It’s not a normal year for business. It’s not your normal OC 50.
For the Business Journal’s 27th edition of the OC 50, our annual listing of the area’s most influential business leaders, we’ve narrowed our focus to highlight those in the larger business community making a positive impact during the COVID-19 crisis.
As a result, the list is heavy with hospital execs, CEOs of life-saving medical device makers, and other healthcare-related execs, whose teams are on the front line dealing with the ongoing crisis.
You’ll also find philanthropy leaders, and philanthropists, who are galvanizing the community to protect those most in need.
We’ve highlighted execs who are defying the odds and are adding jobs at their companies at a rapid clip, such as Allied Universal’s Steve Jones, hiring 30,000 security workers nationally; and loanDepot’s Anthony Hsieh, 3,000 being hired virtually. Execs who have found ways to boost sales of late, like those at Vizio and Just Food for Dogs, are also represented.
We’re spotlighting those who’ve found unique ways—via major pivots in their operations—to keep their staff employed during trying times, or, in the case of Alteryx’s Dean Stoecker, to help recently unemployed workers at other companies find new jobs, and a new calling, in data analytics.
Educational leaders take center stage in this edition, alongside makers of personal protective equipment; this year’s listing likely has more apparel makers than in any prior edition of OC 50, thanks to their PPE-manufacturing work.
All told, there’s a lot of turnover represented in these pages.
Prior editions of the OC 50 typically would see between five to 10 changes in our listing, representing subtle power shifts at some of the most recognizable companies based here. This year, only about 20 of our entries returned.
The listing is subjective, obviously. There’s plenty of recognizable names who have quietly donated time and money during the crisis, and numerous other firms that are making positive contributions in Orange County.
Let us know who we’ve missed; the Business Journal’s editorial team is working around the clock to provide the local business community relevant and timely news during the crisis, both in our print edition and on the ocbj.com website. Close readers of the paper will recognize many of the OC 50 entries from our prior reporting over the course of the pandemic.
Covering the news of the past three months, in particular the resiliency and ingenuity of OC’s business community, has been an incredible experience for our team.
To paraphrase Lazy Dog Restaurants CEO Chris Simms, a new entry to this year’s list, let’s hope we never experience it again.
Thanks for reading.
