Les White

Reducing budgets and downsizing organizations requires facing difficult personnel issues such as health and pension cost decisions, layoffs of staff, and then retooling the organization. This can be done through engagement of remaining staff in teambuilding and the restructuring and consolidation of services to cope with this new economic reality.

Les began his career in the City of Fresno, Ca. where he worked for the Redevelopment Agency and the Public Works Department. He then worked for the City of Riverside, Ca. and the Institute for Local Self Government in Berkeley, Ca. before becoming Assistant City Manager of Fullerton, Ca. and then Assistant City Manager of Fresno. After that he became City Manager of Fullerton, Ca. and later President of the Southwest Innovation Group in Anaheim, Ca., a research organization that searched for new trends and ways for local governments to do business.

Les was then hired as Assistant City Manager of San Jose, Ca. and subsequently became City Manager and most recently went back to San Jose as Interim City Manager.

He has served as the CEO of United Way Silicon Valley, as a Vice Chancellor of Administration for a community college and was the Executive Director of the Fort Ord Reuse Authority. He has been an interim city manager and department head in six cities.

Les has done independent consulting work for several cities and non-profits specializing in executive coaching, executive evaluations, organizational analysis and management training. He has authored a publication for management training entitled "Traits of Successful Managers" which appeared as part of an article entitled "Remembering Your Mentors" in ICMA's Public Management (June, 2003).

Some of the areas that Les has dealt with include downsizing four different cities, major layoff and budget reduction scenarios, creating five-year forecasting models, establishing team building processes, management coaching and evaluation processes, identifying a rectifying fiscal problems, creating one of the first environmental departments, as well as new agenda processes, sunshine provisions, and a variety of work plans for local governments, special districts and non-profits.

He is a member of ICMA and served on various committees for the League of California Cities and is currently on the board of the Institute for Local Government. He is a graduate of the American Leadership Forum executive management training program. Les has taught Public Administration at two state universities and two community colleges.

Mr. White is a graduate of Fresno State University with a degree in Public Administration and of the Fels Institute, University of Pennsylvania with a Master's of Government Administration.