Wayne Ratkovich, who heads the local real estate developer Ratkovich Co., served in the Army. What’s more, James Phelan, the company’s chief financial officer, and Ratkovich’s son, Milan, who is the company’s development manager, both served in the U.S. Marine Corps.
So it may not be a surprise that for the second year they are participating in a golf tournament that benefits the Wounded Warrior Project, which raises money for wounded veterans. The company is donating $5,000 to the cause. The charity golf and tennis tournament will be held Aug. 11 at the MountainGate Country Club in Brentwood.
“It’s quite an inspiring thing,” said Ratkovich, who will golf in the tournament this year with his son. “Marines come up from Camp Pendleton and some of the men participating are wearing artificial limbs.”
As far as his golf game is concerned, Ratkovich said it could use some work. “It’s not very good you could take me to the cleaners.”
Star Support
The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce announced a plan last week to restore the Hollywood Walk of Fame in advance of its 50th anniversary in 2010. The plan calls for corporate sponsors such as Absolut Vodka, which is already on board to pony up some of the money needed for the restoration.
The program may cost more than $4 million. Leron Gubler, the chamber’s president, says it’s worth it. The Walk of Fame is a connection between tourists “and their dreams,” he said.
He’s somewhat of an expert on the matter in the 26 years that Gubler has worked at the chamber, he’s attended nearly every ceremony in which a star has been awarded. He’s had a few favorite ceremonies over the years.
“When we gave Kermit the Frog a star and when we gave the munchkins from the ‘Wizard of Oz’ a star those were both a lot of fun,” he said.
Legal Hikes
Quinn Emanuel Urquhart Oliver & Hedges LLP took team bonding to new heights when the firm’s lawyers traveled to Interlaken, Switzerland, to hike the famous “Faulhornweg” trails. The Los Angeles-based firm flew 113 partners and associates from their four offices to the Western European country, and hiked more than 10 miles and climbed more than 3,500 vertical feet through the Alpine terrain.
The annual hike is a Quinn Emanuel tradition, but this summer was the first time the firm ventured outside of the United States. And while some of the firm’s lawyers got a break from trying cases, name partner John Quinn missed out on the activities and instead was sitting in a federal court in Riverside waiting for a verdict in the high-profile Bratz case. Lucky for Quinn, the jury came back with a verdict in his client, Mattel’s, favor.
Staff reporter Alexa Hyland contributed to this column. Daniel Miller can be reached at
[email protected]
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