BURBANK HIGH SCHOOL GENTLEMEN’S OCTET

Burbank High School’s Gentlemen’s Octet is an a capella group of eight young men. This year’s group features Senior Christopher Aguirre, Senior Brandon Powell, Junior Noah Damasen, Junior Nathan Mai, Junior Travis Nichols, Sophomore Jonathan Coleman, Sophomore William Rodriguez, and Sophomore Eric Serna. They are under the direction of Mr. Brett Carroll, the musical director at Burbank High, and alumni Erin McGuire, who arranges the group’s music.

More About Burbank High School’s Gentlemen’s Octet at: https://www.bhsvocal.com

Check their performance calendar to enjoy the group in-person. The group can also be hired to perform at private parties, sporting events & celebrations.

CHRISTY WILHELMI

Christy Wilhelmi empowers people to grow their own food, to be more self-reliant, and to reduce pollution and waste, one garden at a time.

Christy is author of Gardening for Geeks, and founder of Gardenerd, the ultimate resource for garden nerds, where she publishes information-packed monthly newsletters, weekly blog posts, and podcasts. She also specializes in small-space, organic vegetable garden design and consulting. She holds regular organic gardening classes in California, and has co-taught organic gardening at the Esalen Institute in Big Sur, CA. Christy has been a board member of Ocean View Farms Organic Community Garden in Mar Vista, California since 1999, and gardens almost entirely with heirloom vegetables.

Between 70-80 percent of her family’s produce comes from her garden of less than 200 square feet. Her writing has appeared in Edible Los Angeles magazine, Edible Westside magazine, The Good Food Blog, and LowImpactLiving and the Mar Vista Farmers’ Market Wrap-Up for Patch.

Christy’s newest book, 400+ Tips for Organic Gardening Success: A Decade of Tricks, Tools, Recipes, and Resources from Gardenerd.com was published in 2017 on Amazon. She lives in Los Angeles, CA with her husband, some chickens and two gardens.

Frank St. James is well known for his work with many local police and investigative authorities. He appeared on The Psychic Detectives, as well as the Bio Show on A&E Cable, and is also a top radio personality. He was once a detective, has worked with the FBI, and the answers he gives are usually spot on! Frank is very popular at the New Jersey Psychic Fairs and books out quickly.

Julian is a champion of organic farming, and a hands-on President of the International Coalition to Protect the Polish Countryside.  He and his partner co-launched a highly successful ‘Campaign for a GMO Free Poland’ while leading a high profile defense of peasant farmers who he holds-up as the true guardians of biodiversity throughout the world.  Regular listeners to BBC radio 4′s Framing To-Day will have heard Julian’s 2007 series of once monthly “Letters from Poland” passionately highlighting the crisis provoked by forcing ‘corporate globalization’ onto traditional family farming communities.  As a result, there are now GMO FREE zones established in Poland, leading the way throughout the global community.

Additionally, Julian is a brilliant author whose articles pierce to the very core of one’s being:  “Reverse-Engineering the Illuminati”  and "Learning from indigenous wisdom and knowledge– To change society a cultural revolution in activism is needed".  His first book is called Changing Course for Life.  His new book is available at Amazon Books this month: “In Defense of Life:  Essays on a Radical Reworking of Green Wisdom.  You can find all of his material, books, research and thoughts on his website:

www.julianrose.info

Douglas Newsom is co-founder and CEO of BBS Network, Inc. (BBS Radio)

I am also a traveler, excited at new things, enjoying the experience, and living in the moment! I am a reader, writer and poet, with an entrepreneurial, mathematical mind. I love to theorize, think and meditate, but I hope not to miss an opportunity for play!

I am a kind and romantic soul, with a grand zest for life and the desire for exploration. I am humorous and thought provoking with old fashioned manners. I enjoy fine wine, unique cuisine, and conversations about unusual subjects.

I am a spiritual person. I am a true believer in diversity and synergy, and the power of thought! I believe everything ever created has purpose, is perfect, and will change!

I have reached higher levels of consciousness; increasing my capacity to love and be aware in the present; to understand information quickly and to connect to all that is.

I have used meditation to gain i, and I accept people for who they are. But I do not hang around forever! I am too complex, too intelligent, and too quickly bored.

I love to work with my hands; woodworking, landscaping, and just about any home project. I build companies for a living, so it’s no different with other creative outlets, I like to build! When an activity allows me to drift without thinking or stress, like wood working or playing an instrument, it’s a treasure.

My humor is abundant, intense and often dry.

If someone’s emotions are indiscernible to the naked eye, and yet every action they take, or movement they make, is on a comic par with John Cleets – I’m their huckleberry! But, if you’ve stopped laughing at yourself, allow me! I’m still bemused by seeing a lady turn down a polite request to dance! If I find you’ve stubbed your toes, because you over-paid for a trendy pair of shoes, or purchased a size too small to fit, I will laugh! I find that quite funny really!!

If survival depends on scheming, plotting, thinking, and wondering how to guard yourself, get your piece, and do it fast! Don’t make me spank you!

I prefer to hang among those whom Aristotle would have found interesting!

My faults (and this is tough to write about): I sometimes lack patience. I can appear somewhat aloof. I allow others to walk on me at times. I am extremely outgoing, but I rarely do extracurricular activities, perhaps because lately I’ve put too much emphasis into work and not enough into life. I can be stubborn. I am a charmer. I’m self actualized so I often overlook or reluctantly listen to stories of woe. I am just too damn optimistic. I am somewhat old fashioned, and may be  too much of a romantic, because I like to open doors, pull out chairs, and walk on the correct side of a sidewalk. And, whether I can afford it or not, I usually pay the tab!

Doug is Kundalini Experiencer! A keen, bright eyed participant of thought and activity. A unique soul traveling new roads - deeper, more aware and full of Energy!

40 years experience in corporate business development from inception through till profitability and/or fully operational status. A creative, operations and entrepreneurial background; responsible for the successful creation, startup, management and development of a veritable dozen companies over the course of his career, and has raised in excess of $25 million in private equity on behalf of start-ups.

Deep experience in corporate finance; financial structures, funding strategies, methods, planning and structural implementation.

Deep experience in public relations, investor relations and the development and creation of investment materials.

Deep experience in research, organization, formulation, writing and implementation of business plans, offerings and agreements for the formulation of corporations, joint ventures, associations, partnerships and limited liability companies.

Background in sales and marketing of consumer products.

Advanced communication and problem solving skills.

Proficiency in computer hardware, software and the Internet Web development.

Specialties: Bilingual - German

L  O  R  E  T  T  A

S  W  I  T

THE LEGENDARY TV ICON CHATS ABOUT M*A*S*H

AND THE SWITHEART ANIMAL ALLIANCE MISSION

TO END ANIMAL SUFFERING AND CRUELTY

Award-winning actress and activist and recipient of the 2017 BETTY WHITE Award from Actors & Others for Animals, Loretta Swit, has released “SWITHEART: The Watercolour Artistry & Animal Activism of Loretta Swit” in conjunction with the 45th anniversary year of M.A.S.H., and the role that brought her international acclaim as   Major Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan.



SwitHeart chronicles the artwork of TV Icon Loretta Swit, a true champion of the animal kingdom. Watercolorist, award-winning animal activist and actress, Ms. Swit is renowned for her starring role on TV's most honored series, M*A*S*H, for which she won two EMMY's and worldwide acclaim.  SwitHeart includes 65 full-color paintings and drawings.  Proceeds from the book will be donated to charities and programs that are as dedicated, as Ms. Swit and the SwitHeart Animal Alliance are to ending animal suffering and cruelty.



Loretta Swit: Ms. Swit, known worldwide for her iconic starring role on TVs M*A*S*H, is an animal activist and artist who has combined her passions to create a beautiful new book that celebrates her artwork and her love of animals. Proceeds from this book will be donated to Ms. Swit's tireless campaign to end animal suffering and cruelty. Ms. Swit has devoted decades to animal-related causes and is a strong advocate for animals and animal rights.  In September, she was awarded the 2016 Global Wildlife Conservation Champion Award by the GES Africa Conservation Fund for her support of animal conservation efforts, kindness, compassion and generosity.  

This December Ms. Swit will accept The Betty White Award from Actors and Others for Animals, their highest honor, “for all she has done to protect and care for animals.” What many fans may not know about the multi-talented thespian is that Ms. Swit has been an artist from age six. 'SwitHeart' ($49.95 / Hardcover / 2017) documents her animal portraits along with descriptive anecdotes about each and her extensive philanthropic work. Ms. Swit recently said, “I'm thrilled to see my passion for animals and my passion for art merge in a book that will help benefit and protect the animals on our planet.” For decades, Ms. Swit has supported the efforts of a wide variety of the best and most effective animal advocacy groups and programs with live appearances, promotional campaigns, endorsements, interviews, photo ‘ops’, documentary footage, cash donations, and steadfast encouragement.

 Ms. Swit has earned the respect of both the general public and the philanthropic world for her continuous humanitarian work.

SwitHeart Animal Alliance’s mission is to prevent cruelty and end animal suffering. This is realized through donations, the promotion of and cooperation with numerous non-profit organizations and programs that protect, rescue, train, and care for animals and preserve their habitat, while raising public awareness about issues that concern domestic, farm, exotic, wild, and native animals and their well-being.  

“How wonderful that Loretta can use her talent to do so much good.”

- Angela Lansbury



“Her pictures are created as much with her compassion and dedication as they are with her talent and artful vision.”

- Alan Alda



“Loretta's paintings touch us... the joy of the intimacy, the touch of fur, feather, warm breath, the awe she must feel at creating something so simple yet so unimaginably, breathtakingly complex.”

- Mike Farrell

“It's clear she has given her passion to the animals and to the arts. She makes me proud. But I still covet this woman... must be her animal magnetism.”

- Ed Asner

PURCHASE SWITHEART:

The Watercolour Artistry & Animal Activism of Loretta Swit

By Loretta Swit

Published by Ultimate Symbol / Publication Date: June, 2018

Hardcover Price: $49.95 / Pages: 128 / 65 Color images

available at amazon.com

SwitHeart chronicles the artwork of TV icon Loretta Swit, a true champion of the animal kingdom. Watercolorist, award-winning animal activist and actress, Ms. Swit is renowned for her starring role on TV s most honored series, M*A*S*H, for which she won two EMMYs and worldwide acclaim.

What many fans may not know about the multi-talented thespian is that Ms. Swit has been an artist from age six. SwitHeart documents her animal portraits along with descriptive anecdotes about each and her extensive philanthropic work. Ms. Swit said, "I am thrilled to see my passion for animals and my passion for art merge in a book that will help benefit and protect the animals on our planet."

SwitHeart includes 65 full-color paintings and drawings, as well as 22 photographs. Proceeds from the book will be donated to charities and programs that are as dedicated, as Ms. Swit is, to ending animal suffering and cruelty.

You can also purchase A Needlepoint Scrapbook Paperback – Released October 21, 1986 also available at amazon.com

SLIM MAN (aka SLIM MANICOTTI)

2018! It’s been a good year so far for the Slim Man!

He just won Best Jazz Vocalist at the Coachella Music Awards! Third year in a row. Threepeat!

How did Mr. Man arrive at this point? What’s the skinny on Slim Man?

It’s a long story. Settle in, Slim People…

When he was 5 years old, Slim Man’s dad showed him a movie. That film was The Five Pennies, and when Young Slim Boy saw Louis Armstrong play the trumpet and sing, he told his Dad, ”That’s what I want to do.”

Slim Man studied trumpet for the next 9 years, and also taught himself how to play piano and guitar. After studying classical piano, composition, and harmony at Peabody Institute of Music in Baltimore, MD, Slim Man got signed as a songwriter to Motown Records. He’s had songs recorded by the Temptations, Angela Bofill, Carl Anderson, and other artists.

Slim Man also recorded a CD for Motown, which gave birth to his signature style–a unique blend of jazz, soul, and pop..

Slim Man went on to form the band BootCamp,who had two of the first 100 videos ever played on MTV. Those videos catapulted BootCamp into a successful concert career, performing with The Tubes, TheB-52s, Squeeze, Split Enz, Johnny Winter, and tons of others.

After BootCamp broke up, Slim Man organized and hosted a nationwide talent contest sponsored by Marlboro. It was during this contest that he got the nickname Slim Man. Slim’s big discovery during the talent contest was in Tulsa, Oklahoma, at a honky tonk called Tulsa City Limits.

The guy who won the contest that night was named Ronnie Dunn, who went on to win the national finals in Nashville, and later hooked up with Kix Brooks to form the multiple Grammy award-winning country music duo, Brooks and Dunn.

Slim Man then started writing songs for Brian Jack, a singer from a band called Child’s Play. The 12-song CD that Mr. Man wrote and produced landed Brian Jack a management contract with Dee Anthony (Frampton, J. Geils, Basia) and a recording contract with Epic Records, but the record company decided to cut Slim Man out of the deal.

Undaunted, Mr. Man went back into the studio, re-recorded some of the songs, and released his debut CD End of the Rainbow. This CD made many Top Ten lists for the year, and inspired JD Considine (Rolling Stone) to write…

“A near-perfect example of how jazz and soul can be combined as pop.”

That started the ball rolling, and it hasn’t stopped since. Slim Man has released 12 CDs; the latest is called “Young at Heart”. It’s a collection of Rat-Packin’, toe-tappin’ swinging songs from the 60s that sound like Vegas at the height of coolness.

In the late 1990s, Slim Man started another band, Bona Fide, an instrumental group whose combination of funk and jazz brought forth the Number One single “XRay Hip”. Bona Fide received the Best New Artist Award at the Smooth Jazz Awards. They’ve released 4 CDs, the latest produced by Marc Antoine.

Not content with just writing music, Slim Man has written screenplays, the latest of which, Marlboro Men, is currently being pitched around Hollywood.

Slim Man recently released a cookbook, Slim Man Cooks, which features 52 recipes of his own creation, and 52 funny stories about growing up Slim. There are links in the cookbook to more than 50 cooking videos.

And we thought we’d close with this…Slim Man sang for Pope John Paul II at the Vatican on Christmas Day, 1999.

ERROL GERSON

Curriculum Vitae –Errol Gerson:

Professional practice:

Errol Gerson is the Managing Partner at The Gerson Group Consultants, with offices in Los Angeles, London and Johannesburg, South Africa. The Gerson Group provides strategic Management consulting services to mid-size to large enterprises – specializing in strategic Financial Management planning, Strategic Tax planning, Succession Planning, Strategic Marketing and Management, Merger and Acquisition Strategies and Blue Ocean Strategy consulting.

After graduation from the University of Southern California (BS Accounting 1970, MBA Finance and Management 1972) Gerson worked in public accounting and Consulting for the first 6 years of his career. In 1978 he went out on his own and founded a Business Management and Accounting company which began with one employee, and ended up with over 80 employees in two states. He sold the company to his partners and so-founded cow, the first Interactive Design firm in the US in 1992 and subsequently sold his share to investors in 1998.

Gerson was then recruited to joining Creative Artists Agency in 1998 as Director of New Media Consulting, and was there until he was recruited to become the COO of the National Lampoon Television network which he ran for five years. Since leaving the Lampoon, he has been the Principal of the Gerson Group until today.

Educational Practice:

As an educator Errol Gerson has been teaching Business Management, Entrepreneurship and Leadership for Designers at the world-renowned Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, for the past 47 years. Errol has now taught some 6,500 students over a period of more than 141 continuous semesters at Art Center. During his tenure at Art Center, Errol Gerson has been the recipient of numerous Great Teacher awards, culminating with him being the recipient of the ‘first’ Legacy teaching Award given in 2006 for 100 semesters of teaching. Gerson teacher both The Entrepreneurial Spirit as well as Business 101, a course which was mandatory for most students for over 25 years. The course covered all aspects of operating, running and growing a ‘design based’ business, but the course content is applicable to virtually any and every small business. The advanced ‘Spirit of Entrepreneurship’ course is limited to 25 -30 students who have a desire to learn how to develop and grow an enterprise venture. Gerson also teaches a new course at Art Center called, “The Art and Practice of Leadership” which focuses on preparing designers for long-term leadership roles in their chosen field.

Errol Gerson has also guest lectured at his Alma Mater USC-Marshall, The Drucker School of Management at Claremont Graduate School, the Kelly School of Business at Indiana University, Cal-State Northridge and many other colleges and universities. He lectures on Negotiation Strategies, Blue Ocean Strategies, Sales and Marketing, Wealth Creation, and other related areas of business. He has taught professional seminars for the A.I.G.A., Advertising Photographers of America, Society of Illustrators, Industrial Design Society of America, Wedding Photographers International and others. Gerson has been widely published on a myriad of subjects related to the Business of Design, The Role of Design in Society, The basics of Entrepreneurship, Success and Motivation strategies, Goal setting and Life planning. Many of these articles can be found in LinkedIn, The Huffington Post, the AIGA quarterly, American Management Association, Journal of Social Science Review and others.

Gerson is on the Board of several local charities in Southern California, served as an officer of The USC-MBA association, The American Institute of Graphic Artists where he is the Senior Adviser) and also Mentors students each semester at the Art Center. He is a passionate golfer, avid English football (soccer fan) and is in the process of writing his first academic book entitled, ‘MOTIV8’ – the 8 Steps to keep constantly motivated. Gerson was awarded the prestigious “Fellow” award by the A.I.G.A. in 2017 recognising his decades of contribution to design education. Errol Gerson was born and raised in Johannesburg South Africa, where after high School he attended the University of the Witwatersrand studying accounting, prior to immigrating to the United States in 1966. Gerson received a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Southern California (USC) in 1970, and subsequently earned an MBA at USC in 1972 majoring in Finance and Management. Mr. Gerson has also completed extensive coursework (non degree) in Management, Finance, Tax law, Psychology, Business Law, and attended the Harvard Negotiation Project

Gerson is on the Board of several local charities in Southern California, served as an officer of The USC-MBA association, The American Institute of Graphic Artists where he is the Senior Adviser) and also Mentors students each semester at the Art Center. He is a passionate golfer,avid English football (soccer fan) and is in the process of writing his first academic book entitled, ‘MOTIV8’ – the 8 Steps to keep constantly motivated. Gerson was awarded the prestigious “Fellow” award by the A.I.G.A. in 2017 recognising his decades of contribution to design education. Errol Gerson was born and raised in Johannesburg South Africa, where after high Schoolhe attended the University of the Witwatersrand studying accounting, prior to immigrating to the United States in 1966. Gerson received a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Southern California (USC) in 1970, and subsequently earned an MBA at USC in 1972 majoring in Finance and Management.Mr. Gerson has also completed extensive coursework (non degree) in Management, Finance,Tax law, Psychology, Business Law, and attended the Harvard Negotiation Project