ON THE TOWN:
Leadership Burbank auction raises funds

By DAVID LAURELL

Published: Last Updated Tuesday, April 24, 2007 10:14 PM PDT

Established in 1996, Leadership Burbank has offered an annual, nine-month leadership-training program for people who live or work in the city of Burbank.

The organization employs a curriculum in which members of our community have the opportunity to enhance their personal and professional skills, gain a deeper understanding of how Burbank works and build a network of colleagues and associates.

The group's goal is to encourage graduates of the program to use the insights and contacts they develop to enhance themselves in their personal and professional endeavors and to enrich the community by developing ideas and solutions that will assist in making and keeping Burbank government, business, faith-based, civic and nonprofit groups strong, sustainable and vibrant.

Each year, every Leadership Burbank class is required to develop and execute a project that will have a positive affect on the community.

The class of 2007 has committed itself to assisting the Boys & Girls Club of Burbank with an art program and has embraced the challenge of raising $25,000 to purchase and place a minimum of 10 Automated External Defibrillators units throughout the community. It is the group's intention to have these life-saving devices placed in both of our city's public high schools, all three recreation centers, at DeBell Golf Course, the Burbank Town Center Mall and the AMC Theater area of downtown.

To kick off this fundraising program, the Class of '07 staged a silent auction on April 18 at the Cusumano Olive Plaza complex. The event was completely coordinated by the class members, including Sana Arakelian-Ford, Lusine Arutyunyan, Andrew Carrasco, Philip Dinova, Jessa Freemeyer, Arturo Gomez, Mary Hamzoian, Mark Hardyment, Hagop Hergelian, Zinnia Hernandez, Michael Herron, Lance Holt, Teri Kaczmarek, Tom Lenahan, Ruth Luna, Leena Mathew, J.J. Puglisi, Joel Shapiro, Scott Talamantes, Michael Thomas, Robert Torrez, Wendy Wolfenden and Laurie Yelton.

Among those who attended were Leadership Burbank facilitators Jim Delizia and Joan-Patricia "JP" O'Connor, accompanied by her husband, Cotton.

Special guests attending were Councilman-elect Gary Bric and his wife, Shelly, Fire Chief Tracy Pansini, City Manager Mary Alvord, Assistant City Manager Mike Flad, incoming Leadership Burbank Board President Lucy Burgdorf and David Mok, a cardiologist who spoke on the importance of Automated External Defibrillators.

Also attending were Deputy Burbank Unified School District Superintendent Joel Shapiro, City Financial Services Director Bob Torrez, Chamber of Commerce Membership Director J.J. Connaughton and Andre Murray of the Bern Agency.

Among the program's alumni that were cheering on this year's class were Sam Asheghian, Burbank Police Lt. John Dilibert and Sommer Embree, who has been a driving force in the city's youth employment programs.

Others in attendance included Kathleen Lindblom and local Realtors Dan Soderstrom, Yasmine Wolfe and Whit Prouty.

Also on hand to support the organization were Jamie Keyser, Roger Cusumano, Burbank Police Sgt. Darin Ryburn, Leadership Burbank Board Member Ernest Burger and Burbank Fire Capt. Jess Talamantes, who serves as the chairman of the city's Park, Recreation and Community Services Board and whose son, Scott, is participating in this year's Leadership Burbank class.

If you, or someone you know, is interested in enrolling in the next Leadership Burbank class, you can obtain further information on the program by contacting the Burbank Chamber of Commerce at (818) 846-3111 or by logging on to the organization's website at www.leadershipburbank.org.

DAVID LAURELL can be contacted at dlaurellaol.com or (818) 563-1007.

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