Andy Park, who has helmed Big Four accounting firm Ernst & Young’s Los Angeles operation in one way or another for nearly five years, took the gavel this month as board chair of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce.

Park takes chairmanship of the 136-year-old organization as the Los Angeles-area economy continues to prepare and evolve for a succession of world-stage events, including playing host to this summer’s FIFA World Cup, the Super Bowl and the 2028 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games. Relatedly, he is also a member of the Los Angeles Sports and Entertainment Commission advisory board.

“My parents came to this country with no money, no connections, but all the determination in the world,” Park wrote in a LinkedIn post. “They worked extremely hard so that my sister and I could have opportunities they never did. Taking on this new role with my mother and father in the audience was a special moment I’ll never forget.”

Now the Pacific South growth markets leader for EY, Park previously served as managing partner for the firm’s L.A. operation.

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Project Dynamo – a search, rescue, aid and assistance nonprofit founded in the wake of the American withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 – this month named Engense founder David Fernandez to its advisory board.

Fernandez founded Camarillo-based Engense in 2013. The company primarily produces DFNDR Armor, a brand of protective equipment with multiple U.S. Army research and development contracts. He comes from a family background in defense industry armoring – Fernandez’s father, David Sr., developed a fiber composite used in body armor via his prior company, Armacel.

With Project Dynamo, which conducted early air rescue missions from Afghanistan post-Taliban victory in 2021, Fernandez will provide advice on organizational strategy and operational foresight.

“David understands what it means to support people who operate where clarity and reliability are not optional,” said Mario Duarte, president and chief executive officer of Project Dynamo, in a statement. “That perspective will allow us to sharpen how we think, how we plan and how we manage risk in the environments where our teams operate.”