• Featured Speakers
• Corporate Citizen of the Year
• Employees of the Year
• Supporters & Sponsors

Featured Speakers

Richard S. Ziman
CEO and Chairman
Arden Realty, Inc.

Richard S. Ziman is Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Los Angeles based Arden Realty, Inc., a New York Stock Exchange real estate investment company whose current portfolio, located exclusively in Southern California, consists of over 130 office properties containing over 19 million rentable square feet in more than 200 buildings.

Mr. Ziman received his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Southern California in 1964 and 1967 respectively and joined the law firm of Loeb & Loeb where, as a partner from 1971 to 1980, he specialized in all aspects of real estate. His extensive background in real estate led to the formation of Pacific Financial Group of which he was the Managing General Partner and which, during the 1980's, was one of the largest private real estate investment firms in Southern California. Founded in 1991, Arden Realty, Inc. completed its initial public offering in October of 1996 raising $435 million in equity with follow-on equity offerings of $360 million in July of 1997 and $650 million in February of 1998, all through underwritings led by Lehman Brothers. Today, with a total market capitalization of almost $3 billion, Arden is the largest owner of commercial office properties in Southern California.

Mr. Ziman is a member of the Board of Governors of the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts, a member of the Board of Directors of the Real Estate Roundtable and he is a California Commissioner on Governor Gray Davis' Commission for the 21st Century (charged with developing a blueprint for California for the 21st Century). He is a member of the Board of Visitors of UCLA's Anderson School of Management, founding member of its Council of Entrepreneurs, a member of the Advisory Boards of the Zell/Lurie Real Estate Center at the Wharton School, the Fisher Center for Real Estate at UC Berkeley and the Real Estate Institute of New York University, and the Senior Leadership Forum at Harvard University. He was a member of the Executive Committee of the USC Lusk Center for Real Estate, Leadership L.A., the CEO Advisory Panel of Habitat - Los Angeles and was Chairman of the Los Angeles Arts Council. Mr. Ziman also serves on the Editorial Advisory Board for the magazine "Real Estate of Southern California" and he is a trustee of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), was a Finance Vice Chair of the 2000 DNC Convention in Los Angeles and is a member of its National Finance Council and the Jefferson Trust of the DNC.

Over the years, Mr. Ziman has also held many leadership positions in the cultural, educational and social service life of Southern California. He served six years as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the City of Hope National Medical Center and its Beckman Research Institute (COH), a world renowned, multi-faceted hospital and research institution concerning catastrophic diseases such as cancer, Aids, diabetes and immunology. As Chairman Emeritus of COH, Mr. Ziman continues as a member of the Board of Directors of COH, its Executive Committee, its Board of Regents, Chairman of its Construction Committee and is the founding Chairman of its Real Estate and Construction Industries Alliance.

Mr. Ziman is a member of the International Board of Governors of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, a member of its Executive Committee and a member of the Board of Overseers of its Rothberg International School. Recently, Mr. Ziman received from the University an honorary doctorate (Doctor Philosophae Honoris Causa). He is a past President and currently is Co-Chairman of the Western States Region of the American Friends of the Hebrew University (AFHU), a trustee and a member of the National Board of Directors of AFHU and Co-Chairman of its Executive Committee.

Mr. Ziman has served as President of the Guardians Jewish Home for the Aging, is a Member of its Board of Directors and Chairman of its Board of Governors and currently co-chairs the $72 million "Keeping the Promise" Capital Campaign for the Home. He is also General Co-Chairman of the Los Angeles Region for the State of Israel Bonds and a member of its Board. Mr. Ziman is a Founder of the University of Judaism and a founder and past Chairman of the Moriah Society for the University and is a member of its Advisory Board and a member of the Advisory Boards of the Jewish Community Foundation and the Beverly Hills Community Sports Center. He is a Founder of the Los Angeles Music Center, a member of the Board of Overseers of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Board of AIPAC for Greater Los Angeles and a trustee of the Washington Institute and the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. He is also a trustee of The Rosalinde & Arthur Gilbert Foundation, The Heather Trust for the Arts and The Gilbert Collection Trust.

Mr. Ziman has received numerous honors including the Spirit of Life and Gallery of Achievement Awards of the City of Hope, the Scopus Award of Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the "Citizenship Award" of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, as a "Philanthropic Work of Art" by the Real Estate and Construction Division of Los Angeles Jewish Federation, the Humanitarian Award of the National Conference of Christians and Jews, the Distinguished Achievement Award from the Los Angeles Property Council, the Humanitarian Award from the Real Estate Investment Advisory Council, the Award of Merit from the University of Judaism and the Humanitarian Award from the Statesman Club for the Jewish Home for the Aging. He has also been recognized as Century City's Citizen of the Year, a "Citizen of Honor" by the City of Beverly Hills, "Man of the Year" by the Los Angeles Property Council, the "Real Estate Investor of the Year" by the Los Angeles Business Journal, "Business Person of the Year" by the Beverly Hills Chamber of Commerce and as the greater Los Angeles "Entrepreneur of the Year."

Mr. Ziman has established and endowed the Richard S. Ziman Center for Real Estate at the UCLA Anderson Graduate School of Management. He has established the Ziman Family Outpatient Oncology Center at the City of Hope National Medical Center, the Ziman Family wing at the Rothberg International School at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the Ziman Family treatment rooms at the UCLA Arthur Ash Student Health Center and the Ziman Family Synagogue and the Goldenberg and Ziman Family Special Care Center (Alzheimer's) both at the Los Angeles Jewish Home for the Aging.

Mr. Ziman resides in Beverly Hills, has four children and is married to Daphna Edwards, an independent motion picture and feature film director, producer and writer who is the founder of and currently chairs Children Uniting Nations, an international children's rights organization.

Daphna Edwards Ziman
Chairperson and Founder
Children Uniting Nations

Daphna Edwards Ziman is the chairperson and founder of Children Uniting Nations, a proactive organization created to elevate child welfare to the forefront of the world's consciousness. Children Uniting Nations was founded to provide the children of the world with a voice to discuss the threats and dangers of tomorrow's problems. These problems include nuclear weapons, the abuse and pollution of the world's environment, the justice system as it relates to the rights of the child, food, over population and other concerns that will affect the future of our world.

Daphna Edwards Ziman has committed herself to challenging and changing the injustices that plague our society in many ways, focusing particularly on the needs of children. Currently, she serves as chairperson of ABC LOVE (Adoption Brings Children Love), which is committed to finding and placing children in caring and loving families. She is also on the board of HIPPY (Home Instruction for Pre-School Youngsters). In addition, Mrs. Ziman supports City of Hope with her husband, Richard S. Ziman, on behalf of free medical care for the underprivileged or any human being suffering from an incurable disease.

With equal tenacity, Daphna Edwards Ziman serves on the Executive Board of The Woman's Leadership Forum, chaired by Tipper Gore, which is dedicated to bringing women into the political arena in order to become a force of change for all areas relating to women and children, as well as the community at large. Her passion to make the lives of individuals better does not end with children, but extends to the homeless through her work with Planet Hope. She has been an integral part in the founding of homeless missions and a school in East Los Angeles for gang members.

On May 3rd 1999, Mrs. Ziman representing Children Uniting Nations accompanied a delegation from the United Jewish Communities on the humanitarian mission to help Kosovo refugees. She and the group brought food and medical supplies to the refugees and airlifted mothers and children from the camps in Albania and Hungary to absorption centers in Israel.

Daphna Ziman's passion and commitment to children knows no bounds. Perhaps her most important achievement has been in succeeding to change the law in regards to the fate of abused children. During repeated visits to homeless shelters she became aware of the many abused children who were sent back to their abusive parents when suitable foster parents were interested in their care. This was due to the Family Preservation Act installed to maintain the unity of the family. According to Daphna, "…part of the law includes a reunification clause, which allows biological parents to be reunited with their own abused children, even if they were severely and permanently abused…". Mrs. Ziman went to Washington D.C. and lobbied to change the law that would permit parents to reunite with their children, "as long as its in the best interests of the child," which has resulted in dramatically increased protection for abused children.

Mrs. Ziman's dedication to the children of the world has been recently recognized by her receipt of the "Jacqueline Kennedy Award" by JFK University, the "Women of Achievement Award" by North American Council for Adoptable Children, and the "Uniting Children of the World Award" by the child welfare league of America.

On November 15, 1999, Mrs. Ziman was honored with a 1999 Peace & Tolerance Lifetime Achievement Award for Child Advocacy at the 'International Day for Tolerance Lifetime Achievement Awards'. The ceremony was held in New York City and was sponsored by DeCapo Foundation, Friends of the United Nations and Children Uniting Nations.

On November 11, 2001 Children Uniting Nations hosted 3,000 disenfranchised children at the Santa Monica Pier. CUN is planning its fourth 'Day of the Child' event on November 10th, 2002. On this day, individuals and families are invited to adopt a child for the day. Children from foster homes and missions are picked up and taken out for a day of rides, food and companionship. At the end of the day each child leaves with a gift bag of toys, clothes, and food vouchers.

January 12, 2002 saw First Ladies and Representatives from around the country congregate in Los Angeles at the Mayors' Official Home, The Getty House, for a symposium dedicated to ending Childhood Hunger in America. The Symposium was moderated by Larry King in hopes of streamlining the process of preparing three meals a day in schools, in poverty areas, in all fifty states. Partnered with the Entertainment Industry Foundation and the End Hunger Network, CUN is once again fighting for the betterment of children throughout the country.

Despite all of the time she devotes to the needs of those less fortunate, she still manages to be president of an Independent Film and Television Production Company, Edwards Entertainment International, where she wears the three hats of Writer, Producer and Director. Her latest film Footsteps screened on Showtime.

Corporate Citizen of the Year

Wells Fargo is a diversified financial services company - providing banking, insurance, investment, mortgage and consumer finance from 5,600+ stores. Ranked the 4th largest bank in assets, Wells Fargo serves banking customers in 23 states, with over 800 locations in California. Dedicated to supporting and improving the local communities in which it works, Wells Fargo is a major funder of JVS' programs, employs JVS clients and is continually exploring ways to expand its multifaceted partnership with the agency.

Employees of the Year

JVS would like to congratulate this year's recipients:

Student Employee of the Year

JENNIFER ZACARIAS
Jennifer Zacarias was a senior at Belmont High School when she faced a personal crisis that forced her to reassess her priorities. JVS’ Career Ladders for Youth Program gave her the guidance and resources she needed to keep her goals in focus and get her life back on track.

Employees of the Year

REBEKAH BROD
Rebekah Brod was enjoying a successful career in a field she had always loved when she was diagnosed with a degenerative disease that changed the direction of her life. She turned to JVS’ Department of Rehabilitation Services for the support she needed to succeed in her new profession.

BRETT LIPPEL
Brett Lippel found himself at a crossroads in his career when he relocated his family to California and began looking for work. Already an experienced executive, he utilized JVS’ customized Career Services for the assistance he needed to make a new professional start.

Certified Nurse Assistant Graduates

FLOR ROSTAMI & HAHIDE KAFRI
JVS established the Certified Nurse Assistant Training Program to take long term welfare recipients from dependence to self-sufficiency, placing them on the first step of a career ladder in the health care industry. Flor Rostami and Nahide Kafri relied on JVS’ Department of Refugee and Immigrant Services when they took their first steps on the road to independence.

Supporters & Sponsors

JVS gratefully acknowledges the following individuals, corporations, and businesses for their support of the 6th Annual Strictly Business Luncheon.

Rick and Debbie Powell and Family