The Once-Forgotten Los Angeles River Is Increasingly a Destination For

Home , Downtown Los Angeles, Los Angeles River, Mayor of Los Angeles, O (Los Angeles Railway), Silicon Beach

Credit here Los Angeles hot inLos Angeles: Silicon Valley innumberofhigh-techjobs. that’s It’snotjustthetemperature downtown. residentialinfrastructureisemerging An appealing The countyrivals Los The once-forgotten recreation. for adestination Angeles River isincreasingly SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION SPECIAL ADVERTISING BusinessisboomingintheCityofAngels. SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION la kretz innovation campus / laci - - nce, a ce toce be. la last year called iss GQ a SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION ADVERTISING SPECIAL Thedynamism in DTLA—as

last year conducted its first global and now thriving arts district— creative-industryemployees in live converted warehouses and lofts; the area is poised to further down recenttown’s renaissance as a prosperousand community lively dottedwith arts venues, restau rants, and bars. Large residential structures are going the up; once- grand Broadway shopping district is about to be transformed by one of downtown’s largest projects in the past two decades; the Broad will open on Bunker in Hill September; and two months later, Whole Foods is slated to make its debut. downtown L.A. “America’s next great city.” knownit’s by those who live there and tweet about it—is emblematic L.A.’s the p the L.A.’s The Guardian of the exuberance extending throughout the L.A. metropolitan area, the country’s second largest. “There’s a renewed sense of energy, optimism, and vitality,” says Kimberly Ritter-Martinez, an economist at the nonprofit Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC). “People are excited. can feel You it, talking to local businesspeople, reading the newspaper. You even see it in the street, with cranes up again and bags.” carrying shopping people brandsurvey major of 57 cities, assessing assets - - - nsion. down

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Our LA roots are deeply forged. We started here in 1939 and helped build the city – literally – growing up right alongside it. Today, Reliance is the largest metals service center company in North America, with locations in 39 states and 12 countries. We’re proud to be leading our industry from a place we’ve called home for 75 years…and counting. ©2015 Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co. All rights reserved

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like attractions, climate, safety, infrastructure— particularly transport—and economic prosperity, then calculating their buzz based on mentions Los Angeles is in traditional and social media. Los Angeles beat experiencing out New York, London, and Paris to take the title of Most Powerful Brand City in the World. a renaissance The Guardian got it right: There is an undeni- ‘‘that I haven’t able cachet to L.A., and the climate is pretty great, with high temperatures averaging 75 felt since I degrees. As the entertainment capital of the was a kid.” world, the city serves up a buffet of varied cultural offerings. The city’s transportation infrastructure and geographic location have made L.A. an international trade center and offer keen advantages to local companies doing global business. The Los Angeles–Long Beach port complex is the largest in the Western Hemisphere, handling over 40% of container first year in office, cited a few of his successes, goods going in and out of the country, while including more than 26,000 new businesses LAX (less commonly known as Los Angeles established and a 3.1% decline in the unem- International Airport) is the world’s sixth-busi- ployment rate. “The proof is in the pudding,” est airport and the top gateway for goods and he said. Eric Garcetti travelers to and from the Asia-Pacific region. Garcetti, 44, came into office pledging to get Mayor of Los Angeles back to basics—improving quality of life, stimu- Businesses and jobs lating job growth, and making it easier to do After a tough recession, the City of Angels has business in the city. He’s delivering: Last month Passenger planes populating Los risen again, according to LAEDC’s 2015–16 fore- he won the city council’s approval of a cut in the Angeles International cast: GDP has been increasing steadily in L.A. city’s gross receipts business tax that he—and Airport (above). County; more than 78,000 jobs were added last the business community—had long sought. The AECOM’s design and year across a broad swath of industry sectors, day he signed it into law, another big piece of construction projects have helped develop and 63,000 new jobs are projected for 2015. his economic agenda moved forward when the the Port of Los On Southern California Public Radio last influential Los Angeles Business Council en- Angeles (below). July, L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti, reflecting on his dorsed his plan to raise L.A.’s minimum wage. In November, Garcetti targeted the cumbersome process of dealing with multiple city agencies to secure building permits, imple- menting a program that Elescite ctotatur will consolidate func- minimustibus T acipistotam aut que tions and is expected op : Mi volestias et am, sit to reduce construction k e Kelle omnihil iaturiant times by three to six harciae ceptatia months for at least 600

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S4 Where there’s talent, there’s Korn Ferry.

And Los Angeles is where it all began. Since our founding in 1969, Korn Ferry has called Los Angeles home. The diversity and pioneering spirit of the City of Angels are deeply ingrained in our core values, inspiring organizations around the world to trust us with their most critical talent and leadership challenges. Find out more: kornferry.com Metals USA - - - - - www.fortune.com/adsections “His goal is to make our ew Growth of Vernon in 2001. “We’re loyal ofVernon “We’re in 2001. toLos Angeles,” says Hannah. N Just as businesses Reli like ance have grown with L.A., city leaders look to today’s new businesses to further expand its prosperity. almost 2012, In a year before becoming mayor, Garcetti successfully pushed the city council to extend a program that through 2015 exempts new businesses from city business taxes during their first three years of operation. Last year he launched an Residence pro Entrepreneurin gram, hiring two entrepreneurs to help develop ideas to boost the economy. city the leading destination for people starting new business sayses,” Jan Perry, general manager of the city’s Economic Development Workforce and As Der Von Ahe notes, Los Angeles has a “People think of L.A. mostly as movies and tinuum, helping organizations design, build, and attract theirtalent.” remarkably diverse economy, with established industriesincluding spanning consumer, aerospace and defense, finance, health care, biosciences, education, fashion, tourism and hospitality,design, media, entertainment—of course—and manufacturing. studios. notIt’s seen as a manufacturing area,” says David Hannah, and CEO chairman of Reli ance Steel & Aluminum Co. fact, In L.A. County is the largest nation’s manufacturing center. Reliance opened ahead in 1939, of the World industrial II War boom, and continued building its successsupplying in metals to small businesses andjob shops. “We were an important part of the industrialgrowth of Los Angeles,” saysHannah. Thecompany grew, too, expanding to more than 300locations worldwide billion in and over $10 revenue.Reliance became an early pioneer of the headquarters its when renaissance downtown relocatedthere from the industrial neighborhood “What distinguishes us is our ability to connect the dots across company’s a entire talent con - - - SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION ADVERTISING SPECIAL After several years of debt woes,the mayor “Los Angeles is a true melting pot and incu The company, which has been based in L.A. sourceof L.A.’s sizable foreign investment. haseven stabilized the city’s finances, not only balancing the budget but also establishing the largest reservesin a decade, prompting a rat ings upgrade from Moody’s Investors Service in December,three months afterStandard & Poor’s issued a “positive outlook” for the city. bator of ideas, innovation, and entrepreneurial and ideas, innovation, of bator saysspirit,” Chris Der Von Ahe, senior client partner and Southern California managing director at Korn Ferry, the world’s largest execu tivesearch firm and a top talent management consultancy. “The business area’s diversity is also unique, spanning an array of industries ranging from financial services and health care to consumer goods, entertainment, technology, more.” and education, manufacturing, for 46 years and generates billion in annual $1 revenue, has itself been diversifying. While 58% of Korn Ferry’s business is still executive search, it now offers leadership development, training, and, through its Futurestep subsidiary, recruitment outsourcing. Says Der Von Ahe: S6 , ” annah

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removes excess scrap ‘‘ Built to deliver. AECOM is the premier fully integrated infrastructure firm — delivering innovative design, build, finance and operating services around the world.

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www.aecom.com chris crisman for ucla; aecom by David Lloyd ------www.fortune.com/adsections Thecity, which is making beta on ment sectors.” ment thegreen economy, invested significant lyLACIin when it began taking shape fiveyears ago. Jobs created by the CleantechIncubator are projected to to try is now as critical to our economy as our manufacturing and entertain talmore than 1,600 by the end of next says Michael 2014, Swords, In year. vice presidentof partnerships, it raised $50 companies—aits for million significant pre-revenue startups—andfor amount received$750,000a Department U.S. ofEnergy grant. also It’s fielding inter estfrom numbera of organizations andthe Obama administration about duplicatingits model, says Swords: “If youlook at the ROI oncity and federal investmentjustin five years, really it’s incredible.” nounced the numbers as he kicked off the city’s first Innovation Week, declaring, “Los Angeles’ tech indus Technology is rapidly becoming an economic Thesame month, LAEDC reported that L.A. boon to Hollywood, creating 8,000 jobs in 2014 and boosting employment there to its highest years.level in 10 Digital’s 6.5% growth over the previous year more than tripled that of all private-sector industry in the county. power with hundreds player, of techcompa nies, including Google, and Yahoo, BuzzFeed, setting up shop on Silicon Beach, a stretch of WestsideL.A.’s near the ocean. Last October, ranked L.A. fastest-growing the TechCrunch as and third-largest tech ecosystem in the country, noting its strong base of investment capital and the fact that it graduates more engineers than any other city. U.S. County employed more than 368,500 people in high-tech jobs in 2013—9% of its total employ ment and more than any other metro region in the nation, even more than Santa Clara County, home Mayor of Silicon Garcetti Valley. an - -

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION ADVERTISING SPECIAL EWDDalso helps supply businesses small New industries and industry subsectors are S8 Department (EWDD), which provides services to startup ventures and small-business owners, including consulting, business courses, and financialassistance, through its BusinessSource Centers. andlarge with skilled workers. Last year Garcetti helpedmillion secure annualin funding $18 for upto five years for an EWDD jobs program that trainsand places Angelenos growthin industries. SeventeenWorkSource Centers are now operat ingthroughout the city areasin with significant poverty,unemployment, or lack of education. “We’vebeen able to harness the momentum of therecovery and put people back to work. We’ve donelota that’s been smart termsin of leverag ingthe economy’s comeback and making sure webring people along,” says Perry. adding muscle to established L.A.’s economy. Digital entertainment, for example, has been a

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LACI will manage one of two hubs (the other is located in San Diego) for the new Southern California Center for Alternative Fuels and We have a Advanced Vehicle Technology, soon to be es- long-haul tablished with funds from the California Energy Commission. It’s a natural step for a city that’s ‘‘commitment home to 22 auto design studios. to our Building, learning, community moving Even in the land of endless freeways, other Perry—not to mention an easier commute for and to modes of transportation are bustling. Two major thousands of residents. “It would help unlock investing in rail lines facilitate movement to and from the the full potential of our communities.” airports. The 20-mile Alameda Corridor, a rail AECOM, an integrated infrastructure and technology, cargo expressway that links the ports of Los An- support services firm with $19.5 billion in reve- our geles and Long Beach to the rail network near nues in fiscal 2014, has played significant roles downtown L.A., was completed in 2013. And in many L.A. transportation projects, ranging employees, with the continued development of Los Angeles from the Alameda Corridor to the ongoing LAX County M.T.A. (Metro) rail lines, Angelenos are modernization program and building out the and our starting to leave their cars in the garage. rapidly expanding Los Angeles Metro. “We’re future.” President Obama’s newest budget provides pretty embedded in the fabric here,” says $330 million to fund construction of Metro line Joel Farrier, AECOM’s L.A. Metropolitan Area Tommy Tomlinson extensions and connectors. If approved, it could manager. “We aspire to provide our clients with Vice President, Global Operations, generate 43,000 jobs, $2.8 billion in labor in- end-to-end infrastructure,” from conducting Northrop Grumman come, and $7.6 billion in business revenue, says preliminary studies, arranging financing, plan- ning, and designing through construction, operation, and maintenance. Farrier says the company is connecting the world Educating workers particularly proud of a current project overseeing the build- out of the Los Angeles Commu- s the world’s leading small cell he Los Angeles Community College nity College District (LACCD). company, Boingo is one of L.A.’s best District (LACCD) has a long, storied, and “We’re helping to develop a A tech success stories. Founded in 2001 T proud history in L.A. County. With nine new workforce with the skills to by Sky Dayton and led by Chairman and CEO accredited colleges across 900 square miles, operate in the new economy,” Dave Hagan, Boingo not only survived the dot we have graduated more than 3 million stu- he says. “We think it’s impor- com bust, it successfully went public in 2011 dents who have gone on to contribute to the tant for the future of L.A.” (NASDAQ: WIFI). Today Boingo helps the world biomedical industry, clean technology, digital Education is a point of pride stay connected to the people and things they media, transportation, entertainment and for Los Angeles, which boasts love. Its vast footprint of small cell networks tourism, food manufacturing, and fashion. three world-class research covers more than a million DAS and Wi-Fi California’s leading educator of African universities and well over 100 locations around the globe and reaches more American and Latino students, LACCD is colleges and universities. The than 1 billion consumers annually–in places as an economic engine addressing the nation’s University of California, Los varied as airports, stadiums, universities, and skills gap and producing the next generation Angeles—UCLA—“is the most military bases. of knowledge workers for L.A. applied-to university, bringing For more, visit boingo.com For more info, visit laccd.edu the country’s best and brightest to this urban area,” says Keith Parker, assistant vice chancellor of government and community relations. “The intellectual capital here translates to innovation and growth.” A 2013 study

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novation hub announced Last year Northrop last month. And Presi- Grumman celebrated the 25th anniversary dent Obama’s proposed of the B-2 stealth budget would set aside bomber’s first flight money for weapons sys- with a ceremony at tems and helping send its Palmdale Aircraft Integration Center of another Rover to Mars. Excellence. At Northrop Grum- man, which built the Opportunity Rover’s calculated that the school generates more than navigation systems, “We are on the upswing and $12.7 billion in economic activity for California, well positioned,” says Tommy Tomlinson, vice not to mention thousands of new jobs from tech president, global operations. “We’re hiring, and startups. we have new, strong programs.” The company, For decades, aerospace has played a major founded in L.A. in 1939, is the largest aerospace role in fueling L.A.’s economic engine. While organization in Southern California, employ- it has lost some thrust since its heyday, lately ing 16,800 people in L.A. County. It produces it’s been generating positive news: Last month military aircraft and aircraft integration systems, Virgin Galactic announced it would build its new advanced microelectronics, space systems, and satellite-launching rocket in Long Beach, and a wide variety of spacecraft components and is N ort Southern California has been granted a federal the industry’s leading producer of unmanned h rop designation that gives it first chance to receive systems. Northrop Grumman maintains a strong

G r umm $1.3 billion in assistance for local aerospace proj- relationship with L.A. and its universities, often ects and advanced manufacturing. L.A. will also hiring budding engineers as interns before they an be part of an aerospace, defense, and energy in- graduate. “We have a long-haul commitment to

WE THRIVE

Los Angeles is a global city, and UCLA is L.A.’s public research university. With $1 billion in annual research funding and a portfolio of 2,950 inventions, UCLA brings the power of innovation to Southern California. No wonder 65% of our alumni choose to live and work here, a robust talent pool of thinkers, doers and leaders. L.A., UCLA and your business – together, the possibilities are endless. ucla.edu

15-UCOM-068 FortuneMag_OptimistAd_MECH.indd 1 2/11/15 12:35 PM SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION LOS ANGELES WEB DIRECTORY Angeles City of LOS ANGeLES LACity.org os

L LA Economic & Workforce Dev. Dept. ewddLACity.com AECOM AECOM.com Boingo Wireless Boingo.com our community,” says Tomlinson, California State UniversitY CalState.edu “and to investing in technology, our Korn Ferry KornFerry.com employees, and our future.” Los Angeles Community College Dist. LACCD.edu The Northrop Grumman Corp. NorthropGrumman.com A nice place intellectual Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co. rsAC.com to visit—and live The Univ. of California, Los Angeles uCLA.edu capital here The only space travel currently avail- ‘‘ able to people who come to L.A. is translates on Disneyland’s Space Mountain. borhoods by adding public spaces, enhancing to innovation Still, they come in droves. local culture, and increasing public safety. He’s L.A.’s tourism and hospitality industry contin- also increasing the number of express bus lanes and growth.” ues to set records. No wonder: With 75 miles of and bike lanes throughout the city. Keith Parker beaches; an abundance of hiking trails and surf A welcome symbol of the City of Angels’ Assistant breaks; amusement parks; more museums and redemption can be found in the Los Angeles River Vice-Chancellor of theaters than any other U.S. city; art galleries and Master Plan. The cherished 20-year project is Government and returning the L.A. River, which once attracted and Community Relations, music venues galore; championship sports teams UCLA including the Dodgers, the Kings, the Lakers, sustained early residents, from its current state and the Clippers; and world-class shopping and a within a series of ugly concrete channels to a leaf- sizzling food scene … what’s not to like? Even New ier incarnation. It is creating open spaces, trails, Yorkers Jay Z and Beyoncé are rumored to be put- recreational areas, and other riverfront features ting down roots on the left coast. that connect to surrounding communities. If Mayor Garcetti gets his way, many residents’ “I think Los Angeles is experiencing a renais- everyday lives are poised for improvement. His sance that I haven’t felt since I was a kid,” Mayor Great Streets initiative, a centerpiece of his Back Garcetti said in January. “A renaissance about to Basics plan, aims to revitalize many L.A. neigh- reclaiming this city one village at a time.” ●

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