New Chamber Board Sworn In at Riviera

A new president, a new board, and re-induction of the town’s honorary mayor. Not bad for an evening’s festivities. At its 59th Installation Dinner, held last Thursday at the Riviera Country Club, the Pacific Palisades Chamber of Commerce swore in president Antonia Balfour and her 2008-09 board of directors. ‘If you look around the room, at every table you’ll see people who have positively impacted the community,’ said Balfour, delivering the evening’s most compelling speech. Elegant in a dark gown, the co-owner of Oasis Palisades (a new acupuncture and massage salon in Marquez), who has sat on the board for five years, thanked her husband Marc and acknowledged the efforts of Marie Steckmest and Lester Wood for their environmental activism on the local level. The trio has formed the Business Greening Committee and is working to place recycling receptacles throughout the business district. Dressed to the nines in an off-white suit, actor Gavin MacLeod was inducted for a rare second term (two years) as honorary mayor. He expressed his gratitude for various Palisadians, past and present, who have helped give this community its luster. The actor’s roster included the late Ted Knight, his longtime friend, colleague and erstwhile honorary mayor; Broadway legend John Raitt (‘The big thrill was when I met him at Gelson’s one day!’), and Arnie Wishnick and Marilyn Crawford at the Chamber office”my second home, especially since they have goodies to eat there.’ Early in the evening, Palisadian-Post publisher Roberta Donohue presented the Mort Farberow Business Person Award (named for the late owner of the former Mort’s Deli, who died in 2002) to restaurateur and Palisades High soccer coach David Williams. ‘If anyone understands the value of giving back, it’s lifelong Palisadian David Williams,’ said Donohue, a Chamber past-president and 2005 winner of the Farberow Award. The owner of Mogan’s Caf’ in the Highlands accepted his award in absentia, via video in Austria, where he is serving as personal chef and training camp manager for heavyweight boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko of Ukraine. Williams’ daughters, Hannah and Sara, accepted the award on their dad’s behalf. President-elect Ramis Sadrieh (owner of Technology for You!) presented the Best New Business Award to ThisWeekinthePalisades.com creator Nicole Howard, who remembered her first brush with Pacific Palisades as a 13-year-old living near Wilshire and Robertson. After a visit here, she told her mother, ‘I’m going to live my life in the Palisades.’ Today, she, her husband David, and their two boys, who attend Palisades Elementary, are living that dream amid ‘an abundance of beautiful dogs and a casually dressed yet intelligent community.’ Kevin Niles, president-elect of the Palisades Rotary Club, awarded the annual Beautification Award to Palisades Charter High School for installing a synthetic-turf football/soccer field and an all-weather running track that will benefit the entire community. Outgoing Chamber prez Brad Lusk received kudos from the city and state, with emcee Sam Lagana doing his best ‘Ah-nuld’ impression while reading a proclamation from the Governor. ‘Thanks, Arnold’I mean Sam,’ joked Flora Gil Krisiloff, who represented County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky and praised Lusk’s contributions to the Palisades community. Also appearing at the podium: Cheri Orgel, representing Assemblymember Julia Brownley, and Stephen Chung, field deputy for Mayor Villaraigosa, who applauded the Palisades for its mixture of ‘community pride and civic engagement.’ Officiating at the Board’s installation was Councilmember Bill Rosendahl, who literally arrived hot on the heels of two previous engagements: a 25th wedding anniversary, and a tribute to Doug Dutton, who recently closed his treasured book store in Brentwood. Rosendahl praised the Palisades for having ‘a sense of identity and community that is breathtaking’ and inducted the new board: Sanda Alcalay (Coldwell Banker), attorney Brett Bjornson, Rena Bornstein (Cognitiatives Brain Training Systems founder), Zara Guivi (California National Bank), Nicole Howard, Sam Lagana (associate vice chancellor of athletics at Pepperdine University), Jennifer Lowe (Metrocities Mortgage) and Angela Parker (Body Inspired Fitness). In addition to Balfour, the Chamber’s executive committee includes Brad Lusk (Sunrise Senior Living Santa Monica), Ramis Sadrieh, John Petrick (Perennial Financial Services), Greg Wood (Palisades High), Roberta Donohue, David Williams, Sandy Eddy (The Discovery Shop) and Roy Robbins (Roy Robbins Gifts & Stationery).