Cross-section of community comprises the top 103

B.W. COOK

Public servants, men of the cloth, purveyors of fish tacos, land

developers and beach lifeguards came together Wednesday for a

luncheon at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Newport Beach for the 12th

annual Daily Pilot “Top 103” celebration. What began in 1992 as part

whim, part marketing tool, part community magnet, is now a tradition

in the Newport-Mesa community garnering attention as well as

criticism, with the list of names of the 103 most influential people

in the community dissected and debated by readers of the Daily Pilot.

Tom Johnson, publisher of the Daily Pilot, addressed the

assemblage in the Hyatt dining room stating, “You may ask how we

arrive at the list. I’m here to tell you that the criteria is based

on the FOT or FOS scale.” Johnson explained that FOT stands for

friend of Tom [Johnson] and FOS is for friend of Steve [Cahn],

managing editor of the Pilot. As the crowd applauded with laughter,

Johnson added, “The folks on this list contribute to life in this

community day in and day out. They have an impact on the way we live,

and they all make a difference.”

The luncheon, and the list itself, has become something of a roast

over the years. Johnson recalled a past Top 103 list that honored a

drug-sniffing Costa Mesa police dog as one of the high-ranking 103.

Former Costa Mesa Police Chief Dave Snowden was also honored that

year -- however, with a higher number. Snowden was quick to call

Johnson and relay his concern over being listed following the dog.

In this story lies the message and the meaning of the 103 list. It

is a reflection of a diverse and vibrant community that celebrates

the best of the human condition, in spite of differences of every

variety. This year, the rector of St. James Church, Praveen Bunyan,

was nominated as number five on the list. The controversial pastor,

who led his Newport Beach congregation away from the Episcopal

diocese over hot-button issues including the ordination of homosexual

clergy and the divinity of Jesus Christ, was invited to say the

invocation before the luncheon. Bunyan made no reference to his

ongoing secession, offering instead a prayer over the food and the

assemblage.

In a further effort to stir the pot, luncheon organizers led a

sing-along, passing out song sheets labeled “Measure L” and “No on

L.” The lyrics were written pro and con over the measure facing

Newport-Mesa residents on the Nov. 2 ballot, regarding the

redevelopment of the bay-front, city-owned land on the Balboa

Peninsula. Sung to the tune of the Christmas carol “Noel,” the pro

lyrics went as follows: “Measure L, Measure L, We sure think it’s

swell. We want to stay at this 110-room hotel.” And now for the

negative lyrics: “No on L, No on L, something fishy we smell. A

sweeeeet heart deal is the Stephen Sutherland 110-room hotel.”

Sutherland, the designer and developer of the project, was in the 103

audience, taking it all with grace and good cheer. Also present was

legendary Newport citizen Paul Salata, fundraising expert Terry

Callahan, Costa Mesa’s Share Our Selves cofounder Karen McGlinn and

big-time surfer Bill Sharp. Gregg Schwenk, Newport Beach investment

banker and executive director of the Newport Beach Film Festival,

joined Hoag Hospital executive Michael Stephens and Newport Mayor Tod

Ridgeway at the luncheon event.

Costa Mesa Councilman Allan Mansoor did his best impression of

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger as the crowd dined on an exceptional

three-course luncheon that began with an artistically prepared

seafood salad displayed in a half coconut, followed by a mixed grill

entree and dessert.

Local political candidates were also present, including Bruce

Garlich, chairman of the Costa Mesa Planning Commission, and Newport

Beach Councilman Steve Bromberg. Tom Johnson roasted friend Del

Heintz, Costa Mesa-based director of government affairs for AT&T;

Broadband. “I have absolutely no idea how Del Heintz made this list,”

mused Johnson. He did know why former California legislator and

former State Education Secretary Marian Bergeson made the list. Also

honored was Scott Paulson, retired school principal who headed five

Newport-Mesa schools during his career. Paulson made a most unusual

tribute.

“Over the past 10 years, 19 schools in the Newport-Mesa district

have received $20 million in donations from a local couple you’ve

never heard of,” said Paulson. He added, “At first, I received checks

in the mail that looked like throw-away marketing mail. One came for

$1.2 million another for $7 million.”

Paulson went on to share that a Newport couple named David and

Monica Gelbaum always wanted to remain anonymous; however, their

generosity has made such an impact on the community that it was time

they were recognized. The Gelbaums did not attend the luncheon.

Spotted in the crowd was Gene Farrell, president of Orange Coast

College; Gay Wassall-Kelly; Aviva Goelman; Trevor Murphy; the Rev.

John Huffman; and Wing Lam, cofounder of Wahoo’s Fish Tacos.

Carrying on a poignant tradition of retiring numbers beyond the

103, a memorial tribute was made to Randy Scheerer, number 117. A

Newport Beach fire captain, Scheerer, 53, passed away last year

following a heart attack. His widow, Marilyn, was on hand to accept

recognition.

Closing the event was Rabbi Mark Miller of Newport’s Temple Bat

Yahm, a reform Jewish congregation. Miller has led the closing

benediction for the past 12 years, offering words of enlightened

hope. He began offering a newspaper quote bemoaning the troubled

state of the world. Miller said, “This is not from the New York Times

or Newsweek; this is from Harper’s Weekly, dated 1857.” Miller

continued, “The optimist says, ‘Good morning God,’ and the pessimist

says, ‘Good God, it’s morning.’ We must be optimists and stand for

hope and trust. Americans are the most fortunate people who have ever

lived. We are at the pinnacle of human possibility.”

And so it was at the 2004 Daily Pilot 103 luncheon in Newport

Beach.

* THE CROWD appears Thursdays and Saturdays.