San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments presents its 2016 Leadership Awards

City of Industry, Calif. – Community leaders from across the San Gabriel Valley, along with the City of Claremont, were honored today with the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments’ (SGVCOG)12th Annual Leadership Awards.

The awardees were:

o Kim Raney, newly retired Police Chief for the City of Covina – the Jack Phillips Award.

Raney began his law enforcement career with the Covina Police Department in 1977 and served as chief from 2001 through his retirement on Oct.13. He has been active in fostering a safer community through collaboration and partnerships with political leaders, the business community, educational leaders and neighborhood stakeholders.

“Covina has been very fortunate to have been the professional home for Chief Kim Raney for more than 39 years,” said Kevin Stapleton, Mayor of Covina. “Chief Raney has had a positive significant impact on all of Covina, during good times and particularly when times became more challenging. He rose to every occasion, demonstrating the kind of leadership model that everyone strives for, but very few achieve.”

o Mary Cammarano, former Mayor of San Gabriel – the Judy Wright Award.

Cammarano was first elected to the City of San Gabriel City Council in 1989 and served three terms as Mayor before retiring in 2005. As one of the pioneers for the creation of the San Gabriel Valley COG, she supported projects that would help redevelop the region, projects such as the Gold Line and lowering of the railroad tracks with the creation of Alameda-Corridor East Construction Authority.

“Mary is truly one of the organizing pioneers of the SGVCOG,” said Barbara Messina, Council Member in the City of Alhambra. “Mary along with Judy Wright and Councilmember Chris Holden, came together with a vision to unite the cities and thus we have a SGVCOG.”

o Chris Jeffers, City Manager of Glendora – Consensus-Building Award.

Jeffers has been in local government for 37 years, including the past 28 years as City Manager for the cities of Monterey Park (1990 - 2007) and Glendora (2007 - Present). Currently, he oversees a budget of $75 million and 235 full-time employees. In his nearly three decades as a City Manager, Jeffers has overseen the investment of nearly $750 million in development projects through the production of over 900 residential units, over 450,000 square feet of retail and nearly 75,000 square feet of commercial office. He has led the development of three General Plans, as well as the creation of five Specific Zoning Plans.

Said Gene Murabito, Mayor of Glendora and President of the SGVCOG, “The Consensus Building Award recognizes the spirit of cooperation and collaboration. On the morning of January 16, 2014, when the Colby Fire started in the foothills above Glendora, it’s those two characteristics that allowed City Manager Chris Jeffers to respond to disaster as it was occurring, and in the months of recovery that followed.”

o City of Claremont – the Sustainability Award.

The City created the Claremont Energy Challenge (The Challenge) by collaborating with two local, environmentally-focused, nonprofit organizations. The Challenge was developed in early 2015 to educate and involve all 13,000 households in Claremont on the benefits of energy efficient upgrades. The Challenge aims to change the way their citizens think about energy, educate them on energy efficiency, and encourage them to take meaningful steps to promote sustainability in their homes and community. To date, the community has already completed more than 300 residential solar photovoltaic installations and energy efficiency upgrades, and is steadily increasing.

o Larry Stevens, Assistant City Manager and Director of Planning for the City of San Dimas – the Spirit of Service Award.

Stevens has served the City of San Dimas since 1987 and has been in public service in various roles for more than 44 years. He attended the University of San Francisco and the University of Santa Clara, where he received his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering; Cal State University at Long Beach, where he received his Masters of Public Administration; and holds a certificate in Urban Planning from the University of California Irvine. Stevens currently serves as Chairman of the SGVCOG Planning Technical Advisory Committee and is the representative for the SGVCOG on the Metro Technical Advisory Committee.

“Larry has worked tirelessly to support the SGVCOG and its member agencies,” said Denis Bertone, Council Member in San Dimas. “He has provided exemplary leadership as Chair of the Planning Directors TAC, tracking important issues and legislation, and coordinating regional planning efforts.”