William T Fujioka

William T Fujioka
Chief Executive Officer of Los Angeles County
Incumbent
Assumed office
July 23, 2007
Preceded by David E. Janssen
City Administrative Officer of the City of Los Angeles
In office
August 1997 – December 2006
Preceded by Keith Comrie
Succeeded by Karen Sisson[1]
Personal details
Born 1953 (age 62)
Spouse(s) Darlene Kuba
Relations Fred J. Fujioka
Children Jason Fujioka
Residence Bradbury, California
Alma mater University of California, Santa Cruz

William T Fujioka (also known as Bill Fujioka[2]) is the incumbent Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Los Angeles County, having been appointed on July 23, 2007 by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors at a starting annual salary of US$310,000.[3] As of September 2, 2013, he earns an annual salary of US$338,458.[4] As the County executive, he administers the largest county in the United States, with an annual budget of US$23 billion and over 100,000 employees.[5]

Education and career

Fujioka attended the University of California, Santa Cruz from 1970 to 1974, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology.[6] Before his appointment as the County's CEO, Fujioka served as the City of Los Angeles' City Administrative Officer from August 1999 to February 2007.[6] Fujioka has been a civil servant since 1975, having served positions with the City of Los Angeles and Los Angeles County.[7] On June 28, 1999, Richard Riordan, then the mayor of Los Angeles, appointed Fujioka was appointed as the City's Administrative Officer.[8] Less than a year later, on January 21, 2000, Fujioka was fired by Riordan for his perceived ties with the Los Angeles City Council and conflicts with the mayor.[9][10] He successfully fought his dismissal and retired after 7 years at his post, in December 2006.[11]

Less than six months later, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted to appoint Fujioka as the County's new chief executive officer.[12] In 2008, Fujioka ended the 15-year-old practice of weekly press briefings, which had been standard practice since 1993.[13]

Personal life

Fujioka, a third-generation (sansei) Japanese American, was born to parents William and Linda Fujioka and raised in Boyle Heights and Montebello, California.[14][15][8] He is married to Darlene Kuba.[3][16] Throughout his career, Fujioka did not publicize his marriage to Kuba, who is a longtime Los Angeles City Hall lobbyist.[16][17] He has a son from a previous marriage, Jason.[3] Fujioka resides in Bradbury, California.[3]

References

  1. ↑ "Sisson named chief administrative officer". Los Angeles Times. 6 February 2007. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
  2. ↑ Villacorte, Christina (16 May 2011). "Supervisors move ahead with takeover". Los Angeles Daily News. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 "FUJIOKA TO BECOME CEO ON JULY 23". News Release. County of Los Angeles. 11 July 2007. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
  4. ↑ "DEPARTMENT HEAD SALARIES". County of Los Angeles. 2 September 2013. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
  5. ↑ Cohen, Andrea (22 February 2011). "William T. Fujioka: CEO of Los Angeles County". Division of Social Sciences. University of California, Santa Cruz. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Resume - William T Fujioka". County of Los Angeles. 8 July 2008. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
  7. ↑ "Summary - William T Fujioka". Chief Executive Office. Los Angeles County. July 2008. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Hong, Peter Y. (29 June 1999). "Mayor Names New Chief Administrator". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
  9. ↑ Daunt, Tina (12 April 2000). "Mayor's Feud With Key Official Escalates". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
  10. ↑ Shuster, Beth (22 January 2000). "Riordan Fires Top Administrator; He Will Fight Dismissal". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
  11. ↑ Silverstein, Stuart (21 September 2006). "Fujioka Resigning as L.A.'s City Administrative Officer". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
  12. ↑ Rosenblatt, Susannah; Jack Leonard (11 July 2007). "L.A. County taps Fujioka for CEO job". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
  13. ↑ Therolf, Garrett (11 July 2008). "County CEO ends weekly media briefings". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
  14. ↑ Anderson, Troy (23 July 2007). "Quality of services high on county CEO's agenda". Los Angeles Daily News. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
  15. ↑ Watanabe, Teresa (13 December 2009). "Lost dream restored to Japanese American family". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Therolf, Garrett (22 June 2011). "L.A. County chief battles for his legacy". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
  17. ↑ "County man". Opinion L.A. (Los Angeles Times). 20 July 2007. Retrieved 10 September 2013.