Pasadena history

All photos by Bob Reiter

For the first time since 2019, the West Pasadena Residents’ Association convened its annual meeting in person without assistance from Zoom.

WPRA Treasurer Blaine Cavena (above left), serving as the master of ceremonies, opened the meeting with presentation of the colors, led by the Blair High School Junior ROTC Color Guard.

District 6 Councilmember Steve Madison presented outgoing President Dan Beal (above left) with a Certificate of Recognition for “his outstanding contributions to the community and exceptional leadership from 2018 to 2022.” Cavena followed that up with a presentation of the ceremonial gavel (above right), on behalf of the WPRA, for Beal’s extraordinary service.

Special guests who attended include Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo (top left), District 6 Councilmember Steve Madison (top right), Pasadena Police Department Interim Chief Jason Clawson (above left) and Pasadena Fire Department Chief Chad Augustin (above right).

The membership elected the WPRA’s 2022-2023 Board of Directors, and learned that Evan Davis (right) would be the 2022-2023 WPRA president. Members of the 2022-2023 WPRA Board of Directors are: Geoffrey Baum, Dan Beal, Dave Bise, Blaine Cavena, Evan Davis, Pete Ewing, Donna Furey, Avram Gold*, Mic Hansen, Kenyon Harbison, Joan Hearst, Susan Kinney, Mark Mastromatteo, Nancy Walker*, and Linda Zinn.

*Avram Gold and Nancy Walker have since resigned from the Board. After expressing gratitude to Gold and Walker for their considerable service to the organization, the Board appointed two new directors: Carlos Javalera and Lee Wallace.

This year’s annual meeting theme: “Pasadena and the tech revolution: Where we came from, how we grew and where we are going.”

Program moderator Avram Gold opened the themed portion of the meeting with a video featuring a series of historical images (see video above) that celebrated where we came from and how we’ve grown since then.

The following tech visionaries were asked to address why so many tech startups are coming to Pasadena, what’s actually happening in those fecund tech incubators, and how they view the future (from left) :

• Julie Schoenfeld, an entrepreneur-in- residence at Caltech
• Moderator Avram Gold
• Aaron Fyke, founder and managing partner of Thin Line Capital
• Hallie Kuhn, vice president Alexandria Ventures
• Robbie Nock, associate vice president of entrepreneurship and assistant professor in the humanities and science at ArtCenter College of Design.