SCAG’s new president pledges broader collaboration

Broadening collaboration on key issues like the region’s economic recovery and building greater regional connectivity top Clint Lorimore’s priorities as the newly installed president of the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG).

Lorimore, an Eastvale City Councilmember, was sworn in Thursday to lead the nation’s largest metropolitan planning organization after serving the past year as SCAG’s First Vice President. The swearing in took place during SCAG’s 2021 General Assembly, held virtually this year.

“While the pandemic shut down our region, state and nation for over 12 months, we are now seeing signs that the worst of our situation might very well be behind us,” Lorimore said. “Even with the recovery, however, we know that people are hurting. We still have a housing crisis, we still have traffic problems and we still have high unemployment. As we emerge from this crisis, we have an opportunity to refocus, re-engage with our partners, and build and strengthen relationships to facilitate a recovery that brings us back even stronger.”

The agency’s leadership role has never been more important than it is today, Lorimore said.

SCAG represents 191 cities, six counties and nearly 19 million people in one of the most vital and robust economic centers in the United States. Among the key challenges facing the region are the ongoing housing crisis, transportation congestion and an uncertain economic outlook. Many of these issues are central to Connect SoCal, SCAG’s 2020-2045 Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy, and will require collaborative implementation plans moving forward.

“Collaboration has been the hallmark of this agency, and as we find new ways to ingrain this spirit into the work that we do, I know we will be able to accomplish greater things for our region,” Lorimore said.

His plans include engaging with partners, member jurisdictions, subject matter experts and staff to update SCAG’s strategic plan, which will better prepare the agency to succeed in the post-pandemic landscape. “It is my aim that we will work together to realize the highest and best use of SCAG,” Lorimore said.

Lorimore has served on the Eastvale City Council since December 2014 and has operated Lorimore Strategies since 2012.

Lorimore graduated from Cal Poly Pomona with a degree in Political Science with an emphasis on Public Policy in 2004. He went on to obtain a Master of Arts from Claremont Graduate University in 2007. As a recipient of Rotary International’s Ambassadorial Scholarship, Lorimore also studied at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore where he graduated with a Master of Science in 2008.

He succeeds Long Beach Vice Mayor Rex Richardson as president of SCAG.