40 professionals who are leaders in their industries.

JUSTIN ALDI

CEO, First Security Lending

Age 29

WHEN Justin Aldi and his best friend from high school, Ronnie Da Motta, decided to start a mortgage loan company, each had about $1,000 to chip in of what was "essentially our life savings," Aldi said.

Back

Since then, their business has done pretty well--to the tune of $450 million well. That was the amount of loans processed by their Burbank-based First Security Lending, which has also grown in employees from 2 in 1998 to 90 in 2004.

"Our goal (is) to eventually become a landmark in the local community," Aldi said.

The recipe to success, according to him, is very basic.

"Honesty contributed to our success, dedication to our clients and good old-fashioned hard work," Aldi said.

When Aldi is not working, he enjoys his hobbies--sports and collecting British cars. He was turned on to the cars because his first car was an "old Triumph (and) it grew from there."

Vicki Robledo, a Burbank homeowner, is a fan of Justin's. She bought her first house in Burbank with a loan from First Security and is now in the process of refinancing for the third time to do an add-on to the house.

"Justin is one of those people that age doesn't matter," Robledo said of Aldi, who is 29. "He lives and breathes this stuff. I'm constantly recommending (First Security)."

--Slav Kandyba

JOSH BARINSTEIN

President, Red Frog Inc.

Age 38

IF Josh Barinstein wasn't an advertising executive, he might be a computer programmer--or a musician.

Those are the worlds Barinstein has lived in during his 38 years and he seems to use the skills he gained from all of them.

But the advertising executive part of him, specifically the focused businessman, is mostly in control these days.

Barinstein co-founded and owns Red Frog Inc., a Newbury Park-based multimedia advertising and marketing firm that in less than a decade has managed to capture some high-profile clients that go to the company for its innovative approach to the industry.

"If you give people enough time and treat them right, they will come back for more," says Barinstein about his approach to business.

Red Frog develops and implements advertising and marketing campaigns that use technology in concert with traditional methods to help build brand awareness.

The firm deals with everything from direct response and e-mail advertising campaigns to e-commerce sites and CD-ROM presentations. Clients such as Amgen, the Independent Film Channel and large publishers such as McGraw Hill, Prentice Hall and Delmar Learning have signed on.

Creativity abounds at Red Frog. For instance, the company created for Amgen a realistic online calculator for use by doctors on the Internet and created an e-campaign to boost subscription to the Independent Film Channel's IFCRant.

Born in Israel, Barinstein's family moved to Argentina when he was 2 until eventually moving to the U.S. when he was 11.

Barinstein had studied computer science and engineering at UCLA where he loved computer programming, a passion he developed while he was in junior high school.

While at UCLA, he was the lead singer of a rock band called In Sync, believe it or not. The group routinely played the Sunset Strip.

But computers were his real love and he eventually worked for Tekelec as a software engineer. While there, he went back to school at California State University Northridge and studied music composition.

But he eventually returned to technology as a profession and Barinstein and his wife Cecilia started Red Frog out of their home--which was not air conditioned--in 1996. He knew computers and she knew graphic design so the couple figured if they combined their skills they could create an effective multimedia company.

--Jason Schaff

JOHN BAUMANN

Treasurer, Semtech Corp.

Age 36

The "wunderkind" seems to fit as a description of John Baumann.

At all of 25 years of age in 1994, Baumann became the treasurer of a publicly traded company, Camarillo-based Semtech Corp., a semiconductor manufacturer.

"It was somewhat of an honor to be 25 and be an officer of a public company--albeit a small one" at the time," Baumann said.

When he joined the company in 1994, its stock was worth cents per share--now it's more than $15 per share. Not to mention, Baumann has a lot of cash to manage.

"We've got $280 million in cash that I manage," he said, adding Semtech was the fourth bestperforming company on NASDAQ in the 1990s.

At 36, the Loyola Marymount University alumnus is one of the longest-tenured officers at the company, having been there a decade. While working full-time at Semtech, Baumann completed an MBA at Pepperdine University and received an accounting certificate from University of California, Santa Barbara.

Baumann said he acts as the company's spokesman and talks with Wall Street analysts on a regular basis.

When he's not at work, Baumann spends time with his wife and two children. "Family is important to me. I like to fish and play golf and spend time with family and friends," he said.

And although he may be treasurer at Semtech, he's not the one in charge of finances at home, he said.

"Surprisingly my wife manages the checkbook," Baumann said. "For what it's worth I handle the brokerage account."

--Slav Kandyba

CLAUDIA BILL-DE LA PENA

City Councilwoman, Thousand Oaks

Age 37

CLAUDIA Bill-de la Pena has worked in front of and behind the camera for more than a decade, but her biggest stage at the moment is the dais of the Thousand Oaks City Council.

Bill-de la Pena, 37, is midway through her first term on the city's five-member panel, where she is the first Latina and only the second Spanish-surnamed resident to ever serve.

"Cultural background or ethnic background shouldn't matter," said Bill-de la Pena, a member of the news staff at KCBS Television in Los Angeles. "I don't think voters in Thousand Oaks made their decisions based on my last name ... I think they voted for me because of my qualifications."

That being said, Bill-de la Pena, a strong advocate for slow growth and protecting neighborhoods in the affluent Conejo Valley suburb, is proud the city she has called home for nine years proved some naysayers wrong.

"There was a political consultant who said 'with your last name, you'll never get elected in a city like Thousand Oaks', "she said, with some satisfaction. "But I'm here."

Bill-de la Pena's background is probably unique: her father, an officer in the German Air Force, met her mother, who is of Mexican ancestry, while training with the U.S. Army in the United States. She was born at Ft. Sill in Oklahoma but lived in Germany for the first 18 years of her life.

She came back to the United States to attend college and graduated from the University of Texas-El Paso with a bachelor's degree in journalism. Bill-de la Pena has worked as an on-air reporter, anchor, or producer for stations in El Paso, San Diego, and Los Angeles.

"I enjoy the behind-the-scenes work because you can spend more time with a story than you can as a reporter, where you're rushing from one live shot to the next," she says, in an American accent with just a hint of a precise, somewhat European "clip" to her voice. "It really allows you to try and do justice to a story that deserves it."

Despite her status as a political pathfinder in Thousand Oaks, Bill-de la Pena minimizes the importance of her background.

"De la Pena is my husband's surname; come on, my last name before I was married was 'Bill'--hardly the first name one thinks of when someone says 'Latina,' "she said. "I firmly believe that the best person for a job should be the one who is hired ... but I do think my background gives me some perspective that not everyone may have."

Bill-de la Pena was only elected to the council in 2002, but she and husband Dr. Ronald de la Pena, an obstetrician who practices at Los Robles Medical Center in Thousand Oaks, made their home in the Conejo Valley almost a decade ago. She chose to get involved in politics, including a term on the city's planning commission, as she watched the city approach build out and saw conflicts arise between residents and business.

"We chose to make our home here and we want to stay here," Bill-de la Pena said. "And I think we can protect the quality of life, and provide for good jobs, here."

--Brad Smith

RAUL CASTILLO

Executive Director, Los Angeles Valley College Patrons Association

Age 36

RAUL Castillo is giving back to his alma mater in a big way--everyday.

As executive director of the Los Angeles Valley College Patrons Association, Castillo oversees the organization which raises funds for students and school services.

And since assuming his post in 2001, there's been a huge increase in revenues and money distributed by the organization.

For instance, in the Patrons' last fiscal year, there was a 34 percent increase in scholarship distribution, 61 percent increase in department and project distributions as well as a net revenue increase of 79 percent. Assets and revenues are the highest they've ever been.

It's a job that presents huge challenges for Castillo, a 1988 Valley College graduate. But those challenges were attractive to him, he said. He has only one office assistant and the school has nearly 20,000 students.

Before coming to the school, Castillo was involved in fund-raising for the L.A. Music Center, but his career actually began after leaving Valley College and enrolling at Cal State Dominguez Hills. There he got a job in fundraising at the university and was advised to explore a career in non-profits.

"I found out that fund-raising was really a science," he said.

Castillo was born in the Philippines. His family immigrated to the U.S. when he was six and he grew up in Arleta.

He has fond memories of going to school at Valley College and is glad he can contribute something to the school in his Patrons job, he said.

"I'd like to be here until I retire," Castillo said.

His long-term goals for the Patrons?

Have a staff of 30 people and an endowment of at least $20 million, he said.

--Jason Schaff

CHRISTOPHER L. CONTE

Vice President Marketing, Telesis Community Credit Union

Age 37

CHRISTOPHER L. Conte figures folks have three basic needs: family, health and money.

And ever since he began his career in banking as a teller at the age of 18, Conte has been helping out with one of them.

"I got a job with Bank of America at 18 and I asked a lot of questions and was one of their top tellers for many years and really enjoyed it," said Conte, who is now vice president of marketing for Telesis Community Credit Union. "And I noticed how a lot of people are uninformed about financial products and services and how much pleasure I got out of explaining it to people."

Since joining Telesis about one and one-half years ago, Conte has developed a membership drive and he has been reviewing products and services to find ways to better serve what he calls the "small saver."

While his infectious enthusiasm has energized the management team of the credit union, it has also helped the company in its community outreach efforts.

When Conte, 37, took over as co-chairman of the credit union's AIDS Walk LA team, participation jumped about 50 percent to 30 people, and Telesis collected over $5,000 for the cause.

"We had more walkers and more money than we've ever raised," said Richard W. Cooper, vice president of government and community relations at Telesis. "He really lent a Int of enthusiasm and energy to getting everyone involved. People brought their families, and a lot of it was because Chris had brought a lot of energy to it."

Conte graduated from California State University Fresno and joined the Air National Guard before returning to Fresno to take a job as marketing research analyst for ValliWide Bank. He also worked as marketing director at Fresno County Federal Credit Union and vice president of marketing and technology systems at State Center Credit Union, both in Fresno, before joining Telesis.

Since joining Telesis he has also become involved in that credit union's Community Committee, which works with a number of social and education programs in Southern California.

He recently began helping with fundraising for Valley Community Clinic.

--Shelly Garcia

TRAE COTTON

Associate Dean, California State University Channel Islands

Age 32

TRAE Cotton has 350 brand-new new tenants moving into his brand-new complex on Aug. 27, and he has the same worries as anyone responsible for a new real-estate project.

"Everyone who has ever purchased a home should know the feeling," Cotton said. "There will be a toilet that doesn't work, or a microwave that explodes, or a thing exploding out of the garbage disposal ... but what you do is you fix it and roll with it and move on."

But Cotton, who speaks with a hint of an a Texas twang, is not a Sunbelt developer or a builder mining the green spaces of Ventura County for real estate opportunities.

He is, instead, Associate Dean Cotton of California State University Channel Islands, responsible for student life and director of the brand-new 2,000-student college's equally brand-new student housing complex.

And the days are counting down.

"The complex gets turned over to us from the contractor Friday and we start the staff training and the R.A. training on Saturday, and the students move In at the end of the month," he said last week. And classes' start Aug. 30 ... so that's not so far away, is it?"

Cotton has been through the growing pains of a brand-new campus before; he fulfilled a similar role regarding student housing at Florida Gulf Coast University, which opened in 1997 near Ft. Myers, Fla. At FCGU, however, Cotton was merely on the staff, not the dean.

"I had an opportunity to help open that university, and this was an opportunity again to work on such a project," Cotton said. "I was involved with things we were doing in housing in Florida, but now I'm the administrator responsible for it today ... it's a little different."

Because of those responsibilities, Cotton chose not to move his family into Camarillo; instead, the dean, his wife Silvia, and their two-year-old daughter Ebony will be moving into the student housing complex on campus, right alongside the undergraduates.

"May as well be right in the middle of it all," Cotton said. "I'm sure we'll be getting calls at 2 or 3 in the morning, but I've been involved in student life since I was in school; it's part of the job."

Cotton, who earned an B.A. in communications at the University of North Texas and an M.A. from New Mexico University, is a Ph.D candidate at Walden University in Minneapolis. He also expects to be teaching speech communications at CSUCI as the campus grows, mixing teaching and administrative responsibilities.

"The things that could be seen as the difficulties are also the blessings, from a personal and professional standpoint as well," said Cotton.

--Brad Smith

DEBORAH COURS

Associate Professor of Marketing, Director of Graduate Programs

California State University Northridge School of Business and Economics

Age 37

IT is said that those that can't do, teach.

Then there is Deborah Cours.

An associate professor of marketing at California State University Northridge and director of graduate programs at CSUN's College of Business and Economics, Cours has also played a key role in establishing and nurturing several programs geared to helping businesses grow and prosper.

Cours, who is 37, was instrumental in establishing CSUN's Wells Fargo Center for Small Business and Entreprenuership. She helped to set up an offsite program with Countrywide Financial Corp. to train the company's employees with MBA preparatory classes, and she is in the process of launching an MBA program at Countrywide which will begin this fall.

Perhaps most significant, thanks to Cours, CSUN, and with it, the San Fernando Valley, is the site of the Small Business Administration's regional Small Business Development Center, one of just six in the state.

Working with Judy Hennessey, chair of the marketing department, and Michael Fronmueller, the former dean of the business college, Cours wrote the winning proposal for the center and developed the program for its operations.

With $2.9 million in funding from the U.S. Small Business Administration, the SBDC provides free business consulting, planning, marketing and training programs to business owners in Los Angeles, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.

"I think what was recognized was our expertise in small business and entrepreneurship and partnerships with business," said fours.

The successful bid helped enhance the school's credibility in the field, but just as important, it provides a local engine for one of the Valley's most important economic contributors.

"I would say she's done a really fine job of, first and foremost, persuading the university about the value of small business development and the role that institutions of higher education have in that development," said Alberto G. Alvarado, district director of the Los Angeles office of the U.S. Small Business Administration. "Ultimately, it is the small businesses that are leading the way in the economy and creating jobs."

Cours, who joined CSUN in 1994, began working with what was then the school's small business institute about seven years ago and became its director about five years ago. It was then that she began working on the idea of establishing a larger center that would offer training focused on small businesses and entrepreneurs. In 2003, the center received a $500,000 endowment from Wells.

The centers she has helped establish speak not only to her strategic prowess, but also her style, say those who work with Cours.

"Debbie is a great human being," said Alvarado. "She brought a personal sensitivity to this effort which we all appreciated."

--Shelly Garcia

RONNIE DA MOTTA

President, First Security Lending

Age 30

RONNIE Da Motta and his business partner Justin Aldi are president and CEO, respectively, of a mortgage lending company that closed in on a half-billion dollars in loans last year.

Burbank-based First Security Lending was founded in 1998, but before mortgage loans, Da Motta had a lucrative auto repair business. Co-founded with his father and called ColorTech, be was still a student at Burbank's John Burroughs High School when working there.

Several years after high school and at the counsel of his sister, who worked in real estate, Da Motta decided to go a different route.

"I didn't want to get dirty every day," he said.

His first position was with Weyerhauser Mortgage (now WMC), where he was an office assistant at a brand new and fast-growing branch. He developed a close relationship with the president and effectively learned by watching, he said.

Da Motta departed Weyerhauser to start his own business with Aldi. The two initially set up an office at Aldi's home with some startup capital and help from an independent mortgage broker. They had six telemarketers calling potential clients out of Aldi's dining room.

First Security rapidly grew because Aldi and Da Motta were putting money away. In just six years, the company grew to 90 employees and $450 million in processed loans in 2003.

Da Motta is happy with how First Security turned out, but puts family first.

"I'm starting to enjoy the fruits of my labor," he said. "Personally I just want to balance life. My priority is my family. Success is really trying to keep a balance in my life."

--Slav Kandyba

BILL DAVIS

CEO, Davis Research

Age 34

BILL Davis had a tough act to follow--his mother Carol Davis.

She was founder of the family-owned Davis Research in Calabasas and she "was" the business. Clients trusted her and employees loved her.

So in 1998, when Carol was getting ready to retire and a transition plan needed to be put into place, Bill could have turned away from such a daunting task rather than coming on board to lead the way. But instead, in his first three years, he tripled the company's revenues and with the help of his brother Bob has successfully completed the transition to the company's second generation.

Carol Davis is still around for advice but has stopped active day-to-day participation in the company as her sons take control.

In this new generation of Davis Research, Bill has helped the market research firm diversify into multiple markets to rise to the top in a competitive industry. In addition to its traditional phone research, the firm has now expanded into focus group research.

He believes that overall his company offers something different to its clients--that being the advice that his firm is willing to give throughout the research process. Rather than just executing a survey like many research companies do, the firm will suggest improvements in the survey. Most clients appreciate this, he said.

Bill is actively marketing the business as his brother Bob deals with the technological side of the company and its internal organization.

Bill is active in the CSUN Family Business Center and provides pro bono research services for the university's San Fernando Valley Economic Forecast publication and conference.

An avid horseman, Bill is on the board of directors of the Will Rogers Polo Club.

--Jason Schaff

BOB DAVIS

CIO, Davis Research

Age 32

BOB Davis followed his older brother Bill to their family-owned Davis Research to help put in place a transition plan for them to take over the company. And quickly it became apparent that Bob's technical skills were crucial for the company if it was ever going to grow.

"I never thought I'd be involved in the business," he said. The company was involved in market research and Bob had a computer science degree and was happily working in that profession.

But with the family business in need, Bob said he thought he'd give it a try and attempt to make a difference in the firm.

That he has.

Since arriving in 1999, Bob has revamped the company's entire technical infrastructure and Internet strategy. This involved setting up a common computing platform for all employees, establishing the Davis Research website, email addresses and a full-time technical support department.

"The company was growing and the infrastructure wasn't there to support it," he said.

Now, Bob manages four departments, all supporting technological development at the firm while brother Bill deals with the market research part of the business.

It's a division of responsibilities that works well, Bob said.

"We don't always agree, but in the grand scheme of things, we watch out for each other," he added.

The two brothers' styles are different. Bill said that Bob provides the long-term strategical thinking that is needed at the firm where he is the one who gets things done "today."

Bill had high praise for his brother.

"I think he is one of the top five smartest people I know," Bill said.

Since joining the firm, Bob has started a Charitable Event program on behalf of Davis employees. The program donates money to a different charity each month.

"This company is a tremendous vehicle to give back to the community," Bob said.

--Jason Schaff

ALAN EDRICK

Executive Vice President and CFO, Biosource

International

Age 36

FOR Alan Edrick, who was appointed to the position of executive vice president and CFO of Biosource International in Camarillo in May, dealing with Wall Street investment bankers is an aspect of the job he said he enjoys.

After all, he was once on the other side--working for Price Waterhouse LLP as senior manager, capital markets. He worked there from 1989 to 1998.

The transition to executive management came about because he wanted to get his hands on something tangible--like a publicly traded biotech company--and steer it to financial success.

"The opportunity to really work at a company is (about) building value," Edrick said. "I like dealing with the capital markets, Wall Street and the challenges that it presents."

Before Biosource, Edrick, 36, was senior vice president and CFO of North American Scientific, a Chatsworth-based medical device and specialty pharmaceutical company.

He was attracted to and eventually joined Biosource because he wanted to work the company's then-new CEO Terrance J. Bicker.

Biosource primarily manufactures research tools that are used in research of Alzheimer's disease, as well as other biotech products.

--Slav Kandyba

MICHAEL FARRIS

Planning Commissioner, City of Thousand Oaks

Arete Associates

Age 35

MICHAEL Farris works for the kind of company where he literally can not say much about what his co-workers do during the course of the day.

Farris, who earned a Ph.D in space physics from the University of California at Los Angeles, is corporate senior scientist at Arete Associates in Sherman Oaks. The company, with offices in Tucson and Arlington, Va., does research and designs software for the Defense Department, including the Air Force.

"The old joke is "I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you,' "Farris said. "It is defense contracting, so we have to be understandably vague on some of the technology areas, but we are effectively an innovator in sensor recognition."

The translation is that Farris and his co-workers look for ways that space-based and aerial sensors can be used to detect patterns in the ocean and atmosphere that would otherwise essentially be invisible to--or at least difficult to detect with--existing radar, sonar, and similar sensor technologies.

The nuts and bolts of the company's DOD work are vague, but some of the commercial spinoffs--optical measurement of fingerprints for biometric recognition purposes or computer-generated imagery for the motion picture industry--are not.

Farris, for example, was honored in 2003 by the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers for his work in analysis of color correction and color enhancement of digital video.

Some of the technology Arete has worked on--simulating the movements of the ocean's surface, for example--has found its way into Hollywood, in blockbuster and in not-quite blockbusters.

"Our knowledge of physics went into software to allow us to simulate photo-realistic images of the ocean moving ... we worked with movie producers first for 'Waterworld' and then for 'Titanic' and we've since created software that allows other graphic designers to utilize the technology themselves," Farris said.

Along with his scientific work, Farris is also active in community affairs. He and his wife Stephanie, a teacher, live in Thousand Oaks with their daughter Monroe, 4. Farris serves on the city's Planning Commission, including service as chairman of the panel, and is running for a seat on the Thousand Oaks City Council.

"I love the city we live in and want to preserve its quality of life," Farris said. "If you think the decisions need to get made correctly, sometimes you have to be involved in making them, so I think public service is important."

--Brad Smith

JON O. FETVEIT

Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy

Officer, United Online

Age 34

BEFORE there was United Online, there was NetZero, which entered the fray of Internet service providers in the late 1990s and staked its claim to fame by charging nothing for Internet access.

Jon O. Fetveit was helping run that company as director, strategic planning and subsequently, vice president, strategic planning, from May 1999 to July 2001. When NetZero and Juno merged, and were renamed United Online, Fetveit became the executive vice president and chief strategy officer for the Westlake Village-based company.

One of Fetveit's responsibilities was to oversee the merger.

"The most challenging part is getting everyone included and making them feel like apiece," he said. "It was a unique point in time--everyone was willing to set their problems aside."

Following the merger, United Online has blossomed. The company's subscriber base has grown, it began offering its software at Best Buy and Radio Shack stores, and it has performed well on the market. It has acquired seven companies, and Fetveit oversaw most of the acquisitions.

"The long-term question is what to do after dial-up (Internet)," he said. "We're looking at something other than dial-up. We bought a consumer Web hosting (firm)."

Prior tn joining NetZero, Fetveit, an alumnus of Stanford University with a degree in symbolic systems, was an investment banker in the corporate finance department of Hambrecht and Quist LLC.

--Slav Kandyba

HECTOR GALVAN

Owner, Prime Building Materials

Age 35

Two things are considered practically indispensable to business success: tenacity and a passion for one's job. Hector Galvan, the 35-year-old owner of North Hollywood's Prime Building Materials has plenty of both qualities.

Starting as an employee at another building materials store, Galvan decided to open his own business when his younger brother was killed in a carjacking and he decided to rethink his priorities. A year later, the Northridge Earthquake also struck and created a huge need for building materials. Nearly a decade later, Prime Building Materials has three stores scattered across the Valley and yearly revenues upward of $10 million.

"I've been very lucky and I never gave up. I gave 100 percent all of the time. I enjoy what I do and the best part is I get paid for it. I love my job and I'd do it for free if I had to," Galvan said. "I've had a good staff and I've been able to be generous with them. We offer medical and a 401(k) for all employees. It makes them proud and happy to be here and it provides the energy for all the employees. I also attribute much of the success to my natural talent to have a good character in dealing with people."

The father of four, who has been married for 15 years, sees a bright future for his company.

--Jeff Weiss

HOWARD GROBSTEIN

Partner, Grobstein, Horwath and Co. LLP

Age 33

ACPA with an acute sense of community awareness, 33-year-old Howard Grobstein balances an onerous time commitment at his firm Grobstein, Horwath and Co. LLP, with aiding a variety of altruistic organizations.

Starting at Grobstein, Horwath as a 20-year-old college student, Grobstein rose from being a lowly intern to becoming a full partner at only 29. Meanwhile, he immersed himself in the Development Committee of the Heart of Los Angeles Youth, a non-profit organization that seeks to enrich the lives of inner city children. Additionally, Grobstein is a member of Bet Tzedek, also known as the House of Justice, as well as the Los Angeles World Affairs Council and the American Jewish Committee.

"Heart of L.A.'s youth helps kids in the Rampart district to stay out of gangs and gives them alternatives for after-school opportunities. It also helps kids who've dropped out, to get back into school. It's a great organization and I care a great deal about it," Grobstein said.

At his firm, Grobstein works on large fraud cases and as a special litigation accountant to large public corporations. He has been appointed and acted as a Chapter 11 and Chapter 7 trustee in the Central and Northern Districts of California. Grobstein also provides forensic accounting and litigation support services.

"I've been given good opportunities and worked hard at making them happen," Grobstein said.

--Jeff Weiss

MICHAEL HIGBY

Corporate Communications Manager,

Investors Management Trust Real Estate

Group Inc.

Age 39

MICHAEL Higby was thrilled to learn he had been selected as one of the Business Journal's "40 Under 40," not because he wanted the recognition but because he saw it as an opportunity to get some press for some of his favorite causes.

As newly named president for the California Junior Chamber, he had recently made a trip to Crescent City, where a fundraisiug basketball tournament made headlines.

"The first morning there was a story on the front page," said Higby. "We would never be on the front page because we're in such a huge city. It's nice to have the honor, but I'm hoping we can also get some exposure for the Jaycees."

Higby, 39, was instrumental in re-establishing the Universal City/North Hollywood Junior Chamber, which had been dormant for a number of years. And his efforts led to the establishment of chapters in the Conejo Valley and another that will soon get underway in Sherman Oaks as well.

Higby helped grow the Universal City/North Hollywood chapter from 26 members to become the No. 1 chapter in California.

Through his efforts on a statewide level, Higby helped the Jaycees chapters to raise over $10,000 for the Family AIDS Network and $1,000 for earthquake relief for India.

"Especially these days we've lost a common civic experience," said Higby, "and your individual life can be enriched by having interaction with other people in the community and doing things to benefit the community as a whole."

Higby serves as corporate communications manager at Investors Management Trust Real Estate Group Inc.

But activism has always been part of his heritage.

"Both my grandfathers were elected officials and in addition they've been involved in numerous organizations as my mother and father have been," said Higby. "So that was driven home to me at an early age."

Those who know him say that he possesses an unusual balance between the ability to get things done and instill a spirit of volunteerism in those around him.

"The magic of Michael lies in his personality," said Jason Price, a client service specialist for Yahoo's Overture division, who worked with Higby to restart the Universal City/North Hollywood chapter of the Jaycees. "He approaches things with a light sense of humor and a mentality that really helps people get through the crisis and come out on the other side together and in a good mood."

--Shelly Garcia

ANDRES IRLANDO

President, Cesar E. Chavez Foundation

Age 32

AT just age 32, Andres Irlando's resume is lengthy.

He currently serves as the President of the Cesar E. Chavez Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit charitable organization established by the family of the late labor and civil rights leader. Yet before taking this post, Irlando previously served as vice president of government affairs for govworks.com, a provider of e-government Internet services and the subject of the documentary film Startup.com, and practiced law with the firm of O'Melveny and Myers LLP.

The Harvard graduate has a law degree from Stanford and serves on Los Angeles' Rent Adjustment Commission, California's Democratic State Central Committee, and in Los Angeles County's Young Democrats.

He is also a Lieutenant (Intelligence Command) in the United States Naval Reserve where he possesses a top secret clearance and he runs marathons just for fun.

"I try to work as hard as I can. Nothing is achieved without perseverance and determination. I've also tried to live my life with a sense of purpose and passion and it has made it easy to pursue things that I've enjoyed or were challenging and rewarding. I've been fortunate to have good mentors, people who've pushed me to be as good as I can be," Irlando said.

As the Chavez Foundation's president, Irlando helped make an organization that previously had no money, no staff, and no budget successful, by applying his entrepreneurial skills to the non-profit world. The Foundation engages in programming based on Chavez's core values, specifically education, arts, and culture, sustainable communities, civic engagement, and non-violent social change. It is also building an education center near Tehachapi that aims to be the national destination to learn about and celebrate the life, work, and legacy of Chavez.

--Jeff Weiss

PAMELA JACOBSON

Executive Director, Hand in Hand Family &

Child Development Center

Age 39

AT a time when most people only understand their intense dislike of trigonometry, Pamela Jacobson already knew her life's calling. Instinctively gravitating towards education. Jacobson realized that she would become a teacher while only a teenager when she enrolled in a sign language elective course.

This passion for helping others carried her to the University of Washington, where she realized that a great need existed for a team approach to speech therapy. Nearly two decades later, Jacobson dreams became a reality with the establishment of the Hand in Hand Family & Child Development Center in Encino.

"The company started in my living room nine years ago. I was a speech therapist and was terribly frustrated by the lack of services available to children. In this area the speech therapists worked in a vacuum and didn't work with other individuals that were working with kids," Jacobson said. "At Hand in Hand, I built a team of like minded clinicians that weren't bound by territorial restraints."

Last year, Hand in Hand was granted long-sought-after 501(c) 3 status from the IRS. The organization has faced challenges including proposed budget cuts from the state that would directly impact services provided to children with disabilities, but such impediments only strengthened Jacobson's resolve. Each month, Hand in Hand's team is able to service more than 100 local children with special needs and their families to help them reach their full potential.

--Jeff Weiss

CHRIS JIMENEZ

President and CEO, Full Flight Marketing

Age 36

INGREDIENTS of success: money, intelligence, motivation, oh, and a vision, too. With $25,000, clear plans how to manage a company in the marketing industry, and the drive to start his own firm, Chris Jimenez found the right recipe for success which he has called Full Flight Marketing.

In 1999, after four years of selling for a marketing firm-turned-competitor, Jimenez trusted himself and his marketing strategies and moved to a nearby office with nobody else but his wife to start his own business. And in less than three years after Full Flight Marketing's entrance to the market, sales reached just over $3 million, making this promotional marketing firm the third-fastest growing distributor in that industry.

Full Flight has clients as large as Countrywide Financial and DreamWorks SKG who have been with the company almost from its beginning. Jimenez hopes to grow to a $15-$20 million business in less than five years.

--Marissa Greenberg

PARVEEN KAKAR

Vice President, Superior Industries International

Age 38

How many corporate vice-presidents can say they started out at their company 15 years ago as a summer intern working on the shop floor?

How many can say they left their home and family and moved half way around the world to attend a state university here in the U.S. rather than one of the premier engineering colleges in their homeland?

And how many are willing to relocate from the sunny San Fernando Valley to snowy and wet Michigan in order to strengthen the company's core business?

Parveen Kakar can say yes to it all.

Kakar, formerly director of engineering services for Van Nuys-based Superior Industries, has recently left Chatsworth for the suburbs of Detroit to build a technical center for the company in the heart of the American automotive industry, the major customer for Superior's car and truck wheels. But his professional roots are in the Valley.

Fifteen years ago, Kakar was an emigrant student looking for a job.

"I was driving down Woodley (Avenue) and saw all the wheels sitting on the rack, so I stopped and took my resume in," Kakar said. "I walked in and said I was a grad student and was willing to work on the shop floor, and they said "we can take you' ... that's how it started. It's kind of funny."

Kakar, born in Chandigarh, India, earned a B.S. in mechanical engineering at Punjab Engineering College. He could have gone to graduate school at the Indian Institute of Technology (known as "India' s MIT").

"My parents were saying "Why? Why not IIT?' but I had developed a fascination with the engineering activity here and the industrial strength of the U.S., especially the automotive industry," Kakar said. "I landed admission at Ohio State, but a friend said 'Go to California' and I heard the weather is good, so I came to CSUN."

Kakar earned his M.S. in mechanical engineering from CSUN while working part-time at Superior's Van Nuys plant, which employs 1,200 people. He was hired full-time after graduation as a design engineer.

At the same time, Kakar, who speaks fluent English, Hindi, and Punjabi, worked as a translator in the Indian-American and Indian immigrant community.

"Living in India you have an opportunity to learn three languages, international, national, and regional," he said. "So I could help out people who were having a hard time speaking English.

Along the way, Kakar met his wife, Meeta, and the couple married and began their family, including son Nishant, 9, and daughter Nishta, 2.

"He's a great guy, very personable, and a great guy to deal with the customer," said Jeff Ornstein, chief financial officer at Superior's Van Nuys headquarters. "He's an outstanding member of the Superior family."

--Brad Smith

DREW KAPLAN

CEO, ISWest

Age 35

DREW Kaplan's entrepreneurial skills began showing themselves when he successfully operated a lemonade stand when he was 7 years old. At 11, he was detailing cars for his neighbors. And in high school, he was dabbling in real estate.

At 35, Kaplan is the CEO of ISWest, an Internet service provider based in Agoura Hills. He founded the company in 1996 with partner Robert Johnson after selling off another business, a pre-paid phone card firm. Johnson brought technical expertise and he brought sales and marketing, he said. But Kaplan doesn't bill himself as a salesman:

"I'm an inventor," Kaplan said. "What drives me is to be able to create and drive ideas for businesses."

His first foray into business was via real estate. At 19, and right out of high school, Kaplan earned a real estate license and helped manage 22 apartment buildings in the Los Angeles area. When a chance came up to develop a farm in New Zealand with a cousin, Kaplan jumped at the opportunity. He wound up spending the next three years, from 1990 to 1993, developing the farm into commercial property and living there.

Kaplan describes himself as "a very futuristic guy" who loves concept cars; among his hobbies is car audio customization. Kaplan has installed his own audio systems and has won several national car show awards.

--Slav Kandyba

KRIS KAUFMANN

Partner, Venture Capital Services Group

Deloitte & Touche LLP

Age 38

IF you still think that accountants work alone, holed up in an office crunching numbers, Kris Kaufmann will dispel that notion.

A partner in the Venture Capital Services group of Deloitte & Touche LLP, Kaufmann's job revolves around establishing close ties to the technology community and understanding the needs of emerging growth companies and those who run them as much as it does balancing books and running numbers.

"For an accountant, Kris is really into technology," said Dan Benson, another Deloitte partner in the Technology, Media and Telecommunications practice who works with Kaufmann. "He's a young partner, but he leads our venture capital initiative in all of Southern California. And he has a really deep knowledge of the financial issues related to technology, not just the accounting.

Kaufmann was on the team that took Mannkind Corp. public last month.

He worked with eMachines on its public offering, although the effort was displaced by Gateway's acquisition of the company last March. And he has lent his expertise tn Sonoma Systems and Adexa when those companies launched plans (since withdrawn) to go public.

Kaufmann specializes in startups that often need a financial consultant and resource as much as they require accounting expertise.

"You need to be able to filter down some of the complexity," he said. "And I think, for me personally, I really enjoy teaching, and there's a lot of what I do that's similar to that."

He works with the Software Council of Southern California to help develop workshops and organize networking opportunities and with the council's VentureNet operation, where he participates in a committee that helps screen business plans for review by venture capitalists.

But the avid skier and cyclist and father of one son with another on the way, also has a soft spot for families mid sports outside the business community. He is a beard member of the U.S. Adaptive Recreation Center, which helps provide people with disabilities with equipment and training to ski.

--Shelly Garcia

ANNE KOTAKE

Engineer, Rocketdyne Propulsion & Power

Age 38

ANNE Kotake's first assignment as a mechanical engineer for the Boeing Co.'s Rocketdyne Division was a testing specialist for the company's effort to design a new rocket engine, the first new design built in the United States since the 1970s.

The result, the RS-68 engine, which uses liquid hydrogen and oxygen to throw Boeing's equally brand-new Delta IV satellite booster skyward, was a long way from taking flight when Kotake joined the project in 2000.

The team working on the kS-68 pulled lengthy, even brutal, shifts to make the engine a reality.

"It was pretty challenging, very demanding work, and the hours were whatever it took," said Kotake, a Thousand Oaks resident who graduated from Venice High School and California State University Long Beach. "We were here every weekend; we were here every night, past 9 or 10 p.m."

As the program advanced, Kotake's specific assignment included overseeing tests of the new engine--which generates 650,000 pounds of thrust, as compared to the space shuttle engine's 418,000 pounds--at NASA's Stennis Space Center in Mississippi.

These are the final tests for the each engine before it is attached to a booster and readied for launch at the Kennedy Space Center--with a multi-million dollar spacecraft on top.

"They're built here, shipped to Stennis for final assembly and testing, and fired up in the test stand," Kotake said.

"That's where we come in to make sure each engine meets all the specs; it's like tuning it up--we test it out, it launches, and then it ends up at the bottom of the ocean."

Kotake, whose husband Mark Works in the commercial real estate business, is also a mother of two. Her son Jeffrey is now 6 1/2 while daughter Kellie is 20 months old. Kotake's commitment to the RS-68 project is such that when the Delta IV was set for its initial launch in November 2002, she was at the Rocketdyne plant in Canoga Park, despite being 8 1/2 months pregnant.

"I had her two days after we launched," Kotake said. "The on-going joke was we should have named her "Delta.' "

Kotake would like to head back east for at least one more launch. In September, the first Delta IV "heavy" rocket, basically a super-sized version of the booster with three RS-68s rather than one is set to be launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The "heavy" version is the largest booster built in the U.S. since the Saturn V that sent astronauts to the moon, and the likely launch vehicle for the next generation of U.S. manned spacecraft after the shuttle. In that sense, the future of the RS-68 program may depend on the big model of the Delta IV.

"With the "heavy' set to go, that will he pretty important" Kotake said. "I'm hoping they'll send me over there to see it launch."

--Brad Smith

NEAR MARGALIT

CEO, LuminentOIC

Age 31

NEAR Margalit has all the makings of an engineer--perhaps a rocket scientist--but his true talents are being put to use as a CEO of a subsidiary of a publicly traded company.

Margalit, who is the 31-year-old CEO of Chatsworth-based LuminentOIC, a fiber optics parts manufacturer, completed his undergraduate studies at Caltech and then followed that up with advanced degrees, including a doctorate in optoelectronics from the University of California Santa Barbara. With those credentials, he surely can't be described as just another executive type.

"My value to the company is on the business side but having the technological background allows me to make (better) decisions," Margalit said. "I think success today is intimately tied between business decisions and technology decisions."

After getting his doctorate from UCSB, Margalit founded Zaffire, a telecommunications firm based in Santa Barbara. He secured $110 million in venture funding for the company and became its chief technology officer. Eventually, the company was sold to another telecom firm, which did not survive the tech slump in the late 90s.

Margalit, having escaped unscathed, decided to change course and work in a sector closer to his field of study at UCSB--fiber optics. He joined Luminent, owned by MRV Communications, Inc., as vice president of marketing in 2002. He was elevated to CEO in 2003 when the company consolidated with its Taiwanese facility and was renamed LuminentOIC.

MRV Communications was originally co-founded by Shlomo Margalit, Near's father, who still serves on the board of directors.

The younger Margalit said his father taught him how to think "aggressively and boldly." But he also achieved success, he said, because of "luck" and "good decision-making."

--Slav Kandyba

AMBER MASCI

Environmental Health and Safety, Northrop

Grumman Navigation Systems

Age 33

AMBER Masci started her career in the sciences teaching grade school students in Los Angeles and Ventura counties.

In her off hours, she and her husband Felix, both devout Catholics, help teach other couples how to keep their marriages and faith on course.

Today, she is still teaching; but in this case her students are her fellow workers at Northrop Grumman Navigation Systems' plant in Woodland Hills, where she works in the Environmental Health and Safety Department.

"My focus is on employee safety," said Masci, a Simi Valley resident who has been with Northrop for one year. "We do manufacturing here, and there is an engineering section as well, but it is pretty good, quite healthy."

She develops safety programs, teaches classes, and does quality assurance and assessments to insure that federal and state workplace safety laws and company regulations are followed.

Masci, a Simi Valley native, earned B.S. and M.S. degrees in environmental and occupational health at California State University Northridge. She has worked as a grade school science teacher, in the toxicology department at Thousand Oaks-based Amgen, and as an asbestos removal expert, but working for Northrop Grumman has been very rewarding, Masci said.

"It's the variety of things I get to do here," she said. "I love to create programs and make it more comprehensible to the people here, to make sure it "all comes together."

The contrast between Northrop and Amgen, both highly technical companies, has been an adjustment, Masci said.

Amgen is very young and extremely driven; it's very high stress, but a great company overall," she said. "Northrop Grumman is very established, there are a lot of people here who are, let's say 'over 40', so it's been a challenge sometimes to make changes here but we've been very successful in the last year."

The Mascis live in Simi Valley and are active in their parish, St. Peter Claver Catholic Church.

"It's for people who have been married two years or 30 years," she said. "We really enjoy our ministry ... it's been life-changing for us."

--Brad Smith

LIEF MORIN

President and CEO, Key Information Systems Inc.

Age 36

IN 1999 Lief Morin started his business with a rather simple idea--do a good job and five years later few would argue that he has.

In that time Key Information Systems Inc., an IBM solutions provider in Woodland Hills, has grown to $46 million in revenues and five offices in three states.

Key was ranked number 46 on Inc.'s list of the 500 fastest growing companies, and earned the number one spot on the Los Angeles Business Journal's list of fastest growing companies for its 2001 performance.

"He's as sharp as a tack," said Fred Cuen, executive vice president and general manager of Avnet partner Solutions, IBM Americas, a San Antonio-based company that supplies Key along with other such providers. "Not only is he smart, knowledge-wise, he's got good wisdom too."

Key goes one step farther than providing its clients with the equipment and software needed to run technology systems. The company begins by finding out what the company would like to do with the equipment.

It may seem simple, but when Morin first decided to launch his business, he did not see many rivals doing that.

A salesman in the high-tech arena for eight years, what Morin said he noticed was companies putting an emphasis on sales, not on identifying and satisfying customer'needs.

"The products we sell are one-half million, sometimes two or $3 million," said 36-year-old Morin. "It's very difficult to go to a client and say, hey, please buy $2 million of product from me and not be able to very specifically and intelligently articulate what the products do and how they do it."

Morin formed the company with a staff of four and now employs 30 workers. Key closed out its first year of operations with $9 million in sales. By the second year the business had grown more than one-and one-half times to $24 million and in year three, Key's revenues increased another 54 percent.

Business has slowed somewhat since then--Key saw revenues increase by 18 percent in 2002 and last year by 4.5 percent. Not coincidentally, those years also reflect the virtual shutdown in capital spending by the business community.

"We've done that in what was arguably one of the worst tech environments ever." said Morin.

With three kids, two of them boys, Morin several years ago became very active in the Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts, even starting a troop when his eldest son was ready to graduate to the Boy Scouts.

--Shelly Garcia

DR. TAMITHA MULLIGAN

Advanced Program Manager, Northrop

Grumman Navigation Systems

Age 34

TAMITHA Mulligan would like to be the next Carl Sagan.

Sagan died at 62, a pre-eminent astronomer who had captured the world's imagination with his vision of the cosmos and the search for life beyond earth.

At 34, Mulligan may have a way to go. In the meantime, she is content to work oil her other goals: furthering scientific research on weather conditions in space, completing a new record for her band, getting accepted into NASA's astronaut program and, oh yes, envisioning marketable uses for the technical advancements underway at Northrop Grumman Navigation Systems division where she works as advanced program manager.

Mulligan, a Ph.D. in geophysics and space plasma physics, joined Northrop Grumman in 2002 as a systems engineer and was promoted to her current post in April. She has already successfully redirected an existing program that ran into difficulty, helping to resurrect it for another use, an accomplishment for which she and her team were awarded Northrop's TAP Award for outstanding achievement. And she is currently working on a proposal for NASA that, if successful, would bring in a $40 million contract.

She has authored or co-authored some 60 academic papers, guest lectured around the world and sat on NASA's peer review panel.

For a while, Mulligan left Northrop Grumman to operate her music studio, Dreamcatcher Studios, as a for-profit enterprise.

When Northrop Grumman asked her back, she agreed, on condition that she be able to pursue her own research, one of the areas she was advised to ramp up after being rejected from her first try at the astronaut program.

She sees the rejection as just one step in the process, and plans to keep trying until she makes it.

Mulligan has wanted to be an astronaut since she was a kid, reading science fiction.

"I always had my head in the clouds," she said.

Then she discovered physics.

"I started realizing that the truth was stranger than fiction, so I ended up putting down my science fiction books for physics books," Mulligan said. "The closest I could come to touching a new and totally different reality was space. So that's how my childhood dream of becoming an astronaut started."

It hasn't come that easily.

In junior college she almost failed calculus, something she now attributes in part to the differences in the way men and women learn and to self-fulfilling notions about women and math.

But when she transferred to UCLA, Mulligan met a professor, C.T. Russell who ended up offering her an internship working on space physics research.

"She started off here with a double major, taking both chemistry and physics, so that put her in a class by herself," said Russell, a member of the faculties of both the Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics and the Department of Earth and Space Sciences who is currently working on asteroid belt research for NASA. "She was interested in a broad range of science, so I introduced her to solar physics and she made some very fundamental contributions."

Mulligan hopes one day to integrate her work with Northrop and her academic research in ways that will engage those out side the field of physics as well.

"I would love to be the next Carl Sagan. That would be a lifetime achievement," Mulligan said.

--Shelly Garcia

EMILY NEWMAN

Chief Operating Officer, Chrysalis

Age 31

EMILY Newman, chief operating officer at Chrysalis, a not-for-profit that provides counseling, training and other tools to help the homeless return to the workplace, is talking about the kinds of life-changing experiences the group produces.

"They're moving from poverty and homelessness to self sufficiency," she says. "I think to make that change in your life is one of the bravest things you can do."

But it has taken more than a heart in the right place to drive Chrysalis and organizations like it over the last few years as budgets for charitable giving have dwindled.

Newman, 31, was named Chrysalis's COO last year. She has been instrumental in helping the group to navigate the tough philanthropic environment, helping to raise what will amount to about $3 million in funding this year.

"I think that Emily is the most talented non-profit manager in L.A.," said Adlai Wertman, president and CEO of Chrysalis. "She really understands how to balance the social needs of the program and our clients with the business needs of running an efficient, effective non-profit organization. And that balance is very rare to find in non-profits."

Newman joined Chrysalis in 2001 as chief development officer after a post as vice president for the American Heart Association in the western region, responsible for that group's fundraising efforts.

As COO, Newman oversees Chrysalis' programs, staff and fundraising.

The programs, including classes to help develop job search skills and self confidence, guidance with resume writing and coaching for interviews, and a revenue-producing temporary staffing service and street cleaning service, will this year serve about 2,000 people, and Chrysalis boasts a 92 percent success rate for finding jobs. About 80 percent of the program's clients retain their employment after six months time.

When she arrived at the not-for-profit, which operates three offices in Pacoima, downtown Los Angeles and Santa Monica, Chrysalis was primarily raising funds through a letter-writing campaign.

"We did a good job, but given the economic pressures in the last couple of years, we had more clients coming to us taking longer to get jobs, and it was harder for funders to give," said Newman.

While the funding has helped, Newman believes it is Chrysalis' approach that has made the difference in its success rate.

"I think Chrysalis has the expectation that people can," she said. "That's vastly different from many organizations and people."

--Shelly Garcia

DIMITRI NIKOULINE

President, Murano Software Inc.

Age 33

A native of Moscow, Russia, Dimitri Nikouline came to the United States in 1993 in hopes of launching a career in software engineering.

A decade later, he established his own business with a workforce of 30-plus software engineers--who are in Russia. Murano Software, Inc.'s headquarters, however, are back in Woodland Hills, at Nikouline's home.

In 2003, he found a partner in Russia and established Murano. The company set up an office in St. Petersburg and opened for business. Today, it has clients across the United States, as well as in Australia and Spain, among other countries. Nikouline's motivation is to see his business grow and become more successful.

"Careerwise I'd like to grow a successful business in software development area," he said. "I like to play with technology but I also like to build things (and) building a company is very exciting."

Nikouline is highly involved in the Software Council of Southern California, a trade organization representing the region's software-related companies. As a member of the Valley chapter, Nikouline organized a March forum in Woodland Hills to take up offshore outsourcing issues.

When he has spare time, Nikouline plays soccer on an amateur team.

Murano's boss, however, has been a victim of his own success--in the form of having to keep international hours since many customers are overseas.

"Running your own business is a 24-hour deal," he lamented.

--Slav Kandyba

MERRI PEARSON, PH.D

Director, National Center on Deafness

Age 37

As a small town girl in Montana, hard of hearing and living nearing the Crow and Blackfoot Indian tribes, Merri Pearson grew up helping people. At 13 she chose her first job: helping to pick up litter along the highway. And now in the big city, Pearson still has the desire to make an impact.

"I am very driven to create positive change regardless of the environment," Pearson said.

Pearson became the Director of the National Center on Deafness on the California Stare University, Northridge campus in 1999, at the age of 32. CSUN has one of the country's largest university populations of deaf and hard-of-hearing students, about 250. The campus was also among the first to offer services to mainstream deaf students beginning in the 1960s.

She had previously worked as an officer for the U.S. Department of Education beginning in 1994, overseeing 325 programs with total annual budgets of $45 million. She said she was attracted to the position at the center because she thought it would be "an opportunity to apply things from a national level to a local level."

Also known for her talent as a grant writer, in her first year after joining the center, Pearson received an unprecedented six of the six grants she had requested. Under her direction, the center has established an employment center, technical assistance for other colleges and universities, and a transition program with linkages to grades K-12. In addition, she has overseen nine outside-funded projects, with federal funding of just under $10 million.

In 2002, her achievements at the center drew the attention of the Mattel Corp. After being contacted by Mattel, she worked from product development to the actual prototype to create a Sign Language Barbie. The Barbie Dolls were sold out upon their release to Toys 'R' Us stores.

Pearson has been recognized with awards including the Distinguished Alumni Award from Central Washington University, the CSUN Polished Apple Award for effective mentoring and teaching, and the Staff Development Award at Washington State University for her outstanding contributions.

--Jason Tarr

DAVID R. PHELPS

Director of Government Relations, Valley

Industry and Commerce Association

Age 27

DAVID R. Phelps is a San Fernando Valley native and proud of it.

Phelps, who lives in Granada Hills, grew up in Northridge and graduated from Chatsworth High and California State University Northridge.

He has worked in San Francisco and Sacramento and had a chance at a public policy fellowship in Washington, D.C., but he gave that up for a chance to work at Valley Industry and Commerce Association in Sherman Oaks.

"I came back because I wanted to care for the community I work in," Phelps said. "My heart lies in the Valley and I feel like I can come to work everyday and contribute to and do something for the area I grew up in."

Phelps, who earned his B.A. in political science at CSUN, is currently working on a Master of Public Administration at the college. As VICA's director of government relations, he works with the business advocacy group's staff and board members to lobby for its priorities within city, county, and state and federal government.

Phelps first became acquainted with VICA while working as a field representative for Assembly Speaker Bob Hertzberg, whose district included much of the central San Fernando Valley.

There were a couple of VICA policy committee meetings there I had attended as a field rep with Hertzberg and I was impressed by the depth of research and policy discussion there," Phelps said. "They didn't just take the positions of other business groups and rubber stamp them ... they really work the issues."

Phelps, who was active in student government at CSUN and Young Democrats organizations in the Valley, has worked for a Republican-leaning law firm (Nielsen Merksamer); a Democratic-leaning law firm (Smith Kaufman, which also specializes in political law); Hertzberg, generally seen as a pro-business Democrat; unsuccessful Los Angeles City Council candidate Rob Vinson; and V1CA.

At the business group, Phelps has been deeply involved in the effort to reform Los Angeles' business tax. A package of reforms, generally referred to as the BTAC proposals, are expected to be acted on by the City Council in October, and Phelps said VICA deserves a large amount of credit for it.

"I enjoy the government service and public policy side and BTAC is an example," he said.

"I'm interested in being part of a team that works for improved public policy."

Phelps, like many involved in public policy in Los Angeles, sees the Valley's evolution from suburb to something more as emblematic of changes going on across southern California.

"The transition the Valley has been going through, from a suburban area to more of a mix of urban and suburban, is something everyone should be following," Phelps said. "And I think VICA has recognized that, to a certain extent more than other groups in the Valley."

--Brad Smith

GREG RAMIRFZ

City, Manager, Agoura Hills

Age 37

WHEN Greg Ramirez was growing up just outside of Riverside in the early 1970s, citrus orchards still dominated the landscape, not the red-roofed subdivisions that fill up much of Riverside County today.

"It's so easy to forget what was here; when I grew up all there was were lemon groves," Ramirez said. "They've been going over the past 25 years."

A quarter-century later, Ramirez is the city manager of Agoura Hills, trying to balance the needs of economic growth in the San Fernando Valley suburb and the amenities that draw people to the community in the first place.

"The challenge is trying to find the balance between the semi-rural atmosphere out here and still having an adequate economic base," Ramirez, hired as city manager in February after several years as assistant city manager.

"We're kind of the last frontier here in terms of the 101 freeway and the commercial corridor," he said. "People like to see the open space and the hillsides, but they also like to be able to shop in town, so finding that balance is challenging."

Ramirez, who earned a B.A. in economics at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and an M.A., also in economics, at California State University Hayward, previously worked for the cities of La Mirada and Santa Fe Springs. He also worked in the League of California Cities' southern California office before starting with Agoura Hills in 1997.

"For me, the attraction of the job is the hands-on community involvement; it's almost a calling, to work close to the people, for lack of a better term," Ramirez said. "Sometimes I have to pinch myself when I realize how I got here ... the opportunities to do this are limited."

Ramirez lives in Thousand Oaks with his wife Lauren, and their one-year-old son Gabriel. With a young family, Ramirez is at a different point in life than many city managers and most of the members of the Agoura Hills council.

"I'm working for a city council that's older than me and they are all pretty bright, and at least half of my staff is older than me as well," he said "It doesn't bother me, because I can't afford to let it bother me. I do what I think is right."

The city's biggest current capital improvement projects are the $25 million re-building of the Kanan Road/Highway 101 interchange and finishing Agoura Hills' new civic center. Alongside those large efforts, the city is also finishing the rehabilitation of the Reyes Adobe, a historical landmark that dates back to the early 1800s.

"It's a little hidden treasure that was a primary stopping point along El Camino Real," Ramirez said. "We're looking forward to opening it back up to the public as a park."

That sort of consideration for both past and future is what Ramirez wants to provide in Agoura Hills.

"We are trying to find a balance," he said. "There are property right but there are also impacts to the community, and they need to be addressed and mitigated."

--Brad Smith

TONY STRICKLAND

California Assemblyman, District 37

Age 34

EVEN though California Assemblyman Tony Strickland might not get his way in the unabashedly liberal state assembly, at least the 34-year-old Republican knows that he probably has the highest vertical leap of any politician in the state. The former Whittier College and Royal High School basketball star had a 41 inch vertical back when he sliced up defenses on the court. Currently the representative for Assembly District 37, which includes parts of Thousand Oaks, Camarillo, Simi Valley, Los Angeles, and Moorpark, the energetic Strickland attempts to leave his mark on the assembly floor rather than on opposing defenses.

"I've been lucky and blessed to have had a district to put the trust in me to make a difference in Sacramento. I've accomplished a lot there, but my proudest achievement came during the energy crisis when I sued the governor over long-term power contracts," Strickland said. "After that lawsuit the power companies came in and renegotiated the contracts, saving the state billions of dollars."

The conservative supply-side legislator harbors strong beliefs about empowering the people and putting minimal control in the hands of Sacramento politicians.

"Sometimes government thinks it knows how to do things better than individual folks. I think giving more responsibility to the people is better.

I've been trying to get rid of $100,000 a year commissions where people show up to work once a month. That's the equivalent of two and a half teachers," Strickland said. "I'd like to reprioritize our spending money in the classroom and streamline government to minimize waste. In my six years in the legislature, I've come to realize that sometimes legislators don't treat people's tax dollars as their own, I'd like this to change."

--Jeff Weiss

ERICA SWENSON

Director of Sales and Marketing, Stockholm

Kristall

Age 26

IT would be easy to be jealous of Erica Swenson. She's 26, pretty, and blond and as the director of sales and marketing she has spear-headed the rapid growth of Woodland Hills-based Stockholm Kristall vodka.

While some things can only be attributed to genetics, her business success at such a young age comes primarily from dedication, hard work, and laser focus.

Founded just four years ago, the increase of Stockholm's brand awareness can be attributed largely to Swenson, who has established an entire events and marketing department to promote the product within the fashion, arts, charity and entertainment industry. Her tireless efforts have led to the company's expansion into Nevada, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, and Hawaii. At Vons, Stockholm has become the fastest growing import vodka in the 750 ml category.

"My opportunity to build the brand has been wonderful. I've been tapping into art, film, fashion, and charity events and building relationships especially in the liquor industry," Swenson said. "It's a wonderful product. I'm very honest and I'm family oriented and have good values. I think in the place I am and the positioning I have, there's the foundation to achieve greatness for the product."

Swenson's youth has provided her increased awareness into current trends and phenomenon, allowing her to help Stockholm increase its market share by packaging it around entertainment and industry functions, while simultaneously striving to project an aura of quality and value.

"I think being the age I am you have to work harder for people to accept you and look at you as a professional career woman. I feel that I've earned that right and that brings me the greatest joy," Swenson said. "Stockholm gives me the freedom to be creative and cross-promote with other brands. The future of the comply looks bright, we want to put ourselves on the map, and make sure that people get a good value."

--Jeff Weiss

TIFFANY TERNAN

Senior Vice President of North American Sales

and Distribution, THQ Inc.

Age 37

TIFFANY Ternan Joined THQ as a marketing manager in 1992, when the newly-formed company was just getting off the ground. Twelve years later, Ternan is now senior vice president of North American sales and distribution, and has helped THQ become one of the biggest and most successful interactive software publishers in the country.

"I strive to help the company achieve record revenues year-in and year-out through sales efforts," said Ternan, whose long-standing relationships with major retailers have been critical to the company's ongoing success.

Since her appointment to her current position in April of 2003, THQ brought in North American revenue of $453 million in the 2004 fiscal year. In 2003, THQ was the No. 2 independent video game software publisher in sales, and one of only two video game publishing companies to gain market share that year. In addition, the company has experienced a 37 percent revenue growth over the past twelve months.

Between 1992 and 1998, Ternan held various positions at THQ, including western regional manager, and national accounts manager and director of sales. Ternan next served as vice president of sales from November 1998 to January 2001. Prior to her work at THQ, Ternan held several sales and marketing positions in the consumer products industry.

Ternan is a working mother, who aside from her work at THQ, supports several charities, including the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and Down Syndrome Association. She is also active in the Catholic Church.

THQ has several projects in the works for the future on which Ternan will be working. Some of the projects scheduled for the upcoming months include offering video games based upon three major holiday motion pictures. In addition, Ternan is excited about the development of a new hand-held gaming system that will have THQ working with Nintendo and Sony. "It is very exciting," she said, "because it will allow a player to do more from a portable perspective."

When asked what the future holds for her personally, Ternan said, "I work with great people in a flexible, yet highly motivated culture ... There are still a lot of new challenges available for me in this position."

--Jason Tarr

MAURICE VANEGAS

Owner, American Fleet Services

Age 35

HORATIO Alger would've been jealous that he never got to write about Maurice Vanegas.

Born in Colombia, Vanegas immigrated to the United States at 11 and spent the remainder am of his childhood and adolescence living in a cramped Glendale apartment. A born entrepreneur, Vanegas started Transit System Unlimited in 1991, while just a 21 year-old junior at UCLA. Parlaying Transit's success into other moneymaking ventures, Vanegas has amassed a real estate empire at the age of 35.

"Transit System is a bus company with an emphasis on the transportation of clients to and from entertainment venues. I also started a company called American Fleet Services that does truck repair and specializes in diesel engines," Vanegas said. "My personal biz is Socecorev LLC, there we buy land at auctions, as well as buying apartments and managing them. Lately, it's no secret that the L.A. market has been increasing rather sharply, so I've sold a lot of our assets and invested heavily in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. There, we own about 20 buildings, mainly for student housing."

Vanegas attributes much of his success to his business acumen, his passion for his work, and the unbridled energy he possesses.

"I've got a lot of energy. Even when I went to UCLA and graduated with a structural engineering degree, I always knew that I'd own my own business. After eight hours of work, I take my coffee break. I go home and I still have energy," Vanegas said. "I have a passion for what I do and have fun with it. I made some very good deals that have created a lot of leverage to get into bigger deals. I've come from very humble beginnings and stayed frugal and grounded so that when I take chances it doesn't affect my personal life."

--Jeff Weiss

MARLA VASQUEZ

District Manager, North Valley, Wells Fargo

Age 34

WHEN Marla Vasquez was appointed to her first job as branch manager for Wells Fargo's Calabasas branch, she began by standing in the lobby and introducing herself to every customer who came through the doors.

The business of banking may be first and foremost a business of numbers-but for Vasquez, who has won her fair share of awards for financial performance too, it all revolves around the people, be they staff members or customers.

Now district manager for the North Valley at Wells, she has won awards for client and employee retention, coached and mentored a long line of staffers from tellers on up, won the bank's Diversity Champion award for the teams she has developed and the Leadership Legend Award, awarded to only one executive a year, for her management skill.

Her boss, Vince Liuzzi, who is regional president for the San Fernando Valley Community Bank at Wells, likes to tell a story about the staffer who came up to him at a recent event, teary eyed with emotion, to tell him she had planned on moving on from the bank after graduation, but was now intending to stay because of Vasquez.

"She has improved the level of service and sales one hundred fold," said Liuzzi.

A career in banking was furthest from Vasquez's mind when she was in school, receiving a bachelor's degree with a double major in psychology and business management from Rocky Mountain College in Montana and a masters in psychology from California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo.

Needing to support herself in graduate school, she joined the bank when she couldn't find a paid internship in the field of psychology, and she so impressed her manager with her people skills that he convinced her to stay.

"If you do not have the respect from your fellow co-workers then it's really hard to do the important things like helping customers and community involvement," Vasquez said. "I always try to identify what each individual's strengths are and put them in a position that matches those strengths so they can feel good every day about what they're doing."

Vasquez said the combination of business and psychology training has worked well, a point borne out by the results she has achieved, including recognition in Wells' Circle of Stars for Sales Excellence program. The branches she has led have landed among the bank's top ranking performers for sales and profits and lending.

Vasquez also devotes her time as a board member of the Valley Family Center and works with the city's Neighborhood Housing Services in Pacoima. She is also helping to start a credit union in Pacoima.

"When I was a kid I grew up on a ranch in Montana and was in the 4H Club," Vasquez said. "Most of the kids would take one project and I would take four. So I always was a high achiever, I always want to be at the top of the heap as much as possible."

--Shelly Garcia

VLADIMIR VICTORIO

Director of Lending, Valley Economic

Development Center

Age 32

IF you need money, Vladimir Victorio's your man. The director of lending for the Valley Economic Development Center, Victorio specializes in obtaining funds for people who have previously been turned away by traditional banks.

Taking over the lending department only one year ago, Victorio has overseen the distribution of more than $10 million in loans to small and medium sized business. The 32 year old was also successful in helping VEDC secure the Los Angeles Community Development Bank loan portfolio, which VEDC now services.

"My financial background in commercial banking, consulting, and my MBA has provided me the financial background to be able to handle this position.

I personally get a tot out of it," Victorio said. "We're coming in and doing something that no one else can do and the people that we help tend to remember us for a long time. My philosophy is that it's too easy to say no, lets find a way to say yes."

Very involved in the Valley community, Victorio serves as the vice chair of the Pacoima Beautiful board of directors. He also has board memberships on the Mission College Citizens Committee and the Pacoima Chamber of Commerce. After his lending success over the past year, Victorio foresees a bright future for himself and the VEDC.

"I enjoy lending and working with businesses. In the future, I'd like to continue in this area. By working in this field, I get to aid young firms, firms without enough collateral resources, and companies where owners don't have the right credit rating. We're definitely not the cure all, but we help a lot of people," Victorio said.

--Jeff Weiss

WENDY L. YOST

Associate Director of Marketing and Programs

University Student Union, CSUN

Age 33

WHEN asked about one's life path, not many people could remark: "I'm completely fascinated with human behavior and human development, and I'm constantly trying to learn more about myself, other people, and how to help people make the changes that they want to make in life." Even less people would do as Wendy Yost has done and fulfill this enduring curiosity.

Yost does not waste a minute. With just a decade under her belt since her December '94 graduation from California State University Northridge, those years have been filled with giving back to her CSUN community in many ways. Principally, Yost worked as a coordinator of Project Community, initiating and institutionalizing ways to increase the sense of community on campus in a mainly diversity-related way.

"Her energy, her effort, anything she does, she puts herself whole-heartedly into," said Tania Figueroa, CSUN Program Coordinator who works with Yost in her position as Associate Director of Marketing and Programs. "Everyone knows that she'll do things out of wanting to and not at all out of expecting to get anything in return."

It has been said before that "Wendy's spirit is infectious." By being involved in CSUN's University Student Union, students truly continue coming back to Yost to learn and to grow and to be involved on campus.

"Whether it was in my three years at Arizona State University as 15 Program Coordinator and Senior Program Coordinator, in my work with a collegiate marketing company, or in any of my work at CSUN, a common thread has been really helping students through transitions that occur through college and through all of life," said Yost. "My main goal and motivation for the work that I do is helping students achieve their personal and academic goals in college, and then helping them look beyond college to achieve future goals."

Students are grateful to Yost for her passion and motivation.

At CSUN, her thoughts in designating a place for free speech turned into Matador Square, a vast area of trees and benches marked with a university seal for anyone to express themselves.

More personally, her love for learning more about herself and others has grown into a process of developing her own practice as a life coach for university students. And through her involvement in West Valley Unity Church where she took classes on spiritual and personal development, she has become the church's program coordinator of a series entitled "Powerful Beyond Measure."

--Marissa Greenberg