Contents

06 Welcome

08 Thank you to Our Pasadena Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors

09 Mayor’s Message

10 Leadership Circle Members

12 Events Calendar

14 President’s Breakfast Honors Tournament of Roses President Amy Wainscott

16 Discover Pasadena’s Best

18 A Legendary Legacy: The Pasadena Civic Auditorium

20 Grand Architecture at the Historic Gamble House

24 Santa Anita Park: Prestigious Races and Posh Events

26 Hot Comedy at the Ice House

28 Board Member Spotlight

Pasadena Perspective

Vol. 2 | Issue 1 | 2023

44 N. Mentor Ave., Pasadena, CA 91106

(626) 795-3355

www.pasadena-chamber.org

This is a Town Square Publications, formerly MetroMedia (since 1997),publication created and produced for the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce
& Civic Association.

Copyright © 2023 Town Square Publications

P.O. Box 280, Arlington Heights, IL 60006

(847) 427-4905 | marketing@tspubs.com

www.TownSquarePublications.com

Chairman, CEO and Publisher | Douglas K. Ray

President and Chief Operating Officer | Scott Stone

Vice President / Director | Scott Ray

Managing Director | David Small

Director of Production | Ryan Moore

Account Executive | Jonathan Lopez

Editor | Mia Katz

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information in this publication. The Chamber and Town Square assume no responsibility for misinformation. Please contact the Chamber with any additions or corrections. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission of the Chamber and Town Square Is prohibited.

On the Cover:

Photo courtesy of Visit Pasadena

Thank You

To Our PASADENA CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 2022-23

Raphael Henderson

Chair

Wells Fargo

Paul Little

President and CEO

Pasadena Chamber of Commerce

Don Schweitzer

Chair-elect and Vice Chair, Economic And Business Development

Schweitzer Law Partners

John Leano*

Immediate Past Chair

Bryan’s Cleaners & Laundry

Nerissa Sugars

Secretary

Hollywood Burbank Airport

Mike Antenesse

Treasurer

Foothill Unity Center

Katelyn Barchowsky

Vice-chair Member Services

University Club of Pasadena

Lynnelle Bryant

Vice-chair

Workforce Development

MasBuild, Inc.

Charlotte Lacey

Vice-chair Legislative and

Government Affairs

Pasadena Humane

Justin Tsui*

Vice-chair Technology

TeamLogic IT

BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2022-23

John Burt

Member

Intelligent Leadership Executive Coaching

Thomas Daly*

Member

Lewis Roca

Elizabeth Dever

Member

Fire Family Foundation

Hope Hayman

Member

Kaiser Permanente

Lisa Maurath

Member

Parsons Corporation

Robin McCarthy*

Member

Ste. Marie Specialists

Emilio Padilla-Larios

Member

Langham Huntington Hotel Pasadena

Helen Romero-Shaw

Member

The Gas Company

Greg Sanchez, Ph.D.

Member

Home Instead Senior Care

CHARLES (CHUCK) STANISLAWSKI

Member

Stanislawski & Company, CPAs

Debbie Unruh

Member

Elizabeth House

Aaron Wheeler

Member

Pasadena Media

Lloyd Wong

Member

Clifford Swan Investment Counselors

Stephanie Yamashiro

Member

New York Life

EX-OFFICIO

David Klug

Member

City of Pasadena, Economic Development

MARK LEAVENS

Member

Tournament of Roses Association

Jens Weiden

Member

Rose Bowl Stadium

*Denotes former Chair of the Board

Mayor's Message

Greetings.

As we lift our eyes to the horizon to see and agree upon where we are going, let’s first recount where we have been. The pandemic took us through some of our most difficult times as a community and as individuals. During the height of the crisis, every aspect of our life was affected: health, finances, business, social interactions, education, jobs, family, even the way we communicated. Many of the impacts remain with us, and seared changes in us that may never be reversed.

The pandemic laid bare issues that many in society sometimes wished were not there: social inequity and injustice, economic and educational disparities, mental health challenges, housing instability, and substance abuse issues, to name a few. Issues that we now must tackle as a community, and I will talk about just that in a moment.

Some doubted that we could continue to thrive under these circumstances—they said that the instability was simply too great—but Pasadena was not deterred.

In the most difficult times, instead of allowing instability, working together we achieved a seamless transition at City Hall, with minimal negative impact to our residents.

Thank you to staff, residents, and community partners for all you have done. We rose to the occasion together. The resilience that we continue to exhibit as One Pasadena gives me great comfort and confidence that as we face future challenges, and we will, working together we will continue to thrive.

We are now looking ahead.

Victor Gordo,

Mayor

Excerpted from the 2023 State of the City address.

Events Calendar

Networking Events

1st Wednesday 11:45 a.m., Luncheon Alliance

3rd Wednesday 7 a.m., Breakfast Connection

3rd Wednesday 8 a.m., Ambassador Committee

3rd Thursday – Quarterly 5 p.m., Chamber After-Hours Social & Mixer

Pasadena Chamber Board Committee Meetings

Pasadena Chamber Board of Directors

Legislative and Government Affairs

Quarterly Committees

Economic and Business Development Sub-Committee

Member Services Sub-Committee

Marketing and Technology Sub-Committee

Workforce Development Sub-Committee

2023-24 Annual Event

March

Technology Summit

April

Industry Day/Procurement Forum with JPL and the City of Pasadena

April

Pasadena Restaurant Week

June

Inaugural Gala

September

Economic and Business Summit

DECEMBER

President’s Breakfast Honoring the Tournament of Roses

For more detailed and specific information on events, please visit our website. www.pasadena-chamber.org.

President's Breakfast Honors Tournament of Roses President

Amy Wainscott

In December, almost 200 people attended the annual Pasadena Chamber of Commerce President’s Breakfast at the Pasadena Hilton.

Everyone was very eager to hear from Tournament of Roses President Amy Wainscott about her experiences leading the Tournament for 2023.

Ms. Wainscott did not disappoint. She highlighted her journey as a young woman from Eagle Falls, Minnesota, (population about 1,500) to Los Angeles (population more than 3 million), with a modest wardrobe and a little over $700 in travelers checks to her name. She talked about making person-to-person collect phone calls home to let her family know she was ok. She discussed settling in Pasadena and finding her passion for building and contracting, as well as her professional interactions with the Tournament and the Rose Bowl.

Ms. Wainscott also paid tribute to the many volunteers whose spirit and enthusiasm drive Pasadena’s new year celebrations.

Another highlight of the event was the introduction of the Rose Queen and Rose Court for 2023, including Queen Bella Ballard and Rose Court members Salia Baligh, Michelle Cortez-Peralta, Adrian Crick, Zoe Denoncourt, Sahanna Rajinikanthan and Uma Wittenberg.

Guests dined on yogurt parfait with fresh berries and granola, a bakery basket of croissant, muffins and pastries; short rib benedict with chipotle cream accompanied by orange juice, coffee and assorted teas.

In attendance were Tyron Hampton, Pasadena city council member and chair of the Pasadena Center Operating Company and Vice Mayor Andy Wilson, who also serves on the Board of the Burbank, Glendale, Pasadena Airport Authority.

Other guests included Mike Ross, CEO of the Pasadena Center Operating Company (including the Visitor and Convention Bureau, the Civic Auditorium and the Convention Center), Art Chute, deputy chief of the Pasadena police department, Pasadena City Manager Miguel Marquez and Pasadena City College President Superintendent Erika Endrijonas with PCC Trustees Sandra Chen-Lau, Jim Osterling, Tammy Silver, Kristine Kwong and Steve Gibson.

We also had several members of the Chamber board of directors with us. Mike Antenesse, former Board Chair Tom Daly, Elizabeth Dever, Dave Klug, Charlotte Lacey, former Board Chair John Leano, Ed Morales, Emilio Padilla, Greg Sanchez, Don Schweitzer and former Board Chair Justin Tsui were there. We were honored to have some past Chairs of the Chamber board here with us as well, George Falardeau and Dr. Dennis Buckley.

We also had several future presidents of the Tournament of Roses with us: Ed Morales, Craig Washington, Mark Leavens and Pam Knapp.

Wells Fargo is the presenting sponsor for the 2022 President’s Breakfast. Special thanks to Queen and Court Sponsors Athens Services, AT&T, Help With My Loan, Hollywood Burbank Airport, Kaiser Permanente, Pasadena City College, Pasadena Center Operating Company, Pasadena Tournament of Roses and the Rose Bowl Stadium. Thanks also for our Corporate Table sponsors the City of Pasadena, Home Instead and the Pasadena Star-News/San Gabriel Valley Newsgroup. Thank you also to Bickley Printing, Lyd & Mo Photography, the Pasadena Hilton, the Tournament of Roses Queen & Court Committee, Von’s and West Coast Trophy.

All photos courtesy Lyd and Mo Photography.

Discover Pasadena's Best!

By Marie Leech

Nestled in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains, Pasadena offers not only a stunning landscape and perpetually sunny climate, but also boasts legendary venues for entertainment and comedy, 21 National Historic Landmarks and some of the most historic architecture in the country.

With so much to offer, it’s easy to see why visitors from both near and far flock to this beloved “City of Roses.”

Popular destinations include …

•  The Rose Bowl Stadium. This iconic 90,000-seat sports and performance facility is host of the famous college football postseason bowl game, the Tournament of Roses Rose Bowl Game, every New Year’s Day.

•  Pasadena City Hall. One of the area’s most iconic sites, this features a rose garden and Renaissance architecture that may look familiar since the building has been used in a number of movies and television shows, including Mission Impossible, Big Bang Theory and Parks & Recreation.

•  The Pasadena Public Library – now known as Central Library. In 1927, this was the first building to open in Pasadena’s now-famous Civic Center. The library is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and has also been the location for some major motion pictures.

•  The USC Pacific Asia Museum. This is the only university museum in the U.S. dedicated to Asian art.

•  The Wrigley Mansion/Tournament House. This was once the home of chewing gum magnate William Wrigley Jr. and is now the headquarters of the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association.

•  The Pasadena Playhouse. This is the official state theater of California located in the walkable Playhouse District.

•  Old Pasadena. With 22 blocks designated as a National Register Historic District, this offers open-air shopping plazas, hidden laneways and a lively strip of retailers and restaurants along the main drag, Colorado Boulevard.

But these are just a few of the city’s many popular attractions.On the following pages, we highlight some of Pasadena’s most recognizable venues and landmarks: the Gamble House, Ice House comedy club, the Pasadena Civic Auditorium and Santa Anita Park.

A Legendary Legacy

The Pasadena Civic Auditorium

By Mia Katz

Since its opening day in 1932, the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, California has made an indelible mark in American pop culture history while gaining a reputation as one of the most admired and renown performance halls in the nation.

The entertainment venue, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980, has been home to everything from Broadway musicals, ballet performances and musical shows, to popular televised specials such as America’s Got Talent and awards programs, such as the Emmys and the NAACP Image Awards.

Since its start more than 90 years ago, the 2,997 seat auditorium on 300 East Green Street has hosted millions of patrons and has garnered numerous more viewers from its appearances made within a number of popular television and movie productions.

“It was the home of the Emmy Awards from 1977 to 1997 and (in 1983, it was) where the Motown 25th Anniversary television special was taped, and Michael Jackson debuted his Moonwalk,” says Christine Susa, director of marketing and communications with the Pasadena Convention and Visitors Bureau. “When Michael performed after Berry Gordy, his Thriller album became the best-selling album in history.”

Other performances at the Civic have also been remarkable. “This magical place has seen legends such as Bob Dylan, Van Halen, Ella Fitzgerald, and several Broadway touring productions,” Susa continues. “Aside from Motown 25, there was (also) Carlos Santana that filmed a live concert during

‘Supernatural.’ Van Halen had some of their earliest live performances there, before being discovered, including 14 sold-out shows.”

The location has also appeared in movies such as “Red Dragon,” “Jobs,” “Bad Words,” and TV shows such as “Scandal,” “Alias,” “Little Fires Everywhere,” “NCIS,” “American Idol,” and “So You Think You Can Dance.”

Vast audiences have also seen the Mediterranean Revival and Italian Renaissance-inspired architecture of the building through various specials that have been filmed live.

“We are fortunate to have the NAACP Image Awards and America’s Got Talent to help showcase the beautiful landmark on broadcast,” Susa says.

Santa Anita Park

Prestigious Races
and Posh Events

By Marie Leech

Famous for its Art Deco-style architecture and a backdrop that includes stunning views of the San Gabriel Mountains, it’s easy to see why Santa Anita Park is home to some of the country’s most prominent horse racing events.

Widely acclaimed as one of the most beautiful racetracks in the world, Santa Anita Park hosts numerous shows from fall to spring, including the Santa Anita Derby and the Santa Anita Handicap, and will be hosting the 2023 Breeders’ Cup World Championships for a record 11th time.

The track has quite the history, opening on Christmas Day in 1934 as the first formally established racetrack in California. Architect Gordon Kaufmann designed its various buildings in a combination of Colonial Revival and a type of Art Deco known as Streamline Modern, painted primarily in Santa Anita’s signature colors of Persian green and chiffon yellow.

In its heyday, the races attracted such stars as Cary Grant, Clark Gable, Lana Turner and more. The track has also been used as a filming location for several movies, including Seabiscuit, Jersey Boys and National Lampoon’s Vacation and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2006.

Located in Arcadia, Santa Anita Park is situated on 320 acres of land approximately 14 miles northeast of Los Angeles. Santa Anita is home to about 2,000 thoroughbred racehorses.

Beyond horse racing, the track boasts 1 million square feet of flexible indoor-outdoor space for events capable of accommodating groups of up to 10,000 with numerous dining options.