51 Most Influential 2022

Ben Griffiths

From the Publisher

Welcome to this year’s list of The Signal’s “Top 51 Most Influen tial” people in the Santa Clarita Valley.

Congratulations to the 51 who made the list, you are the doers and not the talkers that make this valley great. Everyone on this list is caring and compassionate and takes great pride in our community, making Santa Clarita one of the greatest communities on earth to live, work and raise a family.

Thank You for your hard work and efforts, it is greatly appreciat ed.

The “Top 51 Most influential” list has the same purpose today as it did when I started the list 18 years ago, to recognize you and all your combined contributions to this valley.

You may not agree with one or even all the people on this list, and that’s fine. This is not a science; and we encourage disagreement and debate. This IS however how The Signal sees the 51 most influ ential people of 2022.

We have had a challenging couple of years but this year’s list re flects us seeing COVID-19 in our rear-view mirror.

I would especially like to congratulate the eight new members to this year’s 51 most influential list.

All 51 will be receiving an invitation to our congratulatory lun cheon on November 16th.

Congratulations and Thank You to all 51.

Richard Budman Signal Publisher/Owner

6 Santa Clarita’s Most Influential 2022 • The Signal

Table of Contents

PAGE 7 No. 1 Ken Striplin

PAGE 8 No. 2 Kathryn Barger No. 3 Mike Garcia

PAGE 10 No. 4 Larry Rasmussen No. 5 Joe Messina No. 6 Scott Wilk

PAGE 12 No. 7 Suzette Valladares No. 8 Laurene Weste No. 9 Matt Stone

PAGE 14 No. 10 Justin Diez No. 11 Cameron Smyth No. 12 Jason Gibbs PAGE 16 No. 13 Mike Kuhlman No. 14 Bill Miranda No. 15 Bill Cooper

PAGE 17 No. 16 Don Kimball No. 17 John Shaffery No. 18 Carrie Lujan

PAGE 18 No. 19 John Musella No. 20 Frank Oviedo No. 21 Randy Wrage

PAGE 20 No. 22 Dianne Van Hook No. 23 Jason Crawford No. 24 Hunt Braly

PAGE 21

No. 25 Joe Caso No. 26 David Hegg No. 27 Mark Blazer

PAGE 22 No. 28 Lance Williams No. 29 Marsha McLean No. 30 Holly Schroeder

PAGE 24 No. 31 Cherise Moore No. 32 Don Fleming No. 33 Roger Seaver

PAGE 26 No. 34 Bob Jensen No. 35 Michael Berger No. 36 Tim Burkhart

PAGE 28 No. 37 Marlee Lauffer No. 38 Stephanie English No. 39 Jonathan Hatami

PAGE 30 No. 40 Wayne Crawford No. 41 Jim Backer No. 42 Colleen Hawkins PAGE 32 No. 43 Patrick Moody No. 44 Gary Horton No. 45 Ivan Volschenk

PAGE 36 No. 46 Kathy Norris No. 47 Cary Quashen No. 48 Kevin MacDonald

PAGE 38 No. 49 Denise Lite No. 50 Kathie Martin No. 51 Maria Gutzeit

“Santa Clarita is one of the best cities in the world to live, work and raise a family. Few have done as much as San ta Clarita City Manager Ken Striplin to make this city the amazing, safe and productive community it is. His influ ence can be seen in almost all aspects of Santa Clarita life, from our public safe ty to its business-friendly reputation.

— Richard Budman Signal Publisher/Owner

We make no secret about how much we love living here in the Santa Clari ta Valley, a community that’s safe with high-quality schools, excellent pub lic services and a real sense of the word “community,” despite having a popula tion or more than 200,000 people.

It truly is one of the best places around to live, work and raise a family.

There are many people who deserve to share in the credit for that. Many of them have earned spots on this year’s iteration of The Signal’s “51” list. But who, in 2022, deserves the most credit? That would be Ken Striplin, city

1Ken Striplin

manager of the City of Santa Clarita. He doesn’t thrust himself into the spot light, but more than any other single person, Ken Striplin is responsible for the quality of life we all enjoy in San ta Clarita, and even in the surround ing portions of the SCV that are not actually part of the city, because the ef forts of the city of Santa Clarita benefit those surrounding communities, too.

Striplin has been shaping Santa Clar ita since 1996, and during his tenure he has served in a leadership role in ev ery one of the city’s departments. Safe to say, he knows the city’s operations inside-out. Under Striplin’s leadership as city manager for the past 10 years, Santa Clarita has continued to thrive as a fiscally responsible city that iden tifies needs, then does what it takes to fill them.

With Striplin at the helm, Santa Clar ita has continued to be a model for pub lic safety, and, in cooperation with L.A. County, recently completed a brandnew sheriff’s station on Golden Val ley Road to meet the growing needs of

our local law enforcement officers. He works closely with the county Sher iff’s Department and Fire Department to address issues and develop programs that support the high quality of life in the city.

Public safety is a high priority for the City Council and for Striplin — and those efforts have paid off with crime statistics that are the envy of other cit ies our size, and particularly of other cities in L.A. County.

A few more highlights from Striplin’s official city bio:

• He was honored with the 2021 Award for Career Excellence in Mem ory of Mark E. Keane by the Inter national City/County Management Association. ICMA is the leading or ganization of local government pro fessionals dedicated to creating and sustaining thriving communities throughout the world.

• The city delivers an on-time and balanced budget each year. The city since 2012 has held the highest rating

of AAA by Standard & Poor and the city has been recognized for its excel lence in budgeting by the California Society of Municipal Finance Officers.

Striplin’s academic credentials in clude not only a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s of pub lic administration, but also a doctor ate degree in organizational leadership, which he’s clearly applied as an effec tive leader at Santa Clarita City Hall.

He does it all without fanfare or at tention-seeking, too. The average Santa Clarita resident may not recognize the name, “Ken Striplin,” but they should

Under Santa Clarita’s council-man ager form of government, Striplin is an appointee of the elected City Council, which has wisely chosen to keep him on board as the city’s chief executive for the past decade. If he were an elect ed official, we would wholeheartedly endorse him for re-election.

2Mike GarciaKathryn Barger

“ County Supervisor Kathryn Barger has worked as an incredible advocate for SCV residents, even though she is tasked with representing more than 2 million Angelenos in the 5th District, nearly two dozen cities in Los Angeles and more than 2,500 square miles.”

— Richard Budman Signal Publisher/Owner

Santa Clarita Valley residents don’t just enjoy countywide services like our Fire and Sheriff’s departments, thanks in part to Barger’s leadership. Barger’s constituents are also able to take advan tage of resources like the Vasquez Rocks Nature Center, Castaic Skatepark and the Castaic Aquatic Center.

Barger’s advocacy and work for her SCV constituents are why she was re soundingly sent back for a second term to the Board of Supervisors. Her abili ty to build bridges and secure resourc es are a big reason why the community now has a year-round shelter operated by Bridge to Home to help some of its residents during times when they need help the most.

Speaking of when residents need help the most, Barger’s work as chair of the Board of Supervisors during the pan demic demonstrated the importance of

having a strong leader in a time of cri sis. She was consistently the voice of reason and calm in a year that saw pub lic safety policy, a pandemic and pro tests all create significant concern.

Perhaps one of Barger’s most ad mired and appreciated traits is her will ingness to hold truth to power and call for accountability when there’s an issue that needs to be addressed, whether it’s Castaic residents who are worried about the speed on a local road or a neigh borhood that’s asking for information and outreach when a statewide mandate calls for a juvenile facility to be placed in the SCV.

Her commitment to taking care of the residents of the 5th District is also demonstrated in her calls for fiscally smart decision-making, always mind ful of the fact that her taxpaying con stituents ultimately bear the costs of all the board’s choices. Time and again, Barger is called upon to use her con siderable authority to support the city or help an unincorporated area out of a jam, and she always does whatever she can to make sure her influence is being used to improve the lives of her 5th Dis trict constituents. Barger is always there for the SCV.

3“Congressman Mike Garcia has been a strong advocate for our community since being elected to the 25th Congressio nal District, someone who understands what’s important to our valley. In a time of turmoil — turmoil that continues in the nation today — the 27th Congressio nal District needs stable, even-handed leadership.”

— Richard Budman Signal Publisher/Owner

Since being elected to represent the 25th Congressional District, Represen tative Mike Garcia, R-Santa Clarita, has helped craft dozens of pieces of legisla tion to support the families, businesses, veterans, public safety and health of the Santa Clarita Valley.

Garcia has provided leadership, and then some. He’s an advocate and de fender of the Constitution, and for what’s best not just for his district, but for the nation as a whole.

Garcia, a former Raytheon execu tive whose experience in the military and with Congress on behalf of his for mer employer, represenst great assets for the region at the federal level, as the region’s economy has been bolstered by industry surrounding our nation’s de fense for decades.

In Congress, he quickly gained his bearings, serving as a member of the Committee on Transportation and In frastructure and Committee on Science, Space and Technology for his first term

But Garcia also always makes time for his SCV constituents, whether he’s speaking with a panel of Latino busi ness leaders for the Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce’s Hispanic Her itage Month event or answering ques tions and updating residents with one of his town halls, which have been vir tual since the onset of the pandemic.

Garcia quickly defined his style of leadership as one who’s not afraid to speak out in order to stand up for what he believes in, which he demonstrat ed during his recent efforts to address concerns he had with the U.S. troop withdrawal in Afghanistan. An ardent supporter of our military, Garcia has authored or sponsored a number of bills that have supported the military, such as the Military Spouse Licensing Relief Act of 2021, which makes it easier for military spouses to transfer their pro fessional licenses when relocating.

Clarita’s

Larry Rasmussen

“Developer Larry Rasmussen of Spirit Properties has helped shape the Santa Clarita Valley with his professional accomplishments creating a legacy that will last forever. He has also made generous dona tions to most if not all the non-profits in the SCV, but one of his greatest qualities is that he’s never one to take credit or make a big deal out of his giving to the community.”

— Richard Budman Signal Publisher/Owner

Larry Rasmussen, who owns Spirit Properties with his wife, Peggy, have created a legacy in the San ta Clarita Valley of projects that will be enjoyed by families for generations. From the development of Centre Pointe Business Park to the William S. Hart Union High School District’s latest state-of-the-art addition, Castaic High, to facilities at College of the Canyons’ two campuses, many other schools and roads throughout our valley Rasmussen’s influence and accomplishments can be seen just about every where in the SCV, and in parts of Ventura Coun ty, as well. In both cases, his investment and support have come back tenfold in benefits to the surround ing neighborhoods and the whole community.

Beyond the Hart district and College of the Can yons, there are a number of community organiza tions that have benefitted from the generosity of Rasmussen, who’s also been a significant support er of the Bella Vida Senior Center, which supports seniors, and the WiSH Foundation, which supports junior high and high school education. Rasmussen has helped develop millions of square feet of real es tate from Canyon Country to Castaic with a stan dard of excellence that SCV residents can always be proud of.

Joe Messina

“In the last 14 years, Joe Messina has been a part of the Santa Clarita Valley’s largest school district, the William S. Hart Union High School District, helping it grow while helping to keep its scores and reputation as an area that has some of the best teachers and pro grams available.”

— Richard Budman Signal Publisher/Owner

The William S. Hart Union High School District consistently earns high marks among schools in Cal ifornia and nationwide, and its governing board is a huge part of that. Joe Messina has helped guide the district through a number of tough decisions over the years, helped it grow and expand its offerings and pushed administration officials to create new opportunities for students.

Messina has made it a point to support career technical education programs for students who will benefit from workforce education and profession al opportunities while in high school. Perhaps the biggest legacy from his more than decade of leader ship on the board is that he helped open the state-ofthe-art Castaic High, which is expected to serve and support Santa Clarita Valley students for decades to come.

An SCV family man, small-business owner and leader in education, Messina uses his real-life experi ence and a common-sense approach to help and en courage students to take any path possible to pursue their goals in education..

Scott Wilk

“Evidence of Scott Wilk’s leadership and influence on the Santa Clarita Valley can be seen and felt every time an SCV Water Agency customer turns on his or her faucet.”

— Richard Budman Signal Publisher/Owner

State Sen. Scott Wilk has been a consistent advo cate for SCV residents since being elected to pub lic office, whether it was a seat on the Santa Clari ta Community College District or a seat in the state’s Capitol, where he’s served in both the Assembly and the Senate.

Despite being a member of the minority party in Sacramento — actually, he is the leader of the state’s Republic Caucus — Wilk has never been afraid to hold truth to power or call for more transparency, in trying to fix a damaged employment system that was clearly overwhelmed by the COVID-19 crisis and left millions without much-needed help.

One of Wilk’s biggest attributes for his SCV con stituents has been his ability to use his experience and understanding of how Sacramento operates as a way to try and have a positive impact for local fami lies and the businesses that support them as much as possible.

Wilk’s positive influence on the SCV can be seen throughout the area, and as he continues to serve his second four-year Senate term, following two pri or terms as a member of Santa Clarita’s 38th As sembly District, his savvy from experience in Sacra mento, as well as his understanding of the needs of a small-business owner — having been one himself — we know the SCV is lucky to have his skill set on our side.

Bill Miranda

7Suzette Valladares Matt Stone

“Assemblywoman Suzette Valladares’ rise from a working parent and entrepreneur to the state’s Capi tol was a rapid one and, after a successful term in the Legislature, it’s one of the many reasons why we ex pect she could be on the 51 list for a while.”

— Richard Budman Signal Publisher/Owner

Assemblywoman Suzette Valladares gained her first job experience at a place relatable to many of her constituents, Six Flag Magic Mountain, before going on to serve as a district representative for the 25th Congressional District.

Valladares has always made family values a prior ity for her work, and when she left working as a part of Congress, she took a job as executive director of Southern California Autism Speaks.

She also worked in the family business, following in her late mother’s footsteps as CEO of Little Steps of Faith, a faith-based nonprofit preschool for un derserved families in the San Fernando and Santa Clarita valleys.

Valladares’ care for her constituents and their families can be seen in a number of her legislative efforts, including bills aimed at helping foster chil dren, a sales tax break for parents and a bill to pro tect victims of domestic violence, too.

However, she’s also supported development and small businesses as vice chair of the Arts, Entertain ment, Sports, Tourism and Internet Media Commit tee, and as a member of the committees that work on the state’s budget and higher education.

Laurene Weste

“Santa Clarita City Mayor Laurene Weste has been an advocate for keeping the Santa Clarita Valley’s natural setting as pristine as possible, while also bal ancing the needs of the business community. Santa Clarita residents are better off for her years of work on their behalf.”

— Richard Budman Signal Publisher/Owner

An ardent supporter of both open space and his torical preservation, Weste has been a strong voice for keeping Santa Clarita a beautiful, bucolic bed room community surrounded by acres of rolling hills and trails residents can appreciate.

Coming to the Santa Clarita City Council as a member of the city’s Park and Recreation Commis sion, she’s been a big advocate for the city’s develop ment of more than three dozen parks and facilities throughout the city.

She’s also served on the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy Advisory Board, pushing the agency to save the 800-acre Mentryville, which is both a part of nature and part of Santa Clarita’s history as an early boom town.

Weste was also a staunch supporter of the effort to develop downtown Newhall, which she helped over see during her 24-years-plus run on the City Coun cil.

As a board member for the Santa Clarita Valley Committee on Aging, which runs the state-of-theart Bella Vida SCV Senior Center, she’s also been a voice for the community’s senior citizens. Her de cades long commitment to the betterment of Santa Clarita has been an asset for this community.

“As leader of the Santa Clarita Valley Water Agen cy, General Manager Matt Stone leads the organiza tions responsible for managing our most precious re source, and his valued leadership is capable of guiding the agency through any challenges or opportunities that could arise.”

— Richard Budman Signal Publisher/Owner

Since joining the Castaic Lake Water Agency, Matt Stone has helped guide the process to create the agency that’s now the SCV Water Agency. The pro cess involved a series of mergers and partnerships that included several governing boards and a lengthy outreach campaign to communicate with the public about the legislation that created one agency to man age all of the SCV’s water supply.

While the Southern California region is constant ly in danger of dealing with drought conditions, Stone’s guidance of the agency always makes sure the SCV has an adequate water supply for residents and commercial developments.

Stone’s reputation has placed him in statewide positions of responsibility, including a spot on the board of the State Water Contractors, a nonprofit that represents State Water Project contracting agen cies. He’s also been chair of the Urban Water Insti tute, which focuses on education for elected officials.

How our water supply is managed will continue to grow in importance as the SCV keeps developing, adding new homes and businesses to the communi ty, making Stone’s importance sure to grow in the years to come.

Justin Diez

“The Santa Clarita Valley, much like the rest of the world, had many challenges over the last couple of years, but one of the biggest reasons why it stays one of the safest places you can live and raise a family is because of the work of SCV Sheriff’s Station Capt. Justin Diez.”

— Richard Budman Signal Publisher/Owner

The last few years were full of challenges in terms of threats to public safety and, for many it was a bit harder to feel safe when you went out. Crime surged in many places across our nation.

Capt. Justin Diez took the helm leading outreach and a community message at a time when it very well may have been needed most. The first-of-itskind clergy council is just one of the many ways he’s sought to create community engagement, includ ing the always-popular Coffee with a Cop meetings, where he and several deputies sit down and not only talk to, but also listen to members of the commu nity, addressing their questions and concerns. Diez has served in a number of different capacities for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department before be ing named to the SCV’s top law enforcement offi cial. This experience makes him well-suited to hold one of the area’s most important job — keeping res idents safe.

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Cameron Smyth

“Whether in the Santa Clarita Council Chambers or in the Legislature in Sacramento, Cameron Smyth has shown why he’s been a trusted leader for San ta Clarita residents for more than 20 years, and his experience with business and legislative leaders has been an asset for residents.”

— Richard Budman Signal Publisher/Owner

Since becoming the city of Santa Clarita’s young est ever member of City Council at age 28 in 2000, Councilman Cameron Smyth has been a mainstay in SCV politics, serving four terms as mayor since his first election, and then going on to represent San ta Clarita in the state’s capitol. Smyth’s ability and experience as a leader in the SCV were on display again when voters sent him back to the Council in 2016, after several terms in the state Assembly.

In the state Assembly, he was praised for the same kind of moderate, reasonable approach to govern ment that’s made him popular with Santa Clarita voters in four separate elections, even being named chair of the Assembly’s Local Government Commit tee, despite being a member of the minority party in the Legislature.

Smyth led the city as mayor in 2020 through a tough time for the city, which addressed a number of protests, as well as the life-threatening consequenc es of a global pandemic, which created new challeng es and greater uncertainty on an almost daily basis. In addition to his work as a vice president of state af fairs for Molina Healthcare, Smyth remains very ac tive in the community with his wife and their three children.

Jason Gibbs

“Santa Clarita City Mayor Pro Tem, Jason Gibbs has been an ardent advocate for the city since being elected to the council in 2018, and the city is lucky to have him as a steward as it looks forward to respon sible, successful growth for the future of our commu nity.”

— Richard Budman Signal Publisher/Owner

Santa Clarita City Councilman Jason Gibbs cam paigned on responsibly managing the city’s growth, promoting public safety and making the city the best place possible to raise a family. It’d be hard to argue he hasn’t done just that with Santa Clarita remaining one of the safest cities in the nation, with develop ments any community could be proud of, as well as consistently high-scoring schools.

The city has come up with a number of creative solutions to support businesses and keep residents safe. Keeping the city’s unemployment figures low er than our neighbors has been no easy feat as the challenges of 2021 and 2022 carry into 2023 — but residents are lucky to have a leader like Gibbs on its council.

From supporting local nonprofits to keeping di alogue open with local business leaders, Gibbs has been a representative who understands the commu nity’s values and is willing to give his time and sup port to uphold them.

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Bill MirandaMike Kuhlman

“William S. Hart Union High School District Su perintendent Mike Kuhlman leads the educational efforts for more than 22,000 junior high and high school students, making sure tomorrow’s leaders have a strong educational foundation for success in aca demia, business and life.”

— Richard Budman Signal Publisher/Owner

William S. Hart Union High School District Su perintendent Mike Kuhlman has provided more than two decades of leadership and direction for those filling the seats and writing on the chalk boards in Hart district classrooms, from the time he was named assistant principal of Canyon High School in 2001.

His steady promotion through the ranks to the district office, and now his position at the district’s helm, are a testament to his ability to serve students, as well as the interests of staff, teachers and SCV families. As someone whom former Superintendent Vicki Engbrecht called her “right hand,” he has a unique understanding of what it takes to lead.

Since taking over the district, he’s faced obstacles never before seen in our classrooms, from a trag ic school shooting to a global health crisis that tem porarily closed down every campus — but no mat ter what the challenge, he’s proven himself a talented administrator who understands how to help our stu dents succeed.

His ability to lead is an important factor in why SCV schools maintain their reputation for achieve ment and success.

“The Santa Clarita City Council is an important part of why the Santa Clarita Valley is a great place to live. Over the past several years, Bill Miranda has shown his capability in being a strong advocate for the business community during his time on the council.”

— Richard Budman Signal Publisher/Owner

Santa Clarita Mayor Bill Miranda has been a val ued voice of common sense and reason from the dais, someone who’s continually impressed and re peatedly shown why he’s earned a vote of confidence from his constituents. Miranda was a leader for the SCV’s Latino Chamber of Commerce, and then helped lead a smooth transition when the organiza tion merged with the SCV Chamber of Commerce to ultimately form the Latino Business Alliance. The LBA has been an active and useful network of advo cates for Latino business interests, and one that’s en joyed a wider reach and relevance since creating a new community partnership.

Miranda also demonstrated himself to be a thoughtful speaker on the dais, having to deal with a number of different types of controversy, from county and state mandates to national protests that have shown up on Santa Clarita’s doorstep. Time and again when tested Miranda shows what a capa ble and qualified council member he is. An entrepre neur, veteran and family man in the community,

Bill Cooper

“Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency board member Bill Cooper is someone whom the community knows can be trusted by residents to be a steward of its most precious resource, not just because of his experience, but also because he’s shown time and again he’s up to the job.”

— Richard Budman Signal Publisher/Owner

Bill Cooper, a past president of the Santa Clari ta Valley Water Agency’s governing board and cur rent board member, is a longtime water professional having worked for the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California for about 40 years. In his de cades of experience working with water, he oversaw the operations and maintenance of all five Metro politan Water Treatment Plants, which supply about one-half of all the water for the roughly 20 million people in Southern California. He’s also given back by serving as an adjunct professor for College of the Canyons, using his experience in managing some of the largest water-treatment facilities in the country to teach the next generation of water leaders.

Cooper has also been a longtime volunteer and governing board member for the SCV Child & Fam ily Center, which is just one of the many local orga nizations he supports with his time and resources. He’s also been a nominee multiple times for the SCV Man of the Year Award, which is given out each year to leaders in the nonprofit community.

Don Kimball

“FivePoint continues to play a major role in the Santa Clarita Valley’s development, and likely will for years as its latest expansion of Valencia continues to take shape. The future of the SCV is in good hands with business leaders such as Don Kimball to help guide the valley’s growth.”

— Richard Budman Signal Publisher/Owner

FivePoint’s latest development in the Santa Clar ita Valley, an expansion of the popular Valencia community, will provide much-needed housing in an area where there’s been so much demand due to their success in creating high quality communities.

Their latest development comes from years of analysis, planning and outreach with residents, an effort led at the local level by Don Kimball.

As a business leader who’s been a part of the SCV’s biggest developer for more than 30 years, first at Ne whall Land & Farming and now at FivePoint, Kim ball’s impact can be seen throughout the SCV. His financial acumen also has been an asset for the de veloper in a competitive marketplace.

Kimball makes a point of giving back to the com munity through his support as a partner for one of the SCV’s most important organizations, Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital, which Kimball has served on the board for more than a dozen years, in addi tion to his numerous committees and fundraising efforts.

John Shaffery

“John Shaffery of Poole & Shaffery is a leader at Santa Clarita Valley’s largest and most influential firm, which perennially earns him a place on this list for all of the important work he’s responsible for, from the advocacy and lobbying to accomplishments in the courtroom.”

— Richard Budman Signal Publisher/Owner

As co-founder of Poole & Shaffery, John Shaffery helped create the law firm headquartered in Valen cia, which first opened in downtown Los Angeles in 1998, before moving to the Santa Clarita Valley not long afterward.

For more than 24 years the firm has grown and succeeded in serving the local business community in many ways.

Perhaps the most publicly visible sign of the firm’s service and advocacy for the SCV business com munity is its annual employment law luncheon, in which key members of the Poole & Shaffery team share important updates with business leaders on changes in state law that affect employers through out the state.

Shaffery brings more than a quarter-century of civil litigation experience to support the firm’s cli ents, and has successfully tried cases throughout the state of California with verdicts in the last six years in four different counties. He focuses on product li ability claims, large loss and catastrophic claims, trucking and transportation claims, professional lia bility matters, toxic torts and labor and employment claims.

Carrie Lujan

“The City of Santa Clarita has enjoyed being ranked one of the safest, cleanest cities in the state and the country, and no one does a better job of com municating the city’s goals and accomplishments than its spokeswoman, Carrie Lujan.”

— Richard Budman

Signal Publisher/Owner

Since Carrie Lujan assumed the role of spokes woman for the City of Santa Clarita, her communi cations staff has garnered a number of awards for the way our city has consistently created fun, engag ing and informative programs for the public.

While Lujan is quick to credit the community and Santa Clarita City Council for the success of the city, her tireless work remains a huge part of why Santa Clarita has such a great reputation year in and year out.

Whether it’s creating a unique and original idea like Sammy Clarita, a small stuffed horse that’s been a part of a number of public relations campaigns for the city or soliciting input from the public for new community resources.

From coordinating the messaging during the cur rent pandemic to leading the outreach efforts to en sure residents are always as ready as possible for an emergency, Lujan’s experience in media gives the city a steady and practiced voice for its residents.

John Musella

“The Santa Clarita Valley has a diverse, growing and vibrant business community that is a point of pride for the city, and John Musella is someone who represents or works with practically all of its signifi cant business interests through his company and busi ness advocacy.

— Richard Budman Signal Publisher/Owner

John Musella continues to be a well-known, well-respected leader for the Santa Clarita Valley business community, a role he’s played in a num ber of different ways over the years. As principal for The Musella Group, he’s represented companies like Lennar, Starbucks and Westfield to name a few of the many. He also manages partnerships with just about every business-advocacy organization you can think of, including the SCV Chamber of Commerce, which he was instrumental in making it a force again for the community.

Whether he’s helping out a client with his expan sive network or advocating on behalf of the Santa Clarita Valley’s interests in front of a group of elect ed officials, Musella always represents the best in terest of his hometown and the Santa Clarita Valley. His proven ability to get results can be seen in the progress he’s helped the area’s business communi ty make in creating jobs and developments that im prove our quality of life.

Frank Oviedo Randy Wrage

“As assistant city manager for nearly 10 years, Frank Oviedo earns a well-deserved spot on the list for overseeing the day-to-day operations for Santa Clarita, no small feat for a city of more than 225,000 residents.”

— Richard Budman Signal Publisher/Owner

Great cities aren’t made by accident. Santa Clari ta consistently ranks among the nation’s safest cities, receives awards for the work of its communications team and is regularly recognized for its transparen cy and business-friendliness. Frank plays an import ant role in creating this consistency, as the one who manages a multitude of departments, from the per mit center to the film office to a number of events and innovations.

Oviedo brings more than 25 years of experience to his position, including a start in Santa Clarita in 1997, when he worked as a management analyst for the parks department and then its finances. And de spite having a huge plate of responsibilities, Oviedo has taken the time to show he cares about the com munity he works in with his volunteerism, including time spent as chair of the Michael Hoefflin Founda tion, a nonprofit that supports families battling chil dren’s cancer. We commend Oviedo’s excellent work on behalf of the city.

“Randy Wrage of Wrage Inc. has developed and managed a number of successful projects in the Santa Clarita Valley, and he never forgets to support his lo cal community with generous giving to nonprofit or ganizations ranging from the Boys & Girls Club and Bridge to Home to the Senior Center.”

— Richard Budman Signal Publisher/Owner

Randy Wrage manages a number of important roles for Spirit Properties, including the supervi sion of new business opportunities, planning, en titlements, financing and construction, which has seen him play a role in a number of important proj ects such as Castaic High School and Centre Pointe Parkway’s business park.

For the former, Wrage managed to navigate a countless number of rules and regulatory agencies to get Castaic a state-of-the-art high school it’s sought for decades. The development at Centre Pointe Park way is also a perfect example of the type of wellplanned, conveniently located business development that helped add jobs and stores to our community.

Wrage also has shown himself to be a leader of the nonprofit community by being a part of the lead ership for the College of the Canyons Foundation, the Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce, the Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital Foundation, the SCV Boys & Girls Club, Bridge to Home and the SCV Se nior Center Foundation. Through his support of nonprofit organizations and community resourc es, Wrage has helped make the SCV a better place to live.

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Dianne Van Hook Jason Crawford

“Since taking the helm of College of the Canyons more than 30 years ago, Dianne G. Van Hook has transformed COC into a recognized leader in educa tion for community colleges throughout the state.”

— Richard Budman Signal Publisher/Owner

In terms of community impact, it’s hard to esti mate just how much College of the Canyons impacts the Santa Clarita Valley, or the extent of the bene fits residents receive from having such a versatile re source. It promotes job growth and economic devel opment in a number of ways, whether it’s offering new career training opportunities, advanced course work that helps everyone from high school students to those seeking professional development and part nerships with organizations like the SCV Econom ic Development Corp. that result in attracting new businesses and more jobs to the area.

Van Hook’s leadership also has helped bring the area a second community college campus in Canyon Country, grown the number of programs and cours es to a seemingly endless list of options and made higher learning so much more accessible to so many more people in the community.

Whether it was broadening COC’s ever-expanding online options to help students during the pandem ic or making sure there were ways for students to get affordable textbooks, Van Hook’s guidance and leadership have been critical in so many areas for the Santa Clarita Valley.

“Jason Crawford’s business leadership and un derstanding of the community has helped residents in countless ways over the last 15 years, but name ly in keeping Santa Clarita’s reputation as a busi ness-friendly, family-friendly fiscally-responsible place to live.”

— Richard Budman Signal Publisher/Owner

An important figure in how Santa Clarita retains, attracts and helps businesses grow, Jason Crawford has been indispensable for the city. Before assum ing his new role of Director of Community Devel opment, Jason served as the Planning and Economic Development Manager.

A California Institute of the Arts alum, he orig inally came to work at Santa Clarita’s Film Office more than a dozen years ago, and he now leads San ta Clarita’s Community development for all of our business community and residents.

His influence can be especially seen over the past few years, when the city needed strong leader ship while the world faced a global health crisis and Crawford was given nearly impossible tasks but yet consistently able to help craft policies that saved a number of businesses. It’s no surprise that the city of Santa Clarita’s employment numbers quickly im proved as soon as the Safer at Home order was lift ed last year. Whether it’s creating more space for restaurants to safely serve patrons or leading the charge to bring back filming, one of the city’s major economic drivers, Santa Clarita residents are lucky to have a leader like Crawford on staff at City Hall.

Braly

“Whether it’s a nonprofit that needs guidance or a client that needs help with an issue, Hunt Braly, a partner in the firm Poole & Shaffery, is working be hind the scenes for the betterment of the SCV.”

— Richard Budman Signal Publisher/Owner

As the head of the Land Use and Governmental Affairs practice group for one of the area’s most in fluential law firms, Hunt Braly’s efforts in the area over the last few decades include important work with city of Santa Clarita and Los Angeles Coun ty officials on projects that play a major role in the SCV. He also has years of experience working with the state Legislature in Sacramento.

The projects Braly has worked on include Golden Valley Ranch’s commercial and residential develop ment, Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital and Vista Can yon Ranch, among many others.

Braly has the client list and experience — wheth er it’s advocating on behalf of local housing like the Tesoro Del Valle development, a local nonprof it like Bridge to Home or for regional nonprofits like Homes 4 Families — to easily qualify as one of the SCV’s 51 most influential people. Braly, an SCV res ident since 1989, lives in Santa Clarita with his wife, Pamela.

Joe Caso

“Joe Caso is a community-first businessman who gives back to support youth activities, he is also a family man who has roots in the Santa Clarita Valley and truly cares about where and how he does business and tries to make it a better place for everyone.”

— Richard Budman Signal Publisher/Owner

Longtime auto row business owner Joe Caso — owner of Frontier Toyota — demonstrates how much he cares for the community each year when he hosts the annual Frontier Toyota/Henry Mayo “Drive Safe” Golf Classic, a nonprofit event that rais es hundreds of thousands of dollars every year for Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital. The money raised at the fun, all-day golf event represents life-saving help for our local hospital’s emergency room services and programs.

One of Caso’s lasting and most significant contri butions is also an annual reminder for the commu nity to stay safe behind the wheel; the White Ribbon program he started here in Santa Clarita. Through the White Ribbon program, thousands of teens are reminded each year of the importance of making safe decisions behind the wheel, as the white ribbons are a reminder to everyone about those whose lives were cut short by car and truck crashes.

Caso’s dedication and care for the future are part of the great example he sets for others in the SCV.

David Hegg Mark Blazer

“Pastor David Hegg of Grace Baptist Church leads one of the Santa Clarita Valley’s largest faith commu nities. His influence extends beyond the walls of his church and sets an example as a family man, leader and person of faith.”

— Richard Budman Signal Publisher/Owner

Grace Baptist’s Pastor David Hegg is a spiritu al leader who’s dedicated to his congregation and who’s also been a part of the educational community at The Masters University since 1994. He considers himself a pastor, writer and Christ-follower, but he means a lot more than this community than those humble labels.

Hegg’s writings on faith and spirituality offer the wisdom and insight that come from decades of lead ership and knowledge, he shares regularly with read ers in his weekly column and in his sermons. The Santa Clarita Valley has faced its share of challeng es in the last 18 months, and every time crisis has reared its head, Hegg has been there to console and help.

A man who teaches ethics and theology, in ad dition to being someone who practices what he preaches in every day, Hegg seeks to set an exam ple with how he lives his life. Between his speaking roles, teachings, writings and work with his congre gation, Hegg is constantly connecting with the com munity and trying to share and learn perspectives with members of the community.

“Rabbi Mark Blazer has been a steady leader for the Santa Clarita Valley for years, a man whose re spect and influence extends throughout the religious and secular communities and beyond. He always uses his influence to bring positive forces together and build partnerships to help the SCV.”

— Richard Budman Signal Publisher/Owner

Rabbi Mark Blazer has served as the spiritual lead er of Temple Beth Ami for more than 20 years, but he also serves as a community leader in a broader sense for all of the Santa Clarita Valley. As president of the Jewish Life Foundation, he’s an ambassador for Jewish culture, creating educational programs for Jewish Life Television, which is the only internation al network of its kind for Jewish programming.

Blazer also sought to create educational opportu nities for Santa Clarita Valley students through the Albert Einstein Academy, which helped a number of students succeed in college.

He’s also served as a chaplain for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department,and as a chaplain for the California Department of Corrections for nearly a decade, serving across the state of California.

Whether he’s delivering a sobering message that the community needs to hear after a tragic event or spreading holiday cheer in a multi-religion commu nity gathering, Blazer is always there when the oc casion calls for a leader. Blazer carries on the proud family tradition for JLTV, as well.

Lance Williams

“The founder and CEO of Williams Homes, Lance Willams has helped oversee the construction of thou sands of homes throughout California, Idaho, Mon tana and Texas, providing a valuable service, espe cially in the midst of a housing crisis in the Golden State.”

— Richard Budman Signal Publisher/Owner

Lance Williams has said he knew he wanted to be a homebuilder from the time he was a child, grow ing up in Southern California surrounded by con struction projects. He and his wife started Williams Homes in Santa Clarita in 1996, and the compa ny’s most recent project is perhaps its finest yet: Wil liams Ranch in Castaic, which will have nearly 500 homes with 15 different floor plans off Hasley Can yon Road, and a 5-acre working vineyard near the entrance.

The community needs more high-quality develop ments like the ones built by Williams Homes, which help make the Santa Clarita Valley such an amaz ing place to live. His company continues to innovate on home designs and build quality housing devel opments from Canyon Country to Castaic, and the SCV will continue to be a place where people want to live thanks to the efforts of developers like him. While California might be struggling with a short age of housing, Williams is someone who helps our residents find high-quality solutions to the crisis.

Marsha McLean Holly Schroeder

“Santa Clarita City Councilwoman Marsha Mc Lean has represented the City of Santa Clarita for 20 years, almost two decades of service to the community to try and make it a cleaner, greener and safer place to live, work and raise a family.”

— Richard Budman Signal Publisher/Owner

Marsha McLean has served in the Santa Clarita City Council since 2002, having been named may or four times during her tenure, combining her ex tensive background in local and federal government. McLean brings a passion for transportation, envi ronment and business to Santa Clarita as a represen tative.

She’s helped the city of Santa Clarita grow and succeed, her concern starting before she even joined the council with her involvement with the fight to preserve Elsmere Canyon. That was the first of many victories she’s helped earn on behalf of the city. She’s committed herself to being an advocate for the transportation needs of our region, regularly push ing for more access for Santa Clarita Valley resi dents, whether that’s through trains, public trans portation or better care for our roads.

As an advocate for regional transportation, Mc Lean was a major part of creating the SCV Trans portation Coalition, which was formed to help bring more transportation projects to the area. Since its formation, the group has worked to obtain more than a quarter of a billion dollars for road improve ments and signal synchronization.

‘Holly Schroeder has been a huge part of the San ta Clarita Valley business community’s success since she’s joined it as the head of the SCV Economic Devel opment Corp. in 2013, and her leadership of that or ganization has been a true asset for the entire SCV.”

— Richard Budman Signal Publisher/Owner

Holly Schroeder, president and CEO of the SCV Economic Development Corp has been instrumen tal in growing, retaining and attracting investment from inside and outside the SCV. Under her guid ance, the SCVEDC has helped companies like Sunk ist, MechanixWear and Amazon, among many, many others find a home in the SCV with space for operations and growth. These companies help bring millions of dollars in revenue to the SCV in terms of tax dollars, jobs and investment.

Each year, business leaders from throughout Los Angeles County, as well as visitors from Sacramen to, gather in the SCV to listen to the SCV Economic Outlook Forecast that the EDC puts together to up date everyone on what’s going on in the SCV busi ness community. Through her work in that respect, Schroeder is constantly touting the benefits of the SCV’s business-friendly environment and look ing to improve the climate for businesses in the re gion, which she’s an experienced veteran at, having spent about eight years at the regional chapter of the Building Industry Association before coming to the SCV.

Cherise Moore Don Fleming Roger Seaver

“William S. Hart Union High School District board member Cherise Moore is an experienced and knowl edgeable advocate for education in the Santa Clarita Valley, while always keeping a positive outlook for its students and families.”

— Richard Budman Signal Publisher/Owner

It did not take long for Cherise Moore to establish herself as a leader on the Hart district’s governing board, bringing a wide breadth of experience in ed ucation that includes teaching, management and ad ministration.

Moore has worked to improve our education al system in the SCV and beyond with her work as a principal researcher for American Institutes for Re search, where she’s a part of the California Adult Lit eracy Professional Development Project (CALPRO). Moore’s extensive background in adult education in cludes membership on the California Department of Education’s (CDE) Adult Education Field Partner ship Team, the CDE Adult Education Strategic Plan ning Steering Committee and the CALPRO Profes sional Advisory Board.

Moore has shown herself to be willing to ask dif ficult questions from the dais or step in and roll up her sleeves to help out a wellness center or speak with parents, since first joining the board with her appointment in 2017, and then being re-elected in 2018. The future of the SCV is unquestionably tied to the success of the Hart district, which is why it’s so important to have caring and passionate leaders like Moore at the helm.

“As a leader for an industry that makes up one of the city’s largest economic drivers, Don Fleming of Valencia Acura has been a longtime supporter of San ta Clarita Valley Business, using his influence to try and make his community a better place to work and live.”

— Richard Budman Signal Publisher/Owner

The SCV Auto Dealers Association is the profes sional group for car dealers, which provides a vital tax base for the city of Santa Clarita. And Don Flem ing has long been its figurehead. The SCV Econom ic Development Corp. is an organization of business leaders that works to better the region’s jobs and op portunities, and Fleming is a chairman emeritus. A pattern develops.

Whether he is being recognized as winner of the College of the Canyons’ well-known Silver Spur award as a benefactor to COC or garnering the SCV Man of the Year, these recognitions are testament to how much he gives back.

The list of nonprofit organizations Don has been involved with also include Henry Mayo Newhall Health Foundation, the Child & Family Center, the SCV Chamber of Commerce and the American Heart Association.

While Valencia Acura was struggling mighti ly when Don took it over, it’s become a success that Acura has been awarded with the J.D. Power 2019 Dealer of Excellence Certification and more recent ly earned the Acura Precision Team distinction for the 15th time.

“As head of Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital for the last two decades, CEO Roger Seaver has watched the hospital grow and succeed right alongside the city of Santa Clarita, largely a direct result of his calm and considerate leadership.”

— Richard Budman Signal Publisher/Owner

Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital has shown time and again why it’s such an important part of the fab ric of our community. More than just a hospital, an important employer and major component of the re gion’s partnership of health care resources, Henry Mayo is part of what makes the Santa Clarita Valley so special, with its programs, outreach, opportuni ties and, of course, it’s life-saving services, as well as those that just improve our quality of life, day in and day out — a vast system of resources and sup port all led by one Roger Seaver who will be retiring this year.

Seaver’s stability at the top — he recently marked his 20th year as CEO in typically understated fash ion as is Seaver’s style — is a testament to the success he’s had in overseeing a number of expansion efforts to benefit the SCV’s health and welfare, as well as the community’s confidence in his ability to lead. His professional ties also include serving as A former chair of the Southern California Hospital Associa tion, which counts 100-plus hospitals in six counties, and 2013 chair of the California Hospital Associa tion, which has 400 member hospitals.

Bob Jensen Michael Berger

“Another longtime stalwart for education, local CPA, family man and elected official Bob Jensen has been a voice for the Santa Clarita Valley’s largest school district for more than a decade, bringing his financial acumen and experience as a parent to help others in his hometown.”

— Richard Budman Signal Publisher/Owner

Since William S. Hart Union High School District governing board member Bob Jensen first joined the district in 2009, he’s helped local schools add to well ness programs to junior and high school campuses, continued the effort to modernize school facilities to ensure the optimal learning experience for students and helped the district maintain a top-notch reputa tion. And before that, he served as a governing board for the kindergarten-to-sixth-grade Newhall School District. Involved in support for local businesses and schools, Jensen is another of the many on this list who give a great deal to the SCV.

Speaking of top-notch reputations, Jensen’s firm, KKAJ LLP, has been providing accounting, au dit services and other business consulting services to clients for more than 60 years. The business also generously gives to support local nonprofit organi zations.

But perhaps Jensen’s most significant contribution so far has been his work to help open the long-antic ipated Castaic High School, a state-of-the-art facil ity that will help thousands of students for genera tions to come.

“Michael Berger represents a role model for this community, someone who’s spent three decades here raising his family, running his career and always find ing time to give a tremendous amount back, whether it’s for the local community college or a local nonprof it.”

— Richard Budman Signal Publisher/Owner

Michael Berger, a longtime member of College of the Canyons’ governing board, is a senior vice presi dent and family wealth manager with Morgan Stan ley, and he has been a part of this community’s lead ership for some time.

Elected to COC’s governing board in 2009, Berg er’s involvement in the college’s governance comes after 20 years of involvement in the college’s foun dation board, supporting it and also earning COC’s Silver Spur award.

It’s also hard to find a major SCV organization or agency Berger hasn’t helped out than list all the ones he has.

The COC alum has also been a member of the City of Santa Clarita Planning Commission, chair of the SCV Child & Family Center, the SCV Rota ry Club, a board member for the Michael Hoefflin Foundation (which supports children battling can cer and their families), bond measures for to support local education and a former SCV Man of the Year honoree, which is given annually to a nonprofit vol unteer who’s nominated by a local organization.

Burkhart

“As one of the leaders for a corporation that runs one of the largest employers in the Santa Clarita Valley, Tim Burkhart plays an important role in our community by not only creating a significant num ber of job opportunities but also by helping to attract families and tourism dollars to the area.”

— Richard Budman Signal Publisher/Owner

Tim Burkhart, corporate vice president of main tenance and construction for Six Flags, main tains a sense of civic duty by giving back to a num ber of nonprofit organizations, as well as serving as a member of the city’s Planning Commission. The commission, which takes a first look at nearly every major development proposed before the City Coun cil, helps ensure the plans for the city fall in line with not only city regulation but also with the standards of quality that city residents appreciate

He also oversees the maintenance and construc tion functions for all 26 Six Flags parks in North America. A Hart High and College of the Can yons graduate, he’s a shining example of the poten tial and success produced by our local school dis tricts, as well as how Six Flags Magic Mountain plays such an important role in our community’s econo my in a number of ways — not the least of which is providing opportunities for professional growth. As a senior executive for Six Flags’ international devel opment team, Burkhart’s career has allowed him op portunities to create international theme and water parks in Saudi Arabia, China and Mexico.

He also maintains a sense of civic duty by giving back to a number of nonprofit organizations.

Marlee Lauffer

“Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital is an integral part of the health of the Santa Clarita Valley, and one of the biggest reasons for that is the tireless effort of Marlee Lauffer, who leads a number of partnerships for Henry Mayo and is also a big reason why the hos pital is so well respected.”

— Richard Budman Signal Publisher/Owner

For Marlee Lauffer, president of the Henry Mayo Newhall Foundation and vice president of market ing and communications for the hospital, there have been countless unprecedented challenges thrown her way due to a global health crisis. Yet Henry Mayo stands improved and more ready than ever each day to face new challenges with the full support of the community behind it thanks in large part to the messaging, organization and support created by Lauffer.

In the last six years, Lauffer watched the hospital add a number of new resources, including the state of the art $14 million patient tower, which added dozens of beds and additional help for the hospital. Lauffer’s support for the nonprofit community ex tends well beyond the hospital’s walls, as she also has held a variety of leadership roles for SCV-based non profit organizations, including the Zonta Club of the Santa Clarita Valley. One of the noted consisten cies in both organizations she’s been involved in has been generosity and support.

Stephanie English

“Los Angeles County officials work to provide a number of services for Santa Clarita Valley residents day in and day out, and Stephanie English, field dep uty for county Supervisor Kathryn Barger, is always there to help out if anyone has a question or a con cern.”

— Richard Budman Signal Publisher/Owner

Field Deputy Stephanie English’s has served the residents of the SCV in L.A. County’s 5th District going back to her time with the Los Angeles Coun ty Fire Department. English spent countless hours as the voice of calm during some of the SCV’s worst natural disasters, someone who could be relied on in a crisis situation to help with the delivery of resourc es.

English has been vital to public safety outreach for years in the SCV, whether it was helping with the Great Shakeout, Fourth of July fireworks safe ty or talking about the Ready! Set! Go! Campaign. English also supported the American Heart Asso ciation’s efforts by helping to raise awareness about proper techniques for CPR.

Always an excellent representative for Supervisor Barger when called upon to work in our community, English’s skills in communication and outreach with media outlets like The Signal to make sure residents are aware of county resources available are invalu able to the community, whether she’s helping people in Agua Dulce, Stevenson Ranch or Castaic or any other number of communities in the 5th District.

Hatami

“Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney Jon Hatami has been an outspoken advocate for Santa Clarita Valley residents since joining the office, with his tireless defense of crime victims in the face of a job made more difficult by ballot propositions and even the DA himself.”

— Richard Budman Signal Publisher/Owner

Jon Hatami has been an ardent supporter for the rights of crime victims in the community. He gained national prominence during his prosecution of two parents who tortured and killed an 8-year-old boy whose story was so tragic it led to a mutipart Netflix documentary called “The Trials of Gabriel Fernan dez.” The yearlong prosecution that resulted in life without parole for Fernandez’s mother and a death sentence for the boy’s father is just one in a long line of cases that Hatami has prosecuted on behalf of the people.

Hatami goes above and beyond the call of duty, not just content to put criminals behind bars but also willing to call out injustices wherever they might arise, whether he’s advocating for a change in state laws that have created a revolving door in our criminal justice system or calling out problems he sees in the DA’s office, even if it puts himself in peril. His selflessness serves as an example for those who fight crime and care about trying to keep the com munities, they seek to serve safe every day.

— Michael Berger

Wayne Crawford

“Through his success in helping to build much of what we recognize around the Santa Clarita Valley, Wayne Crawford’s support of schools and the commu nity have been tremendous — an impact that’s hard to calculate but easy to see everywhere you go in the SCV.”

— Richard Budman Signal Publisher/Owner

Wayne Crawford, president of Santa Clarita Con crete, is known for being a business leader, philan thropist and prominent member of the community.

The contributions from his company can be seen all over the SCV, and the list of projects that Craw ford’s company helped build with his concrete totals tens of millions of dollars in work all over this valley, from Canyon to West Ranch high school, and many places in between.

His generous giving and leadership in the busi ness community have benefited numerous local non profits and resources, such as the Boys & Girls Club, Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital and Carousel Ranch. Carousel Ranch in particular has been a cause near and dear to the Crawfords, a facility that pro vides equine therapy for children with special needs at its facility in Sand Canyon — which was built and named after the Crawfords due to the giving that helped make the a recent riding arena possible.

Backer

“Jim Backer is a longtime Santa Clarita resident who’s given back for years in this community through his work with a number of companies he’s worked with and, now more recently with his own develop ment firm. Backer’s work always reflects well on the SCV and shows his care and concern for our quality of life.”

— Richard Budman Signal Publisher/Owner

Jim Backer’s more than 35 years of experience in commercial, industrial real estate includes a count less number of SCV projects, including one of the SCV most ambitious projects yet — Vista Can yon, a 185-acre transit-focused, mixed-use develop ment with more 1,000 homes, acres of park and rec reational space and nearly 1 million square feet of commercial space.

One of the most promising aspects of this proj ect is its transit-friendliness, which could allow the community to add much-needed quality homes, as well as have responsible plans that could help cut down on traffic and commute times with its tran sit-friendliness. It follows in the tradition of quality resources he’s been directly responsible for over the last couple of decades.

Backer’s influence extends beyond the boardroom as he donates time, money and resources to a num ber of community nonprofits that are important to him, including the Foundation for Childrens Dental Health and the SCV Education Foundation, as well as the SCV Chamber of Commerce and the SCV Economic Development Corp. Backer also directly supports local schools and youth sports.

“Colleen Hawkins, superintendent of the Saugus Unified School district, has done an amazing job leading it and guiding it past challenges that few could have imagined when she took the job, including a global pandemic and the innumerable challenges that have come with it.”

— Richard Budman Signal Publisher/Owner

One of the main reasons why people move to the Santa Clarita Valley is because the SCV is an amaz ing place to raise a family, and that is true in part be cause it has top-notch school districts like SUSD. And Hawkins is, of course, a major part of that ef fort, with her work consistently garnering results for which parents, students, teachers and staff can be proud over the last four and a half years.

Her stewardship of the district’s 15 schools and its more than 9,000 students serve as a model, with SUSD students consistently earning high marks. Her stewardship of the community’s investment in SUSD through Measure EE, a $148 million voter-approved bond, is also proof of this, as the district offers its students great facilities and classrooms to learn in, as well.

As the SCV’s largest elementary school district continues to improve, expand and add new facilities, we look forward to seeing what the future of educa tion in the SCV will look like.

Hawkins

Patrick Moody Gary Horton

“After some of the most challenging years in the history of health care, Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital spokesman Patrick Moody continues to be a commu nity voice in the face of very trying circumstances for the industry and serves as a steady, calm voice amid much confusion.”

— Richard Budman Signal Publisher/Owner

Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital continued to have challenges in 2022 to keep our community safe, and because of the global health crisis, the messaging to those who live, work and go to school in the Santa Clarita Valley has never been more important.

As spokesman for Henry Mayo Newhall Hospi tal, Patrick Moody is constantly out front and center to deliver important updates from our local hospital, as well as share useful outreach and ever-evolving health care-related information that supports a vi brant, productive community in a number of ways. Moody’s demeanor, patience and professionalism provide an added calm to an otherwise chaotic en vironment immeasurable support to a community when it needs it most.

“Gary Horton is a longtime Santa Clarita resident whose philanthropy and giving back to the commu nity by generously supporting Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital, College of the Canyons and Bridge to Home helps to make the SCV a better place to live.”

— Richard Budman Signal Publisher/Owner

Gary Horton is not only a major local employ er and CEO of one of the nation’s leading landscape firms, but he’s also one of the community’s biggest advocates and philanthropists.

Horton’s company, Landscape Development Inc., employs approximately 280 people in the Santa Clar ita Valley, and more than a thousand throughout all of the company’s holdings in California and Neva da. LDI is known for upscale landscape design, con struction and maintenance.

Horton has used his business success to pay it for ward in the SCV, becoming a major supporter of several local nonprofits and institutions, including Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital — for which LDI is a major corporate donor. He serves on the board of the College of the Canyons Foundation and LDI has provided transportation services for clients of the nonprofit Bridge to Home, which provides shelter and other services for the local homeless.

LDI and Horton also support the Gary Sinise Foundation, which reaches out to disabled veterans who were profoundly wounded and helps provide them homes that are built to be functional for their disabilities.

Ivan Volschenk

“As Director of the Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce, Ivan Volschenk has proven himself to not only be a great leader for the local business com munity, but also the kind of hard-working advocate a business community needs to network and move the economy ahead.”

— Richard Budman Signal Publisher/Owner

While we’ve heard business owners lament the difficulty in doing business in California, the SCV Chamber made good on its pledge of being the voice for SCV business advocacy with information al events, virtual networking opportunities and, in general, keeping up a sense of community as much as possible among the SCV’s entrepreneurs, manag ers and investors — which is no easy task in such an uncertain time, with rules and regulations on how to do business constantly changing.

The SCV Chamber has grown by leaps and bounds since Evolve Business Strategies has tak en over management, with more than 700 members, a leadership-development group for future gener ations in NextSCV and a thriving merger with the former Latino Chamber of Commerce, that’s also made their business advocacy a broader, more inclu sive effort.

CONGRATULATIONS to the winners of the 51!

Its takes that kind of leadership and collaboration to make Santa Clarita a great place to Live,Workand Play!

I’ve been a consistent voice in advocating for your rights. If re-elected I will:

• Re energize Career Technical Education programs: Not all students need or want to go to college. We need to help them find their passion and help them achieve it.

• A return to the basics: REAL math, REAL science, and REAL history.

• Continue to be a watchdog over your tax dollars to ensure your children have access to the educational and mental health resources they need to succeed.

• Ensure you have a voice, access, and input into your child ’s education.

• Continue to work with state and local agencies to keep your kids safe.

I’ve been honored to have served on:

• Board of Directors SCV Youth Project.

• New Senior Center Technology committee.

• Advisor SCV Pregnancy Center.

• SCV Open Space Formation Committee.

• School to Business Alliance Vice Chair.

• Single Mothers Outreach Advisory Board.

• Michael Hoefflin Foundation Advisory Board.

• Advisor Action Family Counseling.

• Saugus Union Technology Committee.

• SCV Education Foundation Vice Chair.

• SCV Chamber Education Committee.

• VIA Education Committee.

• Saugus District Advisory Council.

• Saugus Action Committee Member.

• Saugus High School Scholarship Committee.

• Measure V and Measure SA committee member.

• Served on PTA, PAC and Site Councils. at many Schools.

• And so many more!

Hart School Board, Trustee Area 3

Proud to be named Santa Clarita’s Top 51 Most Influential FOUR years and San Fernando Valley Business Journal’s The Valley 200 Most Influential Leaders for the past FOUR years.

Our children are our future leaders. The pandemic years have been difficult for them and now is the time to return to normalcy. While still in our care, we must do everything possible to ensure EVERY student has the tools and resources necessary to succeed in life.

Teresa Todd: Influencer for the Greater Good

Kathy Norris

“Kathy Norris’ longtime leadership at the Valley Industry Association gives the Santa Clarita Valley another caring, devoted and knowledgeable business advocate who’s been supporting local businesses for more than 40 years.”

— Richard Budman Signal Publisher/Owner

AS CEO of the Valley Industry Association, Kathy Norris’ knowledge and skill in supporting the busi ness community leave the SCV better off for every one, always keeping its best interests in mind. VIA helps create partnerships to support businesses large and small, as well as a network of knowledge and support for its members and leadership.

Workshops, networking events and opportunities for partnership are just a few of the benefits of hav ing someone like Norris at the helm, a person who understands the importance in being able to find the opportunity and support out there in the challeng ing landscape that owning and operating a business in California provides.

Through a number of committees and various ef forts that all support businesses in the SCV, Nor ris has always strived to be a positive influence in the SCV that business leaders can appreciate, under stand and utilize, with a diverse array of member ship that reflects the different ways that VIA pro vides support under Norris’ leadership.

Cary Quashen

“No one has done as much to raise awareness about the dangers of addiction, fentanyl and substance abuse in the Santa Clarita Valley as Cary Quashen, who constantly works to promote a healthier, drugfree SCV, as well as help those who are struggling.”

— Richard Budman Signal Publisher/Owner

Action Family Counseling founder Cary Quash en’s journey has taken him from recovery to becom ing a nationally renowned voice in the nation’s bat tle against addiction. Quashen, former director of Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital’s Behavioral Health Unit, has helped countless individuals end drug ad diction in the SCV and beyond, a problem that’s na tional in scope but also repeatedly shows up on SCV doorsteps.

Quashen has used his profile to make appear ances in the media, in addition to taking part in an award-winning Signal documentary about addic tion, demonstrating his dedication and support of the advocacy he undertakes to fight addiction. His all-ages support for the community and support of the entire SCV can be shown in his work to help keep families together.

Quashen’s centers specializes in alcohol and sub stance abuse intensive outpatient, residential treat ment programs for both teens and adults, as among the help he offers, in addition to sober living facili ties in Bakersfield and Santa Clarita Valley.

Kevin MacDonald

“Kevin MacDonald, executive director of the Bella Vida Santa Clarita Valley Senior Center, has done an amazing job under circumstances few could have possibly imagined over the last few years, but one for which the whole community owes him a debt of grat itude.”

— Richard Budman Signal Publisher/Owner

When COVID-19 began to change everyone’s re ality in 2020, nonprofit organizations were especial ly hard hit, but the Bella Vida Santa Clarita Valley Senior Center continued to serve thousands of res idents every day thanks to the constant work of the center’s Executive Director Kevin MacDonald.

While the community dealt with an infectious disease that is particularly harmful to seniors, Mac Donald found a way to manage a dedicated team of volunteers through the delivery of meals that many of them rely on, not only for sustenance, but for in teraction, too. In fact, under MacDonald’s leader ship, the Senior Center now servers more then 800 meals a day.

The fact that MacDonald and his team have done an amazing job of rising to the challenge is no sur prise considering MacDonald has spent most of his adult career as a leader in nonprofit organizations like the Senior Center and The Arc Los Angeles and Orange counties before that.

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Denise Lite

“Denise Lite might be a relative newcomer to the Santa Clarita political landscape, but those involved in the community know she’s no stranger to rolling up her sleeves and getting involved to try and help others, whether through her legal practice or her numerous nonprofit efforts.”

— Richard Budman Signal Publisher/Owner

Santa Clarita City Council candidate and family law attorney Denise Lite is looking to take her quar ter-century of legal experience and longtime in volvement in the community to the Council in No vember’s election.

The community advocate has been a member of the board of directors for the Soroptimist Interna tional of Valencia for years, which has contributed more than $1 million to local causes since its incep tion. She’s also served on the board of Single Moth ers Outreach, an organization that serves single par ents seeking help in the SCV. Her nonprofit work allows her to use her experience and resources to help those less fortunate, just one of the ways that Lite gives back to her hometown.

An experienced mediator, she’s also been able to forge partnerships between nonprofit organizations that have helped strengthen both sides, which is ex actly the kind of forward thinking that benefits lo cal residents. The neighbors and friends who have helped Lite become the leading fundraiser of all the City Council candidates, and the list of local leaders who’ve endorsed her must know this, as well.

Kathie Martin Maria Gutzeit

“Since taking over for public relations at the Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency, Kathie Martin has con sistently earned this community’s trust and respect with her clear and concise professional messaging and outreach efforts for one of the most vital resources in any community.”

— Richard Budman Signal Publisher/Owner

Kathie Martin came to the SCV Water Agency as spokeswoman right before the organization was formed from the joining of the Castaic Lake Wa ter Agency, the Newhall County Water District, the Santa Clarita Water Division and the Valencia Wa ter Company.

Despite having to coordinate the messaging for four different groups, she quickly demonstrated why she earned the role, helping to seamlessly blend the water agencies for more than a quarter-million busi nesses and residents in an area that stretches about 200-square miles.

Martin’s skills have been recognized by the Pub lic Relations Society of America with a PRism award for her work in alerting the public about SCV Wa ter Agency facilities that were constructed to remove any PFAS chemicals. Martin’s work in this area was also recognized by the California Association of Public Information Officials.

Whether notifying residents of a possible savings on their water bill, about a class that might help rate payers cut down on water consumption without im pacting their quality of life or just general informa tion about our supply, Martin is always a helpful, valuable source of information.

“Maria Gutzeit provides fair-minded and lev el-headed leadership on behalf of the valley’s water ratepayers, and her track record of community service speaks for itself.”

— Richard Budman Signal Publisher/Owner

Maria Gutzeit, a returning board member for the SCV Water, has been an advocate on behalf of Santa Clarita Valley water users for more than 15 years.

She became an SCV Water board member under the merger between the Newhall County Water Dis trict, where she was a representative for more than a dozen years, and the Castaic Lake Water Agency.

The final board president of the Newhall County Water District, playing a pivotal role in the merger, Gutzeit has not been appointed to fill a vacant spot.

A member of the small-business community, Gu tzeit is also owner and principal engineer for Com pliance Plus Environmental Consulting, which has provided environmental regulatory compliance as sistance in Southern California for nearly 25 years.

Gutzeit is extremely active in the community through work with nonprofit organizations such as the SCV’s Committee on Aging, which runs the SCV Senior Center, and the SCV Chamber of Commerce.

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