Talk to any of the leaders featured in the annual Book of Lists special edition or honored at the Business Journal’s events, and they almost all will, without fail, attribute much of their success to the teams they work with and the relationships they build.

As the Los Angeles Community of Business™ continues to recover from the worst of the pandemic and looks to opportunities arising in the years ahead, the Business Journal spoke with some of the leaders who are elevating L.A.’s presence on a massive scale.

Inglewood Mayor James Butts, for example, is credited with making sure transformative projects like SoFi Stadium and Hollywood Park and the Intuit Dome cleared hurdles in an aim to restore the community’s “City of Champions” reputation and revitalize the local economy.

Los Angeles Sports & Entertainment Commission President and Chief Executive Kathryn Schloessman is one of the leaders bringing the Super Bowl, Olympics, World Cup and other events to L.A. as part of a 10-year plan to put the city on an international stage.

SoFi Stadium and Hollywood Park Managing Director Jason Gannon has been overseeing the phased opening of the 300-acre complex in an effort to make it a world-class global sports and entertainment destination. A big thanks to his team for accommodating the Business Journal to shoot this year’s cover at SoFi Stadium.

One of the complex’s first office space tenants is the NFL, where Senior Director of Event Operations Katie Keenan is quarterbacking the logistics, operations and the approximately 20,000 support staff for Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium on Feb. 13.

And looking toward the Super Bowl and beyond, L.A. Rams Vice President of Community Affairs and Engagement Molly Higgins is not only focused on reaching fans of all ages and forging business partnerships but also raising millions of dollars for nonprofits in and outside greater Los Angeles.
 
Their efforts reflect the business strategies and a love for L.A. present among the top-ranking companies and executives featured on the lists in this issue. Some names included in this special edition are familiar, while others are new or are evidence of changing dynamics across various industries at work in L.A.
 
Here’s to the exciting year and opportunities ahead. These featured companies’ and organizations’ teams have demonstrated what it means to focus on fundamentals, maintain their stamina into overtime, and look into the face of a challenge and say, “Game on.”

Stephanie Barbaran
Interim Editor

Read more in The Lists 2022.