Ed Barwick

   Ed was raised in Long Beach and served seven years in the Navy as an electrician aboard nuclear submarines during the cold war. After the Navy he and his wife Lion Bonnie returned to Long Beach where Ed worked at Douglas Aircraft and then moved to the Naval Shipyard. During this time he earned both his BA and MA degrees in Economics from CSULB.
   Ed worked for over 25 years with the U.S. Customs Service and served in many management positions here in the Long Beach area and as a foreign advisor. Ed has managed multi-million dollar budgets and worked with the Ministers of Finance in both Egypt and Trinidad & Tobago where he improved revenue collections without any increase in customs duties.
   Ed was President of this Club in 2007-08. An active member, he has run the Harlem Ambassadors fund raiser for the last two years, is now the BBQ Committee chair and is always ready to help with whatever needs fixing.  He has worked with many other local service groups and is active in his church. Not long ago, Ed served on Mayor O'Neil's Ethics Review Task Force has been a candidate for the Long Beach City Council in the 5th District.
   Ed and Bonnie have been married over 40 years and have 3 adult children and two grandsons. They met while members of the LB Junior Concert Band.  Ed and Bonnie enjoy golf and traveling. 

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Angie Beeks

   ANGIE was born in Allentown, PA, where she attended Dieruff High School. She moved to Long Beach in 1976 and graduated from (CSULB, majoring in business and art, an unlikely combination
   While still at Cat State she worked for a veterinarian, expressing her passion for animal care. The pay scale induced her to take a spin at being a Bail Agent.  Seeing crime up close and personal led ANGIE to s third career, real estate sales, which she pursued until her first child was born.
   Hoping to induce her mom to move closer, ANGIE started ABC School and Party Shop in Bixby Knolls in 1997.
   She is a member of the Bixby Knolls Improvement Association and is the current Vice-President. She is also President of the Long Beach Center for the Arts.
   Angie has been recognized as the Supporter of the Year in 2000 by the Improvement Association and has received s Leadership and Dedication Special Recognition Award from the City of Long Beach.
   Her special interests as a Lion are the Children's Christmas Party, face painting at the BBQ and the Peace Poster Contest.
   Angie is married to Gary a lawyer specializing in family law, will and probate. They have two children, Nichole, 14, and Kristopher, 11, Nichole excels  at ballet, while Kris enjoys acting and his Yu Gi Oh cards.

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Marilyn Bittle

   President MARILYN is a career educator and teacher advocate. For 15 years, she was the Executive Director of the Teachers Association of Long Beach as well as past President of the Bellflower and California Teachers Associations and a candidate for the LBUSD School Board
   MARILYN graduated from Compton High School, Compton Community College and CSULB. She taught in Bellflower for over 30 years,
   MARILYN has served as President of the South Coast Ecumenical Council where she was awarded Lay Person of the Year; on State Senator Gary Hart's Advisory Board for Teacher Proficiency Testing; as a member of the State Board of Education's Reform in Secondary Education Implementation Committee and as a member of the Gloria Dei Lutheran Church choir (where her outstanding singing voice makes her a star), the church's council (past President) and as a consultant to teachers.
   MARILYN has been a Lion since 1997 and, in addition to being President is chief BBQ floor and bottle washer and one terrific “do anything asked" person.

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Loren Brown

   Loren Brown, aboard the heavy cruiser USS Northampton CA26, saw Long Beach for the first time just after the 1933 earthquake.  On his first shore eave, he knew that this town would be his future home.  He married his wife, Gale, while still in the Navy. They bought a home on Park Ave. in 1945 and have lived there ever since.
   After leaving the Navy in1965, Loren became a Realtor.  He was elected President of the Realty Board in 1980.  In 1983 he became the regional vice president of the California association.  He has served on many Commissions in the City, including the economic development commission, armed service commission and the city charter commission. Loren has chaired the Downtown Redevelopment Agency, the DLBA for two years and the Downtown Developer Selection Committee among others.  Loren retired in 1997 and is relaxing and enjoying life.

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Theresa Brunella

   Theresa Brunella is a native Californian, growing up in the South Bay and a graduate of CSULB.  She has made Long Beach her home for the last 16 years.  She is currently the D irector of Community Outreach and Volunteers for the Greater Long Beach Chapter of the American Red Cross, a position that she has enjoyed for over 18 years.
   Theresa was president of the D owntown Long Beach Lions Club (1997-98) when they made the decision to raise $206,000 for the privilege to name the City of Long Beach‘s lighthouse the Lion’s Lighthouse for Sight. The Lions are very proud of the lighthouse and what is represents—serving as an icon of the importance of preventing and eliminating blindness.
   Theresa is an avid Raiders fan married to Al an avid Steelers fan which makes football season even more fun!  Theresa is commissioner of their fantasy football.  Yes, we are always ready for some football!  Al and Theresa love to travel, entertain, watch sports, taste wine and enjoy life!

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Les Bryant

   Les, a Downtown Lions Club Member for over 50 years, has served as a Director of the Lions-owned Harbor Area Drag Strip Corporation for 25 years.  He served two terms as president.  The Downtown Lions recently liquidated their interest in that organization at a substantial profit.
   Born in the backwoods of Kentucky, Les has enjoyed many interesting occupations including paperboy, restaurant worker, Arthur Murray dance instructor, GI squad leader in Korea, dance studio operator and was an interested stock investor before becoming an investment advisor for a NYSE firm. He has remained with that firm for over 36 years. That firm is now UBS Financial Services, Inc.
   Along the way, Les ventured into wildcatting for oil and thoroughbred horse racing as exciting diversions. He now rates those ventures as being LOTS OF FUN but "very speculative indeed".
   These days, monitoring investment portfolios, making toys for kids, good bridge games and grandkid parties offer plenty of excitement for this old Lion.

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Andy Choy

   Andy is a native of Long Beach and Community Hospital .  He was educated at Burnett elementary school and Hughes Jr. High.  He is a graduate of THE HIGH SCHOOL in Long Beach , LB Poly.  It was on to Stanford University in biology and then USC School of Medicine.  Internship was at Big County (LA County General).  He spent 5 years in Manhattan doing his ophthalmology residency and subspecialty training in pediatrics and oculoplastic at NYU and Columbia . In full circle, he returned to Long Beach in 1976.
   In that year, he started the pediatric eye clinic Long Beach Memorial that has become the Lions Pediatric Eye Clinic.  In the early 80's he served as Medical Director of the Lions Eye Foundation of Southern California. Andy has been secretary of the Memorial Medical Center Foundation Board, treasurer for The Childrens Clinic, and is a Trustee of Long Beach Memorial Medical Center. He and his partners continue to staff the Lions Pediatric Eye Clinic in addition to teaching at UCLA and running their practice.  
   Andy appears at Friday meetings whenever possible.  He also sees various members on the pool deck at the Belmont Olympic Pool.

Jim Crawford

   After a long and distinguished career in metallurgy, Jim founded James Crawford Investments and Insurance, an independent financial advisory service, in 1997. Prior to that he operated an overhead door contracting company for 8 years and prior to that spent 25 yeas as a metallurgical engineer, rising to Director of Business Development. He holds four patents and was chair of the LA chapter of the American Society for Metals.
   Born in Detroit , MI , Jim lived there, San Francisco and Ann Arbor . He graduated from Michigan with a degree in chemistry, from Wayne State U as a metallurgical engineer and earned an MBA from the Taj Mahal on the knoll in Westwood.
   Jim loves to fish, grow rare fruits, travel, read and play chess. He and Esther, his mate since 1958, have four children and four grandchildren. Esther is a retired RN. Jim is president of the LB Livewires Toastmaster club and co-director of the Orange County Rare Fruit Growers.

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Cindy Costello

Cindy was born in Los Angeles making her a bit of a rarity, a native Californian. She   spent  her  formative  years in Hawthorne and moved to Long Beach in 1985, thereby, a new comer. CINDY attended El Camino College and earned a BA in History from the University of Denver. Unlike most History majors, CINDY opted neither to teach nor go to law school but enlisted with Pacific Bell (are they now Cingular or is your editor confused?). She retired from the position of Marketing Manager with Pac Bell in 1996, Today CINDY keeps herself busy as the Chair for Community Relations for the LB Symphony and the Assistance League of LB Orthodontic Center. She was also the Chair of your Lions Club's Special Olympics 2002 Committee. CINDY loves to golf, travel, knit, and all kinds of music. She is married to John, a CPA who specializes in "forensic" accounting. This is similar to "archeological” accounting or finding out where the evidence is buried.

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Nino Cristiano

   "NINO" CRISTIANO Born in Grumo Nevano, near Naples, VINCENZO CRISTIANO met and married Inge Reuschling in Germany.  Shortly thereafter they moved to Canada to be near Inge's sister, Anneliese. Finding the cold and opportunities not much to their liking, NINO sent Inge and their first born (also Nino) back to Germany white he went on to Bogota, Columbia. There he opened his first and then second restaurants. While successful, the political situation was unsettling, so NINO and Inge sold everything and relocated to Long Beach in May of 1957.
   Since neither spoke English, opportunities were limited but they were able to find work in the restaurant business, opening Nino's on Atlantic Blvd. on July 31, 1958.  Initially they had one dining room with several booths and tables, Inge ran the dining room, NINO ran the kitchen and there was another room for the kids to play and study. The restaurant has now grown to three buildings with a main dining room, a private fireplace room, a full bar, banquet room, catering kitchen, warehouse and parking lot. NINO and Inge's have been in business at the same location in Long Beach for over 45 years.

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John Cronin

    Dr. Cronin was born and raised in New York receiving his BA degree from Notre Dame University and his medical degree from University College, Cork, Ireland, which "make me think, this lad is very Irish!" He began his medical residency at the VA hospital in Long Beach and completed his last year at Long Beach Memorial.
   He began his solo practice in internal medicine in Long Beach when Memorial Medical Group expanded in 1988 and was instrumental in bringing the first female physician into the group. He was also involved with the Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Center at Long Beach Memorial.
    Dr. Cronin retired from practice in 1999, but continues to be involved with the Memorial Medical Group known as Health Care Partners Medical Group. He also has served on the Children's Clinic Advisory Board at LBMMC for the past five years.
    Dr. Cronin has been a member of the Downtown Long Beach Lions Club for the past 21 years and has served as club President and Zone Chairman in 4-L2. John has done a great job acquiring guest speakers, organizing St. Patrick's Day events, planning annual Night at the Races and organizing the Lions Children's Christmas party.
   For the past seven years, Dr. Cronin has been a member of the Board of the Long Beach American Red Cross and a generous supporter of the Steel Magnolias.

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Kirk Davis

   KIRK was born and raised in Long Beach. He attended Sutter Elementary, Franklin Jr High where he received the Downtown Lions Club music award in 1976, and Millikan High at a time when Poly was having a few down years in football. Millikan won two CIF championships in three years.(GO RAMS !) He has recently been attending Compton College to earn a certificate in Real Estate and prepare for the real estate license exam.  His favorite sport is all of them, but volleyball is #1 as he made the team at LBCC in two different years and he also played two tournaments in Hawaii for a Hawaiian club team.
   KIRK has worked as a pest control technician, a home insulation installer, a video arcade manager, and has spent the last 21 years working at GJ Property Services as a maintenance man and building engineer. Five years ago he started a successful contracting business called Moonco Improvements which specializes in commercial tenant improvements and medical office remodeling     KIRK is married to Lion HILDA GAYTAN whom he lovingly acknowledges as the real key to his success and happiness. He has four children Leon, Alissa, Jake and Emily. Jake and Emily were born with congenital cataracts and the Downtown Lions sponsored them for all of their surgeries and eye care. KIRK will be eternally grateful to the Downtown Lions Club for the help his family received and hopes to show his thanks through his service in this club.

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Raquel Delgado

Raquel is a California girl, born and raised in Norwalk . She comes from a traditional Mexican household with six brothers and sisters. Her parents were farm laborers and all of her siblings are first generation college graduates. While working for the Disneyland Resort, she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Recreation at the best university only known as “The Beach” ( Long Beach State ).  is currently the Membership Director for the YMCA of Greater Long Beach-Downtown Community Development branch. She started the organization in May of 2007 as an after school site director at Roosevelt Elementary School .  is an After School University Trainer/Speaker, emphasizing recreation programming. In 2008, she led a workshop at the National BOOST conference in Palm Springs for over 2,000 participants. She has been the Recreation Coordinator at the Carmelitos Housing Development in North Long Beach , working with at-risk youth and developed a teen leadership program called “Youth Leaders.” After months of nail-biting, eye-twitching, hair-pulling wedding planning, is happily married for 2 years with her husband Raul and they live in Downtown Los Angeles.

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Sam Dimas

   Sam was All-City and All-League when playing for Poly High. He's in the Poly Hall of Fame, having been team captain and MVP and named to the All-CIF team. He went on to play for LBCC, earning places on the All-Southern California and All-Western Division Junior College Football Teams and was again his team's captain and MVP. But at City College , Sam also shone beyond the football field. He was student body president and earned the Viking Award, the highest honor given to an LBCC student.  In 1988, he was inducted into the college's Hall of Fame.  Sam was also in the first class of inductees to the Poly High Football Hall of Fame.
   His community activities include serving on the boards of LBCC's Alumni Association, Athletic Associates, and Hall of Champions. In Lions, Sam has served on the board of directors and been an active member of the barbecue and golf committees as well as working at White Cane Day, Stand Down, and the 50/50 table. He's also a past member of the Long Beach Human Relations Commission. Many of us have been fascinated by Sam's recounting of his WW Il service, which earned him a host of medals, including the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star.
   A retired teacher and coach, Sam likes working in the yard and anything to do with sports, including golfing, attending high school and City College football games, and working out at the gym.  He most enjoys spending time with his four sons and their families.

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Victor Dominguez

   VICTOR is a native Californian, born and raised in Whittier . While working for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Fullerton he earned a B.S. degree in both Child & Adolescent Studies and Sociology from California State University , Fullerton . VICTOR is currently The Executive Director for the YMCA of Greater Long Beach-Fairfield Family YMCA Branch. He was previously the Senior Director for the Downtown Long Beach YMCA. He has been a National trainer for Boys & Girls Clubs of America, training adolescents in the country how to become leaders in their communities and about drug and alcohol prevention. Some of his personal achievements include being named the City of Fullerton Success Story of the year (2003) and a certificate of Appreciation for the work done in the community by the City of La Habra Mayor Rosa Espinosa and Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez. Most recently he was one of three YMCA professionals in the United States to be given the Andrew Young award for celebrating diversity in the workplace (2006).
   VICTOR is a member of the Long Beach Chamber of Commerce, the Long Beach Junior Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Long Beach Lions Club (Board Member), Long Beach Diabetes Collaborative, and many other city wide collaborative.
   He has been married for 1 year and is expecting his first child in July

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Dennis Drag

A vice-president of Moffatt & Nichol, with over thirty nine years of project management experience, DENNIS has managed many one-of-a-kind projects though out his career. These have included working on the Saturn II launch Vehicle for the Apollo Program, the development and design of a standard nuclear power for the TVA, the John Wayne Airport and numerous projects that have changed the downtown area and Port of Long Beach.
   DENNIS received his BSCE from Purdue University and a Masters, PhD and business degree from UCLA. He and his wife Leslie reside in Rancho Palos Verdes and have two sons. Oldest son Darren is a Doctor of Medical Dentistry and is the Director of the residency  program at Tufts Dental School in Boston. Devin is a senior at Chapman University where he is a starting pitcher on the baseball team.    In addition to being active in the Downtown Lions Club of Long Beach, DENNIS is a District Administrator for Little League Baseball, serves as Chairmen of a Dean’s Committee responsible for reviewing curriculum at Purdue University and is currently the chairman of the UCLA Chancellor’s Associates South Bay Region.

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Doug Drummond

 DOUG has retired after a career in law-enforcement, eight years as an elected official and over twenty years of part-time university teaching.
   DOUG joined the LBPD in 1959 and retired on the last day of 1988 as a Commander. During that time Doug graduated from USC's Delinquency Control Institute and the FBI National Academy . He also received a BA from CSULB. an MPA and completed the course work for a DPA at USC and a Doctorate in Criminology from Vollmer University,
   DOUG was elected as the Third District representative of LB City Council in 1990. While a council member, he represented LB as a board member of the Southern California Association of Governments and was the first Chair of the newly formed Gateway Cities Council of Governments representing 27 cities in Southeast LA County. He was also Vice Mayor from 1994 to 96.
   DOUG’s community work includes past service as President of Downtown Lions Club. President of the Boy's and Girl's Club, Chair of the LB Chapter of the Red Cross, President of LB Youth Home, President of the Historical Society of LB, Chair of the LB Area Republican Party, and Los Angeles County Fish & Game Commissioner.
   DOUG resides in LB with wife Linda (a retired school administrator). They have two grown children, Marianne, who teaches math and science at Wilson High and Rob, an Assistant DA in Austin , Texas .
   DOUG has written two novels: Cyclone Racer (2003) and What Goes Around Comes Around (2005).  He also co-authored a collectors book: Dr. William H. Elliot’s Remington Double Deringer (2008).

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Mike Dupree

   A recent addition to the club, MIKE became a Downtown Lion on June 17, 2005. He is an investment advisor associated with Edward Jones Investments, and is located at 375 Redondo Ave­nue, Suite 247 , Long Beech.
   MIKE is a former resident of Raleigh , North Carolina and earned a Bachelor of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy degree at Penn State University . His university studies provided him with a rather com­prehensive background as they included political science, public administration, Russian studies, anthropology and human genetics. Associated previously with UCLA in the Department of Genet­ics, Mike has been recognized for his outstanding post-graduate research and by the National Institute of Health for outstanding graduate research.
   MIKE’s hobby interests include language, Bud­dhism ethic, eastern religion, hiking and reading.

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Harvina Essex

   A Lions since 2001, Harvina and her husband Harold are associated with Pre-Paid Legal Service, a NY stock exchange company providing legal service plans for families.  Before embarking on her current venture in 1993, Harvina was employed by Pacific Bell and Century 21 Real Estate.
   A graduate of Compton College, Harvina's hobbies include swimming, bowling, dog training and playing the organ and piano.  

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Bill Evans

   Bill Evans is a product of Pennsylvania, having grown up there and earned his B A in sociology at Penn State. Having moved to Long Beach in 1978, he gained his J,D. from Pepperdine that year, following up with two years' post graduate work at USC, He's been with his own law firm here in L.B. since 1985, having previously been associated with Ackerman, Ling, and Russell.
   BILL serves on the Boards of the LB. Bar Association and the Intl City Theatre, is V.P. of the Lincoln Club, and coaches Pop Warner football. His avocational interest is horseracing,

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Harold Essex, Sr.

Harold graduated from Compton High in 1962.  While there he played football and was All CIF.  After high school he attended Compton College majoring in business.  He was an elementary and high school friend of Lion Jake Wallace.  He was drafted into the US Army in 1963.  After his discharge he went to work for ARCO Oil Co. as a maintenance supervisor.  
   Harold has been married to Lion Harvina for 43 years.  They have two sons and enjoy fishing and traveling.  They started their own business, Pre-Paid Legal Services, and love helping people with their legal needs.

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Sandy Facon

   Sandy Facon retired from her Aerospace career in 2005 to become a Lion and pursue her passion for travel.  To that end, she has become a partner in Touch of Travel, specializing in Cruises and tours.   Working from her home
office, she has the ability to work her own schedule and provide personalized service, whatever the time, to her clients.  She has earned a number of cruise line certifications, including Master Cruise Counselor accreditation from CLIA, the Cruise Line Industries Association, organized by and for the major cruise lines. 
   Sandy is a native Californian, born in San Francisco and came to Long Beach as a Navy bride in the late 1960s. While working in aerospace for McDonnell Douglas and Northrop Grumman, she earned a B.S. degree in Business and a Master's Degree in Management from the University of Redlands. She also hold a Certificate in Technical Management from Cal Tech.
   When not traveling or at Lions meetings, Sandy volunteers at two other organizations: The Assistance League of Long Beach and as a Board member of the Friends of Long Beach  Animals.  
   Sandy and her husband, Gerry, have three grown sons and two grandchildren.

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Cal Farmer

   "This guy is everywhere!" That's a frequently heard comment about Dr. CAL FARMER and no wonder. His vita sheet lists current or past membership in over forty organizations, in most of which he's held office, more often than not that of president or executive director.
   Some of CAL's activities closest to his heart right now are his work with the Employment Development Department's Homeless Veterans Stand Down Foundation and the Veterans Committee of the California Employer Council, his involvement in the Greater Los Angeles World Trade Center Association, his continuing service on the board of directors of the Industry Education Council of California, participation in the L.B. Area Chamber of Commerce and its Port Ambassadors, his life memberships in the Grand Prix Association Committee of 300 as well as the Navy League of the U.S., and his ongoing presidency of the National Past President' Club.
   But ask CAL to elaborate and he waxes most enthusiastic about his work with students through DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America) and SIR: (Students in Free Enterprise), whose teams he's led to national recognition. No wonder he was the year 2000 recipient of the Friend of Education award presented by the Teachers Association of Long Beach in recognition of community service to teachers and students, a perfect bookend to his 1971 honor from the Long Beach City Council as "Lobbyist for Youth."
   After more than forty years of service, CAL is now semi-retired from his employment in job placement at Long Beach City College.

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Felix Franklin

   Felix! Felix! Felix! That's what Lions heard as Felix Franklin took bow after bow at the end of the club's Western Barbecue. Felix was has been the "Master Chef" of this event for 14 years and only a slowed step kept him from doing it for another 14 years.
   No stranger to the kitchen, Felix graduated from three culinary programs before he was "picked from a lineup" by the Long Beach Police Department to become their Food Service Administrator.  As a city employee and on a first-name basis with the upper echelon in the department, Felix believed it was as good as it got. Now retired, one might ask him: Which is better?
   A former Navy man, Felix found his niche in the service as a boxer. His skills in this area enabled him to represent the US as a member of the American boxing team in the 1952 Olympic games that were held in Helsinki , Finland .
   In addition  to the BBQ, Felix has been a director and vice-president of this club and one of those people you can count on to support the club at almost every meeting event and visitation.

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Gloria Folkens

   Lion Gloria has recently returned to the Long Beach area and GJ Properties after a brief sojourn in rural San Diego County.  We welcome her smiling countenance back to our club and to the podium as COD.  
   Born in Puerto Rico, Gloria emigrated to the mainland US and Southern California in the 60s.  While still in Puerto Rico she attended an exclusive private high school where she was trained as a fully qualified cost accountant.  Her first jobs in SoCal were as an accountant in the oil industry.  She eventually joined GJ Properties, to which she has returned as well.
   Gloria has been a Lion since 1988, is a Melvin Jones Fellow, won the Golden Lion award in 1992 and is always fun to be around.
   Gloria has two children, two adopted grandchildren (thanks to Lion Tracy Moreno Grant) and two great grandchildren. 
   Gloria loves the theatre and never comes late.  She serves on the board of the Musical Theatre West Footlighters.

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Charles Gale

   CHARLES GALE, a Downtown Lion since 1999, is the Deputy City Attorney for the City of Long Beach . He has worked in the City Attorney’s Office for more than five years. His major responsibility involves legal matters for the Harbor Department end the Alameda Corridor Transportation Authority. Before joining the City Attorneys staff, CHARLES was a partner in the law office of Cameron, Pearlson and Gale.
   Born in St. Paul , Minnesota , and living in Indianapolis , Indiana during his youth, CHARLES earned a Bachelor’s degree at Indiana University . His Doctor of Jurisprudence degree was awarded him by Stanford University School of Law.
   Charles is married and lives in Fountain Valley . He and his wife, Irene, are the parents of three boys.

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Robin Hawkins

   Robin’s father was a retired Army veteran and her mother a homemaker.  She was their ninth child.  She was born and raised in Boston , Massachusetts .  She relocated to Southern California to continue her education and also to explore possible career choices.
   She attended Long Beach City College , Chapman University , earning a Bachelors Degree in Criminal Justice and Cal State Long Beach , earning a Master’s Degree in Emergency Services.   
   For the last twenty-five years, the Long Beach Police Department has been an intimate part of her professional and personal development.  Assignments throughout the Patrol Bureau provided opportunities to respond to and effectively manage emergency situations while working in a team environment.  Other assignments within the Investigations Bureau have been Fraud, Managing Criminal Investigations and Domestic Violence.  
   Robin was selected to attend the Delinquency Control Institute at USC and the California Public Safety Leadership & Ethics Institute sponsored by Phi Theta Kappa Leadership Development.
   She has been married for twenty-five years and has three adult daughters who are currently attending college to pursue careers within the fields of teaching, law enforcement and physical therapy.
   Her hobbies are traveling, bowling and exercising.

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    Born on a farm in northeastern Missouri, Warren Heistand rode a Shetland pony to grade school. After high school graduation, he was drafted and served in the Air Force in Puerto Rico from 1943 to 1945. Upon his discharge, Warren followed his family to Long Beach, where his father worked at the naval shipyard during WWll. He enrolled at Compton Junior College and continued his education at USC, where he received a B.S. degree in accounting in 1950. He went directly to work for the city of Long Beach while continuing his education at night, earning his Master's degree in business from Cal State Long Beach.
    Warren served the city in various financial capacities including Chief of the Budget and Research Division, Director of Financial Management and City Treasurer until his retirement in 1986. Along the way he met and married Lion Gwen Green Heistand. They have two children and three grandchildren.
    Warren received the Golden Lion Award for 1994-95, is a life member of the Lions Eye Foundation and a life member of Downtown Lions, and has been secretary and president of the Long Beach Coin Club. He is a frequent contributor to The Numismatist magazine.
   Warren passed away in October, 2008.

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   Major General Daniel J. Hernandez  (retired), former board member of this club, left the California Army National Guard in 1993. During Dan's 44-year career in the National Guard, he advanced to the position of Commanding General, 4th Infantry Division (Mechanized). During his period of service he received many awards and decorations, included among them were the Legion of Merit and the Meritorious Service Medal with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters.
  Dan earned a Bachelor of Science degree at the University of the State of New York. He also attended the Army War College and Medical Field Service School.
  In addition to his post-retirement activities with the California and U.S. Army associations, Dan serves as President of the California Military Academy Alumni Association. He is also on the Boards of the Long Beach Area Red Cross and the CASA Youth Shelter.
    Dan is an avid golfer and also enjoys fishing and hiking. He and his wife, Dorothy, are the parents of five boys: Michael, Matthew, Mark, Daniel, and Richard.

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A 100% president in 1996-97 Cod Coy Herring is a life member of both the Lions Eye Foundation and the Eye Institute. He's been an active Lion for 20 years, chairing the club's membership committee and working for the annual barbecue.
   A native Texan, Coy came to California as a teenager and attended Fresno State College. In 1956 he moved to southern California and attended Pierce College and UCLA. He holds an A.A. degree in real estate, a field he entered in 1961, serving with several companies before a tenure with Lytton Savings and Loan beginning in 1965 launched his professional management career.  From 1969 to 1977 he administered the real estate portfolio of the Bixby Ranch Co. as Real Estate Operations Manager.
   In 1977, Coy established his own professional management company, Western Property Services, Inc, of which he is owner and president. As part of his continuing education, he studied shopping center management and development at the University of Notre Dame. He's received numerous honors in his field, including having been named manager of the year in both Los Angeles and Orange County.
   Coy is a past president of the Apartment Association of California's Southern Cities and the Los Angeles Chapter of the Institute of Real Estate management and has been regional vice-president ot the institute of Real Estate Management, California-Hawaii. He's served on the Greater long Beach Board of Realtors since 1970 and has been an instructor and lecturer at Cypress College, LBCC, and the University of California at Irvine.

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Karen T Hilburn

    As a staff member of Long Beach Unified School District Student Support Service K-12,  Karen has been involved in education as a teacher, high school principal ,and district level administrator. Her career began with LBUSD as a junior high school English teacher. She is now an executive level director responsible for all student support services for the district.
    In the 90's, Karen started her school site administrative career at the district's flagship school, Polytechnic. After two years as assistant principal, she was selected as co-principal in charge of student support services The co-principal structure as the first to its kind in California. Since then all high schools have co-principals. While at Poly, Karen was responsible for campus climate, student safety, student discipline, student activities and athletics. She initiated a school/police safety partnership as well as a college aide on-campus safety program.  Both programs were featured in a National Educator Association special which was aired Nationally in the late 90s.
    As Director of Student Support Services K12, Karen co-ordinates the training and supervision of all school psychologists, nurses, counselors and truancy staff. She is also the director of all alternative programs which includes Education Partnership High school , Renaissance Career Academy, continuation and retention high schools and Guidance Opportunity Classes, created for students who have been removed from comprehensive schools.
    Most notably, Karen was responsible for designing and implementing the district's first Crisis Response Team and violence management program. Acting as school district liaison to the LBPD, she designed what now has become a nationally recognized partnership on crisis response. She coordinated the LB Model of Critical Incident Response and early notification protocol.
    Karen loves New York where she owns an apartment. She also loves thoroughbred horses - but does she own one?

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Ryan Hirota

   Ryan is an attorney and principal at Berger Kahn Attorney.  He focuses his practice on business litigation with an emphasis on real estate matters. He also represents developers, landowners, contractors, auto dealerships, and other small to mid-size companies.
   Ryan has tried or arbitrated dozens of cases, and has obtained judgments or awards for his clients in cases involving multi-party disputes involving real estate, commercial lease agreements, tax deferred exchanges, construction practices and contamination of real property.
   In his auto dealership practice, Ryan represents owners and dealers on a wide variety of issues, including lemon law cases, false advertising, unfair competition, warning obligations under Proposition 65, franchise law, and collections. He also handles a variety of transactional matters, focusing on sales and leasing matters, real property contracts, CC&Rs and easement access rights.
   Prior to joining Berger Kahn, Ryan was a name partner at Weiss Hirota & Associates in Long Beach.
   Ryan has presided as a Judge Pro Tem for the Long Beach Municipal Court since 1987. He is a former member of the Board of Governors of the Long Beach Bar Association and a past-president of that Association. He is also past president of Women Lawyers of Long Beach, the first male ever to preside over that organization. In 2004, Women Lawyers of Long Beach voted Ryan "Lawyer of the Year." Ryan also is a past president of the Downtown Lions Club of Long Beach, a chapter of the national service organization.
   Ryan donates his time to many pro bono causes including the Homeless Organizing Committee (HOC) that recently challenged the legality of sweeps against the homeless in Long Beach. Ryan was co-counsel with the Legal Aid Foundation and successfully obtained restitution for seven homeless individuals.
   Ryan received his B.S. from the University of California at Irvine in 1974 and his J.D. from Western State University College of Law in 1981.
   He lives in Huntington Beach with his wife and three children.

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PAUL was born in Brooklyn , NY , but spent his formative years in Chestnut Hill , MA (second grade through high school). 
   After graduation, PAUL worked at the Christian Science Center in Boston , MA , from 1984 through 1990.  In 1991, he moved to Long Beach , CA , where he started attending California State University , Long Beach in the fall of '91.  He graduated from CSULB in 1995 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science.
   Since his arrival in Long Beach , PAUL has worked at the Holiday Inn (now the Marriott where the Lions once met), the Long Beach Convention Center , the Westin Hotel, and is currently working at First Church of Christ, Scientist, Long Beach .
   PAUL is also working towards a career in the Cash Flow Industry.  The Cash Flow Industry is the buying, selling, and brokering (the part PAUL will do) of privately held debt instruments (such as invoices, delinquent debt, real estate notes) over a secondary market.
   His hobbies include reading, sudoku, and scrabble.
   PAUL will have been a Lions for 6 years this October.  He was the Barbecue Committee Chairman for 2006 through 2009.

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Gene Johnson

    Few have done as much for this club or community as PP Gene. A Golden Lion recipient in 2000, 2003 and 2005, he's accumulated a long list of dedicated service to Lionism including holding the posts of 100% Club President in '91-92, current and past club treasurer, past Bay Region Zone A chair, past 4-L2 convention co-chair and budget and audit Committee member and was, for years, the district bowling chair. He's received the International President's Award and is a life member of the Lions Eye Foundation and Lions Eye Institute as well as a Melvin Jones Fellow with five diamonds.  He has been elected to the Investment Committee of the newly formed Sight and Hearing Foundation.
    For those with great memories, all of the above may be old news, but how many knew that in 1948 Gene was on Tacoma , Washington ’s Stadium High relay team that took the gold medal at the state championships and set a new record? After high school graduation, Gene served two years with the U.S. Navy, then worked for Weyerhaeuser and General America Corp. in Tacoma , Everett , and Seattle before joining William Walters Co. in L.A. in 1976 as a Certified Property Manager.  Gene later founded G.J. Property Services here in Long Beach , where he remains chairman and owner today. He received the Apartment Association's Lifetime Achievement Award for 2000.
    A highly active member of our community, Gene currently serves as board emeritus of the Boys and Girls Club board and on the advisory board of the Children's Clinic.  He was formerly on the board of the International City Theater and was president of the board of the Civic Light Opera.  He is currently on the Audit Committee of Musical Theatre West.  He is a member of the LB Kids Connection, raising funds for local care groups.
    Married to LeAnn for "55 happy years," he's the father of four and grandfather of ten. Besides family, his interests include golf, theater and travel, thirty countries so far.

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LeAnn Johnson

   LeAnn was born in Red Lake Falls .  Her family moved to Tacoma , Washington when LeAnn was eight.  LeAnn is the oldest of four brothers and a sister. Her dad was a carpenter and they moved often as he followed the jobs. She attended five different grade schools and three high schools. She went to work as an accounting clerk for Weyerhouser Timber Company the summer she graduated from high school. There she met Gene:  He was her first boss! They married in 1954 and moved to California in 1964. They have four children and ten grand children.
   LeAnn was a stay at home mom until the children were grown and they started their own business in 1977.  She then went to work at their new company.  She now watches the company’s money and enjoys the time they spend together. LeAnn also enjoys working at the Assistance League Thrift Shop, reading, traveling and time with family and friends.

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Rabbi David Kane

   Rabbi-Hazzan David was born in Bedzin , Poland in 1928.  He is a survivor of the Nazi Holocaust, where he was sent to various concentration camps including Auschwitz, Majdanek and Buchenwald .  The American Army liberated him from Buchenwald in April of 1945.  He came to the US in May of 1949.
   In the US , David served in the US Army during  the Korean Action in the chaplain’s corps, in Fort Ord from 1950-52.  He graduated from LA City College and Cal State University LA with a BS degree.  He also attended Chapman College , taking advanced courses in psychology and family counseling.  He completed the Pastoral counseling studies at Memorial Hospital in Long Beach under the supervision of Dr. Broadbent who was Psychiatrist in Charge  of the counseling department.
   David pursued Rabbinical and Cantorial Studies in LA at the University of Judaism and studied privately with well-known rabbis and cantors.  He received his ordination in 1957 from the Rabbinical Court of LA.  He studied voice with various coaches and continues to sing today as a prominent cantor in Southern California .
   David is Hazzan-Emeritus of Temple Beth Shalom of LB, where he served for twenty-seven years.  He also served as the Rabbi and Hazzan of Congregation B’nai Chaim in Murrieta and previously at the Alhambra Synagogue Center . He has traveled extensively as the Rabbi and Cantor for Princess Cruise Line as well as other lines.   He served as the Jewish Chaplain for the El Cerritos and LB General Hospital, as well as Harbor General in Torrance .  He was volunteer Chaplain at Memorial Hospital .
   David has been married to Yetta for almost 54 years.  They have three children and six grandchildren.  His eldest is the well-known dermatologist Dr. Bryna Kane of LB.
   David is well known for his great sense of humor.  He has always been proud to line in this country and to have become a citizen of the US .

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John Kashiwabara

   Though retired from his private practice of medicine since 1990, Dr. John has been tremendously busy with his involvement in community organizations.  Foremost he has been an active member of the Downtown Lions Club since 1961 with 47 years of “perfect” attendance.  He is also a life member of the Lions Eye Foundation as well as the Lions Eye Institute and is working on his 3^rd Melvin Jones Fellow diamond.
   Though a charter and emeritus member of the Board of Governors of the Long Beach City College Foundation, he continues his support of their many activities for the benefit of students.  He was the honoree of the LBCC Foundation Golf Tournament in 1991 and inducted into the LBCC “Hall of Champions” in 2006.
   Much of John’s time is taken up by the activities of the Long Beach Century Club, now in its 52^nd year, promoting amateur athletics in the City.  He himself has been honored by many awards for his services and inducted into its “Hall of Fame” in 1995.
   John was appointed to the California State University Board of Trustees in 1986 and is currently a trustee emeritus.  He continues to serve CSULB and was inducted into its “Hall of Fame” in 2004.
   For the past 45 years, John has been active on an international level on the “sister city” program with the City of Yokkaichi, Japan, whose mission to promote historical, cultural, educational and social ties between the two cities. He was conferred with an “Honorary Citizens Award” in 1998.
   John passed away in January of 2010.

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Jackie Kell

    A 1998 addition to the Long Beach City Council from the Fifth District, JACKIE KELL is the wife of former Long Beach mayor and Downtown Lion Ernie Kell. Prior to her entry into the realm of city government, and before her retirement from the Long Beach Unified School District in June, 1998, JACKIE was an English and political science teacher at Millikan High School.
       While serving on the Council, JACKIE's responsibilities included serving as Chairman of the Housing and Neighborhoods Committee, Vice Chair of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, a member of the Charter Amendment Committee, and a member of the State Legislation and Environmental Affairs Commission.
   JACKIE earned a Master’s degree at the University of Michigan and a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from the Western State University of Law.

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Ray Kelso

Ray was a nineteen year old student at the University of Hawaii on December 7, 1941.  That day, and the events surrounding it and  his experiences in Hawaii  prior to the Declaration of War on  Japan and entrance of the United States into World War II are etched forever in his memory.
   RAY’s educational plans during that period led him from Long Beach City College to the University of Hawaii and back to LBCC.  These experiences were followed by the earning of a Bachelor of Arts degree and M.D. degree at USC. 
   RAY is a very special person in the club  for he is a second generation Downtown Lion. Ray’s father, Ray Kelso, Sr., also a physician, was a longtime member of this club.
   Retiring in 1993 as an internist, RAY and his wife, Eleanor, have enjoyed a variety of worldwide travel experiences including Elderhostelling in this  country.  RAY and Eleanor have three sons.  

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Thom Knight

   Thom, unlike certain other members, has only been to 25 countries and about half of the United States .  Thom is an Air Force brat and lived six years in Germany , two years in Holland and six years in Japan .  Thom's first exposure to America came in 1969 when he won financial aid for three years and attended the Phillips Exeter Academy , a private boarding school, in New England .
   Thom is a political science/economics graduate of American University , Washington , D.C. and began his career in the Peace Corps specializing in irrigation techniques. After a stint in Niger , West Africa, he returned to the United States to work in the overseas shipping industry for Maersk Steamship Lines. Thom was hired away by the Virginia Port Authority Board, where he was an executive responsible for marketing the port's international trade program in eight western United States and Vancouver , British Columbia .  Most recently, Thom helped to complete the successful capital campaign for the Miller Children's Hospital expansion project. Thom speaks five languages...French, Hausa, Slang, Ghetto and some English.  
   Thom met the love of his life, Rebecca, two weeks before he left for the Peace Corp.  Rebecca wrote him 84 times while he was gone and often enticed him to come home with packages of Koolaid in the envelopes.  Apparently it worked. Rebecca and Thom's have been married for 28 years.  Speaking of love.......Thom is currently loving his temporary retirement studying the stock market about four hours a day, cooking, riding his bike and sailing.    

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Myra Kremen

A Downtown Lion since March of 1996,  MYRA  is the Dean of Students at South Gate High School in the Los Angeles Unified School District .
   Born in Brooklyn , New York , MYRA spent the early years of her life in New York and Seattle , Washington . Before moving from the northwestern area of the country, she attended Western Washington University in Bellingham . At WWU she earned a Bachelor’s degree in education and history, and after arriving in Southern Cali­fornia she attended Pepperdine University in Malibu and received a Master’s degree in urban education.
   MYRA moved to Long Beach in 1986 and joined the Downtown Lions Club in 1996. Among other members of the club, she is an enthusiastic fan of the Long Beach Ice Dogs.

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Roger Kroll

    Roger Kroll is not only a native Californian but also a Long Beach native, born and raised here and a graduate of Wilson High. He earned his B.A. in sociology and history at USC and his MBA in management, marketing and finance at CSULB. He's owned Orchid Graphics, a freelance graphic design business since 1990. Prior to that he was owner/manager of Orchid Cleaners for 15 years, selling the business in 1989 to make a career change.
   To further his career in graphics, he's taken specialized training at LBCC and Coastline Community College. He's also been an instructor in the field not only out of his own business but also at Cal State Dominquez Hills, Brooks College, and Platt College.          Roger became a Regional Occupational Program instructor with the Long Beach Unified School District in 2004 and has taught graphic design courses at Poly High and Brooks College. This fall semester, Roger will also be teaching a Virtual Enterprise class at Wilson High. 
   Always staying on the cutting edge in technology, Roger has owned Apple computers, Macintosh Computers, iPods, Nikon digital cameras, Canon and Sony Camcorders, Treo smartphones and just purchased an iPhone on June 29 when the revolutionary device was released
 . Roger joined Downtown Lions in 1975, has served on the board of directors and is a life member of the Lions Eye Foundation. He is also now or has been a member of the boards of the L.B. Area Chamber of Commerce, the West Orange County Macintosh User Group, the Committee of 300 Press Committee, and the National Association of  Photoshop Professionals. Roger has been recognized as Business Person of the Month, Outstanding Small Business, and Ambassador of the Year by the L.B. Chamber. 
   He and wife Bonnie have two adult children.

07-03-2007

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Val Lerch

   Val was elected to the LB City Council in 2002 and re-elected in 2006. He represents the 9th Council District, the most northerly part of the City. His colleagues elected him unanimously as Vice Mayor in 2008.
   Val was born on February 23, 1952 in Fort Ord , California and raised in Northern California in the Stockton and Sacramento area.
   Val graduated from adult night school ( Wilson High School in Long Beach ) in 1973.  He graduated from UWLA in 1982 with three certificates: Legal Assistant, Litigation Specialist and Corporations Specialist. 
   Val served in the US Coast Guard from June 23, 1969 through March 1993. He spent 12 years on active duty and another 12 years in the reserves.
   Val is a Property Supervisor – managing multiple family housing since 1984. Currently he owns his own property management consulting firm.
   Val has been married since 1971 to Janet. They raised two children in North Long Beach , a daughter, Vicki Ann and a son Anthony (Tony) Lee. They have one granddaughter, ToriAnn.
   Val is active in North Long Beach Redevelopment Project Area Committee (Vice-Chair); North Long Beach Neighborhood Association Deforest Park Chapter (Vice-President); North Long Beach Business Association (Board Member); North Long Beach Community Action Group (Vice President); Citizen Police Complaint Commission (Commissioner); Long Beach Strategic Plan Task Force (Community Safety); Long Beach Veterans Day Parade Committee (Logistic Chair, Committee Chair); Academic Uprise Education Board (Board Member); U.S. Veterans of Cabrillo (Board Member)

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Steve Lewis

    A native of Riverside, California, Steve Lewis opened his law office in Long Beach in 1983, having completed his undergraduate work in social sciences at UC Riverside and earned his J.D. at Loyola Law School.
    He specializes in tax and real estate law and estate planning. He's also taught courses at Northrop University in the areas of business taxation and the taxation of real estate transactions.
    A member of Downtown Lions since 1987, Steve is a Melvin Jones Fellow with two diamonds. He's a member and past president of the Estate Planning and Trust Council of Long Beach
    He is a boating and scuba enthusiast and enjoys the game of chess. He and wife Josie live in Downey.
   Recently, Steve opted to leave the practice of law and pursue his opportunities in property management.

   Personable and compassionate, always concerned with the welfare of his patients, associates and friends, Mike Lieppman is one of the most caring persons with whom the majority of us have contact. A devoted family man with a lovely wife and talented children, Mike dedicated himself for many months to the care of his ailing mother in Texas .
    An ophthalmologist who specializes in cataracts, glaucoma, and corneal diseases Mike is one of the truly outstanding members of his profession.  A product of Tulane University and the University of Texas, he has been on the international charity scene for over 20 years and continues to perform free eye surgery for those in need and without the resources to obtain it. He is a major contributor of ophthalmic services at the Lions Pediatric Eye Center in the Children's Clinic., Long Beach Memorial Medical Center . A wine connoisseur, gourmet cook and perfect party host, Mike enjoys fishing, boating and numerous outdoor activities with his family.

   Len Lovett is a graduate of Roosevelt University in Chicago with a business degree. He spent 1947 in Italy, compliments of Uncle Sam.
    In 1967, Len founded Lovett and Associates, a gourmet food brokerage company, which he ran for 32 years. He was the only person ever to be re-elected for a second two-year term as president of the National Association of Specialty Food and Confection Brokers. (Len claims the members said they would keep re-electing him until he got it right).
    Since Lovett &  Associates was very food distributor-oriented, Len was the only food broker ever to be elected president of a food distributor organization - the Illinois Food Distributors Association.
   Because of the specialty nature of the food products Lovett & Associates represented, most of them were imported. As a result, Len was often called upon by the foreign consulates in Chicago to address incoming food groups  and explain the marketing of imported foods in the United States.
    Now retired, Len joined Downtown Lions on his birthday in 1999 and immediately became active. He was in charge of invocations that year, was a director for the years 2000-4 and was Director of Membership.  Len has brought several new members into our club.

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Ed Macias

   After a lengthy and illustrious career with the Cal State University System, rising to Principal Business Officer, ED has been an active Lion, seldom missing a Friday meeting. He has served two terms on the Board, been a vice-president and been active on the BBQ committee and frequently gives the invocation.
   Several years ago, ED served for one year on the Orange County Grand Jury. Much of that year was spent investigating the juvenile justice system and making numerous recommendations to improve the then current system.
   A native of Texas, ED grew up in Los Angeles and attended school there. He earned a degree in accounting from CSULA and has done graduate-level work at UCLA.
   ED also managed Little League teams for 16 years.  
   Retirement has given ED and wife Greta the opportunity to travel extensively. In addition, ED enjoys bowling, golf, bridge, reading and is a choir member.

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Marvin Marker

    "Mr. Music Man," purveyor of those musical sounds that inspire, entertain,  place us in a special mood and influence us in so many ways in our daily lives this is Marvin Marker, Director/Manager of the Long Beach Junior Concert Band. Marv has been associated with the band for almost 50 years and during that time the band has been judged the winner of 11 consecutive Grand Sweepstake Trophies for marching bands - what a record. The LBJCB  is featured annually as the lead-in band for the Hollywood Christmas Parade. Nearly three years ago the band provided the welcoming entertainment at the 35th anniversary of the Long Beach/Yokkaichi Sister City association in Japan. This however, is only the tip of the iceberg for the band is busy most of the ttime filling many musical needs in the community, and that includes Lions Club functions.
    Marv is also a frequent guest lecturer on Alaskan cruise ships and has completed 15 seasons as a lecturer. Last summer he lectured on the 2,000-passenger Vision of the Sea. Guess that's the way it is. Someone has to do it.
   Marvin passes away in December of 2009.

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Tom Maxwell

   As many of the Sea Lion’s readers get to know him, club members will learn of TOM’s outstanding professional background as a surgeon. TOM has been associated with several universities, including the University of British Columbia , University of Washington , University of San Francisco and UCLA, as well as major hospitals near those schools.
   TOM was born in Glasgow , Scotland , spent his youth in Canada , received his M.D. degree at McGill University in Montreal , Canada , and came to Long Beach in 1997. From 1997 to 2005 he was associated with Long Beach Memorial Hospital and Board Certified as a general surgeon, vascu­lar surgeon and trauma surgeon.  He served as Vice Chairman, Department of Surgery, at Long Beach Memorial in 2004.
   Enjoying physical activities, TOM’s avocational interests include cycling, running in marathons, ultra marathons and golf. TOM has a son in Ger­many where he serves as Professor of Philosophy at Munster University and a daughter in Vancouver , Canada , where she is employed as a school ad­ministrator.

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Linda McCarley

   Now here is one way to get members to attend meetings: Make them COD. Yet another California native, LINDA was born in Huntington Park and grew up in Lynwood. After graduating from Lynwood Hi, she attended CSULB, majoring in Econ. 
   After Cal State, LINDA worked almost fifteen years for LA County as an appraiser, before opening Second Street Interiors, from which she has now retired.
   LINDA’s civic activities have centered primarily around the Assistance League of Long Beach where she has been the Finance Chair, in charge of Strategic Planning and the Operation School Bell Chair.  As a Lion, LINDA has chaired White Cane Day, the Chinese Auction, the Adult Christmas Party and served on the Charities and BBQ Committees and other special events. LINDA was responsible for the lovely decorations we had at the last Oktoberfest. 
   When not otherwise occupied, LINDA likes the theater, cooking, reading, quilting and travel.

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Lincoln Odell

   Past President LINCOLN is a genuine son of Long Beach , born and raised here and graduating from Wilson High and LBCC. He went on to earn his B.S. degree in engineering at UCLA.
    For thirty eight years LINC worked as an engineer at McDonnell Douglas, retiring in June of 1994. He's been a member of the club since 1987 and has served on the Board of Directors and as Lion Tamer and program chairman. For the past several years he's been a member of the BBQ committee and with a major assist from wife Pat, has put together a well-organized and impressive array of drawing prizes.  LINCOLN was president of this club in 2002-3 and a winner of the "Golden Lion" for 2005-6.
    LINCOLN has also been a regular at White Cane Day, but his acknowledged favorite pastime with Lions is the tennis "team" with Ray Kelso and Al Weingartner..
    LINCOLN 's other avocational interest is real estate investments. He and Pat have four children and five grand children.  They are expecting their sixth grandchild on Feb. 2, 2010.

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Harold Omel

    Harold Omel retired as Fire Chief of the Long Beach department in 1998 after serving the community for 34 years.
    He was born in Long Beach and attended public school here, graduating from Millikan High. Harold also graduated from City College with an Associate Degree in Fire Science. He has done course work in Fire Science at Cal State Long Beach and Los Angeles.
    Starting in 1984, he was a Fire Fighter, Fire Engineer Captain and Battalion Chief and finally Chief. He has served as the Fire Chief of both Signal Hill and Inglewood. He has also served the community as a Police and Fire Board member, as past Chair and current board member of the Red Cross, and President of the Long Beach Area Council of Camp Fire USA.
    Harold was appointed by Governors Deukmejian and Davis to the State Board of Fire Services. He also serves on the Underground Pipeline Safety Committee.
    He has been honored with a Meritorious Award from the LB Fire Department for saving two lives in 1982.  He won the Los Angeles Community Protector's Award in 1985, was the California Professional Firefighter Secretary/Treasure Emeritus in 1994, Red Cross Volunteer of the year in 2000and has received the Gulick Honor Award from Camp Fire.
    Harold and Patti have been married forty years, have two daughters, Robyn, who lives in Washington and Suzi who lives in Long Beach. They have five terrific grandchildren.
    They love to travel, camp, golf, water sports and videography ( a long word meaning "here comes grandpa with the camcorder again.")
    Harold has been a Downtown Lion since 1995.

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Ron Petke

   When called upon to serve, Ron has been the COD for St. Patrick’s Day and chaired the Chinese(/Italian) auction. He has been gracious enough to allow your editor just a bit of tasteless humor (but then we have to sit through his jokes, don’t we?). We did like the one about the… well, enough of that.
   Born in the windy city of Chicago, RON relocated to California and attended California State University Long Beach where he majored in Radio/TV. RON is now the production manager at Charter Communications, Channel 3 in Long Beach.
   RON has also served on the Executive Board for the Long Beach Chapter of the American Red Cross, is a past president of the Historical Society of Long Beach and is a retired Grand Sheik of the Sons of the Desert. His wife Mary is a graduate of Poly High in Long Beach and their daughter is currently enrolled at Poly High.
   RON loves nostalgia and enjoys player pianos and old records. Someday he plans to retire to a remote island of Hawaii and run a bed and breakfast. 

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Brade Phillips

   Brade’s career in the military began with his acceptance of a nomination to the U.S. Naval Academy at  Annapolis, where he graduated and was commissioned an ensign in the U.S. Navy.  Following Naval flight training, he was designated a Naval Aviator. Over the next twenty years, he served in a number of aviation squadrons, in command both ashore and afloat. 
   As a specialist in antisubmarine warfare, he amassed over 5000 flight hours and 500 aircraft carrier landings. Brade attended the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey in the mid-seventies, earning an M.S. degree in financial management. He subsequently worked  in Washington, D.C., on Navy budget matters with the Office of the Navy Comptroller and the House and Senate Appropriations Committees on Capitol Hill. 
   In 1989, Captain Phillips was selected to command a deep draft ship and was assigned the amphibious ship U.S.S. Ogden, home-ported in Long Beach . Under his command, the  Ogden, with its crew of 300 and nearly 800 embarked Marines, was deployed in the Persian Gulf for 301 days in support of Operation Desert Storm. After assignments as Commander of an amphibious squadron of four ships and 2000 Marines and as Chief of Staff to the San Diego Regional Commander, Brade retired in 1995. 
   Following his military career, Brade joined the staff of the City of Long Beach and became the Administrative Chief of the Police Department in 2001.

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Garth Phillips

   Garth was born and raised in northern New York State, moved to North Carolina while in high school and then to Ohio where he graduated from Kent State University with a BS in BA in 1960.  Upon graduation, he joined the Navy and attended OCS.  The intention was to complete a 3 year obligation and take up some civilian job.  Turns out he spent the next 20 years in the Navy as a Supply Officer, retiring in 1980 as a Commander.  
   Upon his first retirement he went to work for Hughes Aircraft Co. in Procurement Management.  It was during this time he got a MS in Systems Management from USC.  Garth subsequently spent three years as a Mortgage Broker and than as Vice President of Operations for a start up company engaged in providing historical security pricing primarily for probate purposes.  He retired again in 2003.
   Garth joined Lions in 2004 and has become a very active member.  He has been a director, President-elect and now President.  He will become Bay Region Zone A chair and IPP on July 1^st, 2010.
    Garth lives in Cypress with wife Vicki.  They have 5 grown children and 9 grandchildren.  He is active in church affairs as a member of the Finance Committee and the Finance representative on the Church Foundation Board.  He is also on the Finance Committee of the Tanglewood North Home Owners Association.  
   His interests include reading, swimming and computer toys. 

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Vicki Phillips

   Vicki Lucachick was born and raised in International Falls , Minnesota . You will often hear about it on the news as the coldest spot in the Nation.  Just recently the low temperature for the day was -33 Degrees F.
   Vicki attended St. Cloud State College with an emphasis in music.  She decided to move to California in the fall of 1973, where she went to work for the RDA -- a highly classified Defense Nuclear Regular Agency (DNA).  
   After 15 years or so she started taking acting classes and did end up acting...for actual money.  Even though she says she could not make a living at it she did manage to land a few good parts, as in "Nothing in Common" with Tom Hanks and Jackie Gleason, Murder She Wrote, a recurring roll on a TV show called A Year in the Life and several soap operas.
   Unfortunately, her eyes went very bad.  She couldn't read cue cards even with glasses.  The doctors at USC told her she needed cornea transplants.  She has had six, three in each eye.  That introduced her to the Lions Club and what they do.  In 1985 she spoke at a Lions gathering thanking them for all they do.  She says she can see we have kept up the good work.
   Vicki and Garth met in 1990 and five years later they were married.  Vicki  became a step-mom to six children and currently nine grandchildren.  Garth purchased a townhouse in Cypress which led them to meet Ed Macias and the Downtown Long Beach Lions Club.

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Barbara Haller-Poland 

  Born in Long Beach Barbara relocated with her parents to the San Gabriel Valley following her father's retirement from the Long Beach Fire Department  After completing her education, marrying, divorcing and raising her three children, she returned "Home" to Long Beach.
    As a Public information Officer for the Greater Long Beach Chapter, Red Cross Agency Relations Associate for United Way and Administrator of the Children's Clinic and The Harbor-UCLA Family Health Center, she fulfilled a life long dream of public service.
    A "wedding in paradise" made her Mrs Haller-Poland in 1989. In the early 90s she joined GJ Property Services as a temporary employee and soon found her niche. She became a permanent part of the firm and serves as an Administrative Assistant working primarily with  the vice president of the firm in condominium management.
    Barbara served four terms on the Lions Board of Directors, four terms as a Vice President and is a long term member of the Charities and BBQ committees. She is a 15 year Monarch and a Melvin Jones Fellow.
    She loves cooking, reading, her cats, her husband Phillip, their three children and three grandchildren.

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Roger Powell:

   Roger has been an active Downtown Lion since transferring to this club from the Belmont Shore Lions Club in 1995. For two years, 1997-1999, he was the club's Director of Membership. After serving a year as First Vice President, he was elected President for 2001-2002.  Roger was our District Governor for 2005-6 and was the Multiple District Cabinet Chair 2006-2007.  He is currently the spouse of the Immediate Past District Governor, Judy, as well as Cabinet Advisor to same, the District’s Parliamentarian/Protocol Officer, a member of the Constitution and By-Laws committee and President of the Lions Eye Foundation of So. Cal .  Roger has assumed the mantle of President of Loins Floats Inc, responsible for funding that portion of the float that is not supplied by LCI.  He was also recently awarded the prestigious, once-in-a-lifetime MD4 Excellence Award for his long record of outstanding service.  Prior to transferring from the Belmont Shore Lions Club, he served as president of that club.  Roger is a Melvin Jones Fellow with two diamonds,
   Roger taught in the Long Beach Unified School District for 29 years and after retirement served as Executive Director of the Long Beach Literary Council.  He has also been president and treasurer of the Naples Improvement Association and a board member of the Long Beach Historical Society.  Roger is a past President of the Teachers Association of Long Beach and he served from 1992-1994 as Chief of Staff for California Assemblyman Betty Karnett. 

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Judy Olmstead Powell

   Judy was president of this club in 2004-5.  Did we have fun? Yep, and we danced - a couple of times. 
   Judy graduated from Blue Island Community Hi (BICHS) in Illinois and matriculated at the University of Illinois where she was one of the 2% of non-music majors to make the band. Sensing brighter horizons she relocated to Long Beach , earning a masters degree from CSULB. She then taught until retirement in LBUSD.
   Judy served for six years on the Cal. St. Teachers Retirement System Board of Trustees, is active in the Assistance League and the Naples Neighborhood Improvement Association.  She has been recognized by this club and the community many times for her service to both. She was elected to two terms on the Long Beach City College Board of Trustees.   
   As of the May District 4-L2 convention (Garth  Phillips gave her seconding speech) she is the  District Governor-Elect & will be sworn in in July at the  International Convention in Bangkok.

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Susy Ray

   SUSY was born in Collingswood , New Jersey and lived in Flushing , New York before moving to Long Beach .  Once here, she attended Poly High School and Long Beach City College .  SUSY was the Executive Secretary for the Downtown Lions Club from April 1982 to November 2002.
   A Lion Member since 1995, she is a 10 year Monarch.  Her sponsor was PDG Gene Carter.  She was the Golden Lion in 1995.  In addition to being an Active member in Lakewood Lions Club, she is an Associate member with our club.  She has also been Secretary for the Lions Hearing Foundation since 2003.
   SUSY is the Treasurer for the Long Beach GOP Republican Women Federated, a member of Friends of the Lakewood Libraries and “attends a great church: SeaCoast Grace in Cypress .”
   She has one sister, a son and daughter and two granddaughters, ages 11 and 12.
   Her “avocations” are reading, movies, crossword puzzles, museums, scrapbooking, Scrabble and keeping in touch with old friends.

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Jim Russell

   Dad, granddad, scuba diver, tennis buff, gardener -- these are a few different ways one might identify Jim Russell, 1985-86 Club President and ever-popular COD. Jim's list of civic and professional associations and activities is long and distinguished, including his present service as Chairman-Elect of the Board of the Long Beach Red Cross
    Those who've read these bios before or who've heard Jim introduced at Club meetings know that he's a partner in the law firm of Pray, Price, Williams and Russell and that he earned degrees from Long Beach City College, Cal State University Long Beach, and USC. Some may even remember that he's a Wilson High grad, but how many knew that he put himself through school as a Long Beach lifeguard under the Legendary "Dutch" Miller?  Or that he spent three years as a deputy Long Beach city prosecutor? Or that during his military service in the 50's he was stationed in England? A final tidbit: an Oklahoman by birth, Jim has lived in long Beach since he was seven.

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Pat Sabol

   A member of one of the three man-and-wife teams in the Down­town Lions Club, PAT SABOL joined the club and became a Lion on April 8, 2004. PAT, as most of you know, is the wife of BOB SABOL, a Downtown Lion for the past 20 years.
   Active in Lions activities for several years, PAT has worked with BOB in the American Diabetes Association and in diabetes activities closely asso­ciated with the Downtown Lions Club, She has been co-chairman of the Lions District 4-L2 Diabetes Awareness Committee since 1991. She is also a member of the Long Beach Center Guild of Abil­ity First-Formally Crippled Children’s Society, the Altrusa Club of Long Beach, the Dramatic Allied Arts Guild, Fine Arts Affiliates, Musical Theatre West and MTW Guild. She is a Eucharist Minister at St. Bartholomew Church
   Born in Maryland, Pat lived in several cities be­fore marrying BOB and making Long Beach her home. PAT and BOB have two adult daughters. She considers theatre, drama and musicals among her avocational interests — and, of course, hockey games.

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Eunice Sato

   Born in Livingston , California , Eunice taught for three years in Alpha, Michigan , before becoming a missionary to Japan in 1948.  Prior to that she had earned her A.A. at Modesto Junior College , her B.A. at University of Northern Colorado and her M.A. at Columbia University . She came to Long Beach in 1956.
    Most of us know of Eunice as a former mayor of our city (1980-82) and former City Councilperson (1975-86), but her many activities here and subsequent awards and recognitions defy summary in just one column, so here's an abbreviated list:
   Eunice is or has been a member of:
      *the board of Governors, Leadership Long Beach:
      *the South Coast Interfaith Council's (nee South Coast Ecumenical Council) 50th Anniversary Blue Ribbon Committee (and a past president of the SCEC as well as a past recipient of its "Outstanding Lay Woman" award);
      *St. Mary Medical Center's Board of Trustees (for "a couple of decades" and currently)
      *the Long Beach Public Library's Gutenberg Society;
      *the Salvation Army Fundraising Committee; and
      *the Executive Board, Long Beach Industry Education Council ( a past president of this, too).  She is also a board member of the California IEC and president of the Southern California Consortium of IEC.
      *She's been the chair (1996-2000) of the Leisure World Community Church Administrative Board.
    Eunice is:
      *Chairperson 1996-2000 of the Nikkei Parent’s Day Festival of the Greater LA Area.
       *Member of the Strategic Planning Committee of the Grace First Presbyterian Church which    raised over a million dollars for victims on Louisiana and Mississippi of the Katrina disaster.
         *Vice-president of the Yokkaichi Sister City Association.
    A few of the awards and recognitions she's received include: L.B. Area Republican Party "Republican of the Year" for 2001, Soroptimist Int'l of L.B.'s Woman of Distinction Award" for 2001, L.B. Area Chamber of Commerce Dewey Smith Community Service Award for 2000, L.B. City College Senior Studies program "Senior of the Year" Award for 1999, the Japanese government's Kunsho Award -- the Order of the Sacred Treasure, and American Red Cross "Volunteer of the Year" for 1995. She's also a past president to the National Conference of Community and Justice and its 1992 "Humanitarian of the Year." Wait! There's more...

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Darryl Sexton

   Darryl has been a Lion member since 1984, when he was sponsored by Lion Aaron Herrington to join Downtown (Host) Lions Club of Long Beach.  He is retired from the City of Long Beach after nearly 27 years of service (1981-2007).  As a managing physician, he served the first 10 ½ years as the Occupational Health Services Officer and the last 16 years as City Health Officer.  As Health Officer for the City’s Department of Health and Human Services, he was responsible for ensuring the delivery of public health and environmental health services to the nearly half-million residents of Long Beach, enforcing all public health orders/regulations and laws, and assuring preparation, coordination and readiness of local public health’s first responder role in citywide all-hazards emergency response, including bioterrorism.  After working over 35 years in medicine, Darryl still works part-time in public health and occupational medicine helping to improve Long Beach residents' and workers' health.
   Darryl grew up in Lawnside , NJ , is married to his wife Alice 38 years and has one son.  Alice has taught 26 years in the Long Beach Unified School District , is bilingual in Spanish and works with parents to enhance students' education.  Darryl has a B.S. Chemistry degree from Saint Paul 's College, Lawrenceville , VA , and worked for IBM (N.Y.) as a quality control chemist and computer analyst before entering into his medical training.  He received his MD degree from Jefferson Medical College , Thomas Jefferson University , Philadelphia , PA (1975).  He completed an internal medicine residency at Mercy Catholic Medical Center , Philadelphia , PA (1978).  He completed additional medical specialty training in Occupational and Environmental Medicine at UCSF (Feb. 1990).

Darryl worked as an Internist for 2 ½ years with a private multi-disciplinary medical group servicing Oakland and Berkeley , CA , prior to coming to the Long Beach Health Department in 1981.  As Occupational Health Services Officer, he treated and worked to prevent occupational injuries of City of Long Beach employees.  He has served as Health Officer from 1991-2007.
   Darryl has been an active leader in public health, through his work in the California Conference of Local Health Officers (CCLHO), Health Officers Association of California (HOAC), and collaboration on several statewide public health committees for the California Department of Health Services.  In 1994 he completed training in the National Public Health Leadership Institute and is a scholar in the Public Health Leadership Society.
   Darryl has been a board member of numerous public health and medical organizations, including the Long Beach Medical Association, Long Beach Roundtable (health consortium), LA Care Health Plan medical policy committee, Miller’s Children’s Hospital Advisory Board, and the Children’s Dental Clinic Advisory Committee.  He has been an active volunteer and board member other local and regional non-profit health and service agencies, including the American Cancer Society, American Diabetes Association, Family Services of Long Beach, Long Beach Community Improvement League, Sarcoidosis Network Foundation, and National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (Health Committee Chair for 10 years).  He has been an active participant in many programs sponsored by the Long Beach Unified School District , including a science project reviewer of students’ science exhibits in the LBUSD Annual Science Fair for over ten years.   Darryl also has been a member of the Retirement Housing Foundation (RHF) corporate Board of Directors since 1998.  RHF is a large national non-profit affordable senior housing and services agency, headquartered in Long Beach , providing residential, medical and support services through over 156 facilities in 24 US states, Washington , DC , Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands .
   Darryl has received several awards and recognitions from medical and service agencies and organizations, including AMA Physician Recognition Awards, the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) Mary McLeod Bethune Award for Science (1994) and Health, and the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority (AKA) Pearl Award for Health (1999).  He continues to provide support and leadership to improve the quality of health and life for all disproportionately at-risk persons and age groups, especially at the local and regional level.

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Carol Shaw

    Carol Shaw spent her childhood in Inglewood, California, but was also a frequent visitor to Long Beach because her aunt and uncle lived here. She made the move here in 1985.
    Carol earned her B.S. with honors in business and accounting from UCLA, and went on to an M.B.A. there,  specializing in real estate and marketing. In 1988, she completed her J.D. at Southwestern U. School of Law. Since 1990, she's been a deputy city attorney in L.B.
    Prior to that, she was a research attorney with the L.A. County Superior Court. She's a past board member of the L.B. Bar Association, past treasurer of Women Lawyers of L.B., and past president of the L.B. City Attorneys Association. She's also a member of the Joseph A. Ball/Clarence Hunt Inn of Court.
    Carol never served in the military but did almost marry a sailor once. She's single with three dogs and two cats instead of children but doesn't lack for family time since she spends lots of time with her brothers, sisters, nephews, and nieces.
    Her hobbies include bicycling, dancing, and collecting elephants (not real ones). A licensed real estate broker before she went to law school, she's kept her license active and still owns several rental properties in Long Beach.

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Bob Sobel

    Bob Sobel is founder and president of Oxford HealthCare, the oldest home nursing in Southern California. He graduated from Kent State University and was a PFC in the U.S. Army as a combat engineer "on a few different occasions."
    Bob has been a member of Downtown Lions since 1975 and has been the club Santa Claus for over 20 years. Once upon a time, he was one of the leaders of the club's notorious "Patriotic Society". Now that patriotism is back in fashion, members might want to ask him about the Society.  In recent times Bob has settled down and become almost respectable. Just ask wife Donna, with whom he's done a lot of international traveling lately. Then again, here's part of what he wrote for this bio.
    "The last time that Bob served as chairman of the day was in 1987 when the featured speaker was an LCSW and her topic was how to please your mate sexually. It took this period of time to get over the embarrassment that he suffered. Hopefully the subject of hypnotism will not have the same effect on his psyche today."

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Bonnie Sharp Stoeppelman

   Hailing from the Pacific Northwest, Bonnie Sharp Stoeppelman started in the mountainous area made famous by the TV Series, “Northern Exposure” which was filmed in the Rosyln/Cle Elum area.  Here Bonnie was able to ski, fish, hike, hunt, photograph, and  climb Mt. Rainier.  Leaving a town of 300 and class of 60, she obtained her undergraduate degree at Central Washington, then migrated to Prescott, AZ.  There she taught jr. high, high school and part time at Yavapai Community College.  She obtained her Masters Degree at Northern Arizona U. and did extensive hiking in Arizona, including the Grand Canyon.  She then decided to get some city life and eventually moved to the Long Beach area where she met her husband Bill.  When replying if he backpacked while asking for a date, he told her that his idea of backpacking was “staying at a Holiday Inn.”  Therefore, she became involved in golf and has had the privilege of beating her husband gross a “couple of times” and has shot a few high “80’s.”
    Bonnie started her own business, Sharp HOA Management, Inc. in 1990 which manages HOA’s.  In addition to being on the Board of Lions and former Secretary, she is currently on the Board of Yokkaichi (Long Beach Japanese Sister City).  Her recreational time is spent with photography, travel, tailgating at USC games, golf (some of the time), concerts, gardening, cooking, and reading.  She enjoys visiting her stepdaughter and family in St. Louis, MO and Dad, sister and brother (with mates and kids) who stayed in the Pacific Northwest.  She is also actively researching her family tree which has been as fascinating as it has been scary.

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Jim Sullos

   Managing Partner of Windes and McC!aughry for 11 years, JIM gave up full-time activities with the firm in 2001. He joined the accounting firm initially in 1962, became a partner in 1969 and Chairman of the Auditing Department in 1980. In his partial retirement JIM continues to act as a trustee for some of his clients.  In addition to being a CPA, he is qualified as a Certified Financial Planner.
   In 1984, JIM was appointed by California ’s governor to a four-year term on the State Board of Accountancy. He was elected in both 1985 and 1988 to serve as Board President and was appointed to a second term on the Board in 1988.
   JIM’S civic activities include Past Chairman of the Governing Board of the City of Long Beach / County of Los Angeles Civic Center Authority . He also served as the Chairman of the Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce. Currently he is a member of the Board of the Long Beach Community College Foundation and the Long Beach Community Foundation. He also serves as Chairman of the Board of International City Bank and on the Board of a private corporation that owns and markets internationally recognized copyrights and trademarks. JIM was President of the Downtown Lions Club in 1967-68.  
    Jim and his wife Vickie have two adult children:  Gina, a veterinarian in Laguna Hills , and Jim, a TV producer and director in Hollywood .

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Grant Uba

   Dr. Grant UBA is a cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa graduate of UC Irvine with a B.S. in biology, Grant earned his M.D. at USC and completed his residency at Long Beach Memorial Hospital.
    After that three-year family practice period, he joined Lion Dr John Kashiwabara in partnership until  John's retirement in 1990, when Grant took over his practice. Subsequently he joined the Memorial Medical Group.
    In Lions, he's been a member of Downtown's board and a frequent chairman of the yearly children's Christmas party, though he freely credits wife Debbie as "the real chairperson" for the event in those years.
    He's a board member of the Boys and Girls Clubs of L.B. and team physician for LBCC and was M.D. for the L.B. Civic Light Opera from 1991-96.
    Grant claims he learned how to barbecue while assisting Felix Franklin for four years at the club's annual fundraiser.

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Bernie Vaaler

   Bernie was born in Long Beach at Community Hospital .  His parents, Bern and Eileen, came to California looking for work.  Bern soon found work in the shipyards and they lived in a small apartment on the west side before moving to Belmont Shore .  He attended Lowell Elementary until moving to Los Altos .  He then went to Gant Elementary, Stanford Junior High and graduated from Millikan High in 1960.  
   During high school and college he worked for several local grocery chains:  Iowa Pork Shop, Hirams, Coles and McCoys Markets.  Bernie met his future wife Rebecca Lyche at Christ Lutheran Church .  They were married in 1963, and then moved to Blair , Nebraska , to attend Dana College .  He graduated with a BS in Business Admin. 
   His first job out of college was at J.C. Penney in Santa Monica before moving to Certified Grocers of California, working in Accounting, Sales, Purchasing and Administration.  He retired in 2000.
   Bernie has three children, Erik, Lars and Kristen and five grandchildren, Jonah, Kyle, Soren, Gunnar and Sophia. Rebecca and he were married for 42 years.  She passed away in 2005. 

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Jake Wallace

     Born in Mississippi , was a resident of Compton before moving to Long Beach in 1965. Prior to his retirement in 1999, he had been associated with the Long Beach Police Department for over 29 years. During that period he received several police awards for his services. Before being employed by the Long Beach Police Department Jake worked for Mc Donnell Douglas.
    Jake graduated from Compton High School and earned an Associate of Arts degree in Police Science at Compton Junior College . His pre-Long Beach employment included five years of service in the United States Navy.
    A member of the Downtown Lion's Club since July 1997 Jake was elected to a two-year term on the Board of Directors in 1988, served as the club's Lion Tamer and was President from 2003-4.  He has served the club as Director of Membership and Visitation Coordinator since.  Jake is able and willing to drive the Eyemobile when called on.  He has participated in the Ventura County Veterans Standdown for several years. JAKE has been a Guiding Lion since 2004, assisting new clubs in getting organized.

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Kathy Wallace

Kathy Wallace was born in Sterling , Illinois and migrated with her family to Wilmington California at the age of five.  The part of Wilmington she lived in was later incorporated into Carson and Kathy attended Carson High.  Lion Jake is her second husband.  She is very proud to be married to a law enforcement officer.  Her favorite hobbies are her Dachshund puppy and watching Court TV. 

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Glenn Warrick

   Introduced to Lionism by the head basketball coach at Western Washington University in April 1949, Glenn Warrick became a 55-year Lion this past year. A transfer member to the Downtown Lions Club on November 2 1951. Glenn has been a member of the club longer than any current member.
    Beginning his career in education as a secondary school teacher in Long Beach and moving later to a college-level teaching position, Glenn returned to Long Beach in 1951 when former Superintendent of Schools Douglas Newcomb asked him to become the top administrator in the 100-teacher-industrial Education program. Superintendent Newcomb taught Glenn a lesson by sharing his leadership philosophy with him: "The most effective type of leadership is to lead from behind," i.e. help others reach their potential. This important bit of wisdom has influenced your Sea Lion editor as he writes the "Chairman of the Day" column - promote and enhance the image of the person serving as Chairman of the Day.
    Glenn, a member of the Long Beach Unified School District for over 30 years, was offered this bit of advice by Coach Wooden, the speaker at Glenn's retirement banquet in 1982, when he received accolades and gifts from his teachers. Coach Wooden said "Don't let it go to your head, Glenn," and it hasn't.

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Bill Watson

Our new Lion Bill Watson joined us in late 2007.  He is a Real Estate broker with four decades experience in the industry and has seen many fluctuations in the market in all these years.  He began his career in Newport Beach and Laguna Beach and has been practicing here in Long Beach for the past 27 years.  Bill is a graduate of UCLA and served in the U.S. Navy for many years on medical staff aboard ship.  He also was on staff at St. Mary Medical Center here in Long Beach for 20 years and retired from there in 2003 and continues to be very busy in real estate and senior care management.  
   He has been in music all his life and he has sung for many years with Cypress Masterworks Chorale, as well as with William Hall Chorale and Pacific Chorale, and participated in concerts abroad.
   He wears many hats in the community, and he has been a member of the Board of Directors of Allied Healthcare Federal Credit Union with branches in Memorial Hospital , St. Mary Medical Center, Hoag Hospital , and St. Francis hospital and travels often to Federal events across the country.  He also is owner of an internet based personal franchise business that is exploding, and his specialized focus is in good health and personal care.

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Al Weingartner

      Born in Mansfield , Ohio , Al spent most of his youth in San Gabriel , migrating to Long Beach in 1981. He attended Pasadena City College , Cal State L.A. and earned his B.A. from UCLA.
   Now “almost” fully retired, Al was a computer consultant, owning his own firm, NPG Systems, for almost ten years.  Prior to that he worked for Minolta Imaging Systems and the L.B. Chamber of Commerce.  In 1990-91, he owned Town and Country Suzuki in Fullerton . He quit riding motorcycles on the advice of that side of the brain that says, “Holy crap, knock that off!”  He was employed at IBM in various positions from 1965 to 1990.  While with IBM, he spent two years working in Stuttgart , Germany .  He has also written for the Signal newspaper.  He owns several apartment buildings and does much of the maintenance himself.
    Al is the president of the board of "For the Child" located in Bixby Knolls, dedicated to treating and preventing child abuse.   He is also a Port Ambassador.  He is the Sea Lion editor and printer, is currently 4L2 cabinet secretary, and was President of this club in 2005-6. 
    He has three grown sons and six grandchildren.  Al lives in Long Beach and married Linda last Sep. 12 in Ojai. 
   His hobbies include auto racing, swimming, reading, writing, skiing, fishing and now, computers.  He is also a member of the undefeated and internationally known Lions Tennis Club.

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Linda Weingartner

   Linda was born in Mississippi and the family moved to Evanston , IL , when she was 13.  She attended Evanston Township High School and received a degree in English from Roosevelt University .  She has two brothers, two sisters, two sons, two grandsons and a granddaughter due in May.  The family information she most likes to share is the many laughs she shares with her 97 year old Mother. They can't end a telephone conversation until they have found something to laugh about - usually themselves.  
   Linda taught school in Chicago for a short time before marrying and moving to California .  She left the workforce to care for her two sons until they entered school.  She then went to work at General Electric followed by General Dynamics, Northern Telecom and Northrop Grumman.  All positions were in either telecommunications or network design. She was manager at Northrop Grumman's Corporate Office and with Northrop Grumman's Information Services Division.  Linda's greatest memory while at Northrop Grumman was working at the B-2 Division.  During her time there, she frequently visited Air Force Bases and came to appreciate the intensity of their mission.  When Northrop won a Collier Award for the B-2 design, Linda was asked to participate in an acceptance tape.  This tape was shown during the acceptance ceremony in Washington , D.C.  
   Linda loves her new life in Long Beach and loves being a Lion.   Her hobbies are reading, fishing, dancing, gardening and her families, hers and Al’s.

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Myrna Wigod

    Although she was born in Brooklyn and spent her childhood in Newport News, Virginia, Myrna is virtually a Long Beach native. She graduated from Wilson High, Long Beach C.C. and earned a B.A. from CSULB. She's been a reading specialist at Tincher, Burnett and Roosevelt elementary schools. She also lived in Yokuska, Japan, with her husband Dr. Richard where she taught at the base schools and also taught English at a Japanese high school.
    Sponsored by Vito Romans, Myrna was one of the first women to join Downtown Lions in 1987. She has also been a charter member of the Long Beach Cancer League; member of the Assistance League; served on the boards of the American Heart Association Auxiliary and the Grand Prix Association; chaired the Community Hospital Foundation and was President of the L.B. Civic Light Opera Women's Guild.
    She was the 1982 Rickracker Woman of the Year and received the Humanitarian Award from the NCCJ in 2000. She has won the same award from the Long Association and has been inducted onto the City College Hall of Fame. She predicts her epitaph will read "Clubbed to Death".
    Highly sought after for her humor and successful fundraising style. Myrna has served in that role for the Musical Theatre West, the I.C.T., the Paralysis Project and the Salvation Army's Sage Award dinner.
    Myrna and Richard have two children. Daughter Jane, married to Long Beach native and attorney Mark Orenstain, lives in Seattle. Son Robert a C.I.F. Commissioner, is married to Kelly, also an L.B. native.
   Myrna lists as her avocational interests "travel, theatre, dieting, and her grandchildren, Halley and Kate Wigod and Aaron and Andrew Orenstein"

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Bill Williams
    If you ever wondered why our bios are often lengthy,  you've never seen the info on many of our members. There's a lot of interesting stuff in there! Take BILL WILLIAMS, for example.
    He's past president of our club (83-84) as well as of the Bixby Hill Community Association, The Neptune Masonic Temple Association, the El Bekal Greeters, the Boys & Girls Clubs of L.B., the Downtown Parking & Improvement Commission, the L.B. Bar Association , the City College Foundation, and the L.B. Board of Water Commissioners. He's also chaired the boards of the Salvation Army and the L.B. Community Hospital Foundation.
    Born at Seaside Hospital here in Long Beach, Bill went to Edison and Lincoln elementary schools, Hamilton Junior High and Poly High School. From Poly, he entered the navy during WWll.
    Thereafter, he continued his studies at City College, Occidental College in Eagle Rock, USC, Cal Tech and Southwestern U., gaining his J.D.  from the last in 1953. He's practiced law in Long Beach since 1954, first for the firm of Pray & Price, then in 1959 the firm of Pray, Price & Williams, and since 1959 the firm of Pray, Price, Williams, & Russell, as in JIM RUSSELL.
    Bill's not the only native of Long Beach in his family. His mom was born here, as was his wife Eleanor and of course, their two children.
    The many recognitions of service he's received include the Elks Citizen of the Year in 1982, the L.B. Bar Association Lawyer of the year in 1988, and, with Eleanor, the Family Life Award in 1989 from L.B. Family Services.
   Bill once told editor Glenn Warrick that his favorite pastime is "waking up in the morning to discover I'm still alive." Besides that, he enjoys travel, tennis, and fishing.

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