KURT BJORKMAN
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, THE RANCH AT LAGUNA BEACH
WHY: Has led environmentally focused initiatives at Laguna Beach’s The Ranch since 2010, shortly before its acquisition by owner Mark Christy.
IN THE NEWS: The Ranch’s sustainability efforts, overseen by Bjorkman, was highlighted in the Business Journal’s Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) special report in 2023.
NOTABLE: Hospitality career spans 30 years; made The Ranch the first business in the U.S. to use a glass crushing program Bjorkman found in New Zealand.
QUOTABLE: “We didn’t understand the impact we would have on the community yet,” he said of building The Ranch’s environmental programs.
