Ellen Landau, 66, and her husband, Howard, 68, moved to Pasadena last summer after 30 years in Cleveland. She left behind a tenured professorship teaching art history at Case Western Reserve University for an opportunity to strike out on her own, writing and lecturing at various cultural institutions in Southern California. Howard Landau left behind a public relations business he founded in the Midwest to follow his wife out to the Golden State, where he got a job at Westside public relations firm Casey & Sayre.
But among the most notable things they left behind, they joke, were the cold winter weather and their many items of outerwear.
“I used to have 10 different coats or jackets – the spring coat, the rain coat, the winter coat, the extra heavy winter coat, and on and on,” Howard Landau said. “We were really excited just to be able to downsize our closet.”
The two said they send emails and call their friends and children who still live in the Midwest, which has seen a colder than average winter so far this year, to gloat a little about the sun in Los Angeles. But all joking aside, they say that they’ve found Los Angeles – in large part because of the weather – has been good for both of their careers.
“When you’re in a creative business like we are, there’s something to be said for being in the right mood,” Howard Landau said. “When the sun is shining, you just feel better. People here seem to be in better spirits and I think a lot of that has to do with their photosensitivity.”
Mission Possible
During Christmas, Will Nicklas didn’t simply take time for his family and friends, he also made sure to have lunch with a guy he had mentored at the Union Rescue Mission two years ago.
Nicklas, 49, corporate manager for marketing, planning and communications for Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc.’s Lexus brand, also sits on the mission’s board. He has known the man he calls William since he co-founded the men’s professional development and mentoring program in 2011. The program was designed to help homeless men develop skills and confidence for their job hunt. The two stayed in touch after William graduated from the program.
“We have lunch once or twice a year,” he said. Even though William is still unemployed and lives at the mission, “he has aspiration for a brighter future. … Hopefully, I am able to be an encouragement.”
Nicklas first got involved when he brought his kids to the mission to serve meals after they moved here from Chicago in 2000. He got increasingly involved, and after he co-founded the mentoring program, he encouraged professionals from Toyota to help candidates chosen by the mission. They create resumes, for example, and suggest ways to get interviews.
Then Nicklas managed to bring in some of Toyota’s suppliers for mock interviews, and two companies actually ended up hiring many of those candidates.
He said that he plans to make the interviews a regular event, maybe twice a year, and wants to reach out to more businesses.
“It’s really to give these guys an opportunity to transform their lives,” he said, “and then move into the workforce.”
Staff reporters Bethany Firnhaber and Kay Chinn contributed to this column. Page 3 is compiled by editor Charles Crumpley. He can be reached at [email protected].
