B.W. COOK -- The Crowd

“If you want to stay on the Daily Pilot’s 103 Most Influential list, I

want to let you in on a little secret,” said Bill Lobdell, former editor

of the paper and creator of the 103 concept at the annual 103 luncheon

hosted by The Balboa Bay Club, Newport Beach.

“You must have a powerful wife,” he said. “It helps to have musical

talent as well.”

Lobdell’s reference to musical talent would soon be understood as his

successor Tony Dodero, the newly-appointed Daily Pilot editor joined

Michael Kranzley, investment banker, city commissioner and number 30 --

shared with his wife Catherine -- on the DP 103, as dueling guitars

created the mood for a chorus or two of original lyrics set to popular

tunes.

Here’s a taste of the lyrical satire set to the tune of “Take Me Home,

Country Roads.”

“Almost heaven, Newport-Mesa, Saddleback Mountain, Santa Ana River.

Life is old there, older than Gronsky. Younger than a trophy wife, after

surgery.”

The irreverent tone of the popular event spread like the flu bug as

Daily Pilot publisher Tom Johnson joined in the fun with Lobdell by

presenting a plate of doughnuts to the Costa Mesa Police Department’s DUI

Team, honored with the collective number 4 on this year’s list.

Henry Schielein, president of the Balboa Bay Club, which has hosted

the luncheon for the past five years, announced that the club would be

unable to throw next year’s affair due the renovation scheduled at the

club.

Johnson quickly responded, “Not to worry, we’ll have the luncheon at

Rush Hill’s new house that he’s building on Kings Road.”

“It’s a much larger facility,” chided Johnson, as architect and Orange

Coast College Foundation board chairman Hill, number 76 on the list,

looked on with a laugh.

Bob Hurley, number 10, the president of surf wear firm Hurley

International, was encouraged to perform a style make-over on Pastor

Keith Page of the Rock Harbor Christian Church.

In true “talk show” style, Page was turned into the consummate Newport

surfer dude. Of course the young pastor with the big sideburns and the

silver hoop earrings didn’t have all that far to go.

He took it all in the spirit of the day as Lobdell interrupted his

make-over moment calling out, “Chief Snowden, quit hogging all the

doughnuts.”

Costa Mesa Police Chief Dave Snowden, number 48, also serves as

president of Hoag Hospital’s 552 Club. The good chief restrained from

sending out a warrant for Lobdell’s arrest.

It was not all jokes and barbs. Tributes were paid to Olympic silver

medalist Aaron Peirsol, who thanked the crowd and the Daily Pilot for

their support.

“The Olympic experience was unbelievable,” he shared. “It has expanded

my personal growth beyond my years. I hope that I have another chance and

can go again.”

Mark Shultheis, number 1 on the 2000 list for his efforts to secure

the passage of Measure A to fund the rebuilding of local schools, took a

bow or two. And Karen McGlinn, number 72, the director of Share Our

Selves told the luncheon crowd that her greatest motivator is the need to

care for people of all kinds.

“The group here today represents the fabric of goodness in this

community,” McGlinn said.

The McGlinn sentiment was echoed on many levels including

posthumously, as the family of the late Newport Harbor High School

student and football player Andre Stewart, killed in an auto accident,

accepted honors on his behalf.

Further tribute was paid to the late Rosalind Williams, Newport’s

Convention and Visitors Bureau chief, who succumbed to breast cancer this

year following a five year battle.

In the diverse crowd was volleyball guru Charlie Brand who said, “I’m

just happy to sit here with this crowd of great people.”

Beverly Ray, chairman of the Balboa Bay Club offered, “We’re proud to

host this lunch on behalf of people who make a real difference in the

Newport-Mesa community.”

And Margaret Gratton, number 71, and president of Orange Coast College

added, “The 103 represents a sense of community working together, and it

is very much a listing of people who serve the community as well.”

Noting the diversity of the assemblage, Newport activist Catherine

Thyen shared, “Look at the eclectic group of people here today. We all

work together on many projects to make our community stronger. We are a

local example of how to get along in the world.”

Also attending were Bob and Susan Caustin, voted number 9 along with

parents Jack and Nancy Skinner for their environmental activism in the

region. The Caustins are involved with the Greenlight initiative, which,

if passed will allow voters to decide the fate of development in the

community based on a vote carrying a 51% margin of approval or denial of

future projects.

Real Estate executive Bill Cote shared bread with youth director Oscar

Santoyo. Steve Bromberg, Jean Forbath, David Emmes, Tod Ridgeway, Paul

Salata, Pat Neisser, Tom Wilson, Richard Luehrs, Pepe Montenegro, Los

Angles Times Publisher John Puerner and Times General Manager Jeff

Johnson were also on hand with Dave Wooten, president of International

Balboa Bay Club, participating in the program centered around not only

strong community ties, but also a first-class, four-course lunch of herb

crusted prawns with Shiitake mushrooms followed by a limestone salad with

blue cheese and pear brunoise, a grilled filet, garlic mashed potatoes

and a fruit tarte prepared and served by Chef Jean Pierre-Eigenheer and

the club staff, led by veteran maitre d’ George Valenzuela.

Following tradition, Lobdell invited Newport Beach Rabbi Mark Miller

of Temple Bat Yahm to the podium for closing remarks. Sharing the story

of Rabbi Jacob Joseph of New York, whosecareer was ended by a stroke

which left him disabled and unable to speak, Miller admonished the

audience to not “wait too long to show kindness.”

Miller continued, “We wait too long to speak words of gratitude and

concern. We wait too long to set aside selfishness. We wait too long to

give love. Love that may no longer be need tomorrow... if it is not

shared today. Today is all we have,” said the rabbi. “This is a day we

will have only once in a lifetime.”

And so it was for the 103 most influential folks.

* THE CROWD appears Thursdays and Saturdays.