SCOTT D. BORAS
Owner, president
Boras Corp., Newport Beach
Born in Sacramento
Age: 58
Lives in Newport Coast
WHY: Baseball’s most powerful agent, represents some 150 clients, many of them game’s biggest stars, highest-paid players: Detroit Tiger Prince Fielder, St. Louis Cardinal Matt Hol-liday, New York Yan-kee Robinson Cano. Represented Yankee Alex Rodriguez in record deal potentially worth $300 million over 10 years—baseball’s biggest.
HOW: Left professional baseball after stint in minor leagues due to knee surgeries, completed law degree. Practiced medical litigation at Chicago law firm until former teammate Bill Caudill asked him for representation in 1984 in what turned out to be $7.5 million deal. Now has about 40 people in local office follow player stats. Said to track every pitch in baseball. Has 20 scouts, operations in Japan, Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Taiwan, Mexico. Among services offered to clients: consulting firm for wealth management, family services, Boras Sports Training Institute in Newport Beach, Boras Marketing for player endorsements, off-field interests.
RECENT: Represents Stephen Strasburg, 2009’s No. 1 draft pick by Washington Nationals, 2010’s No. 1 pick Bryce Harper, also with Nationals. Also repped 2011 No. 1 pick Gerrit Cole by Pittsburgh, a product of UCLA and Orange Lutheran High School.
COMMUNITY: Home Runs for Humanity charity provides scholarships to baseball camps for 13- to 15-year-olds. Through family charitable trust, he, wife Jeanette work to attract top-level people to teaching. Wife active in charitable causes for Catholic church, JSerra Catholic High School, Sage Hill High School.
INTERESTS: Couple patronizes arts, supports other local charities, community programs.
PERSONAL: Grew up on 800-acre farm in Elk Grove near Sacramento. Earned baseball scholarship to University of Pacific in Stockton. Signed with Cardinals organization, played in minors for Cardinals, 1974 to 1977; Chicago Cubs, 1977 to 1978.
EDUCATION: Undergrad, law degree from University of Pacific.
FAMILY: Married, grown daughter, two sons. Oldest son plays in Oakland A’s system. Younger son a freshman on baseball team at USC. Daughter recently earned graduate de-gree in communications, management.
—Chris Casacchia
THOMAS V. MCKERNAN
Chairman
Automobile Club of Southern California,
Costa Mesa
Born in Alexandria, La.
Age: 67
Lives in Newport Beach, Arcadia
WHY: Longtime chief of not-for-profit mutual benefit corporation that’s a major insurer and provider of travel, auto services. Oversees clubs in 21 states. Has doubled membership to more than 6 million in California, 14 million overall. About 60% of OC homes have membership.
HOW: Started as service representative in 1966 in Pasadena. Finished college courses at night. Worked in data processing for 14 years. Named chief financial officer in 1985, when club was financially stressed. Made executive vice president in 1990, then president, chief executive in 1991. Joined board in 1996. RECENT: Continues to gain market share with homeowner, auto policies. Among largest auto insurers in California—largest in Southern California, about 2 million vehi-cles.
COMMUNITY: Big in politics, government reform. Current co-chair of California For-ward Leadership Council, advocating cost-effective government. Served on Delta Vision Blue Ribbon Task Force to find fixes to water issues. Past chair, current member New Majority. Past chair, current member Seg-erstrom Performing Arts Center. On boards of California Chamber of Commerce, First American Financial, among others.
PERSONAL: Collects classic muscle cars. Name sponsor of Auto Club Speedway of Southern California in Fontana, sponsor of Penske Racing racecar, John Force NHRA Funny Car. Los Angeles Lakers fan.
EDUCATION: Bachelor’s in business, information systems, MBA from Cal State L.A. Mentored by Peter Drucker; advanced MBA from Claremont’s Drucker Management Center. Honorary doctor of laws degree, Pep-perdine University.
FAMILY: Wife Judy, two daughters.
GREG N. CREED
Chief executive
Taco Bell Corp., Irvine
Born in Brisbane, Australia
Age: 54
Lives in Coto de Caza
WHY: Leads major player in U.S. fast-food industry, biggest restaurant chain based in O.C.
HOW: Got start in consumer goods industry with 17-year run at Unilever. Oversaw brands such as Dove, Surf, All and Wisk. Moved on to PepsiCo, which spun off Tricon Restaur-ants—predecessor to Taco Bell parent Yum Brands Inc. Joined Taco Bell in 2001 as chief marketing officer. Credited with “Think Outside the Bun” campaign. Yum Brands chief operating officer from 2005 until ap-pointment to Taco Bell president in 2006. Pro-moted to chief execu-tive at Taco Bell in 2011.
RECENT: Launched rollout of FirstMeal breakfast menu in Jan-uary. New branding effort debuted in March with tag line “Live Más” and Doritos Locos Tacos product launch.
COMMUNITY: On boards of Taco Bell Foundation for Teens; New York-based Hodgkins research support group Fight 2Win; member of Board of Visitors for Anderson Business School at University of California, Los Angeles.
PERSONAL: Board of directors, Inter-national Game Technology.
EDUCATION: Bachelor’s degree, Queens-land University of Technology in Australia
FAMILY: Wife Carolyn, two children.
—Kari Hamanaka
DENNIS J. GILMORE
Chief executive
First American Financial Corp., Santa Ana
Born in California
Age: 53
Lives in Coto de Caza
WHY: Head of title insurance giant, oldest OC company, now valued at nearly $2 billion. First non-family member in charge of company.
HOW: Led longtime family-run company, founded in 1889, through 2010 split that saw First American separate title insurance operations from data and analytics company now operating as CoreLogic Inc.
RECENT: Refinancing work, buoyed by low interest rates, has boosted First Ameri-can’s recent earnings, and cost-cutting across company saw best first-quarter for profits on titles since 2006. Commercial real estate-related business also strong. Revenue of close to $1 billion a quarter. Retains a large ownership stake in CoreLogic.
INTERESTS: Tech background, headed up technology efforts, managed offshore operations for First American; eyed as possible head of CoreLogic spinoff before being put in charge of title operations.
PERSONAL: Previously served as First American Corp. chief operating officer. In 1988 joined TRTS Data Services, acquired by First American in 1991. Moved up ranks, became first president of First American Real Estate Solutions in 1998.
EDUCATION: Bachelor’s in business from San Diego State. MBA from Loyola Mary-mount University.
—Mark Mueller
ARTURO R. MORENO
Owner, Angels Baseball LP, Anaheim
Born in Tucson, Ariz.
Age: 65
Lives in Phoenix, Corona del Mar
WHY: In ninth season running one of OC’s two professional sports teams, also owns KLAA 830 AM, Angels’ flagship radio station in Orange.
HOW: Bought then-Anaheim Angels in 2003 from Walt Disney Co. Paid $184 million for team, now valued at $554 million by Forbes. Big hike in revenue ex-pected from current cable deal. Built Out-door Systems with partner Bill Levine (minority investor in Angels), sold to Via-com for $8.7 billion in stock in 1999. Forbes puts wealth at $1 billion plus.
RECENT: Pressing for upgrades to city-owned Angel Stadium of Anaheim, fourth-oldest in majors. Has lease opt-out in 2016.
COMMUNITY: Started Angels Baseball Foundation with wife Carol in 2003, given more than $3 million in grants.
PERSONAL: Fourth-generation Mexican-American. Oldest of 11 kids. Father ran print shop, grandfather published newspaper. Attended Catholic school. Joined Army in 1965, fought in Vietnam.
EDUCATION: Graduated University of Arizona in 1973 with marketing degree.
FAMILY: Wife Carole prominent in Phoenix, Tucson social circles.
—Chris Casacchia
GEORGE A. KALOGRIDIS
President, Disneyland Resort, Anaheim
Born in Winter Haven, Fla.
Age: 58
Lives in Newport Beach
WHY: Oversees ma-jor force in local tour-ism industry, Orange County’s largest em-ployer.
HOW: 40-year veteran with Disney, be-ginning as busboy at Contemporary Re-sort at Walt Disney World in Florida. Senior vice president of operations at the Disneyland Resort, chief operating officer of Disneyland Resort Paris before taking spot in Anaheim in 2009.
RECENT: Much anticipated 12-acre Cars Land set to debut at California Adventure theme park in June, last of the major projects in a $1.1 billion expansion.
COMMUNITY: Serves on boards of Child-ren’s Hospital of Orange County, Califor-nia Travel and Tourism Commission, and San Francisco-based Out and Equal Board, among others.
INTERESTS: Enjoys traveling.
EDUCATION: Associate degree from Polk State College. Bachelor’s from University of Central Florida.
FAMILY: Longtime partner Andrew Hardy is finance manager in global entertainment at Walt Disney Parks & Resorts.
—Kari Hamanaka
U.S. OPEN OF SURFING
Annual surfing event, Huntington Beach
Born in Huntington Beach
Age: 52
Lives in Huntington Beach
WHY: Major draw for local tourism industry, action sports marketers; attracts more than 500,000 people, broad media coverage.
HOW: Host of surfing, skateboarding and BMX contests, art exhibits and live bands at, around Huntington Beach Pier.
RECENT: This year’s run set for July 28-Aug. 5. Plans inductions into Surfing Hall of Fame, Hurley-sponsored fashion, music concerts.
COMMUNITY: Drives traffic to restaurants, surf shops, hotels, other businesses in Huntington Beach and neighboring cities.
—Kari Hamanaka
OTHER MEMBERS
ANAND NALLATHAMBI
Chief executive
Santa Ana-based real estate data provider CoreLogic Inc.
STEVEN NATAUPSKY
Managing partner
Irvine-based Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP, largest OC-based law firm by number of attorneys
MARK WETTERAU
Chairman, chief executive
Irvine-based food products company Golden State Foods Corp.
