 8. He then also interned at the New York City NFL office, helping with special league events for business operations and the Football Development Department. After college he spent a season at the NFL Europe League headquarters in London. The Europe league had been around for over 10 years by the time A.G. arrived in London. It had gone through a rebranding, moving away from its former World League of American Football name and folding all existing U.S. teams. “I found (London) to be a great learning experience – trying to sell America’s game, American football, to people who aren’t familiar with it,” A.G. says. “It was interesting to see the dynamic and there were actually some ideas that we brought back when I started full time with the Chargers.” A.G. took on a full-time marketing role with the Chargers in 2001. He enjoyed connecting with all of the various facets of the organization and working closely with the public relations and sales teams. “We joke that John spends the money on the field and I have to make the money off of it,” A.G. says.

Sports & Entertainment Spanos

CSQ SUMMER 2017

Emerging in a New Market

The brothers are very excited about managing their team in LA. They are both confident that the team’s new facilities and direction will offer the organization a competitive advantage. “The last few years have been tough because we didn’t have clarity on a new stadium,” John says. “We didn’t know where we would be playing, and now it’s been awesome – not only do we get to come to a tremendous market like Los Angeles, but we are going to be playing in what we believe is going to be the very best stadium in all of the NFL.” Together they have overcome a myriad of challenges, including the on-the-field product not meeting their expectations and standards. Back-to-back losing records during the past two years were a shock, given the Chargers’ long history of division championship wins. John expects the team to rebound quickly with a new coach and a strong 2017 draft class. A.G. adds that the team already feels welcome in its new market, noting that with the opening of the Rams’ and Chargers’ new

NOW WE HAVE TO DELIVER BOTH ON THE FIELD AND WITH THE EXPERIENCE. I’M MOSTLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT FIRST GAME ... FINALLY KICKING OFF AND BEGINNING THE FIGHT FOR LA. – A.G.

NFL Inglewood stadium delayed to 2020, the 30,000-seat StubHub Center in Carson was chosen with fans in mind. Because NFL football translates well to television and fans are accustomed to watching it that way, A.G. mentions how vital it is now to build new stadiums and improve the in-game experience. “You can’t recreate the sights, the smells, the sounds, the experience of being there live (at a game),” A.G. says. While John studies the sport’s changing consumer demographic, A.G. ensures that every decision the franchise makes circles back to one thing – winning games on the field. To strengthen the team’s competitive edge, the brothers constantly research new technologies, platforms, analytics, and sports science studies related to things such as performance, medicine, and nutrition. Family First

ing in real estate, founding the A.G. Spanos Companies in 1960, which would become the largest apartment builder in the United States by 1977. Following his real estate rise, as mentioned previously, Spanos purchased a majority stake in the Chargers, which he used as a vessel to give back (the Chargers Community Foundation has awarded more than $13M in scholarships and grants to date). “Everything that we do is furthering our grandfather’s legacy,” John says. “He has lived the American dream. He came from nothing…and really pierced through with hard work and determination. I know how much the community and giving back has meant to him. To have programs that push his vision further…it’s very rewarding.” Alex created the original Chargers Foundation to provide opportunity for young community leaders, and the effort gradually evolved to also provide school grants for new gymnasium equipment, football fields, and other resources to improve the lives of children. Today the team supports hundreds of different charitable organizations.

Sports & Entertainment Spanos

What excites the third-generation visionaries most is bringing their family legacy and decades of tradition to LA. John describes his grandfather Alex as a confident yet humble man who understands the value of asking questions. Alex Spanos, the family patriarch, has much to be humble about – but more to be proud of. Spanos was born in Stockton, California, the son of Greek immigrants. He would be working in his father’s bakery by the age of eight and would ultimately drop out of college to join the Army Air Force pilot training program during World War II; Spanos would serve as a B-29 tail gunner during the war. In 1951 Spanos borrowed $800 from a local Stockton bank to buy a truck he used to sell sandwiches to migrant farm workers in the San Joaquin Valley. By 1955, he had turned that $800 into $1M. At the urging of his accountants, he invested much of his earn-

Back to Work

Looking back on their careers, A.G. is most proud of growing online store revenue tenfold during 2001-07, while John remembers when the franchise won its division championship five times in six years (2004-09). A.G. is not setting up his two young children to take on the Chargers legacy; rather, he is fostering their interests just as his father did with him. If John has children one day, he plans to similarly encourage them to explore their own passions. In the little free time that executive schedules offer, A.G. enjoys planning active outdoor family adventures and John can be found golfing. While they may still be reorienting their organization, they already feel part of their community. Most recently they welcomed more than 3,000 guests to the Chargers StubHub Center draft party and watched a season ticket member event sell out in less than 30 minutes. “Now we have to deliver both on the field and with the experience. I’m mostly looking forward to that first game…finally kicking off and beginning the fight for LA,” A.G. says. “I think that’s going to be a great moment and time for our organization. There is a lot to prepare for…so it’s time to get back to work.” end

SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Left: Los Angeles Chargers Owner and Chairman of the Board Dean Spanos with his father, Alex

4 WALTER O’BRIEN

Age 42 Education University of Sussex Residence Burbank Mentors Stephen Hawking, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs

Awards Humanitarian Lifetime Achievement Award, ScenGen: Most Innovative Product (MIP) Award, CONNECT award, Los Angeles Business Journal Patrick Soon-Shiong Innovation Award

VISIONARY WALTER O’BRIEN FOUNDER & CEO, SCORPION COMPUTER SERVICES One of the world’s smartest people, Walter O’Brien, who has spent his life solving problems and saving lives, now inspires others to find a passion for coding and hacking By Brandon Garing Expertise Enterprise technology, cyber security, artificial intelligence, IT infrastructure, financial systems, big data/optimization, virtual reality

SCORPION COMPUTER SERVICES HQ Burbank Founded 1988 Mission “Solving any funded need” Size 1,000+ experts

Sports & Entertainment Walter O’Brien

A scientifically momentous few people have walked on the moon. Believe it or not, fewer people have a major network television show based upon their lives air while they are living. Dubbed a “30-year overnight success,” Walter O’Brien was born the son of a humble dairy farmer in rural Ireland. So rural, in fact, he notes that they still don’t have Internet or cell phone coverage to this day. O’Brien never fit in and always asked too many questions which, lucky for him, led to an IQ test. Yes, it’s higher than yours or mine – his reported 197 is one of the highest ever measured. O’Brien, now aware of his ability, would spend his adolescent years learning to code through trial and error, and by 13 he had deftly obtained NASA shuttle blueprints and successfully hacked NASA. Proving resourceful, he “did a deal” and, rather than fight the NSA and Interpol, turned them into clients. He started his own consulting company—similar to today’s Geek Squad—utilizing his hacker handle of “Scorpion.” His Geek Squad would fix bad floppy disks, printers, and point-of-sale systems. According to O’Brien, he ultimately transformed his bankroll from 75 cents a week pocket money to $100 every time he fixed a problem. O’Brien turned his high IQ and a predisposition for hacking into a successful pair of businesses—Scorpion Computer Services and CSQ SUMMER 2017

Concierge Up. The former works on hushhush projects with government agencies— building missile defense systems, capturing terrorists, and training soldiers—while the latter is a full-service agency for active entrepreneurs. Want to start or scale up a new business? Make your book a bestseller? Solve a medical or legal issue? Optimize the family business? The team of experts at Concierge Up will come on board and work with you as your personal super butler. It’s the intrigue of Scorpion Computer Services that helped launch O’Brien’s celebrity. Hoping to parlay his passion for coding and computer science into something that could affect change in youth, he took his story to someone who knew Scorpion, Scott Manson, the COO of Scooter Braun Productions. It became immediately clear that a reality show was out of the picture (cameras are rarely allowed in the places O’Brien conducts his business), so O’Brien and Scooter Braun Productions then took the idea for a “based upon” episodic action / crime procedural to Justin Lin (Fast & Furious, Fast Five, Fast & Furious 6) and his Perfect Storm production company, ultimately pitching the show to CBS. Between Manson, Lin, producer Alex Kurtzman, and writer/showrunner Nick Santora, Scorpion was unlikely to fail. O’Brien did what he has always done—found the best peo-

ple for the job and put them together to make something happen. He then reluctantly took a step back and let his team go to work. Today, Scorpion is watched by 26 million people regularly in the U.S. alone and airs in 187 other countries. O’Brien notes that the show is only about 70 percent accurate but proclaims, “getting 70 percent of my message to a billion people is far better than 100 percent of my message to nobody.” He adds some humor to our conversation, noting that if the show gets something wrong, nobody dies. Scorpion’s fourth season is preparing to air (coming to your TV or CBS All Access app this fall), which means a 100th episode, resulting in syndication (and big bucks for everyone involved). O’Brien hopes Scorpion stays on the air for as long as staples like Seinfeld or The Big Bang Theory. Unlike those shows, and most, Scorpion has decades of source material to work with. When not saving the world or amusing the CBS demographic, O’Brien enjoys fast cars and antique watches. He always makes time to give back to his community, speaking regularly at hackathons and inner-city schools as well as in support of schools that emphasize STEM. He was the keynote speaker at the California Science Center’s Fair this year and recently received the Celebrity ICON Humanitarian Lifetime Achievement Award at unite4:good’s unite4:humanity gala. end 71

VISIONARY RENATA SIMRIL PRESIDENT & CEO, LA84 FOUNDATION

RENATA SIMRIL

Education LMU; USC Residence Studio City Family Husband, 2 sons Mentor Mark Ridley-Thomas Passions Boogie boarding, until I broke my nose on a board Organization LMU TLC (The Learning Community)

Renata Simril conquered sports, politics, real estate, and the military through grit, gratitude, and service – and now runs a nationally recognized sportsbased foundation that has impacted more than 3 million youth By Jessica Ferguson

LA84 FOUNDATION Garage LA84 Skateboard Wrist UNICEF Kid Power band Travel Paris, France Business Over a Drink Montage Beverly Hills Twitter @RenataAngeleno

Founded 1985 HQ Historic West Adams Employees 14 Mission Level the playing field so that sport is accessible to all children, while elevating the field of youth sports as an integral part of human development

Nonprofits Funded 2,200+ Coaches Trained 80,000+ Youth Impacted 3 million+ Upcoming Event LA84 “Play for All” Summit, October 27, 2017 Twitter @LA84Foundation

At a time where more and more women are filling the seats in business, politics, and sports but still pushing back against glass ceilings and gender-based underestimation, Renata Simril has commanded her position at the intersection of historically male-dominated industries in both the public and private sectors with an undeniable presence and an unquestionable pedigree. How? By digging into all aspects of each job at hand, working on any perceived weakness and ensuring she can carry her own weight from the boardroom to the battlefield. Standing at 5’ 5”, Simril’s bold spirit far exceeds her stature. While stationed in Germany as an M60 gunner preparing for war games, she ran three miles to the gym to work out for two hours just to run the three miles back – outside of her combat PT. When she transitioned from civic service to real estate in finance, she learned what it took to manage multi-million dollar development projects such as The Mercury, 1100 Wilshire, and Met Lofts. While serving as the SVP of External Affairs at the Dodgers, she made sure to study everything she needed to (and didn’t already) know about baseball. Now, as President & CEO of the LA84 Foundation, steward to the legacy of the 1984 Olympic games, a lauded public speaker and a leader at the forefront of a new generation of Los Angeles game-changers Casey Wasserman, and previous CSQ Visionaries of the Year Mayor Eric Garcetti and Troy Carter. Simril’s success could very well be attributed to her bullish desire to deserve her spot at any table she sits at: “I chose this,” she says of her various roles adding, “Which means I have to do what it takes to suceed.”

Special Olympics Visionary Simril

As the daughter of a butcher and a grocery store clerk, Simril felt a brazen desire to blaze a different path for herself in life, and sport gave her the spark to do so. “I was an awkward, shy, nerdy kid in middle school,” says Simril. “It was sport that gave me the opportunity to feel like I belonged somewhere. I was good. Sport was one area where it didn’t matter that I was a tomboy, because, if I had the skills I could help my team win.” After her dream of competing in tennis at the 1988 Olympic games was dashed by the 72

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Photos: LA84

Moving Out to Move Up

financial demand that particular sport carries with it, Simril’s formal athletic career ended in high school. She knew the next step ahead pointed toward college – an answer she didn’t conclude until after everyone else’s acceptance letters began arriving at the tail end of her senior year of high school. She hadn’t applied anywhere, and she didn’t have any money to spare for tuition. When an Army recruiter stopped her on campus before graduation to explain that the military could pay for a university education and allow her to travel, she dove headlong into the start of her multidimensional professional journey. As she reflects back on the timeline and trajectory of her career, she finds that the through-line at the heart of every job decision has been leadership, service, civic engagement, and the city of Los Angeles. “My career may not seem to make sense on paper, and it certainly spans a variety of

industries,” says Simril, who transitioned from being an Army MP to development deputy for Los Angeles City Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas, to LA’s Deputy Mayor for Economic Development, to a real estate developer, to a young leader within the Dodgers organization, to Chief of Staff of the Publisher of The Los Angeles Times before settling into her current role at the LA84 Foundation. “I have just been fortunate in terms of the opportunities I’ve been given,” she humbly adds. “Part of that is being prepared to seize those opportunities, and not being fearful of moving out to move up.” She quickly found that the formula for excellence in any of those positions was a hell of a lot of hard work, physical preparedness, emotional intelligence and a tireless effort to improve. She knew that she needed to become competitive and capable in any environment and every industry she entered into. Ultimately, she says, the journey toward success is about understanding who you are, identifying your strengths and weaknesses, deciding where you want to be and leaving fear at the door to get started. “I’ll see where I want to go, and then I’ll chart a path to get there,” Simril says and adds, “That path may not always be a straight line.”

and community-based programs covering 50 sports and 2,200 organizations, reaching over three million children through grant funding. Amongst some of the more recognizable participants to have come through the LA84 youth sports and mentorship programs are Venus and Serena Williams, Russell Westbrook, Rusty Smith and Caylin Moore – a personal inspiration of Simril’s and once-homeless young man from the City of Carson, where Simril grew up, whose sport-driven spirit propelled him down the path of becoming a Rhodes Scholar. “Our goal is to change lives through the transformative power of sport. At our core, we are really a youth development organiation. Sport is our hook,” says Simril. “We try to help children build the confidence and life skills to help them see over their circumstances in a way that allows them to be successful and realize their dreams. [The program] keeps them active and harnesses their energy. It lets them know somebody actually gives a damn about them. We believe that the dreams of one youth should not be determined by their zip code.” A treasure of and for Los Angeles, the LA84 Foundation is headquartered in a landmark 100-year old West Adams estate and maintains one of the largest sport heritage and Olympic memorabilia collections in the world. “We have over 120,000 volumes of books, journals and articles, countless original posters and nearly every single torch from Winter and Summer Olympic Games,” Simril muses with visible pride, scanning the adorned room. “This is truly the house that the Olympics built.”

Special Olympics Visionary Simril

IF WE CAN GET MORE GIRLS INVOLVED IN SPORT EARLY ON, MAYBE WE CAN SEE MORE WOMEN IN BUSINESS AND POSITIONS OF POWER — IN THE C-SUITE RUNNING COMPANIES AND ON DIRECTORIAL BOARDS. CSQ SUMMER 2017

Carrying the Torch

In 1984, Peter Ueberroth (p.76) managed the highly successful (and first ever privately financed) Olympic games in Los Angeles that yielded a surplus of just over $232M. Early organizers were very intentional, and committed that 40% of any surplus would be maintained to fund future youth sports in Southern California. “It was a legacy they wanted to leave to Los Angeles for the next generation,” she says. In stepping into that legacy, however, she was very well aware of the crisis we face and the gaps thatstill permeate the socioeconomic, educational, and sport spectrums, especially in LA. Simril recently was invited to give a main stage address at the Social Innovation Summit, held this year in Chicago. The theme of her very well-received speech, which blended research and hard data with moving stories of children and their families? “P.E. is a social justice issue.” The LA84 Foundation has been quite successful in changing the lives of the city’s youth and fostering the talent of world class athletes. For the past 32 years, LA84 has funded school-

A Renewed Love for Her Hometown

Another legacy that Simril owns is that of the native Angeleno. Several generations of her family were born, bred and blossomed throughout the city. Despite her travels across America and abroad, she’s always found her way back to Los Angeles, and every role she’s taken on here has played a pivotal part in restoring, elevating and advancing the city’s brand, infrastructure and impact. I asked her why she chose to plant her own personal flag in LA, to which she paused, smiled and thoughtfully borrowed a phrase from Mayor Garcetti: “LA is the world in one city.” 73

Composed of an intricate variation of approximately 27 cultures (most of which are the largest concentration of that ethnic group outside their home country), Los Angeles has become the concentrated epicenter and melting pot of the modern world. In one hour, depending on traffic, a local can travel from the beach to a mountain top, from Koreatown to the rainbowed streets of West Hollywood, and cross every sort of socioeconomic background along the way. Simril has found that, of all the places she’s seen, LA is the embodiment of balance, aspiration and opportunity. But it has been her work lately that has really made her fall in love with the city in a new way. As a board member for the 2024 Olympic committee, she has watched how this new generation of Olympic stewards is re-framing the story of Los Angeles. “They’re preserving the legacy, but really looking toward the future. They’re harnessing our technology, creativity, and diversity,” she says. “And highlighting how everybody’s welcome here.” She adds: “This love affair with LA has reignited my own love for the place I grew up in.” Her Legacy of Leadership and Service

Growing up, Simril’s grandmother always told her that “service is the price you pay for the space you occupy,” and Simril has forever owned that mantra while operating on a “double bottom line” – doing good while doing well, and leaving

a place a bit better than she found it. And while her work life has become deeply embedded into the Olympic legacy, the spirit and ideology of the Olympics have been alive and thriving within her since childhood. “If I could do it all over again, my dream would have been to be an Olympian.” The mantra for her MP unit in Germany – “A cut above the rest” – even echoes the Olympic motto, “Citius, Altius, Fortius: Faster, Higher, Stronger.” She has never accepted anything less than the best from herself, and she has only ever strived for excellence in everything she has done. Which is, perhaps, why her current role looks like the tailor-made culmination of all her previous endeavors at the highest level. “I’m too young to culminate!” Simril emphatically declares, with a chuckle. “But I do see this as the pinnacle of all the things I’m passionate about, and as a convergence of my diverse career. My ‘why’ is simple – I get to talk about sports, preserve the Olympic values and drive impact / change in the communities that need it most,” she says. “I couldn’t think of anything else I would rather be doing.” And, sitting across from her on a warm April afternoon in “the house the Olympics built,” we’d agree. She is and always has been an unstoppable force for this city – the leader of a cornerstone legacy of Los Angeles. With the prospect of this city hosting a third Olympic Games, her work is just beginning. end

OUR GOAL IS TO CHANGE LIVES THROUGH THE TRANSFORMATIVE POWER OF SPORT. AT OUR CORE, WE ARE REALLY A YOUTH DEVELOPMENT ORGANIATION. SPORT IS OUR HOOK.

Special Olympics Visionary Simril Simril at the Boys & Girls Club of Nickerson Gardens – a club within the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Los Angeles – following an LA84 donation of sports equipment to the Watts-area site as part of their mission to provide youth in underserved areas with opportunities to participate in sports

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VISIONARY CSQ&A ANGELA RUGGIERO CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER, LA 2024 Four-time Olympic medalist, IOC board member, and venture capitalist Angela Ruggiero talks change and innovation in sport By Allison Dean

ANGELA RUGGIERO Executive Board, IOC Chair, IOC Athletes’ Commission Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Sports Innovation Lab Chief Stategy Officer, LA 2024

Age 37 Hometown Panorama City Education Harvard Olympic Resume 1998 Nagano Gold 2002 Salt Lake City Silver 2006 Turin Bronze 2010 Vancouver Silver

Special Olympics Visionary Ruggiero

Known as one of the most skilled ice hockey players in the world, Angela Ruggiero’s talents extend far beyond the ice. Not only is she the CSO of LA 2024 and an International Olympic Committee (IOC) Board Member, she is also co-founder and managing director of Sports Innovation Lab, a Boston-based market research firm that evaluates the technologies powering the future of sports to mobilize investors and startups. Ruggiero started playing hockey in a small rink in Pasadena and would go on to play as a defenseman in American ice hockey until her retirement in 2011. She medaled in four successive Winter Olympic Games: one Gold, two Silver, and one Bronze. Ruggiero was inducted into the National Italian Sports Hall of Fame in 2011 and became the only Californian in the Hockey Hall of Fame upon her induction in 2015. Ruggiero spoke with CSQ about the parallels between successful athletes and entrepreneurs as well as her work on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the LA 2024 Olympic Bid. CSQ What similarities do you see between athletes and entrepreneurs? AR Tenacity, determination, and team-orientation are massive. If you’re building a team, you can’t do it yourself. Even the best entrepreneurs in the world need people around them. Willingness to take risks is a

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big one – as an entrepreneur, that’s part of your DNA.

CSQ Do players of team or individual sports tend to be more entrepreneurial? AR I think if you come up through an individual sport, you develop a different skill set than if you come up through a team sport, because you have to rely on yourself more as an individual. Surrounding yourself with the right coaches and trainers to help you optimize your individual performance is important. In a team sport, you actually need everyone to optimize their performance. Every company needs people in all positions; you can’t succeed with all MVPs. CSQ Talk to us about the IOC. AR At the end of the day, IOC members be-

lieve sport is a catalyst for change and hope. It’s a values-based organization. We’re a nonprofit; 90% of our funding gets redistributed like any other nonprofit to the wider Olympic movement. So while we’re a “big business,” we’re in the business of promoting sport globally. The Olympics are a platform to do that, but the IOC actually funds the global Olympic movement. Having served for the last seven-plus years on the IOC, I can tell you that we just want to use sport in service of humanity. We want to use sport and the Olympics as a bigger metaphor to positively affect change in society. The Olympics are more than just an

event; they’re about bringing the world together and all these values that we talk about. Everything we do is to further promote Olympic values worldwide and through that, further inspire the next generation of young people to get involved in sport.

CSQ Are there specific technologies you’re aware of in your role with LA 2024 that you think will make the upcoming Games magical? AR The thing that LA has that no other city in the world can claim is that we have a whole universe of tech companies. The rate of change is so rapid that things could be obsolete, so rather than suggest a specific technology today, trust that we’re going to use tech in the service of the Olympic Games and that we understand it and will do it well. CSQ What’s the common thread between your involvement with Sports Innovation Lab and the IOC? AR Innovation. I love what’s next. I love using sport as a platform for change, whether that’s social change on the IOC or using new technology to connect to the next generation, which is a lot of [what] I do with Sports Innovation Lab. I like looking at LA 2024 and saying, “What’s next? How can we innovate? How are the Olympics in LA going to change not just the city of LA but also the Olympic movement?” end

VISIONARY PETER UEBERROTH 1984 LA OLYMPICS ORGANIZER FORMER COMMISSIONER OF MLB PEBBLE BEACH CO-OWNER

PETER UEBERROTH

Age 79 Hometown Evanston, Ill. Residence Newport Beach Education San Jose State University Family Wife; two children Resume Commissioner, MLB Chairman, USOC Organizer, 1984 Olympics Co-owner, Pebble Beach

Awards 1985 Time Magazine Man of the Year 2016 LA Sports Lifetime Achievement 2016 NCAA Theodore Roosevelt Award 2011 John Wooden Global Leadership Award, 1984 Sporting News’ Sportsman of the Year

A successful CEO, MLB Commissioner, co-owner of Pebble Beach, and the brainchild behind the 1984 Olympic Games — the most profitable sporting event in history — Peter Ueberroth has spent his life growing businesses and brands By David Davis Peter Ueberroth’s life changed in an instant when he was a student at Fremont High School. He happened to be in the school’s swimming pool when a college coach came by looking for fresh recruits. Ueberroth was not much of a swimmer – he was a baseball player – but when he hurled a water polo ball from the water that smacked against the wall with a resounding bang, the coach was duly impressed. His “live arm” earned Ueberroth a college scholarship to play water polo, and a path to the future was suddenly opened. “I had no plans to go to college,” he recalled recently. “My parents had not gone to college. I had a good job selling packages of seeds to nurseries. If I hadn’t been in the pool that day, who knows what would have happened.” Ueberroth is sitting in the conference room of The Contrarian Group, the Newport Beach–based investment and management company that he founded in 1990. Olympic torches from Los Angeles (1984), Seoul (1988), and Beijing (2008) hang from the wall. His two dogs scurry past with tail-wagging enthusiasm. Ueberroth didn’t immediately give up his job selling seeds when he went to college; that became his summer gig. But armed with the business degree that he earned from San Jose State, as well as a ferocious work ethic, he has shown an uncanny skill for being in the right place at the right time.

Special Olympics Visionary Ueberroth

After college, he went to work for businessman Kirk Kerkorian and his Los Angeles Air Service at the dawn of what many remember as the Golden Age of Aviation. The company (later known as Trans International Airlines) enjoyed success operating charter flights to Hawaii and other cities, and Ueberroth gained vast experience in the travel sector and a Rolodex brimming with contacts. By then, he’d married Ginny Nicolaus in 1959, and the two had started a family (today they have four children and eight grandchildren). Ueberroth yearned to be his own boss and, as he put it, “follow the entrepreneurial startup path.” He moved his family to the San Fernando Valley and formed First Travel in 1962 to coincide with the World’s Fair in Seattle. 76

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Photos: The Contrarian Group, LA84 Foundation

Entrepreneurial Inklings

UEBERROTH’S ENTREPRENEURIAL BACKGROUND Special Olympics Visionary PROVED TO BE THE PERFECT FIT FOR THIS TASK. HE LIKENED THE EXPERIENCE TO AN ENTREPRENEUR LAUNCHING A STARTUP COMPANY. Ueberroth

1. Former Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley, former LA City Councilman John Ferraro, Peter Ueberroth, and Ira Reiner in August of 1981 2. Peter Ueberroth with Tom Bradley

The operation ran into roadblocks, and Ueberroth had to take a financial loss – barely avoiding bankruptcy. Experiencing failure was educational, though. “You get scar tissue and that always helps you,” Ueberroth says. “You learn to not get over your skis.” He plugged away with a forceful but understated leadership style. He delegated authority to employees he trusted and built loyalty by treating people fairly and equitably. “All the other travel businesses had male managers,” Ueberroth recalls. “We went the other direction. We had only women managers.” First Travel soon expanded into hotel reservations and management. With 1,500 employees and 200 branches, Ueberroth grew the company into the second largest travel agency in North America on the heels of American Express, grossing more than $300M annually. Olympic Success

In 1979, the Los Angeles Organizing Olympic Committee (LAOOC) began searching for a CEO to run the upcoming 1984 Olympics. Ueberroth was an unknown quantity; few CEOs outside of the travel industry knew of his track

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record. Ueberroth read in the newspaper that several prominent global business and sports leaders were being interviewed for the position. He was never interviewed for the position but was honored to meet privately with John Argue (who led the bid for the games), Paul Ziffren, Lew Wasserman, and David Wolper (a friend for many years). “They knew, if I was asked, I would accept,” Ueberroth notes. Ueberroth sold First Travel for a tidy profit and took a massive pay cut to assume the job of CEO. He soon discovered that the Olympic Movement was in deep trouble. The 1972 Munich Games had ended in tragedy after Palestinian terrorists broke into the Olympic Village, taking members of the Israeli delegation hostage and killing them during a botched rescue attempt. The organizers of the 1976 Olympics had gone on a building-and-spending spree that left the host city of Montreal with staggering debt estimated at $1.5B. The only other city to bid for the 1984 Olympics? Tehran. But after Tehran withdrew its bid, that left only LA, the host city of the 1932 Olympics. The situation presented other challenges. With the United States boycott of the 1980

WHEN THE OLYMPIC FLAME AT THE LOS ANGELES COLISEUM WAS EXTINGUISHED, THE GAMES HAD GENERATED A WHOPPING $232.5M SURPLUS. IT WAS THE MOST PROFITABLE SPORTING EVENT IN HISTORY.

PETER UEBERROTH OVER THE YEARS

1937 Born in Evanston, IL 1955 Attends San Jose State on a water polo scholarship 1962 Founds First Travel 1960s First Travel grows into a 1,500 employee company with 200 branches, grossing more than $300M annually 1979 Becomes CEO of the Olympic Committee 1980 Sells First Travel

badly need operating capital for LAOOC. He created an exclusive, tiered corporate sponsorship program that yielded another $126M and then priced event tickets to maximize profits. Ueberroth and his team proved the naysayers wrong. By every measure the 1984 Games were a resounding success. Traffic ran smoothly, and there were no security issues. Ticket sales and attendance broke records, and Carl Lewis, Mary Lou Retton, and Joan Benoit provided athletic performances for the ages. When the Olympic flame at the Los Angeles Coliseum was extinguished, the Games had generated a whopping $232.5M surplus. It was the most profitable sporting event in history. “We were very fortunate,” says Ueberroth. “The citizens of Los Angeles put aside their differences and welcomed the world. It was a good example of, when enough people care about anything, anything is possible.” Some 40 percent of the surplus – approximately $93M – was earmarked for youth sports in Southern California. That windfall was used to create the LA84 Foundation, a nonprofit organization headquartered in the West Adams area. The endowment grew and since 1985 the Foundation has invested more than $230M in the community, funded more than 2,200 nonprofit organizations, and impacted more than 3 million youth.

Special Olympics Visionary Ueberroth

1984 Games of the XXIII Olympiad take place in Los Angeles, CA 1984 Becomes the 6th Commissioner of MLB

1985 Uses $232.5M surplus from the 1984 Olympics to endow and found LA84 1990 Founds The Contrarian Group 1999 Along with partners including Arnold Palmer and Clint Eastwood, Ueberroth purchases Pebble Beach along with several hotels for $820M

Moscow Olympics, Ueberroth could not count on much support within the international Olympic family. Later, the Soviet Union and their allies decided to counter the 1980 boycott with one of their own, thus jeopardizing the quality of the sports competition in LA. Closer to home, grandstanding politicians and naysayers complained about every aspect of LA’s bid and forecast major problems with the traffic and the smog. Anti-Olympic protesters sickened Ueberroth’s dogs with poison, and he was forced to move his family from their home for safety reasons. Because LA voters had passed an amendment that prohibited the expenditure of government funds for the Games, the LAOOC had to shoulder the entire financial onus. The 1984 Olympics were to be the first, and only, privately financed Olympic Games in modern-day history. Not one penny was received in donations. Ueberroth’s entrepreneurial background proved to be the perfect fit for this task. He likened the experience to an entrepreneur launching a startup company. “I opened the first bank account [for the 1984 Olympics] with my own money,” he says. “We inched our way along.” Ueberroth ran a lean operation in those early years and added employees only when necessary. His close-knit team curbed expenditures by deciding to utilize tens of thousands of unpaid volunteers; they avoided a common mistake by not building expensive venues that turned into white elephants immediately after the Games. Instead, they leased existing facilities throughout Southern California (including the Coliseum, the Forum, and the Sports Arena), and employed festive banners and signage to aesthetically bridge the far-flung venues. “The good part was, nobody was paying attention to us because they thought we were going to fail,” he says. “So we were able to slowly organize the Games and develop our concepts.” By negotiating lucrative contracts with media and corporate partners, Ueberroth transformed the financial structure of the Olympic Movement. He persuaded ABC-TV to pay a record $225M for broadcast rights and used the upfront money in the deal to provide

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Contrary to Popular Belief

What do you do for an encore after being selected as Time Magazine’s Man of the Year? Ueberroth barely paused to break stride after the success of the 1984 Olympics. He immediately moved to New York and replaced Bowie Kuhn as the sixth commissioner of Major League Baseball. After serving one term as commissioner, Ueberroth returned to the private sector in Southern California. He became chair of The Contrarian Group, with offices located not far from where he lives today with his wife Ginny and their dogs. Like its name implies, the private company approaches investment opportunities from a unique perspective. “Our philosophy is that when there’s change in business and the economy and everybody starts running in the same

Special Olympics Visionary Ueberroth

3. Ueberroth served as commissioner of the MLB from 1984 to 1989 4. Ueberroth on the field at the Los Angeles Memorial Colliseum during the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics Closing Ceremonies

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direction, we look in the other direction and see where nobody’s going,” he says. “It’s a good place to explore where there’s opportunities.” One such opportunity came along in 1999, when the owners of Pebble Beach decided to sell the legendary golf resort on the Monterey coastline. Ueberroth gathered together four other principal partners, including Richard Ferris, Former Chairman of United Airlines, the late golf titan Arnold Palmer, and Ueberroth’s friend, actor-director Clint Eastwood, to buy the crown jewel of California golf properties for a reported $820M, a sale that included several hotels. “A lot of fine companies bid on it, but we decided to do it in a way that would appeal to the sellers,” he says. “We told them that we would never resell or break up the property – that we would be stewards in perpetuity. It was a strategy that worked, and the rest is history.” Today, Contrarian’s portfolio of investments includes numerous travel, aviation, technology, and golf properties. “I don’t want to be in any business that has the possibility of harming society,” Ueberroth states. “I don’t want to be in any business that isn’t diverse. If there’s going to be gender inequality or racial inequality, we want nothing to do with it.” His business philosophy is an anti-philosophy, no surprise coming from someone who has always taken an unconventional approach.

“I don’t spend much time thinking of the past,” he says. “I don’t spend much time pontificating. I tell people to get experience in menial jobs when they’re young. It’s the greatest education because you learn about a lot of things that way.” A Graceful Leader

Now 79, Ueberroth refuses to slow down. He is currently chairman of the board of directors of Aircastle, a Stamford, Conn.-based public company that acquires, leases, and sells commercial planes to airlines throughout the world. He serves on numerous boards of directors (for The Irvine Company and Easton-Bell Sports, among others), remains an active philanthropist through the Peter and Ginny Ueberroth Family Foundation, and is a trustee at the University of Southern California. Away from the boardroom, Ueberroth plays golf with partners “who are better than me” a couple times a week but he insists on carrying his own bag and walking the 18 holes. He still travels the world but likes nothing better than spending time on the family ranch in northern Idaho on the Canadian border, where they farm alfalfa, timber, and cattle. “It’s the game, it’s the competition, it’s the challenge,” he says. “If you don’t keep your mind challenged, you get old. The good Lord will take me away, but I’m not going to rush it.” end 79

Special Olympics Visionary Evans + Felix

VISIONARIES OF THE YEAR

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Words by Jason Dean Photo by Ian Logan

Olympic heroes and SoCal natives Janet Evans (R) and Allyson Felix (L) are channeling their competitive drive and supporting the LA 2024 movement, an initiative led by Casey Wasserman to bring the Olympic Games back to Los Angeles

Investing in Gold

Special Olympics Visionary Evans + Felix

Janet Evans & Allyson Felix CSQ SUMMER 2017

Janet Evans and Allyson Felix have tasted Olympic glory in host cities around the world. The Southern California natives experienced the joy of winning Olympic hardware in Seoul, Barcelona, Athens, Beijing, London, and Rio de Janeiro while representing the United States. Still, after 14 trips to the awards podium, the pair will experience an entirely new level of accomplishment if they play a role in bringing the Olympic Games back to Los Angeles. As part of the LA 2024 bid committee—a group comprised of nearly 150 local athletes, executives, and civic leaders led by Chairman Casey Wasserman, CEO Gene Sykes, and Mayor Eric Garcetti—Evans and Felix are part of a team fully invested in the goal of building on LA’s Olympic legacy and earning the distinction of three-time host city in 2024. Evans serves as Vice Chair & Director, Athlete Relations, while Felix is a member of the Athletes’ Advisory Commission. LA’s previous Olympic closeup, in 1984, resonates as a shining example that civic and financial success is possible. Unlike its predecessors, which inevitably lost money or struggled to break even, the ’84 Games generated a $225M surplus that launched LA84 Foundation, a nationally recognized youth development and sports-based foundation that continues to impact for good the lives of kids in the city and far beyond. No Olympics since has approached a similar level of profitability. CSQ met with Evans and Felix at the historic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum several weeks before the scheduled September 16 announcement by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) of the host cities for both the 2024 and 2028 Games. The pair have been going non-stop: Evans is immersed in her leadership role with LA 2024, and Felix is still actively competing in addition to fulfilling her duties with LA 2024. The Coliseum emanates greatness, from its massive arched entrance to its iconic Olympic

Never once was I told in my career that I can’t do something because I was a female. I’m very appreciative of ... the likes of Donna de Varona [and] Billie Jean King, because they paved the way for athletes like me. I was one of the first generations of athletes who didn’t experience discrimination because I was a female. Janet Evans

cauldron, which is still lit for the fourth quarter of USC football games. Events were held here for the 1932 and 1984 Games, and the venue is integral to the staging plans for 2024. Walking through the press box, one gets a sense of the history that has been recorded in the impressive, time-tested structure. It was a fitting setting for a conversation with two world-class athletes who will be instrumental in bringing Los Angeles another Olympic experience. Optimism has been running high, because— barring an 11th-hour wrinkle —2024 finalists Los Angeles and Paris each seem assured of earning the distinction of host city for their third Olympic Games. The only question is who will get there first. The time-efficient manner with which LA 2024 has set out to achieve its goal is commendable if considered on the same terms of a tech startup. In just under two years, Evans – along with Wasserman, Sykes, and company – have mobilized the city and its influential counterparts on a focused, mass collaborative effort that continues to gain steam right up until the IOC announcement in September. On June 30, Kobe Bryant came on board officially as the 100th member of LA 2024’s Athletes’ Advisory Commission. The announcement came during LA 2024’s #Follow the Sun 2020 Campaign, a series of 20 days of 20 announcements, which culminated July 11 in a full presentation before the IOC board in Lausanne, Switzerland. Evans was part of the senior leadership team who attended, along with several other representatives of LA 2024. Her evolution from world-class swimmer to globe-traveling executive has been as swift as her world-record-smashing stroke in the pool.

Special Olympics Visionary Evans + Felix

SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

From left to right: Anita DeFrantz, Marla Messing, Renata Simril, Candace Cable, Angela Ruggiero, Janet Evans

Diving Into the Deep End

Born in Fullerton and raised in Placentia, Evans demonstrated her amphibious tendencies early on. Her mom couldn’t swim, so Evans and her two older brothers were enrolled in swimming classes. “The story goes that I could swim laps at the pool at two [years of age] and all four strokes by the time I was four,” she recalls. “It was impossible to drag me out of the pool, because I loved it so much.” By age 11, she was setting national records in her age group. Not that her parents were grooming her for success in the pool. “My dad said swimming was something you did if you fell off a boat,” says Evans with a laugh. When the Olympics came to town, there was no turning back. Evans was hooked. “I was 12, and I didn’t know a lot about the Olympics because the U.S. boycotted in 1980 and I was only four in the summer of 1976,” she says. “Like a lot of SoCal kids, I was moved and inspired by the summer ’84 Olympics which ... drives a lot of my passion for what I’m doing now.” As Evans matured, she demonstrated extraordinary stamina, which more than compen-

Special Olympics Visionary Evans + Felix

sated for her comparatively smaller stature and unorthodox stroke. In 1987, at the age of 15, she broke the world records in the 400-, 800-, and 1,600-meter freestyle distances. The following year, Evans made her Olympic debut in Seoul, South Korea, bringing home three gold medals. In 1992, she would win a fourth gold, along with one silver medal, in Barcelona, Spain. Evans was inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame in 2004, but the competitive fire continued to simmer inside. In 2012, she attempted a gutsy comeback at 40, competing against athletes half her age. While she didn’t add to her medal total, Evans earned additional admiration from her peers and the nation for her ageless spirit. That same spirit has served LA 2024 well. Miss Perpetual Motion—a nickname Evans earned at the Seoul Games—has transferred her dedication for excelling in the pool to the boardroom. A focused beam of energy, she speaks swiftly, whether recalling her personal Olympic memories or discussing her role at LA 2024. Having joined in late summer 2015 at the invitation of Wasserman, she has drawn from her personal experience participating in four Olympics to integrate the athlete’s perspective into a complex bidding process.

CSQ SUMMER 2017

Felix, competing this summer in the 2017 Track & Field World Championships, received her first Olympic Medal – silver – at age 18

ALLYSON FELIX Athletes’ Advisory Commission, LA 2024 Age 31 Residence Los Angeles Education USC Olympic Resume 6 Gold, 3 Silver Success Always pushing yourself to improve and enjoying the journey to getting better Lesson Learned How to be patient Inspiration Passionate people, my friends, and family Lesson Learned on Track and in Life Dealing with injuries or unexpected hiccups – it is important in life to learn how to deal with and overcome adversity

Supernatural Strides

Felix, a native of Los Angeles, was raised on a steady diet of community, church, and family. Following the footsteps of her older brother, Wes, basketball was Felix’s first love. While she was very involved in gymnastics and other activities, she didn’t discover track and field until high school. When she decided to try out for the track team after the hoops season had ended, Felix made an immediate impression. The first day, she ran a very fast 60-meter sprint. So, the coach asked her to run it again. And again. “At first he thought he measured the distance wrong, so he kept having me do it over,” she says with a laugh. Felix was on the fast track. By her senior year, she began to visualize “that the Olympics were a possibility and I could do this as a career.” She credits her high school coach with grooming her for the level of competition that prepared her for the whirlwind that would soon consume her life. Felix made the World Championship team at 17 and went on to professional track, forgoing college sports while attending USC in preparation for the 2004 Olympics. “That’s when it got real,” she says. Though she was enrolled in classes at the University of Southern California, she trained

Special Olympics Visionary Evans + Felix

and competed as a professional athlete, traveling to Europe and spending long hours on the track every day. “Figuring out all that, [and] balancing everything,” she muses, required “dedication on another level.” It’s a common trait that connects athletes of her ability who succeed in developing their talent to its fullest potential. Still, the intense glare of the world stage is overwhelming to an 18-year-old, regardless of athletic prowess. “I learned patience [in 2004],” says Felix. Thirteen years later, new horizons continue to open up. The 31-year-old sprinter has gone on to become one of the most decorated U.S. Olympians in history. Her introduction to the Games was 2004 in Athens, Greece, where she earned a silver medal. She has also competed in the 2008, 2012, and 2016 Games, amassing a total of nine medals (six gold and three silver) in her Olympic career. Felix has won more gold medals than any other female track-andfield athlete to date. As part of LA 2024’s Athletes’ Advisory Commission, Felix contributes the perspective of an active athlete with exposure to the most recent Olympics experiences. Speaking in Qatar in November 2016, Felix said, “I believe LA is a perfect choice for the 2024 Games, because the face of our city reflects the face of the Olympic movement itself.” Most recently, she accompanied the LA 2024 delegation to Switzerland where she spoke on behalf of the city. Evans describes Felix as “the first person I call when I need to understand what

SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Janet Evans and Allyson Felix served as the 2017 Tournament of Roses Grand Marshals along with Greg Louganis

it’s like to live in the Rio village or what she liked or didn’t like about the London Games. I like to call her our ‘young Olympian.’” Los Angeles’ Legacy

JANET EVANS Vice Chair and Director of Athlete Relations, LA 2024

Age 45 Residence Laguna Beach Family Husband, Bill Wilson; daughter, Sydney; son, Jake Hometown Placentia, CA Education USC Olympic Resume 4 Gold, 1 Silver Success Being able to overcome failure, it’s all about how you overcome the challenges that get you to the end of that road Lesson Learned Love what you do and find the joy in it Inspiration Set long-term goals. It was the future reward not the short term gratification that kept me doing what I had to do LA 2024 Impact The Olympics in 1984 in this city are what inspired me so I would love to be able to inspire the future generation the same way

Southern California’s pedigree for producing talent at the highest level is well established (p. 52). Since 1912, the SoCal Olympians and Paralympians has consistently accounted for the largest percentage of athletes representing the United States at the Olympic Games. The organization currently has more than 800 members. The 1932 Games took place during a worldwide economic depression, impacting athlete attendance for LA’s first turn as host city. Nonetheless, the standout of the Games was track-and-field star Babe Didrikson, who won two gold medals and a silver. She would have likely added to her medal count (she won five events at the U.S. Olympic trials), but prevailing Olympic rules allowed women to compete in a maximum of three events. Fifty-two years later, LA’s Olympic sequel played host to a world that had evolved measurably, thanks in part to the passage of Title IX of the Education Amendments Act (1972), which stated that “no person … shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in … any activity receiving Federal assistance.” Notably, 1984 is the first year a women’s marathon was included in the Games. Evans and Felix realize that being a champion is fundamentally dependent on the op-

portunity to achieve. “I have huge respect for all the women who came before me,” says Evans. “Never once was I told in my career that I can’t do something because I was a female. I’m very appreciative of ... the likes of Donna de Varona [and] Billie Jean King, because they paved the way for athletes like me. I was one of the first generations of athletes who didn’t experience discrimination because I was a female.” Also figuring into local Olympic legacy is the fact that no Olympics has cut as financially attractive a figure as Los Angeles in the past half century. An Oxford Olympic study tallies the average cost for a city to produce and host the Olympics since 1960 is $5.2B. The 1984 Games, in comparison, cost $719M to produce. “I believe in the legacy of the ’84 Games,” Evans says. “I am an LA Olympic girl, and so when Casey asked me [to join LA 2024], it was an easy ‘yes’ because ’84 is what inspired me. I want to ... bring the games home so i can help inspire a whole new generation of young people to do whatever it is they want to do…. Whether it’s [to] swim or be a scientist ... I think the Olympics motivate and inspire people in so many different ways outside of the playing field.”

I believe LA is a perfect choice for the 2024 Games, because the face of our city reflects the face of the Olympic movement itself. Allyson Felix

A Well-Timed Call

Evans recalls the summer night in 2015 when she was attending a Taylor Swift concert at STAPLES Center with her then-eight-year-old daughter. “It was funny because I was standing out by the statue of Magic [when Wasserman called] and he said, ‘Let’s talk.’ I looked around L.A. Live and I saw it, you know? It was a little serendipitous because it just made sense to me [in that moment] because I was standing in the middle of it.” Wasserman and Evans agreed that athletes should have an impactful voice in the process of formulating the LA 2024 bid. Nine-time Paralympian Candace Cable joined as Vice Chair early the following year, boosting efforts to position Southern California as the ideal setting to accommodate international athletes, inclusive to the adaptive sports movement. U.S. Hockey Team Defenseman and Gold Medalist Angela Ruggiero (p. 75), one of three U.S. IOC members, has also been a positive influence with the international community in advancing the effort to bring the Olympics back to the United States for the first time since 1996. The Atlanta Games resonate with Evans as her greatest Olympic experience, but not for her exploits in the pool, where she came up empty in her quest for Olympic gold. She credits her coach and mentor, Mark Schubert, with advancing her perspective on the competitive journey. “I was devastated with a silver medal, but he called me up and told me that ... I was gonna have to learn to deal with both failure and success, and he convinced me to swim for four more years to better understand that.”

ganizing Committee, whom Evans had known since her breakout ’88 Games, asked her to run the torch for the Opening Ceremonies in 1996. “As a swimmer, you don’t usually go to opening ceremonies because you swim the next day,” explains Evans. “But Billy convinced me that it would be the greatest moment of my Olympic career.… He wouldn’t tell me who I was passing it to, and he wouldn’t tell me who was passing it to me, but he told me I would be the second-tolast runner.” She agreed to do it, more to honor the tradition than for the promise of “an incredible experience.” Receiving the torch from boxing great and Atlanta product Evander Holyfield, Evans began her symbolic leg to transport the flame to its final recipient. As she drew closer, the enormity of the moment became crystal clear when Evans handed the torch to Muhammad Ali, who provided a memorable ignition of the Atlanta Games. Prior to that moment, Evans says, “I didn’t really experience the Olympics because I was so focused on winning. But in Atlanta I had a moment as an athlete that far exceeded that.” In January, Evans, Felix, and Greg Louganis served as grand marshals for the 128th Rose Parade in Pasadena, further amplifying the resurgent Olympic spirit that has enlivened Southern California as the IOC’s September decision approaches. Speaking at the 2016 CSQ LA Visionaries Summit in October, LA 2024 CEO Gene Sykes acknowledged that the biggest obstacle facing the LA 2024 bid was that “the IOC doesn’t know who we are.” Much has changed in under a year, culminating with July’s full-court press in Switzerland. The golden opportunity to build on the region’s Olympic legacy seems to be coming to fruition. There couldn’t be a better time to follow the sun straight to the City of Angels. end

Special Olympics Visionary Evans + Felix The vision of the next Los Angeles Olympics incorporates the old and the new

Passing the Torch

Billy Haynes, the Chairman of the Atlanta Or-

CSQ SUMMER 2017

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Though not the capital of New Zealand, Auckland (p. 90) is the nation’s most populous urban center — 1.5M people — and ranked third globally in a 2016 Mercer Quality of Living Survey.

CSQ SUMMER 2017

Destinations TOC

Destinations

Part 3

New York Minute

Some of the city’s most enticing properties are also the newest – the Four Seasons Downtown, Wolfgang Puck’s first New York restaurant, and a fresh offering from Dan Kluger of ABC Kitchen and ABC Cocina By Brittany Fuisz

STAY

DINE

FOUR SEASONS DOWNTOWN

CUT

Financial District

One of the newest luxury properties in Manhattan, the Four Seasons Downtown opened its doors in December 2016. This urban sanctuary, designed by architect Robert A. M. Stern, is steps from the Oculus and the World Trade Center. In addition to being centrally located, it’s also a fine place to unwind courtesy of its large lap pool (one of the biggest in the city). Rooms are filled with natural light, high-tech amenities, and bathrooms outfitted with freestanding soaking tubs and in-mirror TVs. The 28 suites offer a home-away-from-home feeling with expansive living spaces, dining areas, and walkin closets. Thanks to your room’s iPad, you can effortlessly order breakfast (such as the scrumptious avocado toast with arugula, cherry tomatoes, and truffle salt) at the touch of a button. Choose from an array of freshly squeezed juices or design your own freshly pressed juice for a clean start to the day. — fourseasons.com

Financial District

DESTINATIONS

Greenwich Village

Destinations NY MInute The Four Seasons Downtown is now graced with Wolfgang Puck’s first New York restaurant, CUT. Designed by Jacques Garcia, the gorgeous space offers a sophisticated bar dressed in hues of red and full of velvet that fills up early each evening. The adjoining darkly lit dining room, cozy and adorned with art handpicked by Chef Puck and his wife Gelila Assefa, makes a power dinner or a date a special occasion. While you’ll recognize some dishes from CUT Beverly Hills, there are others unique to this location. Top picks include the wagyu beef sashimi appetizer with Japanese cucumber, spicy radish, and yuzu aioli, a main course grass fed filet with house made steak sauce, and a hearty side of Cavatappi macand-cheese with aged cheddar. wolfgangpuck.com

LORING PLACE

Although Dan Kluger wowed the world when he took the helm of ABC Kitchen and ABC Cocina, he’s officially having his moment at a restaurant he can call his own. The menu at Loring Place focuses on the bounty of the local farmers’ market. Results include hummus flanked with picture-perfect radishes for dipping, crispy chicken with celery root and sizzling maple-chili glaze, and beets with fennel and orange - both refreshing and colorful. Pastas and whole-wheat pizzas, which work as shared plates, are generously topped with options such as spicy meatballs or an array of veggies. The Peking duck satisfies carnivores and the Arctic Char is lighter but equally flavorful. Ask for the off-menu vegan, gluten-free blizzard for dessert. loringplacenyc.com

CSQ SUMMER 2017

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By Ryan Byers

GOLF GETAWAY

The New Zealand of Opportunity is Auckland

Right: Tara Iti, on the New Zealand coast near Mangawhai, about 90 minutes north of Auckland, is New Zealand’s first American-style private golf club

DESTINATIONS

New Zealand is topping travelers’ bucket lists with increasing frequency. The small country, equivalent to the size of the United Kingdom, has a population of just over 4.5 million. It is made up of two main islands, North (Te Ikaa-Māui in Maori) and South (Te Waipounamu), and more than 60 smaller surrounding islands. New Zealand may be a relatively young country, but its white sand beaches, rainforests, mountains, lakes, glaciers, and volcanoes took shape over millions of years. Factor in exceptional cuisine, viticulture, boating, fishing, nightlife, and growing recognition as one of the world’s top golf destinations, and it’s no wonder “Middle Earth” is rising to the top as a destination given the global attention garnered by director Peter Jackson’s epic movie series. With other advantages—including a favorable exchange rate for the U.S dollar, a climate similar to California, and locals who treat their visitors like family—choosing New Zealand as a vacation destination is easy. Picking where to stay and play, on the other hand, will prove more challenging.

Destinations Going Global

A Golfer’s Paradise With almost 400 golf courses, New Zealand ranks second in the world for most courses per capita, inspiring pros and enthusiasts from around the globe to experience some of golf ’s finest courses. The LPGA takes full advantage of the country’s bounty this September when it hosts its first tournament in New Zealand, the MCKAYSON New Zealand Women’s Open, at the spectacular Windross Farm Golf Club just 35 minutes south of Auckland. Designed by Brett Thomson of Robert Trent Jones Design in collaboration with course consultant Phil Tataurangi, Windross Farm Golf Club opened for play in 2011. The par 72 course features four large lakes that come into play on several holes with large undulated fairways and greens. Meanwhile, one of New Zealand’s greatest hidden gems, Gulf Harbour Country Club, lies a brief 40-minute drive north of Auckland. This Robert Trent Jones Jr.–designed course on the Whangaparaoa Peninsula sits

atop breathtaking bluffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The beautifully arranged par 72 layout features challenging par 4s on the front nine, offering severe elevation changes, and a large lake that comes into play on three holes. Gulf Harbour, which may remind well-travelled golfers of Pebble Beach, also sports some of the best views of any course in the world. The wise golfer may desire to have a camera as well as a club in hand when approaching the signature par 4 16th hole. The 445-yard par 4 weaves along the ocean and demands a long drive to afford one a chance at reaching the green in regulation. In 1998, Gulf Harbour Country Club played host to the 44th World Cup of Golf, in which the English team of David Carter and Nick Faldo won by two strokes over the Italian team of Massimo Florioli and Constantino Rocca. While this club is private, like most of New Zealand’s private country clubs it welcomes visitors to the course for a fee. The Institute of Golf, located in Auckland and founded by CEO Craig Dixon, offers access to highly qualified PGA Professionals who use state-of-the-art technology to personalize a game plan to vastly improve one’s golf game and maximize one’s potential. It’s interesting to note that rising star Lydia Ko, a Korean-born, New Zealand golfer who became the Number 1 ranked woman professional golfer in February 2015 at 17 (making her the youngest player of either gender to achieve this distinction in professional golf ), did much of her golf training at the Institute of Golf. Golfers of all skill levels are welcome to receive their first lesson gratis. instituteofgolf.nz Pure Golf at Tara Iti When talking about the world’s greatest golf courses, Old Course at St. Andrews, Muirfield, Bethpage Black, and Pebble Beach are some of the marquee courses to come to golf enthusiasts’ minds. However, Tara Iti, 90 minutes north of Auckland on the coast of Mangawhai, is rapidly rising to recognition on the world’s greatest golf course lists. This ultra-exclusive country club, founded by Los Angeles–based Ric Kayne,

Photos: Courtesy of ATEED

Auckland, New Zealand – a twelve hour flight from sister city Los Angeles – is home to world class golf, wine, tech, and an influx of foreign investment

Destinations Going Global

CSQ SUMMER 2017

has brought comparisons to some of the world’s spectacular coastal courses, including Cypress Point, Royal Dornoch, and Royal St. George’s. Kayne had always admired the work of course designer Tom Doak, so when Kayne’s New Zealand partner, John Darby, found this perfect lay of coastal land, he knew exactly who he was going to hire to build his dream course. Kayne purchased the property, which was completely covered with an indigenous pine plantation, from a Maori tribe. Soon after, Tom Doak roamed the land with just a topography map for five days, and so began the routing of the masterpiece that is Tara Iti. His vision for this project was like no other. Tara Iti offers unobstructed views on all 18 holes of the offshore islands, such as Little Barrier, Great Barrier, and Tauranga as well as views of the crashing waves onto the white sand beaches just below. As spectacular as the views are at Tara Iti, they simply serve as a stunning backdrop for the property’s real attraction—the one-of-a-kind, 92

DESTINATIONS

Destinations Going Global

18-hole, links golf course. Tara Iti is as pure golf as golf was intended in Scotland many years ago. No carts or cart paths, because golfers walk with their caddies here. There are no benches on the tees, no ball washers, no yardage markers, no signs leading you to the next hole, no lavish snack bars or comfort stations to distract you from your game—just pure golf. In true links fashion, there is no rough on the course, and no trees or bunkers come into play. Instead there are traditional waste areas that are formed by sand dunes and local native bushes and shrubbery that outline the perfectly manicured fairways running into the greens without a noticeable difference. Tara Iti will demand your greatest golf and a variety of shot making skills if you want to post a respectable score. It was Kayne’s vision to build an exclusive world-class golf course with an unassuming but cozy clubhouse, offering exceptional service and a fun atmosphere for its members, and he nailed it. Jim Rohrstaff, a partner at Legacy Partners, over-

sees the 46 home sites on-property, as well as the memberships at Tara Iti. Rohrstaff calls Tara Iti’s beachfront properties “the Hamptons of New Zealand.” Getting information on membership and home site properties is kept private and is only offered to those who have serious interest. To obtain membership at Tara Iti, Rohrstaff and Kayne are more concerned with personality rather than how much you have in the bank. Therefore, an extensive interview process is conducted to get to know each applicant and make sure that they will be a good fit for the Tara Iti family. There have been applicants who were more than capable of writing the check, who have been turned down. Although it is ultra private, it is not impossible to be invited for a round as long as you are currently a member of a club. Rohrstaff requires a letter of introduction from your home club, noting that, “We want to know who is coming—we look at the club as an extension of our home and you’re not typically going to have strangers come and stay in

your home.” Once the stay is approved, you and your guests will be treated like members once you arrive on property, and you will stay the night at one of the eight well-appointed member cottages. This all comes with a price, which is also kept confidential until your serious inquiry. Tara Iti is the absolute definition of high-end country club lifestyle, with one of the greatest golf courses in the world. Auckland Awaits There are a few other areas beyond the game in Auckland that are must visits. In 2000, the Viaduct Harbour gained popularity when it served as the center of activity for the America’s Cup, hosted by the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron. The area has since been upgraded with upscale apartments and a wide variety of dining options, bars, and night clubs, all surrounded by the marina filled with boats and superyachts. A seven-story waterfront Park Hyatt, under construction nearby, is sure to add some additional class to the area.

BY THE NUMBERS NEW ZEALAND Area 103,798 sq. miles Population 4.474 million (as of June 2016) Languages English 90% Maori 3% GDP $174.8B USD (68th in the world) GDP Per Capita $37,100 USD (50th in the world) Exchange Rate 0.74 US Dollar (as of July 18, 2017) Notable Exports Dairy products, meat, logs and wood, fruit, crude oil, wine AUCKLAND Nickname City of Sails, as it boasts more boats per capita than anywhere else in the world Population 1.6 million (as of July 2017)

Ponsonby, an upper-middle class residential suburb with a laidback, Abbot Kinney/Venice-vibe, bustles with restaurants, cafes, art galleries, shopping, live music, and nightclubs. Britomart is another area that has recently been revamped. It has similarities to Downtown LA and Beverly Hills with its upscale dining, designer boutiques, bars, health and beauty offerings, and living and office space, set among some of Auckland’s oldest buildings and newest architecture. When in Britomart, be sure to dine at esteemed Michelin star chef Josh Emett’s Ostro restaurant. Ostro has sweeping port views and offers the best locally sourced seafood and a Beef Wellington they suggest ordering 48 hours in advance. If you are looking for the perfect place to stay when visiting Auckland, look no further than SkyCity. Centrally located to everywhere you want to be in Auckland, SkyCity (billed as New Zealand’s premier entertainment destination) offers a wide variety of 25 restaurant choices, cafes and bars, a world-class casino, and a theatre featuring constantly changing entertainment. The

Destinations Going Global

Grill by Sean Connolly, at the entry to the SkyCity Grand Hotel, offers up the best pasture-fed meat and the freshest local seafood with an extensive wine list. Another must-dine is Depot. Located just outside SkyCity Grand Hotel, Depot is noted for its multiple small plates, such as grilled octopus, smoked brisket tortillas, and lamb ribs. Sugar Club, located on the 52nd floor of Auckland’s tallest building, the Sky Tower, has unobstructed views of the city and serves up a modern dining experience with the freshest farm to table menu options in the city. When dining at the chic outpost, make sure to stop by the observation deck just below the restaurant for panoramic 360-degree views up to 80 kilometers in every direction. Food and wine aficionados make it a point to visit Waiheke Island, a short 35-minute ferry or 15-minute helicopter ride away from downtown Auckland, an expanse that looks like the convergence of Napa Valley and Catalina Island. With more than 30 vineyards and wineries, olive gardens, white sand beaches, and truly farm-to-table cuisine, it is

3rd most liveable city in 2016 by the Mercer Quality of Life Survey

Statictics obtained via CIA World Factbook & ATEED

70% of the Auckland region consists of coastal waters Nearly a third of New Zealand’s sea trade passes through the ports of Auckland yearly, attributing NZD $23.1B worth of trade 1. Viaduct Harbour, in the heart of Auckland 2. Cape Kidnappers 3. Cape Kidnapper’s Golf Course was designed by Tom Doak in 2004 and funded by American developer Julian Robertson 3 CSQ SUMMER 2017

this retreat is the perfect setting for a quaint lodge featuring 22 guest suites and a four-bedroom Owner’s Cottage. Every suite includes a private balcony and offers spectacular views of the property, golf course, and Pacific Ocean. Getting Down Under When talking to Angelenos about New Zealand travel, one misconception is the duration of the flight, which can often be as easy as taking a red eye to New York. Nick Judd of Air New Zealand notes that, “Although New Zealand is on the top of many North American’s bucket list, they often perceive it to be ‘as far as you can go’ making a flight to the South Pacific seems daunting.” Making the trip convenient for West Coasters, Air New Zealand offers twice daily direct services from LAX to Auckland in a tidy 12 hours. One option departs at 9:30pm, giving you plenty of time to watch a couple of movies and get enough sleep so you are ready for your first full day upon arrival.

Destinations Going Global

GOLF GETAWAYS OF NOTE

JACK’S POINT Jack’s Point championship golf course, carved from former farmland, set in the base of the Remarkables Mountain range overlooking Queenstown’s Lake Wakatipu, is one of New Zealand’s award-winning golf courses. The course, which has been designed around the natural landscape with minimal excavation, measures 6,986 yards (6,388 meters) from the championship tees and is built on the most spectacular of Jack’s Point terrain. jackspoint.com KAURI CLIFFS The Lodge at Kauri Cliffs is Northland’s premier luxury vacation destination, featuring spectacular 180-degree views of the Pacific Ocean. Enjoy exquisite Pacific Rim cuisine prepared by talented chefs while taking in stunning panoramic views of Cape Brett and the offshore Cavalli Islands from the verandas, lounges, and dining rooms. There are 22 luxurious guest suites in addition to a two-bedroom Owner’s Cottage. Every suite offers its own private porch, bedroom with sitting area, and open fireplace. The cottages are situated in a native forest overlooking the golf course and the Pacific Ocean. Kauri Cliffs was designed and built by David Harman of Golf Course Consultants, Orlando, Florida. The par 72 championship golf course measures 7,119 yards (6,510 meters) and offers five sets of tees to challenge every skill level. Fifteen holes view the Pacific Ocean, six of which are played alongside cliffs that plunge to the sea. The beautiful inland holes wind through marsh, forest, and farmland. Kauri Cliffs is currently ranked #39 in the world by Golf Digest‘s list of the World’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses. In 2008 and 2009, Cape Kidnappers and Kauri Cliffs hosted the Kiwi Challenge, which featured four of the top PGA Tour players in the field. kauricliffs.com

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DESTINATIONS

Photos: Courtesy of ATEED

easy to see why Waiheke is considered the jewel in the Hauraki Gulf. Stonyridge and Mudbrick Vineyards are signature standouts on the island. They encourage visitors to take in stunning views, taste their variety of renowned fine wines, enjoy firstclass dining, or host that special event from small private dinner to wedding or festival. Waiheke Island was included on Lonely Planet’s list of top 10 travel regions in 2015 and was named the fourth best island in the world by Condé Nast Traveller in 2016. One standout retreat worth seeking out is the Farm at Cape Kidnappers in Hawke’s Bay, on New Zealand’s North Island. The course is designed by legendary golf architect Tom Doak, with a par 71 golf course measuring 7,119 yards (6,510 meters) that will challenge golfers of all skill levels. The spectacular course, completed in 2004, is recognized as one of the great modern marvels in golf. Set atop 6,000 rolling acres of stunning pasture-land,

CSQ&A

BRETT O’RILEY, CEO, Auckland Tourism, Event, and Economic Development While in New Zealand, CSQ sat down with Brett O’Riley, whose five-year run at the head of ATEED is coming to an end later this year, to talk about the similarities between Los Angeles and Auckland, American investment in New Zealand, and the kiwi’s under-the-radar passion for American muscle cars.

CSQ What draws Los Angeles and Auckland together? Brett O’Riley Los Angeles, Auckland, and Guangzhou are sister cities and in 2014 we formed a tripartite economic alliance. Then in 2015 we held our first summit in Los Angeles, bringing in businesses from the other two cities. The second summit – about 800 people – was held here in Auckland in May of 2016 and the third annual is later this year in Guangzhou. Beyond our tripartite, there are many shared connections between LA and Auckland through Hollywood – entertainment is a $1B industry for us and we just signed a joint venture deal with Warner Bros and Galaxy Pictures in China – and technology – we have a tech ambassador in Los Angeles and recently opened an AR/VR Garage here in Auckland. CSQ Have you noticed a trend in U.S. investment and if so, why? BO We’re seeing a rise in the number of people out of the United States wanting to invest here for a couple reasons. Not only do we not have an estate

CSQ SUMMER 2017

tax of any kind we also do not have capital gains taxes. People are seeing New Zealand as a viable option for retirement. CSQ Are there some specific examples of Americans investing in New Zealand you’re proud of? BO I look at people such as Ric Kayne, William Foley, and Julian Robertson and see Americans who have taken insight and knowledge from a larger market as well as an appreciation of quality and have applied that to our local setting, showing respect to the environment in doing so. CSQ During our time here, we see New Zealand’s market for cars – specifically American cars – as 1.5 or 2x of market value? BO There is a lot of people who are importing American cars now. One of the things I’ve promised my 15year old son when I retire from this position later this year is that I will buy him an American muscle car. We’re seeing a lot of US, left-hand drive vehicles around here.

Destinations Going Global

CSQ You can keep them left hand? BO Oh yeah.

CSQ Are there experiences and events built around these cars? BO Yes. The Beach Hop – an event where thousands of people show up on the beach with their American muscle cars. One of the advantages to owning such a car in New Zealand is how close you are to the open road … you can live in the heart of the city and be on an open road in the countryside in 15 minutes.

4. The Auckland skyline as seen from the island of Waiheke, New Zealand’s “Isle of Wine” named fourth best island in the world in 2016 by Condé Nast 5. Experience New Zealand from above in a private helicopter, chartered by InFlite, New Zealand’s largest fleet of luxury fixed wing aircraft and helicopters

Auckland Innovates Ranked the #1 country in the world by the World Bank on their “Ease of Doing Business” scale, New Zealand – specifically Auckland – has married its surge in wine with another four-letter trending topic – tech. While home to a third of New Zealand’s population and producing just over a third of its GDP, Auckland accounts for almost half of the tech sector’s income, employment, GDP, and exports. The tech sector contributes $7.8B in GDP to the Auckland economy and providing 47,682 jobs and has been an outsource hub for a number of U.S.-based companies. Nestled within this multi-billion dollar industry is Auckland-based Vend – a Point of Service platform – which has raised more than $40M, following in the footsteps of Wellington-based Xero (NZX: XRO) whose market cap is approaching $4B and whose software is used in more than 180 countries. Vend’s ability to consistently raise funding (recent rounds have been for $20M, $13M, and $12M) is the rule, not the exception. Private venture capital funding into

New Zealand companies in 2016 was NZ $1.1B – more than double the 2015 figure. Furthermore, $39M (or 57%) of total 2016 New Zealand Seed Co-Investment Fund was invested into Auckland startups specifically. In addition to a thriving venture capital community, Auckland is experiencing a tech-driven creative renaissance. Passion projects meet emerging markets at places like Auckland’s AR/VR Garage – a collaborative R&D facility housing companies like Verso – a VR platform molding science and art. These new kids on the block are coming to life alongside projects like Google Loon. The melding of established properties and up and coming ideas has shaped Auckland’s real estate as a result. There has been an 886% increase in co-working space in since 2011. In respone to the growth, GridAKL opened in 2014 with support from the city in the heart of Auckland’s Wynward Quarter (their innovation precinct). GridAKL supports the growing number of high-impact, growth-oriented, tech-focused businesses and entrepreneurs. end

The C-Suite Advisory is the most sought after community of thought leaders and best-in-class trusted advisors to the C-Suite, business owner, and entrepreneur. Comprised of the best of the best in eight industries and multiple fields, these tenured C-Suite Advisors have been engaged to share their insights and experiences on topics helpful to both business and life.

ACCOUNTING

98 NEW LEASE ACCOUNTING STANDARDS

SCOTT M. SACHS, CPA Regional Managing Partner â&#x20AC;&#x201D; West Region and Executive Board Member CohnReznick LLP, Los Angeles, CA FINANCE

C-Suite Advisory JIM FREEDMAN & BRIAN LEVIN TOC

100 DEAL EXECUTION IS A TEAM SPORT

C-Suite Advisory For more information on becoming a C-Suite Advisor, e-mail advisory@csq.com

JF: Founding Partner & Chairman, BL: Vice President, Intrepid Investment Bankers, Los Angeles, CA INSURANCE

102 FIVE SECURITY STANDARDS TO PROTECT JEWELRY

ROBYN WELCH Managing Director HUB International, Los Angeles, CA

CSQ SUMMER 2017

C-Suite Media is an executive leadership publisher and does not recommend or endorse investment, legal, insurance, or tax advisors. The listing of any firm in the CSQ Advisory Program does not constitute a recommendation or endorsement by CSQ magazine of any such firm and is not based upon CSQ magazine’s experience with or prior dealing with any advisor. The information presented for each advisor is the sole responsibility of the advisor. CSQ makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy or completeness of such information, assumes no liability for any inaccuracies or omissions therein, and disclaims responsibility for the suitability of any particular investment recommendation or strategy for any person. Nothing contained in CSQ magazine constitutes or should be construed as any form of investment, legal, insurance, or tax advice or as a recommendation to buy, sell, hold, or trade any securities, financial instruments, or assets. Readers are advised to consult their legal, financial, insurance, and tax advisors prior to making any investment or pursuing any investment strategy.

LEGAL MARKETING

104 LET’S GET TOGETHER 110 THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT AND SOCIAL MEDIA

WILLIAM MARK LEVINSON JENNIFER HURLESS

Partner Thompson Coburn, Los Angeles, CA Founder & CCS Go Be Social Media, Agoura Hills, CA

LEGAL MARKETING

C-Suite Advisory STACY D. PHILLIPS TOC 106 IT’S PRENUP SEASON

Certified Family Law Specialist & Partner Blank Rome, Century City, CA Co-founder & CEO Echo Factory, Pasadena, CA

MARKETING REAL ESTATE

108 DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION IN SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

114 A DOZEN RELIABLE TIPS FOR RAISING AMAZING CHILDREN

MICHAEL ABRAHAM & JEFFREY STEWART

MA: Co-founder & Creative Director JS: Co-founder & CEO CCG, Santa Monica, CA WHAT HAPPENED TO ESPN AND HOW TO ENSURE IT DOESN’T HAPPEN TO YOU

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MICHAEL SCHAFFER

SHAY HUGHES

President & COO Hughes Marino, Los Angeles, CA

INDUSTRY ACCOUNTING

SPECIALTY BUSINESS

EXAMINING THE IMPORTANCE OF BEGINNING PREPARATION NOW AND NOT LATER

SCOTT M. SACHS, CPA Regional Managing Partner — West Region CohnReznick LLP Los Angeles, CA

NEW LEASE ACCOUNTING STANDARDS

C-Suite Advisory Sachs

Mr. Sachs’ career includes significant experience in both initial and secondary public offerings, debt and equity financing, and acquisition and divestiture analysis. He is actively involved in such organizations as the Boys & Girls Club of the West Valley, the Los Angeles Jewish Home, the Girl Scout Council, The Entrepreneurship Institute, and Junior Achievement. Scott is also a member of the Ernst & Young LLP Alumni Association of Southern California board of directors. A graduate of the University of California at Berkeley, Mr. Sachs is a member of Certified Public Accountants and the California Society of Public Accountants.

Phone 818/205.2609 Email scott.sachs@cohnreznick.com Website cohnreznick.com Location 1900 Avenue of the Stars 28th Floor Los Angeles, CA 90067

C-SUITE ADVISORY

Most entertainment and sports-related companies today are engaged in some form of leasing activity. This would include the leases they sign for their office space, cars for their executives, video monitoring equipment, desks and chairs – you name it. Leasing has become a fundamental component of today’s business operations.

The New Standard: Recognizing Operating Leases on Balance Sheets

As most CFOs already know, under the current accounting model, their organization applies a classification test to determine the accounting methodology to be used for a lease arrangement. Some leases are classified as capital leases (for example, a lease of equipment for nearly all of its useful life). Capital leases require the lessee to recognize its lease assets and liabilities on the company’s balance sheet. Other leases, such as the long-term lease of office space, are classified as operating leases. Lessees are currently not required to recognize operating lease assets and liabilities on the balance sheet. For years, there was widespread criticism that this operating lease model was deficient in meeting the needs of financial statement users because it did not always provide an accurate representation

of leasing transactions. Enter the Financial Accounting Standards Board, known to us accountants as FASB. Last February, FASB issued updated accounting standards designed to improve the financial reporting of assets and liabilities that result from a company’s leasing activities. The new lease accounting standards, which have been under consideration for a decade, will require lessees to present the results of most leasing activities directly on their balance sheets instead of in the footnotes to financial statements. All companies reporting under International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) or FASB will need to comply with the new requirements. What You Should Do Now

Companies need to start thinking through the potential impact of the new standard. This is especially important because the standard must be applied retroactively to previously issued financial statements. For some companies, the new lease accounting standard will require widespread modifications to the processes and systems they currently use to account for leases. This could alter management’s data requirements, measurements, and judgments.

QUOTE:

IT IS CRITICAL TO UNDERSTAND THE POTENTIAL IMPACT ON FINANCIAL COVENANT CALCULATIONS. BRINGING THESE LEASES TO THE BALANCE SHEET WILL HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THE COMPANY’S LEVERAGE RATIOS.

Here are five pre-implementation steps we are advising our clients to undertake in preparation for the new lease accounting standard:

as an operating lease, a finance lease, or a short-term exception?

1. Take inventory. Understand which of your agreements have lease components. This could include the leasing of film equipment, software, trucks and trailers, real estate property, etc. Knowing the volume of leases that must be evaluated will be the first step in determining the scope of the work that needs to be done. This may help your company decide if it needs to outsource the evaluation and organization of the effort or if it can handle things in house. 2. Determine the classification of each lease agreement. Are your leases classified

3. Gather data for your lease calculations/ document your accounting policies. A

number of accounting policy determinations will be related to how lease calculations are completed. Adopting certain practical methods can save time and manpower. Also, evaluate how discount rates may impact the calculation and how your company will handle option periods.

4. Calculate Lease Recognition. Calculate

the right to use asset, as well as lease liability, on your balance sheet. Determine the lease cost, and/or any interest/amortization on your income statement.

5. Understand the impact on your financial statements and other agreements. This

includes changes to your balance sheet such as increases in assets and liabilities. Higher levels of disclosures will require organizations to identify the nature of leasing transactions, the lease’s rights and obligations, the assumptions and estimates used by management, and a summary of maturities. It is also critical to understand the potential impact on financial covenant calculations. In many cases, bringing these leases to the balance sheet will have a significant impact on the company’s leverage ratios. Adoption of this standard will also impact companies’ EBITDA calculations. Have upfront discussions with your lenders on the new leasing standard to ensure that there is no confusion once it is in place. end

C-Suite Advisory MAKE Sachs

YOUR VIRTUAL A REALITY FOR INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY PROTECTION, LEADING COMPANIES CHOOSE

SOCALIP.COM

CSQ SUMMER 2017

JIM FREEDMAN

BRIAN LEVIN

Founding Partner & Chairman

Vice President

INDUSTRY FINANCE

SPECIALTY INVESTMENT BANKING

WHAT EVERY BUSINESS OWNER NEEDS TO KNOW ABOUT PREPARING FOR AND EXECUTING AN M&A TRANSACTION

In the M&A business, we often use a football field analogy to describe the various stages of a transaction. Getting the deal over the goal line often feels like a win for both sides. As a business owner, a full or partial sale of your company is a fundamental part of your game strategy and mode of organizational change, growth, and success. As an entrepreneur, embarking on a process to sell your business can be scary and daunting, but it is one of the most important moments your business will ever face. The question you first want to ask yourself is why do you want to exit? The exit may take many shapes, whether it is a full sale, partial sale, or merger with another company. When we first meet with business owners, we make sure we understand their business strategy and to set goals that address their big picture objectives. For example, is there a serious challenge to selling your business and how can you make your company a more attractive asset for a buyer? The right advisor, strategy, and valuation will get you to the championship round. However, companies often lack complete records, contracts, and information, which a buyer insists on. A buyer wants to purchase a company that has brand recognition, a great client list, excellent product offerings, a clear strategic vision, and a management team that is focused on that vision and growth. From the seller’s perspective, you need to put forth good data records, address any internal management issues, have a clear strategy in place, and address any financial issues in advance. Just like a team sport requires players to work in concert with each other toward the ultimate goal, so does dealmaking. There are rules to follow, process steps to anticipate, and players to rely on for the ultimate goal of “getting the deal done.”

Intrepid Investment Bankers Los Angeles, CA

C-Suite Advisory DEAL Freedman EXECUTION

Jim Freedman is a Founding Partner and Chairman of Intrepid Investment Bankers, a specialty investment bank that provides M&A, capital raising, and strategic advisory services to middle-market companies across various industry sectors. He has more than 30 years of investment banking and corporate finance experience and is an expert on the financial aspects of corporate strategy.

Brian Levin is a Vice President at Intrepid Investment Bankers. He has worked on transactions across a variety of sectors, including manufacturing, industrials, and business services, but his primary focus is on consumer products. Within the consumer products sector, his areas of expertise include Toys & Giftware, Apparel & Retail, and Beauty & Personal Care.

Phone 310/478.9000 Email jfreedman@intrepidib.com blevin@intrepidib.com Website intrepidib.com Location 11755 Wilshire Boulevard Suite #2200 Los Angeles, CA 90025

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C-SUITE ADVISORY

IS A TEAM SPORT

Draft the Right Team to Achieve Ultimate Execution Performance

In football, to “win” you must start practicing, or in this case preparing, well in advance of when the game or process starts. The process starts by “drafting” your team. The key members of your team will be your investment banker, M&A attorney, wealth manager, and tax advisor/accountant. When selecting a team, we recommend to entrepreneurs that they should look at the New England Patriots for inspiration (always copy the best!). The Patriots have a strong culture and are always

QUOTE:

DEALS CAN SUFFER FROM A NUMBER OF FACTORS ... YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR TEAM (INVESTMENT BANKER, M&A LAWYER, WEALTH MANAGER, AND TAX ADVISOR/ACCOUNTANT) IS WORKING TOGETHER TO EXECUTE THE GAMEPLAN YOU HAVE ALL AGREED ON.

looking for players who fit their system. When going through the process, it is important to have a team that works well together and represents the culture of your business. Remember you will be working closely with these professionals for the next 6 to 12 months so it is imperative to find people with whom you can work well with. After the “draft” comes the real hard work—“pre-season” practice. During this stage in the process, your investment banker (also called M&A advisor) will be learning all about your business, working with you to structure a supportable growth plan, and studying your financials to present them in the best possible light to investors. Many private businesses incur expenses that would not be typical in institutionally-owned businesses; identifying and supporting those expenses is crucial to maximizing value in a transaction. While your investment banker is preparing the materials for investors, you should be working with your legal team to make sure all your corporate documents are in order and all of your intellectual property is protected (if appropriate). The last aspect that should be taking place during the pre-season is tax planning—this is a crucial element to take place early on because often the opportunity for tax planning will be lost if you wait too long.

these values as there is typically a wide range and they are still very preliminary at this early stage. At this point in the process, as an entrepreneur, you get more involved in the process and begin to meet with the potential investors/ buyers. It is important for you as a seller to be evaluating these potential partners for more than just the dollar value of their offer but also personality fit, shared vision for the future, resources they bring to the table, and other “softer” areas that can be harder to evaluate. Our Apparel & Retail team recently worked with a leading designer and producer of clothing and accessories in the streetwear industry, on its sale to a global licensed apparel wholesaler. Our client’s unique vision made it the first brand to blend the previously segregated genres of art, skate, fashion, and music. This celebration of diverse interest and lifestyles has come together to create a mainstay brand. We were able to advise the company on its sale process and help them achieve a new partnership that will maintain the brand’s authenticity while supporting the future growth of the company. The eventual buyer of the business, which we found as part of the marketing process, was able to combine their world-class manufacturing expertise and deep customer relationships to reinvigorate our client’s brand. Another recent example is a company that’s disrupting the digital marketing industry with its transformational performance-based technology platform and fully integrated end-to-end solutions. The company’s proprietary, comprehensive eCommerce platform connects consumer brands with media buyers that seek to maximize the value of their advertising with publishers. Its end-to-end service offering includes inventory management, order fulfillment, and other vital online retail support services. We ran a highly-effective process in a condensed timeframe, structuring and negotiating a transaction that will allow our client to continue on its path to building the dominant performance marketing company. Finding them the right capital partner enabled the company to secure an attractive financing package with an institution aligned with its corporate culture and committed to its growth initiatives.

cess (we are only at midfield!), the pace of the process really picks up from here. A good banker will have developed a process that continues to narrow the field of potential bidders and enables you to negotiate the key economic deal points upfront, while the seller maintains leverage with multiple parties involved. Once a seller enters into a letter of intent (LOI) and an exclusivity arrangement, much of the leverage is lost. Key economic terms you should be aware of, as the seller, include the structure of the purchase price (cash, earn-out, stock, seller note, royalty, etc.), working capital adjustment mechanism, and escrow amount and indemnification cap. Once these terms (and other non-economic terms) are agreed to and an exclusivity agreement is entered into, the buyer will have more leverage for the first time in the process. While we work integrally with a business owner to understand their brand and help them communicate their exciting story to the market, we also assist with finding potential bidders that will become the best partner for our client and their growth strategy. Another recent client who has built a highly reputable brand and is the leader in quality for high-visibility safety wear was looking to partner with an international distributor that would help with its growth strategy and sell its products through a broad distribution network serving the safety, workwear, construction, and industrial markets. The company’s model, combining domestic manufacturing with international sourcing, and relationships with blue chip customers and key distributors, is difficult to replicate. Once under exclusivity, you should move as fast as possible to closing, because as they say, “time kills all deals.” Deals can suffer from a number of factors including financial performance, overall economic factors, and deal fatigue, and the impact on value can be very real. During the final part of the process, you want to make sure that your team (investment banker, M&A lawyer, wealth manager, and tax advisor/accountant) is working together to execute the gameplan you have all agreed on. As the deal approaches closing, we need to get you ready to cross the goal line and score that touchdown. Hopefully, you can look back with fond memories on all the hard work and effort that you put into the draft and the “pre-season” practices that led to such a great outcome! end

C-Suite Advisory Freedman

Play Offensively—Get Involved in the Process

With the draft and the long “pre-season” behind you, it is time to start playing the game. The game starts from deep within your end zone and you have a long way to go. We always tell our clients that the reason we do so much work upfront is to lessen their load during the process. From the entrepreneur’s perspective, the first part of the process should be a time to focus on your business and ensure strong financial performance while your team is busy executing the first part of the process (i.e., picking up first downs). The primary factor that derails a process is poor financial performance—never forget that running the business should remain your No. 1 focus! The next stage in the process is when actual values begin to get discussed with indications of interest (IOIs) being submitted. IOIs provide the first time that investors/buyers are assigning a value to your business, but do not get too excited (or disappointed) with

CSQ SUMMER 2017

Negotiate Key Deal Points Upfront

While there is a still a long way to go in the pro-

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INDUSTRY INSURANCE

SPECIALTY ASSET PROTECTION

ANALYZING THE IMPORTANCE AND IMPACT OF PROTECTING YOUR MOST PRIZED POSSESSIONS

A client returned home from the grocery store to find that in the 45 minutes they had been gone, someone had broken into their home. They hadn’t thought to set the alarm for such a short outing. Among the few items taken was their safe. An entire safe was dragged across the room, thrown down the stairs—along with tens of thousands of dollars in jewelry and other valuables. As with many of your prized possessions, the value of jewelry is not simply monetary. These pieces often hold significant sentimental value, so taking the proper steps to secure and protect them is paramount. Consider these five security standards to help protect your treasured belongings:

ROBYN WELCH Managing Director HUB International Los Angeles, CA

C-Suite Advisory FIVE Welch

Robyn Welch brings over 35 years of experience to HUB International Insurance Services, as a Managing Director in the company’s Entertainment practice. Her expertise and focus is personal asset protection for high-net-worth and high-profile clientele. Robyn partners with business managers and affluent individuals to design competitive and comprehensive insurance and risk management programs. She has excellent negotiation skills and relationships with insurance companies and uses this to serve her clients’ best interests. What she values most about her role is being able to help her clients by finding creative solutions to their often complex, urgent, and confidential matters.

Phone 818/257.7341 Email robyn.welch@hubinternational.com Website hubinternational.com Location 16030 Ventura Boulevard Suite #500 Encino, CA 91436

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C-SUITE ADVISORY

1. Quality of Home Safes

Many high-net-worth individuals opt to store jewelry, especially frequently worn items, in home safes instead of safe deposit boxes. However, those sold at big box stores and locksmith shops are not designed for safeguarding high-value assets. Their flimsy and lighter-weight designs make them easy to pry open or carry off. The following suggestions can help make the selection, purchase, and installation process easier:

SECURITY STANDARDS TO PROTECT JEWELRY

u Consider the monetary or sentimental value of the items being protected. A high-quality safe does not come inexpensively, but just ask anyone who’s had valuables stolen—it’s a priceless investment. u Weight is the key factor in determining a safe’s ability to prevent theft. A minimum weight of 750 pounds is advised, unless the safe will be installed on a ground floor with access to a main door; then the suggested weight minimum increases to 1,000 pounds. u There’s no substitute for high-quality materials. A substantially thick steel door and five thick steel walls are the only means of preventing a determined burglar from gaining entrance. Nothing less than a ½-inch solid steel door and ¼-inch walls are recommended. When shopping, be wary of the term “overall thickness,” which typically refers to a combination of materials, not solid steel. u A reputable security rating can provide added peace of mind. Look for a safe that

QUOTE:

HIGH-NET-WORTH SPECIALIST POLICIES OFFER HIGHER LIMITS—TYPICALLY BETWEEN $5,000 AND $10,000—BUT THESE LIMITS STILL DO NOT REFLECT THE LIFESTYLE OF WEALTHY FAMILIES. SOME COMPANIES, SUCH AS PURE INSURANCE, GO UP TO $50,000 ON A HOMEOWNERS POLICY.

has a UL rating of TL-15 or comparable. The TL-15 rating means that a team of engineers working for 15 minutes using common hand tools, drills, hammers, and pressure-applying devices could not crack the safe. A “pending UL rating” is not the same as being UL-rated. u Install the safe where it is both out-of-sight

and difficult to move. A basement or lower level provides the added benefit of gravity: It’s more difficult for a burglar to lug a 750 lb. safe up a set of stairs than it is to toss it out a bedroom window (which has been known to happen). Along the same lines, a master bedroom closet is often the first spot most burglars will look. However, a safe is only effective if it’s used, so consider the likelihood that you will make the trip downstairs each evening to secure the valuables worn that day. Once the spot is selected, the safe must be securely anchored to the home’s frame, alarmed and connected to the central station. Never share its location with anyone who does not need to know.

Your broker can help ensure you have the right policies and limits in place for your unique needs. This may include a separate policy for jewelry and other valuable collections, or increases to limits on your Homeowners policy. Your broker will also help you select the right insurance company that specializes in affluent clientele. Standard Homeowners policies contain restrictions that will only cover jewelry that is lost, misplaced or stolen up to a capped amount, typically $1,500. High-net-worth specialist policies offer higher limits—typically between $5,000 and $10,000—but these limits still do not reflect the lifestyle of wealthy families. Some companies, such as PURE Insurance, go up to $50,000 on a Homeowners policy. In addition, updating jewelry appraisals every three to five years is crucial to proper insurance coverage, and some insurers offer generous premium discounts for doing so. end

C-Suite Advisory Welch 2. Careful and Timely Maintenance

You may be very careful about maintaining and protecting your jewelry, but everyone is human: Pieces may be unintentionally worn to the beach or loose clasps may go without repair for one day too long. Avoid loss by having a professional inspect pieces, especially higher-valued ones, regularly or at the first sign of damage or defect. 3. Background Checks for Staff

We recommend that you conduct background checks on all of your domestic employees. Some specialty insurers who cater to highnet-worth individuals offer complimentary background check services. 4. Don’t Forgo Security While Traveling

If you travel with high-value jewelry, hold the hotel room safe to the same standards as you do your home safe. If you have doubts as to its security, ask the hotel management to hold the items in the hotel’s master safe. All too frequently, thieves know exactly which entrances are not monitores by camera or where a spare key is stored. 5. Proper Insurance Coverage

The loss of these items can be upsetting, and insufficient compensation can be devastating.

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WILLIAM MARK LEVINSON Partner Corporate Mergers & Acquisitions, Securities, Capital Markets Finance, Real Estate Thompson Coburn LLP Los Angeles, CA

Email mlevinson@thompsoncoburn.com Website thompsoncoburn.com Location 2029 Century Park East 19th Floor Los Angeles, CA 90067

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SPECIALTY MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS

WEIGHING THE VARIABLES INVOLVED IN M&A DEALS – FROM LAWYERS TO INVESTMENT BANKERS, TAX CONSIDERATIONS AND EMPLOYEES

footprint in a desired geographic location, but lacks the desire, resources or ability to fund expansion. These companies may mutually benefit from an M&A deal. The M&A market is currently quite active. Sellers are enjoying greater multiples on their EBITDA. What is fueling the M&A activity in the marketplace today? Some suggest that terrorism abroad has created uncertainty and an influx of foreign investment in the U.S. Others point to the dramatic shift in how consumers purchase goods. Think about the impact of Amazon on retail bricks and mortar. This disruption has necessitated new financial strategies, including M&A. Consider also the dramatic rise in the stock market. With increased share prices, stock can provide the currency needed to acquire the assets of another company. Also, private equity funds have significant cash that must be deployed within a defined time period and must begin to generate investor returns. And, of course, some CEOs will see their competitors engaged in M&A activity and want to join in the process for fear of getting left behind. For sellers seeking an exit, multiples and business valuations today are powerful incentives to cash in on all or part of their interest in a company. While the world of M&A can sound glamorous, we must not forget the hard truth – not all deals close. Deals may fail to close because the parties have valuation disagreements, or because unexpected issues arise during due diligence, or because the vision of combination synergies fades. The good news is that many of these obstacles are foreseeable and, with proper planning and guidance, avoidable. Critical thinking, solid planning, and guidance from trusted and experienced investment bankers, accountants, and lawyers will increase the likelihood of a celebratory closing dinner.

LET’S GET C-Suite Advisory TOGETHER -

William Mark Levinson is a seasoned attorney primarily advising and guiding individual and corporate clients through a range of corporate, securities, real estate, and financing transactions. Levinson was nominated by “The M&A Advisor” as an award finalist for a complex public company spin-off that was listed on the NYSE and named to the Los Angeles Business Journal’s “Who’s Who in Real Estate Law” in 2013. Levinson is a trusted advisor known for his effective negotiating approach who routinely counsels financial institutions, real estate development companies, investment banks, entrepreneurs, and individuals. A graduate of Brandeis University and Yeshiva University’s Cardozo School of Law, Levinson resides in Calabasas and is the proud husband of Carrie and father of Emily, Lauren, and Max.

Phone 310/282.2520

INDUSTRY LEGAL

Levinson

Fundamentally, M&A is a vehicle used to create value and enhance investment returns of stakeholders. Successful transactions occur between companies of all sizes and in countless industries, including entertainment and media, tech, healthcare, real estate, consumer products, and retail. Whether buying or selling, companies are frequently supported by investment bankers, lawyers, and accountants who help sort through the complexities of a proposed transaction. Professionals will, among other things, identify financing sources, advise on the best structure for the transaction, address tax considerations for the company and its principals, and provide advice regarding succession planning. It has become commonplace to read and hear about corporate combinations and sales and, at times, news stories focus on one company’s loss and another company’s gain. However, in actuality, there are many reasons companies combine or sell and, very often, the result is a win-win for both buyer and seller. For example, imagine a company that wants to add the latest technology to its manufacturing plant, or wants to expand its locally successful brand to a new region of the country or world; also imagine the young company that has engineered the desired technology, or that has a

Pressure Can Lead to Mistakes

Chief executives and senior decision makers are typically under significant pressure to grow their company’s revenues and stakeholder investment returns. Indeed, an executive’s compensation may be directly linked to the number and size of deals closed. Decision makers may look to increase revenues organically, by expanding the brand or its geographic reach or by adjusting pricing strategies. Alternatively, or additionally, they may consider achiev-

QUOTE:

AS A BUSINESS OWNER SEARCHES FOR NEW CAPITAL SOURCES, IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF DIFFERENT FINANCE ALTERNATIVES, AND THE LEGAL RAMIFICATIONS THAT WILL FIND THEIR WAY INTO DOCUMENTS THAT WILL GOVERN AN INVESTMENT RELATIONSHIP.

ing growth by acquiring a competitor or other company with key products, intellectual property, rights and licenses, and human capital. Before committing to purchase a business, it is critically important to thoroughly evaluate the target as well as its price, financials, and operations. In addition, consider post-closing integration issues such as whether the transaction will have an impact on key employees. This analysis will help ensure that strategic goals are both realized and sustainable over time. It is equally important to stay abreast of changing market conditions and how such conditions may impact agreement terms. In considering all of these factors, one must appreciate their company’s strategic needs both in the short and long term and have a solid, defensible foundation for the proposed acquisition. Much of this seems rather basic. But, when faced with great pressure to show results, decision-making can get clouded and mistakes can be made, including overpaying for a company. To reduce the risk of making a mistake, many executives seek advice and counsel from investment bankers and lawyers.

the purchase price? What terms of the transaction are problematic and can be negotiated? Whether representing a buyer or seller, the experienced investment banker understands the complexities of the proposed transaction and works to ensure that his or her client’s interests are maximized.

Investment Bankers

Lawyers refine the deal terms, consider legal risks arising out of a transaction, document the transaction, and work to minimize the legal and financial exposure for their client. An experienced lawyer shares knowledge of market deal terms and identifies reasonable and market-driven solutions to hurdles that arise in the transaction, thereby avoiding unnecessary controversy and delays. Lawyers are also critical to the fact-finding or “due diligence” process. Due diligence is a process where attorneys make a detailed evaluation of all facts and company documents to, among other things, develop an understanding of the company, its competitive position in its industry, and the potential synergies of combining the businesses. An attorney will test assumptions and otherwise determine whether the parties should proceed with a transaction and whether the price makes sense. For example, consider a company that has products reliant on patents and trademarks. Prior to any sale, it is critical to ensure that all governmental intellectual property registrations are in order. Flawed registrations adversely affect legal rights which, in turn, impact the company’s value. When sellers wish to limit their representations to the buyer, lawyers can assist the parties by helping them allocate risk. For example, it may be appropriate to discuss representation and warranty insurance. Such insurance may increase the sales price and proceeds to the seller and its stakeholders. Similarly, some transactions can be structured with an ESOP, which frequently results in additional proceeds to stakeholders.

Think About Tax Considerations Sufficiently in Advance

Tax considerations are important in every M&A transaction. Sellers exiting their business may receive substantial cash and have concerns regarding capital gains taxes and other taxes. Likewise, the buyer will have its own tax impacts to consider. The key is planning. Taxes should never be an afterthought. Indeed, ideally, the tax impact of a sale should be evaluated at least two years in advance of any sale to maximize tax benefits to the seller and buyer. With proper planning ahead of time, a seller will often receive a higher sales price. As noted above, an M&A transaction is about creating value. Thoughtful tax planning is essential to this goal and should not be delayed.

C-Suite Advisory Levinson

If an M&A transaction is an orchestra, the investment banker is the conductor. The investment banker performs market research and analysis, using complex financial models to help a proposed seller or purchaser determine the value of a company both before and after a proposed acquisition. Among other things, the investment banker helps a proposed seller identify the optimal way to market the company. The experienced investment banker will have his or her finger on the pulse of the marketplace and the ability to effectively structure the proposed transaction. The investment banker prepares the “pitch book” that is circulated to potential buyers, gathers bids from interested parties, negotiates the structure of the transaction to maximize leverage for the seller, finds financing when needed, and coordinates with lawyers to bring the transaction to a successful close. Likewise, if representing a buyer, the investment banker will analyze the “pitch book” and provide strategic guidance and financial information regarding the proposed transaction. Will the value of the company be diluted after an acquisition? What about key employees? How will market conditions affect

CSQ SUMMER 2017

Lawyers

these employees learn of a pending deal from sources other than management, they may feel insecure about their future, leave the company, and thereby affect the value of the company and the sale price. The seller may negotiate to protect its key management and other employees’ positions. Many sellers choose to inform their key employees, confirm their positions are not in jeopardy or that they will be reassigned and, perhaps, even agree that key employees will financially benefit from any consummated sale.

Disclosure to Key Employees

A company’s leadership team often plays a key role in a company’s operations. If key management is a critical asset of the company, leadership will need to decide when to inform these key employees about a pending M&A deal. It is important to avoid surprising key management and even key employees. If and when

Plan and Have Your Corporate Act Together

As soon as possible but perhaps even two to three years before selling a company, it is important for a seller to consider – with their accountant, lawyer or other trusted advisor – the state of the company’s business and its financial and corporate recordkeeping. Going through this exercise benefits both the company and the stakeholders. When a company is well-organized and produces clean, professional, and accurate data, the due diligence process will proceed smoothly and the company will enjoy greater credibility with all parties. Representations about the company, its business operations, and its profits and losses are less likely to be challenged or, even worse, disregarded. The value of a credible seller cannot be overstated. In sum, consider your short- and longterm goals. With solid planning and proper due diligence, you will stand in good stead to close a successful M&A deal. end

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INDUSTRY LEGAL

SPECIALTY FAMILY LAW

A PAIR OF ANECDOTES AND FIVE BEST-PRACTICE METHODS EXPLORE THE NECESSITY OF A PRENUP IN DIVORCE AND ESTATE BATTLES

It is wedding season, which means it’s also “prenup season.” Often, the mere mention of a prenuptial agreement (prenup) makes people uncomfortable, as if these documents and the discussions they prompt constitute a wholly unromantic anticipation of ultimate failure – even before the couple shares their first dance. In reality, prenups are necessary for anyone who already has children and/or has assets they want to preserve as their own separate property as of the date of their marriage, or expects to receive significant assets during the marriage from services already rendered (in part or in whole), from an investment previously made, or from a bequest, gift, or inheritance. High-net-worth individuals need to protect their financial interests before marriage. A carefully considered, well-crafted prenup is an insurance policy of sorts, should the marriage not work out as everyone hopes. Here are two scenarios we see frequently in our practice that indicate the vital importance of a prenup:

STACY D. PHILLIPS Certified Family Law Specialist Partner Blank Rome LLP Los Angeles, CA

C-Suite Advisory IT’S PRENUP Phillips

Stacy D. Phillips represents a wide variety of high-net-worth clients as they undergo the significant and often difficult transitions involved in divorce and custody matters. Over her 30-year career, Stacy has become known for her adept negotiation and highly personalized advocacy. A hallmark of Stacy’s reputation is that she truly listens to her clients’ needs, concerns, and fears, always with the highest level of discretion. Stacy is fond of saying that “how we treat others, how we conduct ourselves, and how we communicate during difficult times can alter the course of our lives and the lives of those around us.” Whether through litigation or alternative dispute resolution such as mediation, Stacy and her colleagues in the Blank Rome Matrimonial and Family Law Practice Group continuously seek innovative and compassionate solutions to achieve notable results for their clients. A graduate of Dartmouth College and Columbia University School of Law, she assisted in the drafting of California Senate Bill 924, which extended the limitations period for victims of domestic violence to sue their abusers in civil court. Stacy resides in Beverly Hills and is the proud mother of two grown children, Alison and Andrew.

Phone 424/239.3400 Website blankrome.com Location 2029 Century Park East 6th Floor Los Angeles, CA 90067

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SEASON

1. When an individual has children from a prior marriage, to ensure that they are taken care of in the event of divorce or death during a subsequent marriage; 2. When an individual’s family has substantial wealth, to insure that separate funds used during the marriage to purchase a home, vacation property, fine art, or other valuable assets remain their separate property (unless there is a written intention to gift it to the marital estate/community property).

How does a prenup affect estate plans? A Last Will and Testament can be changed until a person is no longer competent to make decisions or he or she dies. Prenups are contracts in which parties oftentimes obligate themselves to die with a Last Will and Testament in place which makes provision for the surviving spouse. With such a prenup in place, a non-monied spouse never has to worry if he or she will be protected upon the death of the other spouse. It is commonplace to have a prenup with a provision which creates a trust paying income for life (and thus ensuring the surviving, less-monied spouse lives a comfortable lifestyle) while principal is preserved for and passes to the deceased spouse’s children or grandchildren upon the death of the surviving spouse. It is also commonplace to have a

QUOTE:

AFTER MORE THAN 30 YEARS OF MEETING CLIENTS WHEN MARRIAGES HAVE FAILED, I APPRECIATE THAT A THOUGHTFULLY DISCUSSED, THOROUGH, AND WELL-EXECUTED PRENUPTIAL AGREEMENT CAN SET THE TONE FOR A MARRIAGE THAT IS A TRUE PARTNERSHIP, AND CAN EASE NEGOTIATIONS IF A DIVORCE SHOULD BECOME NECESSARY.

prenup which provides a life estate in the marital home or makes specific bequests of assets or a sum certain, or provides for life insurance benefits which protects a surviving spouse. What is the right time to discuss and sign a prenup? As early as possible before the wedding. Neither party should feel pressured to sign something on the eve of the wedding. Moreover, prenup discussions can bring out issues between couples that need to be addressed, perhaps even in pre-marital counseling. At its extreme, this process can make both parties reassess their readiness to marry each other. At their best, these discussions provide a forum that forces couples to work through the practical aspects of marriage: managing money, raising children, allocating responsibilities of income earners and

caregivers, and possible religious differences. While there are no one-size-fits-all agreements, here are five cautionary aspects essential to every prenup: 1.

Each party should be separately represented by an experienced matrimonial/family law attorney or estate planning attorney. Lawyers who practice in the divorce realm, however, offer an added advantage: They understand the detritus of failed marriages, so they write prenups defensively. 2. The ultimate goal is to have a clear picture of what happens in death or divorce. If the agreement is too complicated or too vague, it wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t serve its purpose. 3. There must be full financial disclosure of assets and income of both parties.

4. A spouse who is successful in securing a

prenup which is punitive also runs the risk of having that agreement successfully attacked in the future. 5. Be protective. Be fair. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be greedy. After more than 30 years of meeting clients when marriages have failed, I appreciate that a thoughtfully discussed, thorough, and well-executed prenuptial agreement can set the tone for a marriage that is a true partnership, and can ease negotiations if a divorce should become necessary. And as later-in-life marriages occur with increasing frequency, prenups can prevent not only divorce battles but estate battles as well, and preserve the inheritances of grown children. After all, it is the peaceful resolution of family matters that matters most. end

C-Suite Advisory Phillips / Careerarc

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MICHAEL ABRAHAM

JEFFREY STEWART

Co-founder & Creative Director

Co-founder & CEO

CCG Santa Monica, CA

Jeffrey Stewart is Co-founder & CEO at CCG, a branding and digital marketing agency based in Santa Monica. Jeffrey has provided strategic branding, marketing, and technology expertise to companies from Fortune 50 brands to early-stage startups. He brings a lifelong passion for building companies that tap into the ever-changing digital frontier. With more than 15 years of digital marketing, investment banking, and entrepreneurial experience, Stewart has been at the forefront of new technologies and digital transformations across industries. He cultivates an active presence in the community including advisory work with Sports Spectacular, which links world-class athletes and innovative medical research to advance healthier futures for all.

Email jstewart@ccg.la michael@ccg.la Website ccg.la Location 312 Arizona Avenue Santa Monica, CA 90401

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C-SUITE ADVISORY

SPECIALTY DIGITAL AGENCY

ACCELERATING TRANSFORMATION TO LEVERAGE THE OPPORTUNITIES OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES

On December 7, 1963, a 29-year-old television director premiered a new invention during the Army vs. Navy football game that he called the instant replay. Whether he anticipated its impact on the entire sports experience for everyone from players to audiences to owners, or simply thought he was lessening the referees’ workload, is unclear. Today, instant replay technology has evolved to be a standard practice of sports entertainment, and with it, the emphasis on “how” you play the game has gone from motivational cliche invoked by coaches in the locker room to mission-critical detail that decides championships. The embrace of technology by the sports and entertainment industries, though dramatically significant, is hardly unique. As business owners in 2017, we’ve witnessed digital technology’s inevitable infiltration of industries across the spectrum, even those once thought relatively immune. The opportunity to influence consumers, widening of the playing field for nimble, technology-loving upstart competition, and unprecedented power of branding and personalized consumer experience are just a few examples of phenomenons presented by the new digital landscape that have taken digital strategy from a line item to an ongoing, daily topic of discussion. Media and entertainment have been among the leaders in transforming operations and products to satisfy a digital appetite. UKbased technology market research firm Vanson Bourne, in partnership with Dell Technologies, conducted an evaluation of 4,000 business leaders from 16 countries across 12 distinct industries. Designed to uncover the effects and timelines of digital disruption, the results show 73% of respondents agree that a “centralized technology strategy needs to be a priority for their business.” Successful organizations focus on adopting diverse platforms to attract larger audiences, utilizing technology and branding across assets to drive results, and implementing solutions backed by data collection and analysis.

C-Suite DIGITAL Advisory TRANS- FORMATION Abraham

Michael Abraham is Creative Director and Co-founder of CCG. Abraham is a digital and branding innovator with more than 15 years experience. He ensures CCG’s position on the edge of interactive landscapes through the development of next-generation solutions for clients. Abraham has collaborated with over 500 companies globally and advised over 200 startups, including Cleversafe (an IBM Company), Human Touch, Beats by Dre, Fuck Cancer, and PrimeSport.

Phone 424/248.3971

INDUSTRY MARKETING

IN SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

New Platforms, New Audiences

According to the same Dell survey, “72% of respondents [are] expanding their software development capabilities.” Even the heaviest of hitters in digital media are reaching to new areas. In 2016, Facebook launched Facebook Sports Stadium, an interactive hub for fans

MORE THAN COLLECTING VALUABLE DATA ON FAN BEHAVIOR, SUCH AS PEAK TIMES FOR FOOD ORDERING AND PARKING HABITS, LEVIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S STADIUM AND THE 49ERS ACCRUED AN ADDITIONAL $2M IN REVENUES BY DIGITIZING THE FAN EXPERIENCE WHEN INSIDE THE STADIUM DOORS.

to interact with games, teams, and players more intimately. In 2017, Amazon outbid Facebook, YouTube, and former rights holder Twitter, for the streaming rights to Thursday Night Football, a one-year deal worth a reported $50M.1 With introduction through the football, Amazon gathers a myriad of data points on customers and understands the potential for drawing a sports audience that will further explore Amazonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s expanding Prime Video service. Media and entertainment businesses are making monumental pushes to diversify their digital capabilities and push their brands further into the mainstream. The Power of Branding

A business plan with a significant digital strategy has proven to have greater opportunities for worldwide recognition. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Digital media companies are by definition global and there is an opportunity to do deals with them in 200 countries around the world where basketball is followed,â&#x20AC;? said NBA commissioner Adam Silver.4 Social mediaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reach of a worldwide audience has allowed more authentic access into a playerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s personality. Just as personal, relatable branding campaigns consistently see greater returns, utilizing personable, relatable athletes as branding opportunities has proven a lucrative approach for brand strategy. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Three years ago, we were in 100 million pay-TV homesâ&#x20AC;Ś[w]e now have 200 million smartphones that did not exist five years ago,â&#x20AC;? said Silver. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We need to work through this transition with our television partners. But my view is that this will be net strongly positive when everyone is carrying a TV in their pocket . . . We will truly make it up in volume.â&#x20AC;?

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St. Louis Cardinals have a system capable of pinpointing optimal prices for sales by comparing data based on ticket demand, team performance, pitching matchups, and weather. According to professors at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, this ebb and flow of ticket prices can result in a 14.3% increase in revenue.1 Digitizing the Experience

A side effect of todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s digital revolution includes changes in service industries. Before a game, fans can order food delivery through apps like Postmates or DoorDash, buy e-tickets through Stubhub or SeatGeek, and secure transportation to the stadium through Lyft or Uber. The only remaining experience yet to be digitized? The in-game experience. When Leviâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Stadium opened its doors to 49ers fans in San Francisco, attendees could use the official stadium app as their game ticket and parking pass, get GPS aid finding their seats, check instant replay, and order food delivery directly to their seats. More than collecting valuable data on fan behavior, such as peak times for food ordering and parking habits, Leviâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Stadium and the 49ers accrued an additional $2M in revenues by digitizing the fan experience when inside the stadium doors.3 Instant replay is now a classic example of filling a void we didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t realize existed but, once filled, its use becomes ubiquitous and its absence would never again be tolerated. Newly discoverable â&#x20AC;&#x153;voidsâ&#x20AC;? and their subsequent technological solutions constantly emerge in a busy digital landscape. A coach is still wise to urge his players to focus on the game over winning or losing. But now in business, thanks to technology, we can identify exactly how to play the game to return a win every time. end

C-Suite Advisory Abraham / Montage Insurance

Dynamic Pricing Models

More than enhancing the experience for fans and players, a sold-out stadium means maximum ticket sales, heightened concession and merchandise sales, and a more desirable product for television audiences. Although, the structure of ticket sales has laid dormant for decades. Today, employing digital databases and analytics, franchises can use a dynamic approach to adjust ticket prices and fill empty seats leading up to game time. In Major League Baseball, the

CSQ SUMMER 2017

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INDUSTRY MARKETING

SPECIALTY SOCIAL MEDIA

LEARNING FROM THE UNITED AIRLINES FIASCO TO ENSURE THE SAME DOESN’T HAPPEN TO YOUR BRAND AND YOUR BUSINESS

In today’s world of online, fast-paced information sharing, the reputation of a company can be completely determined online. How often do you do something because you read about it online? How many times have you read restaurant reviews on Yelp or movie reviews on Rotten Tomatoes? Have you ever looked up a doctor online before your appointment? People search all kinds of review sites before buying cars and appliances, going to restaurants, and seeking a medical professional. Besides review sites, many people will ask their friends on Facebook or Twitter for advice or recommendations and will go to a restaurant because of an amazing Instagram food photo of the food. The opposite is also true. Bad reviews, bad photos, and bad social media posts can be permanently damaging to a company. Understanding the depth and reach of social media as well as the impact it has on society is the first step to managing it effectively. It cannot be ignored because people are talking whether you like it or not. Large companies have dedicated teams who manage their social media 24/7 to diffuse potential negative situations before they can become viral. They also respond to positive reviews and comments. In the past, companies and celebrities had publicists. That role has become so much more. Your publicist, spokesperson, advertising agency, and marketing department all need to be in sync with what to do in a negative situation. Before social media, the saying was “there’s no such thing as bad publicity.” Today, with social media, there’s still no such thing as bad publicity - until the bad publicity takes on a life of its own on social media. A good example is the most recent United Airlines fiasco. If there wasn’t social media, that situation may have been a story on the evening news. But because of social media, United Airlines was a trending topic for over a week, giving everyone an opportunity to vent their frustration with the airline and talk about their bad experience. Previously, when people felt the need to vent, it would be to a family member or co-worker. Now it’s to their “follower base” which could be hundreds or even thousands of people. In the United Airlines situation, everyone just needed to add the #UnitedAirlines hashtag to offer their opinion or comments on the situation and everyone could see it. It is too soon to see the negative impact it will have on the airline, but

JENNIFER HURLESS Founder & CCS Go Be Social Media Agoura Hills, CA

C-Suite Advisory THEHurless

With more than 10 years’ experience in online marketing, brand management, digital strategies, social media, content marketing, search engine optimization, social media training, and reputation management, Jennifer Hurless has lent her expertise to a variety of national and Los Angeles–based companies. These include businesses focused on food/wine/spirit, real estate, beauty/ skin care, entertainment, fashion, hospitality, retail, and travel as well as sports and nonprofit organizations. You can follow her everywhere online, including Twitter (@jennhurless), Facebook, Linkedin, Google Plus, Instagram, Pinterest, Snapchat, and any other new platform that has launched since this was written.

Phone 888/603.5528 Email owner@gobesocialmedia.com Website gobesocialmedia.com Location 28914 Roadside Drive Suite #204 Agoura Hills, CA 91301

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C-SUITE ADVISORY

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN REPUTATION MANAGEMENT AND SOCIAL MEDIA

QUOTE:

TODAY, WITH SOCIAL MEDIA, THERE’S STILL NO SUCH THING AS BAD PUBLICITY — UNTIL THE BAD PUBLICITY TAKES ON A LIFE OF ITS OWN ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

if you’re given the choice to fly that airline or another, which one would you choose? This is where reputation management comes into play. The actions and how they are rolled out online from the marketing, publicity, and executives at United Airlines will determine where this situation will go. Social media does not only impact large companies like United Airlines. Ask a small restaurant owner their opinion on Yelp or one of the other review sites. If not managed properly, it can destroy a small business. Of people who have a bad customer service experience, 80% want to tell people about it, and 75% of those people will talk about it online starting with review sites. On the other hand, only 20% of people who have a good experience will actually post about it online.

How should reputation management be handled? The objective of anyone working on reputation management, whether it’s an inhouse team or outsourced company, should be to respond to and reduce the frequency of negative reviews and comments while promoting and publicizing the positive ones. If someone can respond to a negative review within two hours or less, it can usually contain the situation and sometimes even turn a complainer into a regular consumer. Having a response by someone other than the owner or manager is always best because they come from an outside perspective and don’t take criticism personally. Also, there may be some validity to the complaint. It’s always important to acknowledge that someone took the time to write it, listen, and potentially validate what they said.

Nike, Southwest, and Taco Bell are just a few of the larger brands that are doing reputation management right. They quickly respond to both positive and negative comments and even answer questions from customers when they can. Some large hotel chains have even created a specific customer service Twitter account separate from their main account to handle customer service issues. Social media is all about engagement and being social; therefore, responses to comments, praises, and concerns are vital to the reputation of the businesses. The bottom line is that people want to be heard, give their opinions, and talk about experiences. When they do, a business should be ready to respond. People will be more forgiving, come back, and spend more money when they get stellar customer service. end

C-Suite Advisory Hurless / Corporate Strategies

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INDUSTRY MARKETING

SPECIALTY PUBLIC RELATIONS

EXPLORING THE VERY PUBLIC TUMULT AND DOWNFALL OF A STRONG — AND IDENTIFIABLE — AMERICAN BRAND

MIKE SCHAFFER Co-founder & CEO Echo-Factory Pasadena, CA

C-Suite Advisory Schaffer

Mike is a founder and partner at Echo-Factory, a creative agency headquartered in Pasadena, California. Echo-Factory works with a range of clients, including established companies like MagLite, Audi USA, and Troy Lee Designs, as well as startups and smaller companies that are investing in rapid growth. The agency has been awarded many times for its work, including two “Best in Show” ADDY® awards. Mike started out as an advertising photographer, and partnered with creative director Dea Goldsmith to found Echo-Factory in 2008. Today, Mike’s primary role is as a marketing consultant and brand strategist.

Phone 626/993.3770 Email michael@echo-factory.com Website echo-factory.com Location 36 W. Colorado Blvd. Suite #200 Pasadena, CA 91105

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C-SUITE ADVISORY

WHAT HAPPENED TO ESPN AND HOW TO MAKE SURE IT DOESN’T HAPPEN TO YOU

INNOVATION IS HARD. VENTURING INTO THE UNKNOWN IS SCARY. BUT, AS AN EXECUTIVE, IT’S IMPORTANT YOU REALIZE THAT THE DANGER OF NOT INNOVATING IS A FAR, FAR SCARIER THING. ThePerfect LTCSolutiontm Less than 40 years into existence (ESPN went on the air September 7, 1979), the “Worldwide Leader” as it is known, is at a crossroads that will test both its ability to adapt to a new age and the patience of its parent company – Disney. In April, 2017, ESPN laid off more than 100 employees – the majority of which were highly skilled, qualified journalists and TV talent that sports fans from Boston to San Francisco knew well. This round of very public layoffs came just 18 months after ESPN let approximately 300 employees (off-camera, behind-the-scenes workers) go in October of 2015. In some ways, the cuts are difficult to understand. ESPN’s flagship program, SportsCenter, is a household name. And sporting events, the network’s bread and butter, are more popular than ever. In 2015, Americans spent a collective 31 billion hours watching sports on TV—up 40% from 10 years ago. The NFL, NBA, and MLB all recently signed record-setting contracts for broadcast rights, buoyed by the popularity of their products. ESPN alone is estimated to pay over $5.5B annually to sporting leagues for broadcast rights. But, at the same time, ESPN’s subscriber base is down. ESPN’s business model is primarily based on the “carriage fees” that cable and satellite TV providers pay the network to carry its programming—around $8 per customer per month by the end of this year. And, of course, the beauty (from ESPN’s standpoint) is that, when you sign up for cable or satellite, your carrier doesn’t traditionally ask you, “Do you want to pay an extra $8 per month for ESPN?” You just get ESPN, whether you want it or not, and that $8 is hidden somewhere in your cable bill. The problem is, just in the past year, ESPN has lost about 400,000 subscribers per month. So how can sports be more popular than ever while the sports network is hemorrhaging customers? By clinging to an outdated business model and refusing to innovate. Twenty years ago, ESPN was the place for sports fans. SportsCenter was where you got highlights, and the network’s game broadcasts were often the only place to watch many sports.

Today, the world has changed, and ESPN has been slow to catch up. Hockey fans don’t need ESPN to watch their sport; they can just buy a NHL streaming subscription and catch every game in HD. Fans don’t need to sit through a half hour of SportsCenter, hoping they see their team’s highlights. They can just look them up immediately on their team’s website. Or on a blog about their team. Or on Twitter. Or on Snapchat. You get my point. Ten years ago, ESPN was perfectly poised to take advantage of this shift. They had the relationships with sporting leagues, the on-air talent and the technological know-how to become the online destination for sports. And, instead of innovating, they dug in their heels. While one sports league after another launched standalone streaming subscriptions, ESPN staunchly clung to its cable TV roots. The forward-thinking executives at Major League Baseball launched their standalone streaming service in 2002. ESPN’s CEO said they were planning to launch a standalone streaming service back in 2015, and they still haven’t. When you’re making something like $7B in annual revenue from a soon-to-be outdated business model, dragging your heels is an appealing option. But it’s not the smart option. Innovation is hard. Venturing into the unknown is scary. But, as an executive, it’s important you realize that the danger of not innovating is a far, far scarier thing. Major League Baseball’s forward-thinking streaming division has doubled its revenue in the past four years. Heel-dragging ESPN is on track to lose about $3M worth of subscribers every single month of this year. Innovation is hard, but layoffs are much harder. end

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NOT YOUR TYPICAL BUSINESS ARTICLE

SHAY HUGHES President & COO Hughes Marino Los Angeles, CA

A DOZEN RELIABLE C-Suite TIPS FORAdvisory RAISINGHughes AMAZING CHILDREN

Shay Hughes is president and COO of Hughes Marino, a nationally recognized commercial real estate firm committed to only representing tenants in their lease and purchase transactions. Hughes manages the end-to-end operations of the firm and plays a key role in all aspects of business strategy, human resources, marketing, and client relations. She has been instrumental in shaping Hughes Marino’s culture, spearheading the development of the company’s ten core values, and investing great time and energy into building a world-class team of professionals who are not only at the top of their game in business, but also treat one another like family.

Last month I was asked to present to a room full of executives on advice that has been valuable in my life and could be of value to others. Considering the room was almost entirely full of men, I chose to speak on a slightly unconventional topic that I thought pertinent given the timing of our youngest son’s graduation from USC’s Master’s program just a few days prior. By way of background, I won the lottery when it comes to our children. My husband, Jason, and I have three adult children ages 26, 24, and 22, and all three are absolutely stellar people and role models. I wish I could take credit for them being as amazing as they are, but there is a lot more that comes into play than just nature and nurture. The fact that they are all impeccable adults is something that, in the end, they deserve all the credit for achieving. People ask me all the time, “What did you do to raise such amazing children – and not just one, but all three?” There is no easy answer to this, but as I presented to the room that day, I tried to sum up nearly 27 years of parenting in to 12 simple, albeit powerful, tips. Treat your children like adults. We have

Phone 310/277.3211 213/689.3211 Email shay@hughesmarino.com Website hughesmarino.com Location 11150 Santa Monica Blvd. Suite 850 Los Angeles, CA 90025 555 West Fifth Street, 35th Floor Los Angeles, CA 90013

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always been transparent with our children, sharing with them perhaps more than others would think is savvy, and looking to them for their wise counsel. Even at a young age, we talked to them about everything – from business to money to serious problems people face like addiction – so they learned how the world works and knew we had no secrets. We never hid anything from our children, even when others thought we should shelter them from challenges or tough times.

Invest in your home. Neither my husband

nor I lived in one house as we grew up, and we really wanted that for our children. My

QUOTE:

AS PARENTS, IF YOU GIVE EVERYTHING YOU HAVE TO YOUR CHILDREN AND MAKE THEM THE CENTER OF YOUR UNIVERSE, THEY WILL NATURALLY WANT TO DO EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO MAKE YOU PROUD IN RETURN.

husband’s family was foreclosed on numerous times in his childhood, and my family moved so often that I went to 11 different schools in 11 years. Having a house that our children could grow up in and call their home base was important to us, so we stretched to buy our dream property where we’ve lived for almost 19 years. Now as empty nesters, we are swimming in extra space, but we’d have a mutiny on our hands if we tried to sell the family home.

teering and going to charity events. Then we realized that all of those things we were doing “for” our children was actually taking us away “from” our children. So we scaled back and focused on being present with our children and participating in things that were with them, not just for them.

your parent relationship happy, then the lives of your children might be negatively impacted. Do everything you can to not let that happen. If life gets too busy, cut other things out, but always take care of each other, so you can take care of your children.

C-Suite Advisory Hughes

Travel. Traveling with our family is the single

best financial investment we made in raising our children. From driving a 40-foot motorhome all over the western U.S. over two summers, to taking three young children to Europe, lugging suitcases on trains and traveling to 11 countries in nine days, our family’s love of travel started at a young age. To this day, it is one of the things we still do as a family that binds us together, but the adventures have only gotten even more fun over the years. Together we’ve visited more than 60 countries. Nothing beats time away with your family experiencing something new together.

Have an unlimited budget for books – and really anything else learning related. The wonderful thing about this is there are countless free resources online, including thousands of free books on Amazon. We never said no to our children when it came to spending money on anything related to education, and for that, our children have been voracious readers and always had a deep love of learning. Focus on what matters most and don’t do everything. For us, two things matter: family

and our company. As a new parent, we initially wanted to get involved in everything – from coaching soccer to being room mom, volun-

CSQ SUMMER 2017

Trust your gut. No one knows your children

better than you do. My advice is to not take other people’s word for something. If it feels off to you – whether it’s a doctor, teacher, or coach – it probably is. Your gut instinct is made up of millions of decisions your brain is processing, and it is almost always right, but ultimately you must be in tune with it in order to be able to listen to your gut.

Say no – even when it’s not popular. Over

the years, there were some unpopular decisions we made that other parents frowned upon, but we knew we had to do what was right for our children. There were limo rides to formals that we passed on and sleepovers that we missed because we didn’t trust everyone else to do what was right. It didn’t always feel good to make those decisions, but in hindsight, those decisions were spot on.

Have dinner together every night (that you can) as a family. Even with adult children, this

is still a priority for us whenever we are in the same city as our children, who now live in Los Angeles and San Diego. No one in our family likes to miss family dinners, even if it means a late drive home from one city to another.

Parents, take time to nurture your own relationship. This is something we certain-

ly could have done better when our children were young, but the reality is if you don’t keep

Make your children your whole world and they will in turn make you theirs. I believe

that as parents, if you give everything you have to your children and make them the center of your universe, they will naturally want to do everything they can to make you proud in return. If I had to pick one of these lessons as the single most important one, this is it.

Be your child’s best friend. Growing up is hard. There is peer pressure, bullying, cliques, awkward stages in life, and people can be really mean – certainly other children, but even teachers and coaches. What children need the most is someone they can count on to be nice to them 100% of the time. To be their rock and their best friend. Stay on track and constantly course correct, so you never veer too far from the straight and narrow path. Teach your chil-

dren to do the same. Life isn’t always a perfectly laid out plan that you stay on target one hundred percent of the time. Just like a ship navigating the seas, chart your path and stick as close to that line as possible, course correcting constantly, and never lose sight of the path you chose, so you ultimately arrive right where you were aiming. No doubt many of these ideas are ones that you might already do, or are familiar with, while others may look new and inviting. Try a few out for yourself and see how they work. I would love to hear what you think! end

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C-Suite Advisory Directory

ACCOUNTING Harry Galstian Direct Tax Relief harry@directtaxrelief.com Tâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Shaka Lee Deloitte tshakalee@deloitte.com Scott M. Sachs, CPA Regional Managing Partner, West Region, Executive Board Member CohnReznick LLP 818/205.2609 scott.sachs@cohnreznick.com CONSULTING Majid Abai Concepts Rise, LLC majid.abai@conceptsrise.com Brian Barry Dale Carnegie brian_barry@dalecarnegie.com Brian Frankel Frankel Consulting Group brian@frankelconsulting.net James Harwood Total HR Management james@totalhrmgmt.com Kevin Parikh Avasant kevin.parikh@avasant.com Vlad Vaiman Cal Lutheran University vvaiman@calluthercan.edu FINANCE Ed Bagdasarian Intrepid Investment Bankers ebagdasarian@intrepidib.com Robert Dalie The Summa Group of Oppenheimer & Co. Inc robert.dalie@opco.com Doug De Groote De Groote Financial Group doug@degrootefinancial.com

Jim Freedman Founding Partner & Managing Director Intrepid Investment Bankers 310/478.9000 jfreedman@intrepidib.com

Martin Levy Corporate Strategies marty@corpstrat.com Lars Rathke Lockton lrathje@lockton.com

Alan Hopkins Manchester Financial alan@mfinvest.com

Gregory Stephens Tolman and Wiker gstephens@tolmanandwiker.com

Brian Levin Vice President Intrepid Investment Bankers 310/478.9000 blevin@intrepidib.com

Robyn Welch Managing Director HUB International 818/257.7341 robyn.welch@hubinternational.com

Marvin Padilla Intrepid Investment Bankers mpadilla@intrepidib.com

LEGAL

C-Suite Advisory Directory Rich Schuette Avalan rich@avalanwealth.com Larry Schnaid UBS larry.schnaid@ubs.com

Tristan Snyder Intrepid Investment Bankers tsnyder@intrepidib.com Jonathan Zucker Intrepid Investment Bankers jzucker@intrepidib.com HEALTH & WELLNESS Bob Perkins Smiles in Malibu smilesinmalibu@gmail.com

Carol A. Polevoi, LMFT, CBS, CPC Counseling Resource Center carolpolevoi@gmail.com Amir Vokshoor Institute of Neuro Innovation vokshoor@gmail.com INSURANCE Bryce Eddy Tolman & Wiker beddy@tolmanandwiker.com

Lawrence Braun Sheppard Mullin lbraun@sheppardmullin.com Will Chuchawat Sheppard Mullin wchuchawat@sheppardmullin. com William Mark Levinson Partner Thompson Coburn LLP 310/282.2520 mlevinson@thompsoncoburn.com Stacy D. Phillips Certified Family Law Specialist Partner Blank Rome LLP 424/239.3400 Steven C. Sereboff SoCal IP Law Group LLP ssereboff@socalip.com

Jennifer Hurless Founder & CCS Go Be Social Media 888/603.5528 owner@gobesocialmedia.com Mike Schaffer Co-founder & CEO Echo-Factory 626/993.3370 michael@echo-factory.com Jeffrey Stewart Co-founder & CEO CCG 424/248.3971 jstewart@ccg.la REAL ESTATE Carlo Brignardello Cresa cbrignardello@cresa.com R. Todd Doney CBRE todd.doney@cbre.com Jason Hughes Hughes Marino jason@hughesmarino.com Shay Hughes President & COO Hughes Marino 310/277.3211 213/689.3211 shay@hughesmarino.com Tucker Hughes Hughes Marino tucker@hughesmarino.com

Alex Voxman Latham & Watkins alex.voxman@lw.com MARKETING Michael Abraham Co-founder & Creative Director CCG 424/248.3971 michael@ccg.la

advisory@csq.com for Elite members who appear in print

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Koss Resource

120 Exhibits & Performances 124 Lifestyle Report 126 Proprietor’s Profile 130 Fine Dining 132 Business Lunch & Happy Hour 134 Required Reading

The praise for Sara Kramer and Sarah Hymanson, the eccentric duo behind Silverlake’s Kismet (p. 130), continues to roll in – they were recently named to Food and Wine’s Best New Chef’s 2017 list. Hymanson and Kramer elevate Middle Eastern food arguably better than anyone before them from breakfast to dinner, combining fresh ingredients with innovative ideas while honoring the cherished roots of Californian cuisine.

Culture & Taste

Part 4

Culture & Taste TOC

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Home Is Where the Art Is Latin American artists’ take on home Los Angeles County Museum of Art (Los Angeles)

OF NOTE

Exhibits & Performances A trio of Los Angeles’ summer exhibits and can’t-miss theatre at The Music Center By Callie Strull

Culture & Taste Exhibits

A Curious Boy and a Mysterious Accident An exploration of the autistic spectrum through theatre The Music Center (Los Angeles) August 2 to September 10

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CULTURE & TASTE

Like Kite Runner and To Kill a Mockingbird, another wildly popular book has been made into a fantastic play. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the NightTime, written by Mark Haddon, follows a young, intelligent boy on his quest to identify the murderer of a dog. While playing detective, he stumbles upon some shocking secrets. This play, written by Simon Stephens, gives insight into the mind of a child with autism, and there has been speculation that the main character has asperger’s, a disorder on the autism spectrum. Autism awareness has increased substantially

Pacific Standard Time: LA/LA Initiative presents a year long series of exhibitions throughout Los Angeles. “Home—So Different, So Appealing” aims to provide depictions of home by a range of Latin American artists. Architects and pop artists alike are featured in this exhibit. One of the up-andcoming artists featured is Camilo Ontiveros. In the early ’90s, Ontiveros migrated from Mexico to California where his work found its purpose. His art focuses on the intersection of migration, art, and politics. Many of his pieces are used to expose an injustice or initiate a link between two diverse groups. Often his artwork explores the connection between the U.S. and Latin America while providing an alternative narrative of their history. lacma.org

in recent years. There are numerous organizations raising awareness and searching for cures, and the increasing popularity of the book and play is responsible for continuing to raise awareness.

1. “Household Mutations” by Carmen Argote, produced with carpet from her childhood home and house paint

centertheatregroup.org

2. Adam Langdon as Christopher Boone in the touring production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

CSQ SUMMER 2017

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Looking Through LA Glasses An artistic tour through the late 1400s and mid-1800s The Huntington Library (San Marino)

OF NOTE

Through January 8

See earth as a luscious, beautiful garden overflowing with produce and nature in the Visual Voyages exhibit at the Huntington Library. While walking through the exhibit, you will be surrounded by Latin American artifacts spanning 400 years. The exhibit is an installment of the Getty’s Pacific Standard Time: LA/LA initiative, where art institutes from South-

ern California collaborate to examine Latin American roots in Los Angeles. In an exhibit intended to enhance your understanding of Latino culture, history, and more, co-curator Catherine Hess seeks to shed light on the connection between art and nature through Latin America depictions. thehuntington.org

Culture & Taste Exhibits 1

1. Vicente Albán’s “Yapanga from Quito,” painted in 1783 2. Throughout her career, Ella Fitzgerald (pictured) won 13 Grammys and had 14 Billboard Top 200 albums

The Queen of Jazz Turns 100 The Grammy Museum celebrates Ella Fitzgerald The Grammy Museum (Los Angeles)

Fitzgerald was one of the first singers to experiment with scat singing. Scat singing is when jazz singers use their voices to imitate an instrument. This increased Fitzgerald’s popularity and led her to work with big names such as Louis Armstrong. She also had a passion for children and often donated to organizations serving youths. She also holds the title of the first African American to ever receive a Grammy Award. Fitzgerald’s life accomplishments are celebrated through this exhibit.

Through September 10

“Just don’t give up doing what you love to do.” That was Ella Fitzgerald’s motto. The “Ella at 100” exhibit is a tribute to Fitzgerald’s legacy. Originally from Virginia,

grammymuseum.org 2

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GLORYA KAUFMAN PRESENTS DANCE AT THE MUSIC CENTER 2017 – 2018 SEASON UNTIL THE LIONS

NEW ADVENTURES / MAT THEW BOURNE

Performed by AKRAM KHAN COMPANY

THE RED SHOES

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Performed by T H E J O F F R E Y B A L L E T

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Left to right, top to bottom: New Adventures / Matthew Bourne The Red Shoes; Until the Lions, photo by Jean-Louis Fernandez; George Balanchine's The Nutcracker®, artwork by Ruben Toledo; The Joffrey Ballet's Romeo & Juliet, photo by Cheryl Mann; Complexions Contemporary Ballet, photo by Ani Collier; American Ballet Theatre's La Bayadère, photo by Gene Schiavone.

Lifestyle Report

CSQ Business Leaders Discuss:

Mark Birnbaum Co-owner CATCH LA

The importance of Los Angeles’ sports and entertainment industries on their marketing strategies

Luc Delafosse General Manager Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills

Joel Romero President California Coast Yachts

Culture & Taste Lifestyle Report

I firmly believe that both sports and entertainment go hand in hand with hospitality! Whether it is the much needed fuel, protein, and healthy organic ingredients to keep athletes and entertainers performing their best or providing the perfect ambiance to hang with co-stars and teammates to unwind or celebrate a victory, we sought to create a space that offered the perfect balance of both at CATCH LA. We feel we’ve created a venue and destination that we can market as offering delicious food, great service, and good vibes.

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The moment I arrived in Los Angeles from Paris I realized that sports and entertainment are a huge part of the culture in Los Angeles, arguably more so than anywhere else in the world. Recognizing that these industries are so deeply ingrained in the city, the Waldorf Astoria team and I have begun to work very closely with top names in both industries to support them as much as possible.

Sports and entertainment are large parts of the business ecoystem in Los Angeles and the lifestyle they represent absolutely impacts California Coast Yachts’ marketing strategy. Fans, aficionados, and celebrities all play a part in embracing Los Angeles’ desire for the luxury boating lifestyle. Our offices in Beverly Hills and Newport Beach understand the target customer and take their boating needs into consideration with a level of service expected by sports and entertainment celebrities alike.

CSQ SUMMER 2017

Exquisite Hancock Park Estate

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Located in prestigious Windsor Square, this stately traditional home on a large lot just completed an extensive restoration and addition. Designed by noted architects Hunt and Burns in 1914, this home combines the original details of that period with the modern amenities of today. The grand entry leads to dining room, family room and formal living room. The gourmet kitchen with large center island is completed by marble counters and pro-style appliances. The upper level consists of the spacious master bedroom suite with large walk-in closet and additional four bedroom suites. Basement level features one-bedroom suite and high-end home theater. The outdoor area is highlighted by beautiful gardens, BBQ area, pool and guest house complete with kitchen and one bedroom.

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WALTER MANZKE Age 49 Education Mesa College in San Diego Residence Hancock Park Family Wife, Margarita; two children, Nico and Olivia Mentors Alain Ducasse, Joachim Splichal Advice “Alain Ducasse opened my eyes to a different level of quality, attention to detail, and respect of product that I have not seen since.” Success Happy people LA Eateries Tsubaki, Felix, Parks BBQ REPUBLIQUE, PETTY CASH TAQUERIA, & SARI SARI STORE Located Hancock Park, Mid-City, Downtown Los Angeles respectively Opened Nov. ‘ 13, May ‘13, July ‘17 Employees Approx 240 in the U.S., nearly 500 in the Philippines What’s Next “Continue to grow. We have five projects in the works in the Philippines, but I’d like to keep seeing new things happen here too.”

PROPRIETOR’S PROFILE

Walter Manzke earned his stripes alongside Joachim Splichal at Pinot Bistro and Patina before working in five three Michelin-star kitchens around the world. Today, he and his wife Margarita have established themselves as one of the city’s most dynamic duos behind République and Petty Cash By Matthew Seukunian

Culture & Taste Proprietor’s Profile

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There and Back Again

Upon graduation, Manzke took a job at a restaurant within a hotel in La Jolla, California before spending nearly two decades on a culinary path that saw him cooking alongside Ferran Adria, Alain Ducasse, Thomas Keller, and Joachim Splichal. His first stop, thanks to an introduction from Octavia Becerra, was at Joachim Splichal’s Pinot Bistro in 1993. Manzke then lent his knife skills to a kitchen in Germany before cooking with Claude Fabre at Leonce in Florensac, ultimately making the jump to Alain Ducasse’s three Michelin-star Le Louis XV in Monaco. Though cooking within an Alain Ducasse kitchen is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, growing up in the kitchen with Joachim Splichal afforded Manzke several more “write home to Mom” moments. He would spend a couple weeks cooking at Thomas Keller’s The French Laundry in Yountville, California as well as at El Bulli, Ferran Adria’s now closed restaurant nestled in Spain’s Costa Brava, thought by many to be the best restaurant the world will ever see.

Photos: Marianna Jamadi and Sierra Prescott; courtesy of Sprout LA

It’s immediately evident to those who have dined in his current restaurants or eaten out of the kitchens in which he once cooked, that Walter Manzke is different. Whether it’s the old-school hip hop he has had piped into his dining rooms or the old-school respect he gives every ingredient in his kitchen (the same level of respect a three Michelin-star chef gives that ingredient, he would have you know) – Manzke is different and it’s great. Manzke grew up in San Diego, California, the son of a mechanical engineer and a housewife. Discussing his early memories of food, he speaks of family dinners: “Practically every night of my life we had a salad with lettuce grown in our garden. We would always eat something from our fruit trees. It had an impact on me ... the recognition of quality food that was sustainable.” As many do, he took a job at a restaurant in high school for extra spending money and quickly identified the shared thrills and joys of a restaurant and of team sports, right down to the adrenaline rush and camaraderie. The thrill was enough. He would study restaurant management at Mesa College in San Diego.

1. A sampling of taco offerings at Petty Cash, “a semi-authentic” taqueria 2. Petty Cash’s interior remains as invigorating and inviting as it did opening night, when it was still nameless 3. Manzke’s République, an architectural marvel, sits within a 90-year-old building 4. Cook Ranch Pork Belly & Chop, Asian Pear, Brussels Sprouts, Anson Mills Polenta 5. Manzke and his wife / business partner Margarita have a two country restaurant portfolio in the double digits

3 CSQ SUMMER 2017

When looking back on his stint at El Bulli and the lessons he gleaned from Ferran, Manzke says fondly, “I think a lot of Ferran’s ideas and his way of thinking are as important, or more important, than some of the dishes he created … the ideas and recipes that the world talked about came directly from him.” Though an unrelated thought at the time, Manzke would go on to explain Ferran’s endeavor in a manner that – in the end – I felt paralleled Manzke’s long and winding road to where he is now. “He was – a guy in a village on the Costa Brava – in the middle of nowhere – with everything in the world going against him but he pushed and pushed to create El Bulli, which became one of the greatest, if not the greatest, culinary creation ever executed,” he says. On the Shoulders of Giants

It would be more than a decade after he exited the El Bulli kitchen before Manzke and his wife and business partner Margarita (whom he met during his first stint at Patina in 1998) would have a place of their own. He would return to Los Angeles, cooking at Patina, before moving to Carmel with Margarita to open properties for David Fink – the most notable being Aubergine at the L’Auberge hotel, which the couple would run for several years. Upon his next – and final – return to LA, Manzke and Margarita felt they had been gone for too long and needed to reestablish themselves. Manzke and Joe Pytka reopened Bastide (which had closed a couple years earlier when Ludo Lefebvre departed) before Manzke took a job cooking at Church & State, an unknown commodity in what was then known as the Industrial District, east of Downtown.

Over the next few years, Manzke hit a groove at Church & State and otherwise. He began making week-long trips monthly to Chicago for Rich Melman of Lettuce Entertain You. Most important, he came upon investors and began looking for space near Church & State to open his and Margarita’s own restaurant. As fate would have it, he would open in a far more relevant space quite a ways west of the now trendy Arts District. Introduced by Melman to Bill Chait, Manzke accompanied Chait and the late Larry Silverton (Nancy Silverton’s father) on a site visit at Chait’s request. When their time together ended, Manzke confidently said goodbye to Silverton, adding “… if you ever wanna talk about Campanile let me know.” While the rest could be seen as history, it’s much more than that. The gist – Larry Silverton called Manzke a week or so later, Manzke called Chait (whom he felt belonged in the deal), and details of a lease were under discussion. Over the next few months, République would come to life while, simultaneously, Manzke would refurbish the nearby Playa space, turning it into a bar and taco shop in the cover of darkness – ultimately named Petty Cash Taqueria. The two restaurants, just over a mile apart, have helped to define Manzke and Los Angeles’ dining dynamic since opening. It is at République, within the very walls where Nancy Silverton grew in stature and in success, Manzke came into his own. Whether or not they have dined at République, Angelenos of a certain age are likely to have an opinion of the space it occupies. The building was purportedly built in 1928 by Charlie Chaplin as office space. Eventually purchased in 1988 by Larry Silverton, it would come to house Silverton’s Campanile until October 2012.

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Having cooked for the majority of his career (nearly 30 years now) in Los Angeles, the significance of the space he calls home is not lost on Manzke. He mentions the cultural impact of food in Los Angeles and what it means to him and his wife, whose baked goods bring the space to life early in the morning and help shut it down late at night. “République has something I had never experienced prior in my career, the building,” he proclaims, pausing for effect to add, “I have such

a profound respect for the building and I know how important it is. I am in a place, while the food and service matter, the space is so special … people want to be here. Nothing else I know of has the energy of this space. We are blessed to be here.” Success on Two Fronts

While Manzke has left his mark here in Los Angeles, he and Margarita have made an equally impressive imprint on another global capital

– Manila. Born out of a rather impromptu decision made with Manzke’s sister-in-law and one of his former sous chefs, the couple now own and operate nine restaurants in the capital of The Philippines – with three more on the way. As the Larry Silverton talks and early stages of République were coming together, the Manzke’s set out to open their first Manila restaurant – Wildflour. “We were opening in what was then just a neighborhood called Global City which, today, is a real city … with hundreds of high rises,” he says. Though most thought they would surely fail, Wildflour was a success and five years later, the Manzke’s have five Wildflour locations to go along with The Pharmacy – a play on drug store soda fountains where they sell gelato and ice cream – and a trio of Pink’s Hot Dogs they franchised directly from Richard Pink himself. It’s Pink’s that Manzke seems particularly excited about, considering two of them are in Okada Manila (a $4B casino owned and operated by billionaire Kazuo Okada). Keeping Busy Back Home

Though invested in two markets – literally – halfway around the world from one another, République certainly has Manzke’s attention. He’s introspective when discussing the restaurant, stopping to praise the success they have had thus far working untraditionally. Serving from breakfast through dinner – attracting two clientele to, essentially, two concepts is something he feels lucky to be able to do. He works hard, without question, but so too does his team – who he thanks, acknowledging how much they’ve grown. Outside of the République brick, he and Margarita have announced their next local venture – a Filipino restaurant at Grand Central Market. Titled Sari Sari Store, the restaurant will pay homage to the variety that “Sari Sari” encompasses in Filipino. Sari Sari Store will make three locations across Los Angeles so he and Margarita’s passion can be enjoyed locally, not to mention the nine sprinkled across Manila. As our time wound down, we refocused our line of discussion on his seminal achievement – République. It is in these waning moments that Manzke’s humility shines brightest. Of what is he most proud? His wife – noting that she has cooked in the kitchens of Spago, Patina, and Melisse. Is he successful? Not entirely, but he is proud of the progress he and his team have made, getting better every day. He feels there is always room to grow and that things can always get better. If he’s referring to his food, I doubt I am the only one excited for the “better” that comes next. end

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The District

LA’s culinary canvas continues to brighten behind new openings from The h.wood Group, the Sprinkles founders, and Josh Loeb and Zoe Nathan while Sarah Kramer and Sarah Hymanson of Kismet keep serving some of the city’s most ambitious food in recent memory

FINE DINING

Four Fabulous 2017 Debuts

By Brittany Fuisz

Pizzana Brentwood Neapolitan style pizzeria

Tallula’s Santa Monica Mexican comfort food Chef Mario Alberto

Chef Mario Alberto uses fresh, organic, and sustainable ingredients, many of which are sourced from the nearby Santa Monica Farmers’ Market. This produce, along with sustainably sourced seafood, gives rise to a menu whose highlights include grilled market fish tacos, lamb barbacoa, and heritage turkey tacos. As with their other properties, Tallula’s encourages diners to imbibe throughout their stay. The restaurant boasts an extensive wine list, featuring wines from all over the world. Kathryn Coker, who oversees wine for the entire Rustic Canyon Family of restaurants, curated the list ensuring the tastes of the menu and the wine come together from the first sip. Laurel Almerinda and Nathan (the baker extraordinaire behind Rustic Canyon’s delicious delectables) worked together to concoct a whimsical and authentic dessert menu including staples such as pan dulce and tres leches cake. tallulasrestaurant.com

Culture & Taste Fine Dining

When husband-wife duo Josh Loeb and Zoe Nathan (Cassia, Esters, Huckleberry, Molo & Olive, Rustic Canyon) opened Cassia with Chef Bryant Ng in summer 2015, expectations were low. But by the end of the calendar year, Ng’s masterpiece found itself atop many “Best of” lists. Loeb and Nathan have returned to the table, again debuting a new brand on the Westside, the area of Los Angeles the duo know best. Their newest restaurant, Tallula’s (named after their daughter), is nestled within the Rustic Canyon neighborhood of Santa Monica and offers visitors simple and refined comfortable Mexican fare.

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Pizza lovers from Pasadena to the South Bay can thank Candace & Charles Nelson – husband and wife power couple behind Sprinkles – for Pizzana, the newest Brentwood hot spot you don’t want to miss. The Nelson’s partnered with Chris O’Donnell (Scent of a Woman) and his wife Caroline, bringing a passion for Italy’s finest ingredients and classic recipes to the table. Pizzana demonstrates a whimsical adoration for the Naples region while masterfully utilizing science in some of the city’s finest bread baking. Pizzana head chef Daniele Uditi reimagines Neapolitan pizza, allowing his dough to ferment for a full 48 hours before adding consciously sourced San Marzano tomatoes grown exclusively for Pizanna in the Neapolitan countryside. The menu boasts a long list of specialty pies (all of which can be prepared with a gluten-free crust) whose toppings range from truffle to cilantro and zucchini blossom to crispy prosciutto crudo while also offering refreshing salads (perfect for summer) and a selection of antipasti that spotlight specific ingredients, letting them shine on the plate such as polpette al forno (wood-fired meatballs) and carciofi arrostiti (charred artichokes). During dinner, guests are encouraged to imbibe on Amanda Crawford’s curation of wine and beer produced by small Italian and California craftsman and indulge in the Candace Nelson-driven dessert menu, where she has debuted a Neapolitan ice cream terrine alongside Italian-inspired sweets such as salted caramel panna cotta. pizzana.com

Tallula’s Photo: Rick Poon // Pizzana Photo: Amy Neunsinger

Chef Daniele Uditi

1. From nachos to seafood, the menu at Tallula’s is inviting for everyone in the family 2. Pizzana boasts one of the city’s finest Margherita pizzas 3. Sara Kramer and Sarah Hymanson are serving some of the freshest, most innovative, and exciting food at Kismet in Silverlake 4. Delilah’s interior pays homage to the Roaring 20s

Kismet Silverlake Reimagined Middle Eastern flavors

Newly minted members of Food and Wine’s 2017 Best New Chefs list Sara Kramer and Sarah Hymanson bring one of Los Angeles’ most satisfying culinary destinations to life in Kismet. Though nestled in Los Feliz, this restaurant is undoubtedly worth drive time. The minimalist and quaint interior is home to one of the city’s finest Middle Eastern restaurants and one of the few places you can order rabbit for two – a feast that can definitely serve more than two, as it comes with flakey bread, roasted legs sprinkled with sesame seeds, a stew with the

braised meat, and green garnishes that are possibly too pretty to eat. Throughout the menu, Hymanson and Kramer pay homage to traditional Middle Eastern flavors (for three meals a day, mind you) while utilizing the freshness of California market ingredients. The perfect accompaniment for any dish, especially the rabbit feast, is the jeweled crispy rice with egg yolk and a sprinkling of pepitas and currants. These two dishes alone make for the perfect meal at Kismet, especially when washed down with the rose-lemonade spritz. kismetlosangeles.com

Delilah follows in the shoes of her predecessor – The Nice Guy – bringing a space to life and seemingly whisking you away from the city. Head Chef Rudy P. Lopez oversees a menu whose standouts include baby back ribs, filet mignon, Truffle mac n’ cheese (because why not), and possibly the menu’s most infamous item – Kendall’s Slutty Brownie. The cocktails were envisioned by The h.wood Group’s F&B wizard Adam Koral and are brought to

life by master mixologist Matt Seigel. We suggest the Pink Pussycat or the Loca Loni and no matter what, order a bottle of champagne after dinner and stay for the show. delilahla.com

Culture & Taste Fine Dining

Kismet Photo: Courtesy Kismet Los Angeles Delilah Photo: Aliza Sokolow / The Poppyseed Agency

Chefs Sara Kramer and Sarah Hymanson

Delilah Hollywood Dinner and drinks Chef Rudy P. Lopez The newest venue opened by previous CSQ Visionaries John Terzian and Brian Toll, Delilah offers a previously underserved trio – dining, craft cocktails, and after dinner entertainment. Paying homage to the Roaring ’20s, CSQ SUMMER 2017

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Sales and Sips

The diverse flavors of the city’s eclectic palate accent mid-day or after work meet-ups

BUSINESS LUNCH

HAPPY HOUR

BUSINESS LUNCH & HAPPY HOUR

LAUREL POINT Studio City

By Elyse Glickman

VIBE The former Daily Grill is transformed by parent company Grill Concepts into an Atlantic Coast retreat that comes with an enticing raw bar. BITE A generous lunch menu offers salads, sandwiches, and sushi. Select the lobster roll – it’s one of the city’s finest. SIP Make it a long lunch and order the 47 Ronin, which comes with a tableside “show.” OUTDOOR Yes MEETINGS Yes thepointseafood.com

HINOKI AND THE BIRD Century City

Culture & Taste BL+HH HAPPY HOURS 5:30 - 6:30p

VIBE Five years running David Myers’ Century City hideout remains as impressive as ever as Executive Chef Brandon Kida and his team lead diners on a journey through ingredients and techniques that span Asia. The dining experience, cocktails, and ambience are as good now as they’ve

FLEISHIK’S Mid City VIBE The vision of Food Network’s Eric Greenspan, Fleishik’s (Yiddish for meat) is now open near The Grove. Operating entirely under kosher law, from the cooking process to the observance of Shabbat on Saturdays, the Fleishik’s team is serving traditional Jewish fare from sand-

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wiches to salads and sweets. BITE Order the Zayde or Bubbe and ask for extra napkins. SIP Though Fleishik’s is – in many senses – a traditional Kosher Jewish deli, they’re pouring beer, wine, and spirits as well as specialty sodas and a great Almond Milk Egg Cream. OUTDOOR No MEETINGS No fleishiks.com

WOODLEY PROPER Encino HAPPY HOURS M–F 3 - 6p; Sat & Sun all day

ever been – plus you can now indulge in the early bird special. BITE Hinoki’s happy hour menu is short and sweet, comprised solely of the Okonomiyaki Burger which comes with hot peppers, tonkatsu sauce, and a sharp cheddar on a honey potato bun. SIP Your burger comes with a draft beer or glass of house wine, but we suggest the Miyagi Mule. OUTDOOR Yes MEETINGS Yes hinokiandthebird.com

VIBE Adjacent to his experimental Scratch Bar, Top Chef alum Phillip Frankland Lee continues to carve out a niche for himself in The Valley with the help of cocktail connoisseur Devon Espinosa (formerly of ink. and The Church Key) and his wife / partner, Margarita Kallas-Lee. BITE Woodley Proper does not boast a happy hour–specific dining menu, but there are plenty of shared plates (or “snacks”) as well as sweets courtesy of Kallas-Lee. SIP All “Yorkshire” cocktails are $5 during happy hour; simply choose the size of the pour and the liquor (vodka, tequila, gin) while Espinosa and his team handle the rest. OUTDOOR No MEETINGS No woodleyproper.com

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REQUIRED READING

Learning From the Best

A trio of books that teaches leadership and inspires confidence through the stories of Olympic legends and sports icons like Abby Wambach and Robin Roberts as well as an overlooked figure in Olympic history – Pierre de Coubertin By Chris Coronel

The Idealist: The Story of Baron Pierre de Coubertin George Hirthler Ringworks Press | 540 pages

PLOT Baron Pierre de Coubertin is credited with resurrecting the Olympic games more than a century ago. The challenges he overcame in bringing the Games into the modern age are skillfully recounted by Hirthler, a respected historian in this realm. MEAT The book follows the different stages in Coubertin’s life and the changes the Olympics has undergone throughout the years. Coubertin’s early research and efforts put into advocating physical education and sport as part of school curriculum manifested in the creation of the modern Olympic games.

Culture & Taste Required Reading

TWIST Coubertin’s ideals are regularly challenged by politics behind organizations and businesses. However, his relentless fervor is portrayed beautifully in Hirthler’s storytelling. With Coubertin striving for unification of the world through sport, this book reminds us that we are at our best when we hold each other up.

Game Changers: The Unsung Heroines of Sports History Molly Schiot Simon & Schuster | 320 pages

PLOT Molly Schiot writes about the influential female sports figures who have helped pave the way for women in sports today. MEAT The book contains rare photos and interviews of both past and present female athletes and sports figures such as Abby Wambach, former U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team Captain, and ESPN SportsCenter anchor Cari Champion. The book dates back all the way to the 1920s, featuring women who revolutionized sports such as the most renowned bullfighter ever, Conchita Cintrón. TWIST The Instagram that the book draws inspiration from, @TheUnsungHeroines, was started by Schiot in 2014 to feature a female athlete every day who has helped shape the sport and female empowerment.

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Choose to Matter: Being Courageously and Fabulously YOU Julie Foudy ESPNW | 304 pages

PLOT Julie Foudy’s professional soccer days shape the narrative as she strives to convey her life lessons through competition and overcoming obstacles while being true to yourself. MEAT Foudy delivers the message that all women are able to be leaders, expressing the importance of personal growth through teamwork, community, and self-reflection. Her conversations with her former Olympic teammates and other female figures such as Taliban survivor Fatima Noori and Good Morning America host Robin Roberts are woven into her message. TWIST Foudy played for the United States women’s national soccer from 1987 to 2004, winning two gold medals and one silver medal. She now works for ESPN as an analyst, report, and writer.

CSQ SUMMER 2017

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BERNHARD LANGER

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138 Visionaries Awards in Real Estate & Finance 142 EY’s Entrepreneur of the Year Awards

CSQ’S VISIONARIES AWARDS IN REAL ESTATE & FINANCE Held at Clay Lacy Aviation’s new hangar (below), CSQ honored Visionaries driving the region’s economy, and Visionary Projects reshaping the city’s landscape and skyline

CSQ SUMMER 2017

The Network TOC

The Network

Part 6

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VISIONARIES SERIES

HONOREES

CSQ’S 2017 VISIONARIES AWARDS IN REAL ESTATE & FINANCE

Visionary of the Year Therese Tucker BlackLine Founder & CEO Beny Alagem Beverly Hilton & Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills Owner René Gross Kaerskov HBA Co-CEO Jaime Lee Jamison Realty CEO Douglas Merrill ZestFinance Founder & CEO VISIONARY PROJECT AWARDS

At Clay Lacy Aviation’s new $10M private hangar, CSQ honored its 2017 CSQ Visionaries in Real Estate & Finance – entrepreneurs, business leaders, and world-class designers whose determination and vision have helped build companies, stadiums, and legacies. The evening’s primary honoree was 2017 Visionary of the Year in Real Estate & Finance Therese Tucker, Founder & CEO of BlackLine. Tucker took BlackLine (BL, Mkt Cap: $1.6B), a cloud computing software company, public in October 2016 and has since received multiple awards, including IPO of the Year from ACG LA. Also honored as Visionaries were: Jaime Lee, CEO, Jamison Realty (a division of her family business, Jamison – LA County’s largest private landlord); Douglas Merrill, Founder & CEO, ZestFinance; René Gross Kaerskov, Co-CEO, HBA; Beny Alagem, Owner, Beverly Hilton and Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills. A trio of Visionary Project Awards were also given to Bruce Makowsky for his record-setting $250M spec home 924 Bel Air Road; Scott Hunter of HKS whose team is in charge of LA Stadium at Hollywood Park, the future home of the Los Angeles Rams and Chargers; and Jonathan Emmett of Gensler for their work on Banc of California Stadium, home of the newly formed MLS team – LAFC. In addition, CSQ presented a Thought Leader Award to Dun & Bradstreet Vice Chairman Jeff Stibel and a Restaurateur Award to Plan Check Kitchen + Bar Founder Terry Heller. Award winners and attendees from CSQ’s network – comprised of C-Suite Executives, NextGen Entrepreneurs, and C-Suite Advisors – enjoyed catering by Plan Check, tastings by The Macallan, and cocktails crafted by Nolet’s Gin while getting up close and personal with a pair of private jets, a $2.5M Marathon luxury motorcoach, Meridith Baer Home stagings, and a pair of Karma Revero automobiles.

Bruce Makowsky 924 Bel Air Road Jonathan Emmett, Gensler Banc of California Stadium Scott Hunter, HKS LA Stadium & Hollywood Park

The Network Visionaries Awards

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THE NETWORK

THOUGHT LEADER AWARD Jeff Stibel Dun & Bradstreet Vice Chairman RESTAURATEUR AWARD Terry Heller Plan Check Kitchen + Bar Founder

The Network Visionaries Awards 7

1 Tom Unterman, David Wurth, Scott Hunter 2 Jeff Stibel 3 Clay Lacy Aviation 4 Brian Kirkdoffer, Paul Kessler 5 Terry Heller and team 6 Scott Hunter, Tom Unterman 7 The new Karma Automotive Revero 8 Therese Tucker, Tom Unterman 9 Larry Freedman, Jonathan Emmett

CSQ SUMMER 2017

139

The Network Visionaries Awards 8

1 Therese and Brian Tucker 2 Bruce Makowsky 3 Jaime Lee 4 Larry Freedman 5 Scott Hunter 6 Jim Taylor 7 Alex Mallen, Spencer Gould, Soumya Jain, Gary Brennglass 8 Kareem Saleh 9 Bruce Makowsky, Marina Kartell, Joel Romero

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THE NETWORK

VISIONARIES SERIES

SPONSORS & PARTNERS Presenter Karma Automotive Venue Clay Lacy Aviation Supporting Marathon Coach 1

Staging Meridith Baer Home Patron EY Caterer Plan Check Kitchen + Bar Brand Partners Gemelli The Macallan Noletâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Gin Peroni Wanu Water

The Network Visionaries Awards 6

PHOTOGRAPHY Albert Evangelista, Vanessa Schram 1 Jonathan Emmett 2 The inside of a Marathon luxury motorcoach 3 Brand Partner Gemelli 4 Kathleen Dauber 5 Clay Lacy Aviation 6 Karma Automotive and Marathon Coach 7 The Macallan 8 Ben Pouladian

CSQ SUMMER 2017

EVENT CONTACT Tiffany Weatherman, tiffany@csq.com

141

ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEARÂ® 2017 GREATER LOS ANGELES AWARDS GALA The Beverly Hilton, Beverly Hills

Organization EY (Ernst & Young LLP) Award Winners 24Hr HomeCare, Consumer Services; Direct Relief, Social Entrepreneurship; HATCHBEAUTY Products, Distribution and Manufacturing; KabaFusion, Health Services; TaskUs, Business Services; TrackR, Retail and Consumer Products; Xencor, Technology; Yamibuy, Emerging Sponsors and Partners Founded and produced by EY, the Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards are nationally sponsored in the US by SAP, Merrill Corporation and the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. In the Greater Los Angeles area, regional gold sponsors include Tangram; silver sponsors include Avison Young, Ballard Spahr, Big Picture, Cresa, Acacia Wealth Advisors at High Tower, Vaco, and Woodruff-Sawyer; the media sponsor is CSQ; the public relations sponsor is Olmstead Williams Communications.

Photographer Jon Delouz Event Contact Jackie Salama 213/977.3853, jackie.salama@ey.com

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The Network EY 33

1 Tyner Brenneman-Slay, Ryan Iwamoto, David Allerby 2 Scott Porter, April Spencer 3 Roger Spencer, April Spencer, Kamran Pourzanjani 5 Bryce Maddock, Jaspar Weir 6 Daniel Broukhim, Katie Rosen Kitchens, Michael Broukhim 7 Gil Elbaz

Choura Events

INDEX PEOPLE Abloh, Virgil Adria, Ferran Alberto, Mario Argue, John Benoit, Joan Birnbaum, Mark Breithaupt, Jennifer Bryant, Kobe Cable, Candace Carter, Troy Caten, Dan Caten, Dean Chait, Bill Chaplin, Charlie Chazelle, Damien Clifford, Steve Codikow, David Conrad, Corey Curry, Steph Davis, Anthony DeFrantz, Anita Delafosse, Luc DeRozan, DeMar Devlin, Es Draves, Vicki Manalo Ducasse, Alain Eastwood, Clint Edouarde, Danielle Eiserman, Rick Evans, Janet Ezell, Steve Felix, Allyson Fields, Jackie Fitzgerald, Ella Foley, William Foudy, Julie Fukunaga, Cary Garcetti, Eric Glover, Donald Gordon, Russell Graham, Don Graunke, Terry Gray Edwards, David Harden, James Hirthler, George Huberman, Erik Hymanson, Sarah Jain, Soumya James, Lebron Jeter, Derek Johnson, Rafer Jones Farquhar, Marion Jordan, Michael Kayne, Ric Keller, Thomas Kerkorian, Kirk Kramer, Sara Kurtzman, Alex Kwan, Michelle Lee, Erica Lee, Phillip Frankland Leslie, Lisa Lewis, Carl Lewit, Vivien Lin, Justin Lopez, Rudy P. Louganis, Greg Manzke, Margarita Manzke, Walter Masekela, Sal May-Treanor, Misty

144

COMPANIES 62 126 130 77 78 124 62 51, 82 54 72 24 24 127 127 62 51 62 50 22 24 54 124 54 62 53 126 22, 79 61 66 54, 80 50 80 53 122 95 134 62 72 62 51 61 67 50 54 134 51 131 52 51 60 54 52 50, 51 90 126 76 131 71 53 52 132 54 49, 78 63 71 131 53 127 126 64 54

McCloskey, Melody McCormack, Todd Merrill, Rick Moore, Caylin Mycoskie, Blake Naber, John Nortman, Kara Nye, Bill O’Brien, Walter O’Donnell, Chris O’Riley, Brett Obama, Barack President Ohno, Apolo Ornelas, Gabriel Ott, Tom Owens, Jesse Palmer, Arnold Pasteris, Lee Peele, Jordan Percival Jones, John Phelps, Michael Puck, Wolfgang Rabkin, Milana Rapper, Chance the Retton, Mary Lou Ridley, Matt Ridley-Thomas, Mark Robertson, Julian Robinson, Mack Rohrstaff, Jim Romero, Joel Ruggerio, Angela Saint John, Bozoma Santora, Nick Schiot, Molly Scott, Ridley Scott, Stuart Shakur, Tupac Silverton, Larry Silverton, Nancy Simril, Renata Spanos, Alex Spanos, A.G. Spanos, Dean Spanos, John Spieth, Jordan Splichal, Joachim Swift, Taylor Taurasi, Diana Terzian, John The Notorious B.I.G. Thomson, Brett Todd, Mackenzie Toll, Brian Uditi, Daniele Ueberroth, Peter Van Dijk, Jennifer Wade, Dwyane Walsh Jennings, Kerri Wambach, Abby Wasserman, Casey Wasserman, Lew Westbrook, Russell Williams, Serena Williams, Venus Zaharias, Babe Didrikson Zamperini, Louis Zeidman, Lee Ziffren, Paul

63 63 61 73 63 54 63 63 71 130 95 65 53 52 24 53 79 58 62 52 48 88 52 63 78 62 73 95 53 92 124 54, 75 62 71 134 60 65 65 127 127 72 69 68 69 68 60 126 63 54 131 65 90 53 131 130 73, 76 53 24, 51 54 134 72 77 54, 73 54, 73 54, 73 53 54 60 77

A24 60 AEG 60 Airbus 26 Amblin 62 American Express 77 Annapurna Pictures 60 Apple 63 ATEED 95 Audemars Piguet 35 Barry’s Bootcamp 61 Brainstorm Golf 22 BYD 63 California Coast Yachts 124 California Science Center 71 Captio 60 Caruso 60 Casamigos 62 CATCH LA 124 CBS 71 Chanel 22 Chargers Foundation 70 Chocovivo 63 Citibank 62 Concierge Up 71 CraftX 60 Custom House International 20 Cut 88 DC Media Ventures 62 Delilah 131 DJI 20 Dropbox 61 El Bulli 126 Engine Group 64 ESPN 66, 67, 112, 134 Ferrari 28, 30 First Travel 76 Fleishik’s 132 Flipboard 63 Four Seasons 88 Gensler 59 GT Kombucha 62 h.wood Group 131 Hawke Media 61 HiFiMan 20 Hinoki and the Bird 132 Hublot 34 Hulu 63 Iliac 22 Instagram 61, 62 IOC 54, 75 Jaeger-Lecoultre 34 Jetsuite 26 Kismet 130 Kite & Lightning 60 LA 2024 75 LA Clippers 63 LA84 Foundation 52 LACMA 120 Lake Capital 66, 67 Laurel Point 131 Lionsgate 58, 60 Loring Place 88 Los Angeles Chargers 69 Los Angeles Dodgers 72 Los Angeles Rams 70 Mercedes Benz 22 Microsoft Theatre 61 MLB 76, 109, 112 Myspace 63 NASA 71 NBA 24, 54, 109, 112

Editorial Index

Netflix NFL Oaktree Capital Management Omega Parachute Parmigiani Patek Philippe Petty Cash Taqueria Piaggo Pink’s Hot Dogs Pixar Animation Pizzana PopMark Porsche Red Bull Refinery29 République Richard Mille Riot Games Saks Fifth Avenue SBE Scorpion Computer Services See’s Candy SH//FT Slack Snap SpaceX Sports Innovation Lab Stance Socks STEM StubHub StyleSeat Tallulah’s TaskUs The Contrarian Group The French Laundry The Grammy Museum The Huntington Library The Irvine Company The Los Angeles Times The Music Center The Ritz-Carlton The Virtual Reality Company The Walt Disney Company theAmplify Thunder Road Films Trailer Park Trek Bikes Two Bit Circus UGP Upfront Ventures Variety Waldorf Astoria Waze WEVR Wildflour Woodley Proper Y&R YouTube ZEFR ZipRecruiter

62, 64 69, 112 32 36 63 36 34 127 26 128 61, 62 128 62 28, 30 63, 68 63 127 36 63 24 132 71 62 62 61 62, 113 62 75 62 62 70, 109 63 130 61 76 126 122 122 79 73 120 32 62 61, 86 60 62 66 22 63 63 63 63 124 61, 62 60 128 132 66 63, 109 60 61

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C-SUITE QUOTED 50

After picking himself up off the floor, Jordan did what champions do. He let his failure and disappointment drive him to be better.

We want to continue to be at the forefront of marketing content in our entertainment business... but we also want to be part of the overall change in the advertising business.

Everything we do is furthering our grandfather’s legacy. He has lived the American dream. He came from nothing... and really pierced through with hard work and determination... To have programs pushing his vision... it’s very rewarding.

Jeff Stibel

Rick Eiserman

John Spanos

I choose this, which means I have to do whatever it takes to succeed.

I believe in the legacy of the ’84 Games, ... I want to bring the games home so I can help inspire a whole new generation of young people to do whatever it is they want to do.

If you’re building a team, you can’t do it yourself. Even the best entrepreneurs in the world need people around them.

Renata Simril

Janet Evans

Angela Ruggiero

126

I believe LA is a perfect choice for the 2024 Games because the face of our city reflects the face of the Olympic movement itself.

I am in a place, while the food and service matter, the space is so special … people want to be here. Nothing else I know of has the energy of this space. We are blessed to be here.

The citizens of Los Angeles put aside their differences and welcomed the world. It was a good example of, when people care enough about anything, anything is possible.

Allyson Felix

Walter Manzke

Peter Ueberroth

146

C-Suite Quoted

CSQ SUMMER 2017

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Those who bound into the unknown create the future.

2017 Greater Los Angeles finalists 24Hr HomeCare David Allerby Tyner Brenneman-Slay Ryan Iwamoto

The Agency

Congratulations to the Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2017 Greater Los Angeles finalists!

Billy Rose Mauricio Umansky

Our finalists and their inspirational stories took center stage as we celebrated their achievements at our Awards Gala on June 15 — and announced our 2017 winners. To our winners, we wish them the best of luck at the national awards in November! To learn more about our Greater Los Angeles finalists and winners, or to find out how to nominate someone for 2018, please visit us at www.ey.com/us/eoy/greaterla. On social media, follow @EY_EOYUS for the latest news and updates and join the conversation using #EOYGLA.

The Bouqs Company

Gold sponsor

Silver sponsors

Media sponsor

PR sponsor

Direct Relief

Thomas Tighe

FabFitFun

Daniel Asher Broukhim Michael Barouch Broukhim Katie Rosen Kitchens

Omaze

Ryan Cummins Matt Pohlson

Ross Organic

Stephanie Leshney Erin Coulter

ServiceTitan

Ara Mahdessian

StackCommerce

Factual

Josh Payne

The Camp Transformation Center

HATCHBEAUTY Products, LLC.

Bryce Maddock Jaspar Weir

inMarket

Chris Herbert Christian Johan Smith

Dr. Sam Bakhtiar Alejandra Font

Gil Elbaz Tracy Holland

TaskUs TrackR

Clipper Corporation

Todd Dipaola Dr. Sohail Masood

Xencor Inc.

Cloudbreak Health, LLC

Micro Quality Labs Inc.

Yamibuy

Lina Hu

Jamey Edwards

Nationally sponsored by

Natasha Case

John Tabis

Founded and produced by

Coolhaus

KabaFusion

Karine Aylozyan

Bassil Dahiyat Alex Zhou