JAMES H. JANNARD
Founder, chief executive
Red.com Inc., dba Red Digital Cinema Camera Co., Irvine
Born in Alhambra
Age: 63
Lives in Washington state, Las Vegas and L.A.
WHY: Inventor, designer. Founded, built two global companies based here: Foothill Ranch- based Oakley Inc., Red Digital Cine-ma Camera Co. in Irvine.
HOW: Started Oakley in 1975, selling motorcycle grips out of car. Went on to making goggles, then sunglasses. Started Red Digital in 2005. Sold Oakley to Luxottica Group SpA for $2.1 billion in 2007, same year Red’s first camera, Red One, was released for $17,500—a price tag about 10 times less than competitors at the time. Red One was followed up with Epic, Scar-let cameras. Bought Ren-Mar Studios in Hollywood in 2010, renamed Red Studios. Cameras used for films, TV shows and editorial shoots. Recent film credits include “The Great Gatsby,” “Prometheus” and “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” and TV shows “Shameless” and “Justified,” among others.
RECENT: Company announced start of long-awaited Dragon camera sensor updates for Epics, Scarlets at recent National Association of Broadcasters trade show in Las Vegas. Dragon sensor ups ante on cameras’ resolution and dynamic range. NAB show also brought announcement of Red’s purchase of Burbank camera accessories company Element Technica. Company renamed Red Element. Undisclosed number of former Element Technica employees relocating to Red’s Irvine headquarters, with founders based out of Red Studios.
PERSONAL: Studied at University of Southern California. Enjoys photography, cinematography. Remarried, four kids.
—Kari Hamanaka
JOHN KRAFCIK
President, Chief Executive
Hyundai Motor America Inc., Costa Mesa
Born in Southington, Conn.
Lives in Coto de Caza
WHY: Chief of largest automaker here. Oversees U.S. strategies and operations for Hyundai.
HOW: Got start in industry as manufacturing engineer at Toyota/ General Motors joint venture called New United Motor Manufacturing in Fremont. Later worked in product development at Ford Motor. Started at Hyundai in 2004 as vice president of development and strategic planning. Promoted to chief executive four years later, turned around the Hyundai brand through series of redesigns, new models and marketing programs, such as Hyundai Assurance.
RECENT: Continues to lead automaker to record annual sales. Hyundai bested itself once again in 2012 with full-year sales up 9% to 703,007 vehicles. Upped game on popular Hyundai Assurance program earlier this year with launch of three-year emergency and car care support program, Assurance Connected Care. Work on new, $200 million headquarters in Fountain Valley continues with project slated for completion by end of year.
PERSONAL: Involved with Hope on Wheels, Hyundai’s pediatric cancer initiative. Serves on advisory councils at Reed College and UC Irvine. Received bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Stanford University, master’s degree in management at Massa-chusetts Institute of Technology. Enjoys music, running, all things automotive.
—Kari Hamanaka
RONALD M. SIMON
Founder, chairman
RSI Holding Corp., Newport Beach
Born in Los Angeles
Age: 78
Lives in Newport Beach
WHY: Head of leading manufacturer of cabinetry for homes in U.S. and Canada
HOW: Cabinetmaking business traces back to Perma-Bilt Industries, a medicine cabinet company started by his father. Simon eventually took control and grew it to be largest maker of medicine cabinets in U.S. Sold to an Aus-tralian company in 1987. Stayed on as Perma-Bilt director until he founded RSI in 1989. Sold half of RSI Home Products to Tor-onto-based private equity firm Onex Corp. in 2008 for $318 million. Started homebuilding division in 2009, RSI Development, with aim to make homes more affordable by using streamlined, precision building process. Initial project of 103 homes in Menifee sold out, but company saw sluggish sales at later project in Beaumont, started rent-to-own program. Now looks to operate as “super-sub” along with in-fill business. Overall, RSI em-ploys more than 3,000 workers, has manufacturing and distribution facilities in California, North Carolina, Kansas, Texas and Mexico.
RECENT: Regained sole ownership of RSI Home Products in February, buying back 50% stake from Onex for $323 million. Money came from recent bond offering, which raised $525 million. Simon used rest of bond money to repay existing bank debt. 100% ownership of company now is expected to allow Simon to concentrate on rebranding high-end cabinet unit—dubbed Professional Cabinet Solutions (PCS)—and cross-marketing it with other product lines. It was a good time to go to bond market, according to Simon, who said company was comfortable with debt level. On homebuilding side, Simon said mid-last year that RSI Development will continue to shift away from development, focus more on being contract builder.
PERSONAL: Big philanthropist with wife, Sandi. Simon Foundation for Education and Housing, through Simon Scholars Program, provides scholarships for economically disadvantaged high school students. More than 600 scholarships worth about $20 million have been awarded since program’s founding in 2003. Also supports arts, healthcare, other causes. On board of Pacific Symphony Orchestra. Member of dean’s advisory board at UC Irvine Paul Merage School. Trustee of Chapman University. Received Horatio Alger Award, 2005.
―Jane Yu
