The topic was bridge building. Not the physical kind, but the business version.
When Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan touched down in Los Angeles recently, he was greeted by an array of the city’s business leaders and feted at the California-Armenia Business Symposium in Burbank, all in the name of forging economic connections.
In his keynote, Pashinyan highlighted opportunities for California in general and L.A. in particular to work with Armenia, especially in the areas of technology and manufacturing.
“This sectoral focus aligns very well with the local economy in Los Angeles,” Stephen Cheung from World Trade Center Los Angeles said after the event.
Cheung was joined at the symposium by the likes of Maria Salinas from the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, Tracy Hernandez from the L.A. County Business Federation and L.A. City Councilmember Paul Krekorian, along with dozens of executives from L.A.’s business community.
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Gary Winnick, who was featured in the Business Journal’s Sept. 23 issue as one of the year’s Wealthiest Angelenos, doesn’t just have a way with money. He also has a way with words.
During a wide-ranging conversation, the billionaire shared some of the wisdom acquired during his 71 years. “When you’re young, everything is about money,” he said. “You get passions later in life. You get philanthropic.”
Winnick has embraced the latter, supporting companies and causes trying to make a difference. “I’ve done all the other things,” the former investment banker and telecommunications exec said. “It’s more rewarding watching institutions that make an impact, that take a piece out of the world and help make it better.”
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Downtown-based City National Bank is partnering with Habitat for Humanity on a nationwide program to repair homes and revitalize neighborhoods. City National has worked with local Habitat for Humanity organizations for years, but this marks the bank’s first effort on a national level. City National workers will contribute 2,400 hours on 22 projects reaching from Southern California to New York.
