Several business and government leaders were honored June 28 by the Los Angeles County Business Coalition (BizFed) at the 2nd Annual Bizzi Awards held at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles.
The federation represents more than 215 business associations, 410,000 employers, and more than 5 million employees throughout the Southern California region.
“We created the Bizzis to celebrate and honor excellent advocates for economic and business growth throughout L.A. County and really throughout southern California,” BizFed’s CEO Tracy Hernandez told a luncheon crowd at the awards ceremony.
The Bizzi Awards are recognitions of elected and business leaders who have invested time and resources to amplify the voice of local business owners as they bring jobs and opportunity to the community, according to Ms. Hernandez.
Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger received the organization’s newly created “Mayor Richard Riordan Legacy” Award.
Mr. Riordan, a Republican, served as the 39th mayor of Los Angeles from 1993 to 2001. During his time in office, he was known for unifying the city after the Rodney King riots in 1992 and rebuilding part of the city following the devastating 1994 Northridge earthquake. He passed away April 20 at the age of 92.
Ms. Barger, also a Republican, has served the county’s 5th district as supervisor since 2016. Before that, she was chief deputy supervisor and chief of staff to her predecessor Michael Antonovich, who called himself the “Mayor of Los Angeles County.”
“What an honor to have an award named after someone who I looked up to,” Ms. Barger said. “When [Mr. Riordan] was elected, he focused on business and making the city business-friendly.”
He also focused on children, which is near to her heart, Ms. Barger said.
She also talked about her role regarding COVID-19 pandemic policies and her work to continue toward the effort of making businesses stronger following the closures.
“I will always be there to represent businesses,” Ms. Barger said.
California Assemblywoman Blanca Rubio (D-Los Angeles) received the award as the Elected Official of the Year in Los Angeles County’s 2nd District.
According to Ms. Rubio, she is the chair of the Assembly’s Moderate Caucus.
“My job, aside from doing all of the legislation, is also to make sure that the business community has a voice,” she said.
Ms. Rubio thanked the group for the award and shared some of her advice for businesses.
“I am here to tell you that you have folks in Sacramento that have your back but you also have to advocate for yourself,” she said. “The days of you sitting on the sidelines are over. You have to step up. With you on our side, we are able to accomplish what we can do on your behalf.”
Jennifer Hernandez, a land-use and environmental law attorney with Holland and Knight, garnered the Policy Changemaker of the Year award.
“When things get this bad, it really does take a village,” she said during her acceptance speech. “I do not accept that progressive politics means ... that a working family can’t afford to buy a home. That progressive politics means we count people and jobs leaving California as climate-change progress. This is nonsense. I invite all of us to just recognize and stand up. It’s dumb and it’s time to call it. And we have justice on our side.”
Roozbeh Farahanipour, the owner of Delphi Greek Restaurant, Mary and Robbs Westwood Café, and Persian Gulf Bakery in Los Angeles and a board member of the Los Angeles County Business Federation, was a sponsor of this year’s awards and catered the event.
“We are honored to sponsor this year’s Bizzi Awards,” Mr. Farahanipour said before introducing another award-winner Traci Park, a Los Angeles City councilwoman—elected in 2022—who received the Courage-to-Run Award.
Rachel Michelin, president of the California Retailers Association, received the biggest prize, the Queen Bee Award, and was commended for her leadership and advocacy of business organizations in the state.
Ms. Michelin has led the call recently to address the state’s retail crime problems.
“I believe in California. I believe that this is still one of the best places to live,” Ms. Michelin said. “I still think it’s a great place to do business.”
Patty Senecal, the senior director for Western States Petroleum Association’s Southern California region, additionally accepted the Bizzi Award for “advocate of the year.”
“It’s been an amazing 13 years and I’ve learned so much from so many different industries. We are doers. We look at a glass as refillable. The glass is refillable for busy bees. Our beehive is very busy,” she said. “We are basically a collective voice. Business makes our region work, and business makes California work.”
- Assemblyman Miguel Santiago (D-Los Angeles) received Common Sense Award
- Los Angeles City Council President Paul Krekorian received Super Statesman Award
- Heather Rozman, Hotel Association of Los Angeles, accepted Urgent Activist Award
- Business Nonprofit of the Year for L.A. County’s 1st Supervisorial District went to the Downtown Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce
- Inglewood Mayor James Butts received the award for Elected Official of the Year in L.A. County’s 2nd Supervisorial District
- Watson Land Company was recognized as Business of the Year in L.A. County’s 2nd Supervisorial District
- Los Angeles City Councilman John Lee was awarded as Elected Official of the Year in L.A. County’s 3rd Supervisorial District
- Venice Chamber of Commerce past president George Francisco accepted the award for Business Nonprofit of the Year in L.A. County’s 3rd Supervisorial District
- Assemblyman Mike Gipson (D-Carson) garnered L.A. County’s 4th Supervisorial District’s Elected Official of the Year Award
- Jeremy Harris, Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce, was the Business Nonprofit of the Year in L.A. County’s 4th Supervisorial District
- State Sen. Anthony Portantino (D-Burbank) was recognized as Los Angeles County’s 5th Supervisorial District’s Elected Official of the Year
