SCMSDC to Honor Southern California Edison at 2012 Leadership Award Gala
Los Angeles, CA — Southern California Minority Supplier Development Council (SCMSDC) will present its 2012 Leadership Award to Southern California Edison (SCE) and the utility’s president, Ronald L. Litzinger, at the council’s 28th Annual Leadership Award gala on Thursday, October 11. The event will be held from 5:30 to 9 p.m. at The Beverly Hills Hotel, located at 9641 Sunset Blvd.
The gala spotlights an outstanding corporation whose achievements and leadership in the business community have resulted in positive results for diverse businesses.
“We are pleased to present our 2012 Leadership Award to Ron Litzinger and Southern California Edison,” according to SCMSDC President Virginia Gomez. “SCE is highly deserving of this honor. SCE’s years of commitment to supplier diversity, its inclusion of diverse businesses in contract opportunities and its initiatives that develop diverse businesses to grow and become more competitive rank highly among minority businesses, which have repeatedly nominated SCE to compete for the National Minority Supplier Development Council Corporation of the Year Award.”
Gomez noted the utility’s total procurement spend with diverse suppliers reached nearly $1.4 billion last year, representing 33.7 percent of total company purchases. She added 2011 was the second consecutive year that SCE achieved over $1 billion in spending with minority-, women-, and service-disabled veteran-owned enterprises.
“Southern California Edison is honored to receive this recognition because of the central place diversity plays in our company,” said Litzinger. “Diversity is not a buzz word to us. Workforce and supplier diversity are key elements of our approach to meeting our customers’ energy needs.”
Litzinger has served as president of SCE since 2011. Previously, he was chairman, president and chief executive officer of Edison Mission Group (EMG), the competitive power generation business of SCE’s parent company, Edison International. EMG is the parent company of Edison Mission Energy (EME) and Edison Capital.
Litzinger joined Edison as an engineer at SCE in 1986 and since has served in a variety of capacities throughout Edison International’s companies. He moved to EME in 1995 and was named vice president there in 1998. From 1999 to 2002, he served as EME’s senior vice president of worldwide operations, and rose to senior vice president and chief technical officer in 2002. In 2004, he was named vice president of Strategic Planning for Edison International and the following year, was named senior vice president for SCE’s Transmission and Distribution Business Unit.
Highlights of Litzinger’s career include his instrumental role in getting EME’s Sunrise power plant in Bakersfield, California, online in less than a year, helping to ease the energy constraints of the California power crisis of 2000-2001. He also played an important role in helping EMG get back to financial strength from 2002 to 2004 and in architecting Edison International’s 2004 strategic plan. Before joining Edison, Litzinger was an engineer for Texaco subsidiaries.
Litzinger earned a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Washington and a master’s degree in management from the University of Redlands. He is a member of the Visiting Committee at the University of Washington’s College of Engineering.
Previous Leadership Award recipients include: Ken McNeely, president of AT&T California; Michael Allman, president and CEO of Southern California Gas Co.; Tetsuo Iwamura, president and CEO, American Honda Motor Co., Inc.; Earvin “Magic” Johnson, chairman and CEO, Magic Johnson Enterprises and founder and chairman, Magic Johnson Foundation; Alfred E. Osborne, Jr., senior associate dean, UCLA Anderson School of Management, associate professor of Global Economics & Management, founder and faculty director, Harold Price Center for Entrepreneurial Studies; Stephen F. Bollenbach, co-chairman and CEO, Hilton Worldwide, and Robert A. Iger, CEO, The Walt Disney Company.
Amgen is this year’s event title sponsor and honorary dinner chair. Other participating companies include Chevron, Kaiser Permanente, AEG, AT&T, Nestlé, Union Bank, Southern California Edison, Southern California Gas Company, Toyota, American Honda Motor Co., The Walt Disney Company, Northrop Grumman Corporation, WellPoint, and Wells Fargo.
An Edison International (NYSE:EIX) company, Southern California Edison is one of the nation’s largest electric utilities, serving a population of nearly 14 million via 4.9 million customer accounts in a 50,000-square-mile service area within Central, Coastal and Southern California.
Southern California Minority Supplier Development Council is the premiere organization strengthening economic ties between large, public-, private- and foreign-owned corporations and minority men- and women-owned business enterprises. As the region’s leading minority business advocacy organization, SCMSDC represents the interests of more than 600,000 minority businesses in its 13-county service area in Southern California. The council offers nationally recognized certification to minority-owned businesses, strategic networking between corporate members and certified firms, and education, information, and skills development to help minority businesses enhance their capacity. Headquartered in Los Angeles and one of 36 regional councils in the National Minority Supplier Development Council network, SCMSDC has made a positive impact in the minority business community since its founding in 1975. For more information, visit www.scmsdc.org.
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October 9, 2012 - 8:40 am
What an insult to all the families who have suffered this past year, from the Malibu fires, to Pasadena windstorms, to San Onofre, to the dozens of communities being affected by the TRTP project. This man does not deserve your award.
October 9, 2012 - 9:42 am
The very diverse community of Chino Hills is currently in limbo over the TRTP project. The announcement today that SCMSDC will honor SCE and Mr. Litzinger is sending shock waves through the city. Here SCE is willing to destroy property values, endanger health, permanently mar pristine vistas, rather than do what other countries and enlightened companies have done, and underground these lines. Even though the city spend millions and presented alternate routes, Mr. Litzinger chose the fastest and cheapest at the expence of this city.
“The gala spotlights an outstanding corporation whose achievements and leadership in the business community have resulted in positive results for diverse businesses.”
As far as we are concerned, Mr. Litzinger’s award should read ” ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY HAVE RESULTED IN NEGATIVE RESULTS FOR DIVERSE NEIGHBORHOODS.”
October 9, 2012 - 11:08 am
As a minority, it’s a disappointment to witness an organization such as SCMSDC extend a leadership award to Ron Litzinger of Southern California Edison. Out of ALL the corporate members of SCMSCD, they selected Ron Litzinger as the best man for the award? Are they not aware, this is the same man who runs an organization found guilty or a party to the following man-made disasters over the PAST year: Malibu wildfires & destruction of evidence, San Onofre Nuclear Plant radiation leaks and concerns over start-up after $670 million was spent on a failed 2009 design overhaul, San Gabriel Windstorms and overburdened powerlines & Redondo Beach stray voltage? Also, let’s not forget the current fight going on in Chino Hills related to the 200 foot towers erected within 70ft of homes which would carry 500,000 (FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND) volts of RECORD energy over the homes where CHILDREN and families live. This TRTP Green energy project has many failures. The 5 Commissioners from the California Public Utilities Commission stood below these towers and “instantly” knew a grave mistake had occurred. They issued a “halt” immediately and are now trying to remedy the situation through undergrounding (a technique used by other countries around the world). If SCE doesn’t manipulate their costs, undergrounding can happen.
From personal knowledge, the medical profession suggests to a patient requiring an annual CT Scan to alternate with an MRI to minimize the long-term effects of radiation exposure. What do you think 500,000 volts of EMF (i.e., radiation) will do upon the developing tissue of small children or families 365 days a year; 7 days a week and 24 hrs per day (give or take)?
Make no mistake, this is a barbaric white collar crime flying below the radar. ****One day, the SCMSDC may find itself embarrassed for giving an award to a man who will be the face behind the debacle in Chino Hills & elsewhere.
Below is a Wikipedia excerpt regarding the shameful Love Canal tragedy in New York decades ago:
Love Canal would long be remembered as a “national symbol of a failure to exercise a sense of concern for future generations.” Edison is/has replicated the same gross negligence demonstrated at Love Canal and society better wake up and realize we must “EXERCISE a SENSE of CONCERN for FUTURE GENERATIONS” or our children will suffer for the selfish behavior.
October 9, 2012 - 12:11 pm
This is a joke right? Looks like SCE and Litzinger may have bought another award to make themself look better to the genersl public!
October 9, 2012 - 1:27 pm
Leadership Award for putting 200 ft. towers/500 kV lines as close as 50-70 next to many homes in Chino Hills? Really? Thank you CPUC for the “Halt Order” placed on this Project and for ordering Edison to project accurate figures to bury the lines.
October 9, 2012 - 1:54 pm
Congratulations to Edison. However, from a CONCERNED citizen and customer point of view, it’s not who Edison spends OUR 1.4 billion dollars with that’s important. It’s WHAT they spent it on and how they treat their customers that matters. They chose to “SPEND” money on MONSTER TOWERS and “SAVE” money by ENDANGERING THEIR CUSTOMERS and harming property values in Chino Hills and surrounding communities. Maybe they will get a “cost savings” award too. Good business should be good for all!
October 9, 2012 - 2:51 pm
I am Outraged! I did not see you mentioned any negative things that SCE has done to California. How do you evaluate Malibu Fires, Pasadena windstorm and San Onofre plants? Do you know SCE is insisted on installing 200ft with 500KW power poles and lines next to homes and schools in Chino Hills? These poles are too tall and too close to residents. SCE is simply ignoring the citizens of Chino Hills. Ron Litzinger is a leader, but a bad one.
October 9, 2012 - 3:06 pm
My original reply was removed so let me apologize for any part that may have been offensive to your organization. It was not intended that way.
However it is important that we, as customers of Edison, have our concerns heard by as many other customers as possible and that Edison realizes that their customers’ health, safety and property values should be a top priority over convenience in all cases. We are hoping that the next few months will prove this to be the case by the rerouting of the high voltage wires underground.
October 9, 2012 - 3:43 pm
“Joseph Alderete is the Manager of Supplier Diversity and Development at EDISON International and he is ALSO the Chair for SCMBDC (aka So Cal Minority Business Development Council, Inc.) AND Litizinger gets an award from SCMSDC (So Cal Minority Supplier Development Council Inc.). It’s the same name except Business is exchanged for Supplier. What do you think? Self-serving accolade? What a joke!”
Thanks Irene, so well put I had to share!
October 9, 2012 - 4:22 pm
This is an outrage, you are awarding the wrong person. SCE has done nothing but stomp all over people throughout southern california and right now they are doing it again, in Chino Hills. They are simply ignoring the citizens of Chino Hills and placing power lines above ground and way too close homes. This will pose serious health risks and serious financial damage as home values have plummeted near these monster towers.
I strongly urge you to reconsider who this award should belong to. Ronald L. Litzinger is not a leader or a role model, he is a monster and only cares about corporate profits!
October 9, 2012 - 4:54 pm
I find this award very undeserving. You are awarding someone who places no value on human life.
October 9, 2012 - 9:11 pm
SCE or its personnel should not receive an award that recognizes women and children’s rights when they are endangering women and children by raising dangerous power lines so close to their homes. Perhaps rethink it when lines are buried underground in Chino Hills. Then, will SCE be deserving of any awards for how millions of dollars are effectively spent for the good of the public.
October 10, 2012 - 2:50 pm
The SCMSDC has eigther 1. failed to do their homework on this man and SCE policies regarding the health and welfare of people and communities. or 2. Have been on the recieving end of a donation to their foundation by SCE. Eighther way the SCMSDC should be ashamed of what they about to do!
October 10, 2012 - 11:06 pm
To make profits are important to any business. Diversity of suppliers are important as long as their supplying you the best on the market. Providing SAFE ROUTING of HIGH VOLTAGE TRANSMISSION LINES, or any instances where EMF’s maybe HARMFUL, are of GREATER IMPORTANCE. When profits are elevated above SAFETY to the PUBLIC, a “Leadership award”? I VOTE NO!
November 6, 2012 - 8:21 am
SCE is the biggest joke since I’ve lived in California. At least twice a month I experience a power outage and edison does nothing to remedy the situation. It is very unfortunate that they are the sole provider. If there was competition, their service would be much better albeit at this rate they would have gone out of business. Edison needs to be put in check, poor quality service has gone on too long.