California Summit 2014

California Summit 2014

Program

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    • Wed11/19 Thu11/20

    Wednesday, November 19, 2014

    Wed 11/19
    6:30 pm - 8:30 pm

    California Center Reception and Dinner

    Thursday, November 20, 2014

    Thu 11/20
    9:00 am - 9:15 am

    Welcoming Remarks

    Speaker

    Michael Klowden

    CEO, Milken Institute

    Thu 11/20
    9:15 am - 10:15 am

    Bettering California's Business Climate
    To set the stage for the Summit, the Milken Institute asked some of the state's most influential business and policy leaders to offer concrete ways to put California on firmer financial footing while combating its reputation for being unfriendly to business. The question encompasses steps Sacramento can take to improve the investment climate, such as tackling the government's long-term financial obligations and doing away with unpredictable legislation and overlapping or duplicative compliance requirements. Our panel will explore the key economic and business climate issues facing the state and provide a roadmap for lawmakers to steer California toward a more prosperous future.

    Moderator

    Michael Milken

    Chairman, Milken Institute

    Speakers

    Troy Carter

    Founder and CEO, Atom Factory

    Kevin de León

    President pro Tempore, California State Senate

    Scott Minerd

    Chairman of Investments and Global Chief Investment Officer, Guggenheim Partners

    Sharon Vosmek

    CEO, Astia

    Thu 11/20
    10:30 am - 11:45 am

    The Public/Philanthropic Partnership: Filling the Void in Social Services (By invitation only)

    State and local governments continue to cut budgets for social services traditionally supported by taxpayers with the hope that philanthropies and the nonprofit sector will step in. Have policy leaders bought into this shift in responsibility and resources? Is this wishful--and worrisome--thinking? Is the philanthropic community prepared to assume this role without additional funding and supporting infrastructure? How can the leaders of philanthropies and nonprofits work more effectively with policymakers to craft strategies that address the growing gap between state and local funding and these unmet social needs?

    Moderator

    Wendy Garen

    President and CEO, Ralph M. Parsons Foundation

    Speakers

    Nancy Aossey

    President and CEO, International Medical Corps

    Benjamin Austin

    Executive Director, Parent Revolution

    Lou Correa

    Senator, California State Senate

    Antonia Hernandez

    President and CEO, California Community Foundation

    Michelle Rhone-Collins

    Executive Director, LIFT-LA

    Tara Roth

    President, Goldhirsh Foundation

    Thu 11/20
    10:30 am - 11:45 am

    The Water Challenge: Doing More with Less
    Empty wells and abandoned fields illustrate the problems California faces as it enters a period of drought that could last decades. These troubling conditions highlight the need for enhanced conservation and more effective water management policies. Can a fundamental rethinking of water pricing and commoditization help address the state's long-term water infrastructure issues? Does the answer lie in bolstering incentives for efficient technologies applicable to urban and agricultural areas? What can be learned from current conservation efforts in California, a global leader in the green movement?

    Moderator

    Rodney T. Smith

    President, Stratecon, Inc; President, Baja Norte Water Resources, LLC

    Speakers

    Sanjay Gaur

    Senior Manager, Raftelis Financial Consultants

    Susan Leal

    Principal and Founder, Urban Water Works; Associate, SEAS, Harvard University

    Andy Lipkis

    Founder and President, TreePeople

    Mas Masumoto

    Owner, Masumoto Family Farm

    Karen Ross

    Secretary, California Department of Food and Agriculture

    Frances Spivy-Weber

    Vice Chair, State Water Resources Control Board

    Thu 11/20
    10:30 am - 11:45 am

    Training the 21st Century Workforce: Strong Skills for Great Jobs
    California’s future depends on having the highly trained workers that entrepreneurial companies need to compete globally. But today, there is a mismatch between the skills of the workforce and the growing list of technical abilities required by the state’s most dynamic sectors, such as technology, entertainment and health care. How can California’s big employers and educational institutions collaborate to attract, develop and expand our pool of high-skilled workers? What can business leaders do to support educators who are trying to enhance their curricula despite tighter budgets? What lessons and best practices can be gleaned from "linked learning" initiatives?

    Moderator

    Jody Miller

    Founder and CEO, Business Talent Group

    Speakers

    Joseph Castro

    President, California State University, Fresno

    Gray Davis

    Of Counsel, Loeb & Loeb LLP; Former Governor of California

    Darrell Huntley

    Vice President, Satellite Development Center, Network & Space Systems, The Boeing Company

    Maria Klawe

    President, Harvey Mudd College

    Perry Wong

    Managing Director, Research, Milken Institute

    Thu 11/20
    11:45 am - 12:15 pm

    Networking Reception

    Thu 11/20
    12:15 pm - 2:00 pm

    Lunch Program: Bay to Basin: Cities Make a Comeback
    California is witnessing a resurgence of the city as a driver of policy and economic growth, a dramatic reversal of the multidecade suburban exodus. People are choosing to live and work in more densely populated areas, spurring change in how everything from social services to culture is delivered. Cities everywhere, large and small, are addressing global challenges on the local level. This includes tackling 21st century problems such as population densification, water management and sustainability, and energy transformation and conservation. City leaders are also exploring alternatives for paying their bills, including innovative financing mechanisms and public-private partnerships for infrastructure development. What can California's cities teach the world?

    Welcoming Remarks

    Mindy Silverstein

    Managing Director, Milken Institute

    Introduction By

    Scott Minerd

    Chairman of Investments and Global Chief Investment Officer, Guggenheim Partners

    Moderator

    Kevin Klowden

    Director, California Center, and Managing Economist, Milken Institute

    Speakers

    Carol Armstrong

    Director, L.A. River Project Office, Bureau of Engineering, City of Los Angeles

    William Bailey

    Mayor, City of Riverside

    Austin Beutner

    Publisher and CEO, Los Angeles Times

    Dale Bonner

    Executive Chairman, Plenary Concessions; Senior Advisor, Milken Institute

    Jim Wunderman

    President and CEO, Bay Area Council

    Thu 11/20
    2:00 pm - 2:30 pm

    Networking Reception

    Thu 11/20
    2:30 pm - 3:45 pm

    Effective Government: Tax Reform (By invitation only)
    The ongoing instability in California's annual revenue flows creates challenges for the executive suite as well as Main Street. Reform of the state's tax structure can promote stability not just for government operations, but for the overall economy. We will examine the benefits and limitations of the Proposition 2 "rainy day fund" and ask what further measures may be needed to provide certainty in budgeting. We will discuss the ramifications of unstable public budgets on the business climate, including the difficulty in projecting costs and providing services. Businesses benefit from healthier state revenue flow, an issue often overlooked. This panel will explore options for reform and their political feasibility, including tax policy toward income, capital gains and services.

    Moderator

    Kevin Klowden

    Director, California Center, and Managing Economist, Milken Institute

    Speakers

    Michael Cohen

    Director, California Department of Finance

    Tim Gage

    Principal and Co-Founder, Blue Sky Consulting

    Michael Genest

    Founder and Chairman, Capital Matrix Consulting

    Diane Harkey

    Member-Elect, Board of Equalization, Fourth District

    Robert Hertzberg

    Senator-Elect, California State Senate; Member, Think Long Committee for California

    Bill Lockyer

    Treasurer, State of California

    Steve Westly

    Managing Partner, The Westly Group; Former California State Controller

    Betty Yee

    Member, State Board of Equalization, First District; Controller-Elect, State of California

    Thu 11/20
    2:30 pm - 3:45 pm

    Energy: Powering the Green Economy
    California leads the nation in energy-efficiency standards, thanks to legislation that aims to reduce greenhouse gas emission levels by 2020 through smarter energy use and adopting renewable technologies. How is the cap-and-trade program performing in cutting emissions and generating revenue? What's our track record in implementing solar, wind and other forms of renewables? Is additional innovation needed to move the state beyond dependence on carbon-based systems? Can the energy grid of the future accommodate the demands of a growing population?

    Moderator

    Lindsey Corbin

    Vice President, Business Development, OpTerra

    Speakers

    Dennis Arriola

    President and CEO, Southern California Gas Company

    Andrew McAllister

    Commissioner, California Energy Commission

    Nihar Patel

    Vice President, North American Business Strategy, Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.

    Nancy Pfund

    Managing Partner, DBL Investors

    Darrell Steinberg

    Senator, California State Senate

    Thu 11/20
    2:30 pm - 3:45 pm

    The High Cost of the California Dream
    One key challenge facing companies and employees is the steep cost of living and working in the Golden State. Whether they have five employees or 5,000 or more, business owners face hefty startup costs and taxes. Income levels for most middle-class workers have stayed flat for the past 30 years, while price tags for housing, transportation and education continue to climb. How can state leaders collaborate to address rising costs while encouraging a healthy, growing economy?

    Moderator

    Matt Miller

    Columnist, The Washington Post; Host, "Left, Right & Center"

    Speakers

    Rudy Espinoza

    Executive Director, Leadership for Urban Renewal Network (LURN)

    Lewis Feldman

    Partner, Goodwin Procter LLP

    Joel Singer

    CEO and State Secretary, California Association of Realtors

    Roxana Tynan

    Executive Director, LAANE

    Antonio Villaraigosa

    Senior Advisor, Banc of California and Edelman; Former Mayor of Los Angeles

    Thu 11/20
    4:00 pm - 5:00 pm

    California the Pioneer: Blazing the Trail of Innovation
    The state remains the nation's top incubator of innovators across numerous fields. What characteristics are unique to California as a leader in agribusiness and aerospace, as the creative hub for film and TV production and the engine of alternative and renewable fuels? What is the key to attracting and retaining the entrepreneurs behind so many global technology trends, including smart phones and digital gaming? How can California's leaders continue to leverage the transformative ideas in business, technology and medicine that are developed here to ensure future economic benefit for the entire state? What next-generation entrepreneurial efforts are being incubated now, and how can the state's leaders support their prospects for success?

    Moderator

    Michal Lev-Ram

    Senior Writer, Fortune

    Speakers

    Gil Elbaz

    Founder and CEO, Factual

    Bret Johnsen

    Chief Financial Officer, SpaceX

    David Koenig

    Managing Director, West Coast, Control Group

    Peter Marx

    Chief Innovation Technology Officer, City of Los Angeles

    Thu 11/20
    5:00 pm - 6:00 pm

    Reception