Browse archives: 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999 | 1998 | 1997 | 1996 | 1995

Published on 03/23/1998 All articles from this issue

Los Altos positions of power

printer friendly version

By the Town Crier Staff

Town Crier offers its top 10 most powerful leaders in Los Altos, Los Altos Hills

The word "powerful" elicits many instant reactions, both positive and pejorative. Some assume that power is corrupt, is the ability to take advantage of others for personal gain.

However, for the purpose of this feature, we define power as strictly positive, the ability to "make things happen" for the good of others, both professionally and as volunteers.

As a measuring stick of "power" we selected four big "i's" - initiative, impact, influence and integrity.

We believe powerful people take initiative, that they think outside the box, consider new things, try the untried.

Such initiative leads to a positive impact, measurable results and changes, a difference that creates a light that shines into the community. Initiative and impact result in influence.

And without integrity, none of the above has meaning.

With such a definition in hand, our challenge became identifying 10 people we think of as powerful today. We discovered that in our community there are dozens who impact the daily lives of residents, and stopping at 10 was arbitrary on our part.

Many in our midst have power that reaches throughout the world - like Andrew Grove of Intel, or Lew Platt of Hewlett-Packard. But we focused on leaders whose professional careers and volunteerism directly affect our communities; on those who run our major local institutions; on the people we call if we want something done; the people we buttonhole if we want a sounding board; the people candidates recruit for political endorsements; the people residents call about our schools, our traffic, our parks, our downtown, or business solutions.

We chose the Rev. John Dodson for the cover because he has yet to appear on a Town Crier cover. Since he also is retiring soon, we figured this might be our last chance.

Here's our list, in reverse alphabetical order, with no suggestion that any one is more or less powerful than another.

Dennis Young, certified public accountant

Dennis Young, a Los Altos CPA, is the bean-counter everyone wants for their organization.

He dresses up as Santa Claus at Christmastime. He's been a president of the Los Altos Village Association. Currently he's chairman of the task force looking into redevelopment of the north entry of town in the San Antonio Road, El Camino Real area; he's chairman of the local Chamber of Commerce economic development committee; he's treasurer of the Los Altos Rotary Club; he's treasurer of the Los Altos Community Foundation.

His successful Los Altos accounting business was bought 15 months ago by American Express. Now he is the managing director of American Express Tax and Business Services of Silicon Valley.

His influence reaches beyond Los Altos, to the state, where he's a director of the executive committee of the California Society of CPAs. And he's one of 14 California representatives to the American Institute of CPAs.

He once said his greatest fear was not being able to contribute in anything he does. No chance of that.

Bob Grimm, philanthropist

Bob Grimm, a Los Altos resident since 1962, seems like he's been volunteering for a better Los Altos all his life. One of the Town Crier's Los Altans of the Year for 1997 (the other was his wife, Marion), Grimm has contributed significantly to such causes as the renovation of the local high schools, the 1996 Vision 21 fund-raising campaign for the local library, the Festival of Lights Parade and the Tech Museum of Innovation in San Jose.

He continues to support youth in a variety of ways, from his work on boards for the Foothill-De Anza Community College District to helping to lead the charge for drafting a hard-fought $68 million rebuilding project at Los Altos and Mountain View high schools. With the Tech Museum he worked on this year's "challenge" for students - building a suspension bridge.

Whether pledging $650,000 for a new research facility at the Los Altos History House Museum or setting up chairs for any number of community functions, Grimm continues to help financially, intellectually and hands-on.

Marge Gratiot, school superintendent

Marge Gratiot has earned a reputation statewide as being a strong leader, able to persevere even during lean times since filling the position of superintendent at the Los Altos School District 10 years ago.

Under her direction, all eight of the district's schools have been named California Distinguished Schools, two have received additional recognition as National Blue Ribbon Schools and students have consistently scored within the top 2 percent of all children tested in California.

Los Altos was one of few districts able to fully implement the state's class size reduction program last year in three grade levels. Gratiot presides over a district with 3,600 students and a $20.3 million budget.

Gratiot was chosen from among California's 1,000 districts as Superintendent of the Year in 1995.

As a result of Gratiot's work, the Los Altos School District has emerged as one of the most desirable public school districts in the state.

Except for two years in New York, Gratiot has worked in the Los Altos School District since 1965. She became superintendent in 1987.

Bernadine Chuck Fong, community college president

Described as a "dynamic, creative and articulate administrator," Bernadine Chuck Fong was the visionary leader community members needed to turn things around at Foothill College in Los Altos Hills after a $10 million budget crisis, declining enrollment and rising tuition costs nearly ruined the community college in the early 1990s. The Los Altos resident was chosen from among 60 applicants as Foothill's first female president in July 1994.

Since Fong's appointment, Foothill has become the first community college to offer courses via the Internet, offers the most online classes than any other community college and has more than 15,000 students enrolled.

Fong said she thrives on chaos because she can use her creativity to find a solution. Fong said she sees Foothill as a "beacon for innovation and distinctiveness."

Fong earned her bachelor's in psychology in 1966, her master's in child development and psychological studies in 1968 and her doctorate in administration and policy analysis in 1983, all from Stanford University. She joined Foothill in 1970 as a psychology professor.

John Dodson, minister

It is the Rev. John Dodson's combination of compassion, charisma and activism that has made him a hit with most who come in contact with him. He has overseen tremendous growth as senior minister of the United Methodist Church of Los Altos, which now boasts a congregation of more than 2,500. An advocate for youth, Dodson participated as a panelist in a Rotary Club-sponsored symposium last year in an effort to bridge the communication gap between adults and youth. His reaching out to the less fortunate is demonstrated in helping to found the Alpha Omega homeless shelter program.

Friends describe Dodson as a "catalyst" for bringing people together, reaching across religious and racial boundaries. Even with local businesses, Dodson helped beleaguered small retailers at Rancho Shopping Center during the center's 1995 construction project, encouraging residents to continue shopping there.

As chief pastor the past 18 years, Dodson's influence on the community will continue, even as he retires from the ministry on Christmas Eve of this year.

Elayne Dauber, councilwoman

When Elayne Dauber meets an issue, she's like a dog with a bone. She doesn't let it go until change happens.

This Los Altos Hills community activist serves on her town's city council, was mayor of the Hills in 1994-95, and has an impact that reaches far beyond her own borders.

She's been a mover and shaker in Los Altos Library activities since 1984, working with ROLL, the committee to Rescue Our Local Library.

Currently she serves on the county-wide joint powers authority for the county library system, of which Los Altos is a part. As chairwoman of the sub-committee that will be presenting a proposal regarding Interment filtering software at an April 23 meeting, her influence continues.

She represents the Hills on the Northwest Flood Control Committee of the Santa Clara County Flood Control District.

Dauber said she's the thorn in the side of the county flood control folks, saying, "Well? Well?" The flood abatement measures for Adobe Creek are now scheduled to be built in 1999.

Kris Casto, mayor

Kris Casto is the perfect example that nice people can finish first. As mayor of Los Altos she is first lady of Los Altos.

But it took more than that to put her on our list. Her power comes because she really listens. She really cares. She acts. People know that and trust her, and for many she's the first name they think of when considering powerful people.

She's been giving back to Los Altos for more than 25 years. First she organized her neighbors to have their part of town annexed to the city. Then she served on the city's solid waste committee that led to many successful systems for city recycling.

From there she spent 10 years on the planning commission and in 1995 was elected to the city council.

She wants to know citizen concerns. And she wants to do something about them. She's always telling citizens they can call her. Or they can write her. But above all, let her know what they are thinking. And she means it.

Lucy Carlton, police chief

Some might argue that it's a no-brainer to include a police chief on a list of powerful people.

But Carlton isn't just any police chief.

During tough times with lean city budgets, she sold the Los Altos City Council on the idea of funding laptop computers for her squad cars during times when other city departments were "status quo."

Los Altos thus became the first in Santa Clara County, out of 13 law enforcement agencies, with cop car laptops to send as well as receive data.

Carlton brought to Los Altos its first police canine officer.

She oversees 30 officers and a budget of $4 million. But her influence is felt throughout the county.

She is chairwoman of the Santa Clara County Domestic Violence Council. This council has changed the way domestic violence is handled throughout the county. There is now a common protocol county-wide regarding a pro-arrest policy, getting emergency protective orders and a central registry for filing restraining orders.

Just getting 13 different law enforcement agencies to agree to these protocols speaks volumes of Carlton's skill in building consensus.

Roger Brunello, business leader

Having lived in the Los Altos area since 1956, Roger Brunello, president of the successful Le Boulanger bakeries, takes his community personally. His "affinity" for Los Altos is so strong, he feels obligated to give back.

That he has - in spades. He is on both boards of the Los Altos Village Association and the Los Altos Chamber of Commerce. He is also on the boards of the Community School of Music and Arts and the Los Altos Golf & Country Club. He has contributed time and money to myriad causes, earning him a Walter and Marie Singer Award from the Chamber of Commerce for volunteerism.

Brunello's spot-on instincts and commitment to quality have led to 18 Le Boulangers throughout the Bay Area. His first Le Boulanger was established in 1981 at Second and Main streets in Los Altos. It has become a major meeting place in town.

Abby Aherns, real estate broker

Abby Aherns owns The Abigail Company, a Los Altos real estate business. Aherns, a licensed broker since 1968, sells houses. But she also designs homes with her hallmark, classy touches of whimsy, in more than 100 homes in town.

Consider her brick tudor cottage on View Street, with the antique front door from New Orleans that dates from the confederacy period.

Or the Italian country home on Marvin Street with a roof of 83-year-old handmade tiles from a Palo Alto tear-down.

Aherns is a developer, but she develops with a regard for history. Instead of bulldozing an historic cottage on Second Street, she saved it, moved it, and now it is Heritage House in Los Altos Hills. For this she won a public service award.

She built the first affordable housing in Los Altos by including a below-market-rate studio condo in a four-unit project downtown. She didn't ask for anything from the city. She included the unit to show that an affordable unit could be included even in a small project.

YOUR CHANCE!

We've offered our choices. Now it is your turn. Whom do you consider positively powerful in our communities today and why? Drop us a line: Town Crier, 138 Main St., Los Altos 94022, attention Bruce Barton, or e-mail us at: towncrier@losaltosonline.com`