Leaders of Integrity

Michael Oswald, co-Founder/COO, The General Counsel, LLC

Michael Oswald is the co-founder and COO of The General Counsel, LLC, a provider of in-house legal services to small & medium-sized companies. Michael is an attorney with over 30 years of in-house corporate legal and management experience in aerospace, construction, consulting, and technology companies.

Michael has counseled on a wide variety of general business, government contracts, commercial contracts, employment matters, litigation, mergers and acquisitions and corporate compliance and governance.

Michael was General Counsel of SRS Labs, Inc., and Lantronix, Inc., both publicly traded technology companies.  Before that, he was General Counsel & CAO at NowDocs, Inc., a venture-funded start-up.

Michael was an Adjunct Professor of Law at Western State University College of Law, where he also served as Assistant Director of the school’s Business Law Center. Michael is on the Deacon Board at South Shores Church in Dana Point. (15:29)

Mel Trudell, Founder/President Custom Comfort Mattress

Mel is the President and founder of Custom Comfort Mattress. He started in the mattress industry at the age of 15, working part time at a local mattress company. He went from sweeping the floor into manufacturing and finally sales- learning the mattress industry from the inside out.

After several years learning the business, Mel and his brother Marty Trudell had saved enough to purchase equipment to open their own factory and retail store, a dream which became Custom Comfort Mattress.

They started out manufacturing high quality mattresses themselves by hand and selling them directly to the consumer. The business has since expanded from humble beginnings in his garage into a multi-location manufacturing and retail company by maintaining the original focus on providing the best possible service and product to the customer at a great value.

With Mel at the helm, Custom Comfort has continued to grow, with plans to expand into the Los Angeles area in 2010 to serve an ever-growing customer base. (15:29)

Linda Ames, APR, Principal, Ames & Associates

Linda M. Ames, APR, has extensive experience in corporate communications: change management; internal communications; media relations.

For more than 30 years, she has helped companies and organizations translate complex issues into clear, easily understood messages.  Prior to joining Ames & Associates, she led internal communications activities for Fluor Corp., a FORTUNE 500 company, and managed corporate communications for a national energy company.  She also led global communications for a multi-year SAP implementation, as well as numerous merger and acquisition programs.

As a former television news reporter, producer and anchor, Linda brings insight to reporters’ needs and perspectives.  As a former stock broker, she brings a strong business sensibility to communications.

Linda is a member of the Public Relations Society of America and a Team Kids board member. (14:52)

Walter Fawcett, Fawcett Technology Advisors

Walter Fawcett is the founder and president of Fawcett Technology Advisors, an Information Technology consulting firm that specializes in helping companies increase profitability through more effective use of technology. Walter and his wife Joy Fawcett, a 3-time Olympian and inductee into the US National Soccer Hall of Fame, are co-founder s of Saddleback United Soccer Club. The non-profit organization operates 13 competitive teams in South Orange County.

Walter serves on the Board of Directors for the Orange County chapter of the Association for Corporate Growth and is an advisor to the Center for Innovation and Humanity in Irvine and to the Center for Social Leadership in Washington DC. Walter is a member of the Newport Business Forum and the Drucker Society of Orange County.  He lives in Rancho Santa Margarita with his wife and three daughters. (25:56)

Jeff Black, Managing Principal Consultant, McDermott & Bull Executive Search

Jeff Black proudly serves sophisticated companies with expert retained search consultancy; his clients include: Allergan, Panda Restaurant Group, Newport Corporation, PPG Industries, Danaher SDS, Canon, Meggitt, GKN, Smile Brands, Sunrise Growers and Pharmavite. Previously a 20+ year corporate leader as Vice President/Division Manager for the $2B global Raytheon Technical Services Company, Jeff led growing operating divisions of up to $130M in revenue and 1000 employees.

Having earned a B.A. in Business Management in 1980 and an MBA in Finance in 1984 from California State University, Fullerton, Jeff and Laura Black have been married for 30 years with two adult daughters and reside in Yorba Linda, CA. Jeff is active with the Forum for Corporate Directors in Orange County, serves on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of the YMCA of Orange County, supports character education through The Ethical Edge, and is founder of The Trusted Partners. (25:34)

Greg Arbues, Founder and President, Client Advocate Network

Greg began his professional career in banking in 1979; working in a variety of roles for various financial institutions.  In 1998, Greg ventured into the accounting industry where he became a Partner in charge of Practice Development.

In 2005, Greg established CLIENT ADVOCATE NETWORK in pursuit of his passion to better serve the entrepreneur community in Orange County.  CLIENT ADVOCATE NETWORK focuses on helping entrepreneurs to build their businesses by ensuring they are connected with the right capital, people and knowledge resources.

Greg is also recognized in the business community as a market leader and community activist.  He belongs to several not-for-profit boards, business organizations, and civic groups. (16:01)

Lacy Kelly, Executive Director, League of California Cities, Orange County Division

Lacy began her 22-year non-profit career at the California Glass Association. In 1995, she accepted the Executive Director position of the American Water Works Association’s California/Nevada Chapter where she established the Water College, the first Western regional training center for drinking water professionals.

Lacy then worked for the National Forest Association, where she expanded programs throughout Southern California through public/private partnerships. During this time, Lacy lived in Lake Arrowhead where she served as a board member of the Lake Arrowhead Chamber of Commerce, Woman’s Club Conservation Chair, and President Elect of the Lake Arrowhead Rotary Club.

In March 2007, Lacy accepted the Executive Director position of the League of California Cities, Orange County Division. As Division Executive Director Lacy has ensured that the Division is a product of its member’s needs and input. Lacy believes member service organizations focus on the common challenges of its membership.

This year, she was recognized as one of OC Metro Magazine’s 20 Women to Watch for her efforts in building relationships between cities and the public and private sectors, as well as her advocacy efforts on behalf of Orange County cities regionally, state wide and nationally. (18:13)

John Hannesson, CEO, White Stone Ethics

Bio
John Hannesson is the founder and CEO of White Stone Ethics, an ethics and compliance consulting firm based in Irvine, California. White Stone’s mission is to help ethical leaders create thriving organizations, reduce risk and increase returns by aligning ethical values with strategic goals, and embodying them in every decision, process and policy.

Mr. Hannesson has also been extensively involved with human resource management and currently teaches human resource management at Biola University as a member of its adjunct faculty.

Terry Hartshorn, Entrepreneur and Investor

Bio
Terry Hartshorn is an entrepreneur, investor and senior business executive with deep healthcare industry knowledge. He was the founding CEO of PacifiCare in 1976, growing the company to one of the largest consumer healthcare insurance providers in the U.S. He left his position in 1993 but remained on the Board serving as Chairman for a period of time until the company was sold in 2006.

Earlier in is career, Terry held various senior management positions in physician group practices and hospitals. He is active in the community serving and supporting organizations that focus on youth and family issues and challenges as well as Mariners church in Irvine. He also serves on the board of Corinthian Colleges Inc a large nationwide private education company. (20:35)

Hugh Hewitt, Professor, Author and Radio Talk Show Host

Bio
Professor Hugh Hewitt is a law professor and broadcast journalist whose nationally syndicated radio show is heard in more than 120 cities across the United States every weekday afternoon. Professor Hewitt is a graduate of Harvard College and the University of Michigan Law School, and has been teaching Constitutional Law at Chapman University Law School since it opened in 1995.

Professor Hewitt is best known as the host of his radio show, which has an audience estimated at more than 2 million listeners every week. Since its debut in July of 2000, Professor Hewitt has conducted groundbreaking interviews with government officials from both parties and widely respected analysts, authors and pundits. In a 2006 profile of Hewitt for The New Yorker, the dean of the Columbia University School of Journalism told his readers that Hewitt was “the most influential conservative you have never heard of.”

Hewitt writes daily for his blog, HughHewitt.com, which is among the most visited political blogs in the U.S. He is also the Executive Editor of Townhall.com. (18:35)

W. Henry Walker, CEO, Farmers & Merchants Bank of Long Beach

Bio
W. Henry Walker is Chief Executive Officer, Chief Credit Officer and Corporate Secretary of Farmers & Merchants Bank of Long Beach, a community bank with more than $3 billion in assets and 22 banking offices centered in Long Beach, Orange County and the South Bay. Based on several criteria, F&M is independently rated as California’s strongest bank and is top 5 in the Nation. Henry is also an Executive Officer of Queen City Investments, a multi- faceted holding company which owns Farmers and Merchants Trust Company (California’s oldest charted trust company with assets under management of $1.2 billion), a 25,000 + acre working cattle ranch and other commercial/retail investment properties in Southern California.

As a fourth generation banker, Henry is actively involved in all areas of management with specific responsibility for product development, branch expansion and lease negotiations. Throughout his tenure at the Bank, he has been active in various organizations and currently participates on the following boards: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County, Orange County’s Pacific Symphony Board and Finance Committee, Clearinghouse Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) Board and Tichenor Orthopedic Foundation Board.

John M. W. Moorlach, Supervisor

Bio
John Moorlach joined the Orange County Board of Supervisors and the Orange County Transportation Authority Board of Directors in December 2006.

Moorlach’s community involvements include being a member of the Old Courthouse Museum society, Orange County Historical Society, the Christian Business Men’s Committee’s Government Leadership Prayer Breakfast Honorary Board, honorary membership in the Noble Viking Charities of Orange County, and Advisory Committee member for Defend the Bay and the Orange County Freedom Committee. He served as the Honorary Chairman of the 1999 Annual Campaign for the Costa Mesa Senior Center, and has been active in fund-raising efforts on behalf of the Asian-American Senior Citizens Service Center.

Prior to serving as Orange County Treasurer-Tax Collector, Moorlach was Vice President of Balser, Horowitz, Frank & Wakeling, an Accountancy Corporation, and was the administrative partner of its Costa Mesa office.(26:36)

Ed Arnold, Co-Host, Managing Editor

Hilary Kaye, President, HKA, Inc. Public Relations

She holds a masters degree from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism; co-authored Plant Extinction: A Global Crisis, published in five languages; was associate editor of Newport Beach: The First Century; and authored numerous articles concerning public relations and media.

Kaye is a firm believer in giving back to the community. She is Director of PR & Advertising for NAWBO-OC; serves on the board of the OC Bar Foundation; is a founding member of the Women's Philanthropy Fund, the Women's Business Institute and the Society of Fellows (OCBF). (24:58)

Lewis M. Webb

After marrying his high school sweetheart, Margaret Stafford, the Webbs' moved to California. Here they raised three children - Karen, Lew Webb, Jr., and Jeremy. On August 15, 2009, the Webb's will be celebrating their 56th wedding anniversary.

Lew Webb and his wife Margaret worked together to build their business. They opened the doors to their first business in 1961 and successfully owned and operated eight automotive dealerships and two body shops in the Los Angeles/Orange County areas. The Webb Automotive Group captured a spot in the Forbes 500 largest privately held companies in America for 95/96/97 with a volume in excess of 500 million until July 1998, at which time, the business was sold to Republic Industries of Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

The Webb business philosophy was always to service their customers and community with integrity. This philosophy has made the name "Lew Webb" highly respected and honored in both the automotive industry and the community. Lew Webb is one of the best known names in Orange County. He currently manages his classic car collection and his industrial and commercial buildings. (18:18)

Brandon R. Birtcher, President & CEO, Birtcher Development & Investments

Mr. Birtcher holds a Bachelor's Degree in Business/Economics from Claremont Men's College and served in the U.S. Coast Guard Reserves from 1971 to 1977, honorably discharged as a First Class Petty Officer- Port Security Division.

At present, Mr. Birtcher is on the University of Southern California's Lusk Center for Real Estate Board of Directors Executive Committee, the University Of California Irvine Graduate School Of Management's Board of Advisors, a member of the Young President's Organization-California Coast Chapter (Chairman 2003/2004), Claremont McKenna College's Rose Institute of State and Local Government Board of Directors, and actively participates in the Urban Land Institute (ULI) and the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP). Previous affiliations include the NAIOP National Board of Directors, Braille Institute National Board, and, co-founder of Young Executives Association, among others. (23:55)

Richard E. Porras, Executive Director, External Affairs AT&T

Richard started his career at Pacific Bell in 1977 as a Long Distance Operator. In 1984 he was instrumental in developing one of the state's first translation bureaus, "Servicio en Espanol". Richard has held various positions in human resources and managed employment and recruitment for Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside/San Bernardino, and San Diego counties. In 1997 Richard accepted a position as External Affairs Director, representing Pacific Bell to the communities of Santa Ana, Costa Mesa and Placentia.

In January 2000 Richard was appointed as Executive Director over External Affairs, overseeing business, community and governmental relations for AT&T in Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties.

Richard serves as the Chairman of the board of directors of the Greater Santa Ana Business Alliance, he is the Past Chairman and current board member of the Orange County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and recently served as the Chairman of the Orange County Taxpayers Association. He is also President of the Boys and Girls Club of Santa Ana and is a Foundation Board member of Orange Coast College and Vanguard University and on the board of the Girl Scouts of America. (18:58)