New commissioner on Economy & Efficiency Commission -- Arcadia resident

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

DATE:             1/11/10

 

CONTACT:      EDWARD ENG, Executive Director

CITIZENS' ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY COMMISSION

 

PHONE:               (213) 974-1491                                                                                      FAX:           (213) 620-1437     

 

 COMMISSIONER ARNE KALM HAS BEEN NOMINATED BY SUPERVISOR MICHAEL D. ANTONOVICH AND APPOINTED BY THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO

THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY CITIZENS’

ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY COMMISSION

 

Mr. Arne Kalm has been nominated by Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich and approved by the Board of Supervisors to be a commissioner on the Economy and Efficiency Commission.

 

Mr. Kalm is a retired financial consultant and investment banker.  He is the founder of American Baltic Capital, an investment partnership focused on Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, and founder-director of Cresco, a Tallinn, Estonia-based investment bank (1996-2006).  Mr. Kalm is also the President of First Arcadia Corporation, a merger & acquisition advisory firm, from 1984 to the present.  Formerly a business executive in oil & gas, investment and high technology industries, Mr. Kalm was previously a member of the State of California Employment Training Panel; past chairman and board member of Methodist Hospital of Southern California; former member of the Mechanical Engineering Advisory Committee at California State University – Long Beach, and; former president of Estonian League of the West Coast.  Mr. Kalm is currently the director of the Estonian-American National Council, serves as vice president of Americans for Congressional Action to Free the Baltic States, chairman of the Methodist Hospital Foundation, president of the Caltech Alumni Association, and national chairman of the Caltech Alumni Fund.

 

Mr. Kalm earned his B.S. and M.S. degrees in civil engineering from Caltech and received his M.B.A. from Harvard University.  Mr. Kalm and his wife Celia reside in Arcadia.

 

Upon his appointment, Mr. Kalm commented, “It is an honor to be appointed to the Los Angeles County Citizens’ Economy and Efficiency Commission, which has a distinguished reputation for excellence and serves as a model for citizen involvement in local government.  I look forward to participating as the Commission continues to explore various avenues for improving efficiency in County government.  Since we live in an age where technology has provided impetus to massive improvements in productivity throughout our society, we must continue to innovate by applying new technologies to various aspects of government operations.  This will achieve the double benefit of achieving cost savings through greater efficiency, while providing better service to constituents."

 

The Los Angeles County Citizens’ Economy and Efficiency Commission is charged with reviewing all aspects of management, operations and policies in County government.  It submits recommendations to the Board of Supervisors aimed at improving the economy, efficiency and effectiveness of government.

 

Over the years, the commission’s contributions to the historic Grand Jury Bifurcation; Succession Planning, Governance & Strategic Planning Studies and Recommendations have made an impact and difference in County Operations.

 

Created in 1964, the commission has 21 members, including the past Grand Jury foreperson and four individuals appointed by each of the five members of the Board of Supervisors. The members of this commission are appointed for a two-year term and provide their time to the County on a volunteer basis, serving without pay.