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Feed50 People To Watch in 2008
By Julia Beeson, Tom Blair, Ron Donoho, Adam Elder and Marcia Manna
(page 3 of 3)
 | Madeleine PickensTexas-based philanthropist and animal-rights advocate Pickens, wife of energy magnate T. Boone Pickens, owns a home in Del Mar. She and her husband were honored last year for evacuating animals abandoned during Hurricane Katrina. They also served as advocates for the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act. “As pet owners and animal lovers, we have a huge responsibility to care for these living creatures,” she says. “They have no voice— we are their voice—and it is up to us to protect them.” |
 | The Reading Twins“We like to think of ourselves as making music with a mission,” says Eric Reading. Eric and his fraternal-twin brother, Chris, are known as The Readings to a burgeoning fan base. This spring, the pair is launching Tour 4 Cure, a national acoustic tour in partnership with Borders bookstores and the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation to raise funds and awareness for the disease that claimed the life of their mother, former San Diego attorney Bonnie Reading. They’re also involved in The Wanda Project, a national campaign addressing the dangers and effects of teenage bullying. |
 | Mari Lyn SalvadorSince Salvador became executive director of the Museum of Man in 2004, donations have tripled. Renovating the museum’s distinctive building and making exhibits family-friendly are her top priorities. “As we approach our centennial in 2015, I see the Museum of Man as a vibrant place where people of all ages come to experience cultures from around the world,” she says. “The region’s students will get an inspiring hands-on learning experience, and treasures from the past that have been preserved for future generations will be used to teach people about people.” |
 | Carol SasakiHaving devoted her life to saving orphaned children worldwide from the sex trade, Sasaki is finally getting her due. In November, she won a World of Children Humanitarian Award (one of eight given). She receives no salary from her International Humanity Foundation, a nonprofit run entirely by volunteers. IHF supports orphaned children in Kenya, Thailand and Indonesia, providing shelter, food, education, clothing and medical care. What keeps Sasaki going? “Children. It’s not a trite thing, and it’s not a cliché. Those children have a joy I terribly want for my children here in America. I get homesick for it when I’m here.” |
 | Doug SawyerAfter conducting extensive research, United Way of San Diego changed the way it invests donor contributions to improve lives. Headed by CEO Sawyer, the organization implemented Community Impact, a plan that funds outcomes rather than programs. Its three-point focus is on child abuse, homelessness and promoting financial stability. “What’s important is improving lives in San Diego County,” says Sawyer. “Our move to the Impact Model improves our ability to make real lasting change in the community.” |
 | Bob ScanlanScanlan is impressing Padres fans on the Honda Pregame Show and Postgame on Channel 4 San Diego, where he is an analyst alongside John Weisbarth and Steve Quis. Scanlan is a tall former pitcher who spent nine years playing Major League Baseball. The Los Angeles native broke into the bigs with the Chicago Cubs and also played for the Milwaukee Brewers, Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals and the Houston Astros. His game knowledge provides insight and analysis of the Padres’ summertime efforts. |
 | Dana ShertzThe energetic and amiable Shertz, who spent two decades moving up the corporate golf ladder at Callaway and MacGregor, spends more time at nightclubs than golf courses these days. He moved last spring to EnDev Enterprises as COO and managing partner of the entertainment-development group that built Stingaree, the wildly popular Gaslamp Quarter club that’s gained a national rep and a celeb following. Though more a fan of jazz than techno, Shertz is perfectly comfortable leading a planned national expansion of EnDev clubs. Next local opening, early this year: Universal, a 14,000-square-foot Hillcrest nightspot billed as “The First Omnisexual Lounge in the Universe.” |
 | David A. ShirkShirk is director of the University of San Diego Trans-Border Institute, which is dedicated to the rule of law and justice reform in Mexico. He’s also the principal investigator for the Justice in Mexico Project, a binational initiative that generates information and analysis useful to policy makers. He’s studied Mexico for 17 years and says it’s changed dramatically. “It went from having a distant-neighbor relationship to being a country heavily integrated with the United States,” he says. “When you look at the political changes, you went from an all-powerful presidency to a system where the president is held in check by Congress. That’s translating into serious efforts at policy reform.” |
 | Marlon ShirleyIn Shirley’s world, human potential knows no bounds. The fastest amputee on the planet, he holds world records in the 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash and long jump. No setback—physical or personal—has slowed the 29-year-old star, who will attempt new records at the 2008 Paralympic Games. “My ‘drive for five’ medals at the games in Beijing would be unprecedented in our sport,” says Shirley, who will take on the 100, 200, long jump, 4x100-meter relay and 4x400 relay. He is also finishing up a motivational book, slated to hit shelves in July. |
 | Maureen StapletonNearly 90 percent of our water supply is imported, and mandatory cutbacks are a distinct possibility. Voluntary conservation, says Stapleton, the County Water Authority manager, is key to protecting our future water supply. “We live in a semi-arid region that is always susceptible to drought and water shortages,” she says. “Although water conservation has become an important part of our current lifestyle, I believe it will play an even more important role in our community’s future water-supply picture.” |
 | Don StarkeyAfter Wachovia Bank bought Golden West (parent of World Savings Bank) for $24 billion, it expanded its branches in California and made a commitment to invest $150 billion in community development in California over a period of 10 years. Starkey is the Wachovia Bank city president in San Diego, and he believes kids should come first. “Not every child is fortunate enough to have a mentor who teaches the value of education, the importance of giving back to your community, or the excitement of entrepreneurship,” he says. “That’s why my focus is children’s organizations. I’d like to bring every penny possible of our 10-year California commitment right here to San Diego.” |
 | Dr. Eric TopolA world-renowned cardiologist, Topol is chief academic officer of Scripps Health, director of Scripps Translational Science Institute and professor of translational genomics at The Scripps Research Institute. “Our discovery efforts are directed to preventing heart attacks and coronary disease by identifying patients who are at risk of these conditions with novel genome markers,” he says. “In the future, we will be able to precisely identify patients at risk, based on multiple gene markers.” |
 | Norv TurnerHired on February 19, 2007, he inherited a Chargers squad that won a team-record 14 games— but one that suffered a disappointing loss in the playoffs. When the Chargers started this season 1-3, the fans started calling for Turner’s head. Thankfully, the ship was righted, and the Bolts began chalking up more wins than losses. Former coach Marty Schottenheimer could win in the regular season but was jettisoned for a coach who would presumably take the team to the next level. Can Turner turn in a Super postseason? |
 | Steve WamplerWhen Wampler went to camp as a child, he learned that having cerebral palsy and being wheelchair-bound wouldn’t stop him from doing what he needed to do. Now he’s executive director of Wheelchair Adventure Mountain Programs, a nonprofit that provides a camp experience for disabled children. “We are growing and expanding our programs into Yosemite as well as other programs that center on outdoor adventures such as white-water rafting,” he says. “Another long-term goal for WAMP is to raise enough funds to send 500 physically challenged youth to wilderness adventure programs throughout the state by the year 2010.” |
 | Bob WatkinsAfter building a career on making friends and influencing people with his executive search firm, Watkins hit up his Republican friends to the tune of $150,000— just three weeks after establishing his campaign finance committee for the 52nd District congressional seat. The former San Diego County Lincoln Club chairman has served on a multitude of local boards and commissions. Can he play hardball? A rugby star at San Diego State University in the 1960s, he’s a former two-term president of the U.S. Rugby Football Union. Game on. |
 | Robert WilderEnvironmentalists can take heart that Wilder is optimistic about the future of eco-business. In truth, there’s probably no greater authority, considering he founded the $1 billion WilderHill Clean Energy Index, labeled “the Dow Jones Industrial Average of global warming.” The affable USD Law School grad takes his work to heart. Besides living in a solar-powered home, he’s hired engineers to build an electric car this year (in addition to the Tesla Roadster he’s ordered). “I like to play some little part in helping people understand there are solutions and opportunities that make economic sense and ecological sense,” Wilder says. |
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Reader Comments:
You gotta be scrapin' the bottom of the barrel for your list of "50 people to watch"...C'mon...including Bill Mc? Exactly what did HE do that is worth watching?
He didn't walk across the country...what he did was was 20 miles a day and then rested in a motor home!!! There's plenty of more people that are newsworthy than someone who will pull a stunt like he did and then cry and whine like a little girl when he doesn't get publicity.
I can give you the names of 100 people right now who also walked across the country in 2007...only they actually walked the entire way, carrying their tent and backpack with them and working their way across.
Get real...
Jerry Nelson
Someone who DID walk across the country!
Dear Mr. Nelson,
Please accept my apologies. When the idea came to me to walk from San Diego to Washington, D.C. I did not realize there were rules I had to follow in order for my walk to "count". I was under the apparently misquided impression that walking consisted of putting one foot in front of the other in order to cover the distance between point A and point B, so that is what I did - for 3,185 miles.
This, for me, was not some macho contest or effort to somehow prove myself. In fact, it was not about me at all. It was about the nation I love and our Constitution. My measure of success was not how much publicity I could attract, how swiftly I could accomplish it or how much hardship I endured - my only measure was completing the journey. I did that. Yes, it would have been nice if, through the effort, more people had had the oportunity to consider what I had to say, but I don't recall ever whining or crying about a lack of publicity. In fact, local media covered my walk clear across the country, thousands of people signed my petition, and upon arrival in D.C. I had the oportunity to meet for personal discussions with the offices of nine of our senators and representatives. My voice was heard. And in the process I received one additional unanticipated benefit - I now have a string of very dear friends stretching clear across the country.
By the way, I should also mention that I did not present myself to the good people at San Diego Magazine - they contacted me; and I am both honored and humbled to have been included in their annual feature.
Congratulations on your own walk. I hope that you won, well, whatever it is you win when you follow the rules.
Peace,
Bill McDannell
You're right...there are no 'rules' to travelling across the country...just ethics. And said to say, you've demonstrated you're lacking in that department. How so?
Well, first off...you admit in your journal that you left home with $30,000.00 and your website asks for donations! MMmm...
Next, a pic on your website plainly shows you carrying what appears to be a bedroll, yet you slept like a baby in a camper each night?
Then your comment about not wanting publicity? C'mon man...if you didn't want publicity, then why did you do it? Also, you mention with a sad tone in your writing that no one is "beating down your doors" to talk to you...and how about the day you met Cindy Sheehan in D.C.? YOu state that it became obvious that you weren't going to have a part in the events...
WOW! You contacted NINE of our senators and representatives? MMm, let's see...with 435 representatives and 50 senators, that means you contacted, let's see...HALF OF ONE PERCENT of our representatives? Yah...that would qualify for reasons for the media to contact you...or to put it another way...$30,000 when you left home....nine contacts...that means it cost almost $3400 dollars for each contact...yah, that's good use of the dollars.
Dear Mr. Nelson,
I'm not sure why I'm bothering, but point by point:
Yes, we left home with $30,000 - everything we had. We hoped that at the end of the walk we'd have something left to restart our lives, thus the desire for donations. And as you point out, none of this was a secret. Those who donated knew, just as you did, what our situation was.
From Lakeside to Yuma, and from Tucson to Van Horn, Texas, I was in fact completely on my own, carrying a backpack and sometimes sleeping under the stars. With everything else you gleaned from my journal it seems you should have been aware of this.
I did not say I didn't want publicity - I said I did not measure my success by the amount of publicity I attracted. Sure, I hoped many more people would find out about what I was trying to do and what I had to say - because I believe I have been offering a unique and rational perspective on the current actions of our leadership in Washington. But my only measure of success was completing the entire walk - and I did that.
I had personal, one-on-one meetings with the offices of nine of our senators and representatives while I was in Washington. I was very well received by every one of them during discussions that ranged from thirty minutes to an hour. Until you've actually tried to arrange a meeting like this I don't think you should belittle the accomplishment of having nine in a 30 day period of time. For someone with no connections whatsoever - and no money - I think I did pretty darn good.
If you want to try to belittle me further may I suggest that you contact me directly? You've been to the website, so you know how to get in touch with me. I doubt that other visitors here are terribly interested in all of this, so while I would be perfectly willing to engage in a private dialogue, this is the last time I'll respond to your public barbs.
Peace,
Bill McDannell
Heather Myers on your cover? What a joke. Not a role model for anyone to follow. This is a self-centered and self-serving young woman. What has Heather done for others, except report the news, a job for which she gets paid. Someone who backstabs her colleagues to get where she thinks she needs to go is no role model of mine. I am sorry but I will be watching something else in 2008. Someone who neglects her own family should not be on the cover of anything. I hope she soon comes down from her cloud and realizes what is really important in life.
Now Gary Aguirre deserved the cover. Someone who is remarkably honest, despite the reputation of his profession. I have friends who have worked with him and speak highly of him -- not your usual comment about attorneys these days.
Kudos, Gary! Hopefully the next cover is yours!
How did you pick Heather Myers for the cover anyway? This is like, the least interesting person of all 50 of them.
Wow SDSun, why are you so bitter toward Heather Myers? Did you ask her out and get rejected by her or something?
Heather's on the cover because she's HOT.
They just attempt to pick someone that is visually pleasing for the cover. Sometimes the most interesting person in San Diego isn't going to be the right person for the cover.