Saunders Soaks Up OC Experience

Was Allergan CEO Brent Saunders simply spouting feel-good lines for the locals when he took the stage with Jim Mazzo during Octane’s ophthalmology summit at the Center Club last week and talked up the company’s commitment to Irvine? Check Vita Reed’s front-page report and decide for yourself—and here’s a little extra to consider: Saunders went on record with a preference for Allergan’s airport-area campus over its main office in Parsippany, N.J., and also gave a nod to OC weather—but don’t underestimate the 40-something exec’s ability to soak up more than sunshine as he gets ready to establish an every-other-week “cadence” to his presence in Irvine. Saunders was headed from his turn on stage with Mazzo to a dinner with Gavin Herbert Sr., founder of Allergan and elder statesman of OC’s cluster of eye care companies … Dinner with Herbert followed a recent coffee Saunders shared with David Pyott, the CEO whose shoes he has set out to fill … Saunders showed a Pyott-like ability to play close to the vest during the Octane summit, which came a day ahead of word on Allergan’s $2.1 billion deal for Westlake Village-based Kythera Biopharmaceuticals … Allergan wasn’t the only outfit with ties to Irvine and an appetite for action in Westlake Village. Our Mark Mueller reports on page 1 that Standard Pacific’s proposed deal with Ryland Homes could leave neither city with the HQ of the combined operation. Mueller also notes that Westlake Village-based Dole Packaged Foods’ new headquarters, which snagged a LEED Gold Certification, was developed by Searles Property Group in Irvine …Put Orange County’s oldest pro sports team and its newest franchise owner together with a long-distinguished local healthcare provider and one of the hardest working cancer survivors you’ll ever see work a crowd—and you’ll start to get a sense of how far some folks will go to encourage men to get preventive disease screenings. The Angels teamed up with St. Joseph Health System on the effort, which included pregame honors for: South OC developer George Zeber, who was on a couple of World Series winners with the New York Yankees and survived an aortic aneurysm, thanks to timely screenings; Jack Southwood, a 92-year-old WWII vet who is still going strong—in part because he stays on top of his coronary artery disease; and Dr. Warren Johnson, a former staff physician for the Angels who now specializes in cardiovascular disease for St. Joseph Heritage Medical Group …The honors came before a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, when the crowd included erstwhile “Junk Bond King” Michael Milken, who now specializes in philanthropy. Milken was on a barnstorm tour on behalf of the “Keep Dad in the Game” promotion by the Prostate Cancer Foundation he founded. He worked the crowd like a ballpark beer vendor in a heat wave, with Vinny Smith, on break from his Newport Beach-based Toba Capital, at his side … The scene presented Smith a chance to get some perspective on his new role as owner of the NK Istra 1961 pro soccer team in Croatia. He and wife, Victoria, expressed excitement about the team and its 10,000-seat stadium on the Balkan nation’s Adriatic Coast, which they happened to scout on a recent vacation … Count Victoria ahead of Vinny when it comes to visualizing success. Tony LaRussa, now affiliated with the Arizona ballclub, was among the crowd rubbing shoulders with Milken and crew before the game, and he gallantly gave Victoria a chance to try on his Hall of Fame ring.