Nell and John Wooden Ethics in Leadership Award Celebration
More than 200 community leaders gathered at The Modern on Nov. 6 to celebrate presentation of the annual Nell and John Wooden Ethics in Leadership Award.
Hosted by the Ukleja Center for Ethical Leadership at CSULB, the evening was filled with praise for 2025 award recipient, Jeff Levine, President and CEO of Long Beach Rescue Mission.
The $10,000 award is given annually to a person or organization whose contribution to a community – local, national, or global – is built on ethical behavior and visionary leadership, in honor of the Woodens, whose lives epitomized the Ukleja Center’s mission, vision, and values.
With compassion as his guide, Jeff Levine dramatically affects positive change by changing the trajectory of the lives of individuals and families struggling withhomelessness and addiction.
Janey Roeder, CSULB’s Ukleja Center for Ethical Leadership director said: “Like Coach Wooden, Jeff embodies the Ukleja Center’s core values of integrity, servant leadership, and empowerment.”
Ukleja Center for Ethical Leadership, photos from left: Greg Wooden, Janey Roeder, Louise Ukleja, Jeff Levine, Mark Suazo, and Mick Ukleja. (Courtesy photo)
Ukleja Center for Ethical Leadership, photos from left: Daniel Pollock, Nancy Luong, Greg Wooden, Janey Roeder, Louise Ukleja, Jeff Levine, Mark Suazo, and Mick Ukleja. (Courtesy photo)
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Ukleja Center for Ethical Leadership, photos from left: Greg Wooden, Janey Roeder, Louise Ukleja, Jeff Levine, Mark Suazo, and Mick Ukleja. (Courtesy photo)
The evening’s festivities began with a reception overlooking Long Beach Airport’s private jet runway with guests mingling while enjoying delicious hors d’oeuvres. Many corporatesponsors hosted a student and/or Cal State University Long Beach faculty member with their other guests, which made for especially lively table conversations.
Board chair Nancy Luong introduced CSULB’s acting president, Andrew Jones, and his wife, Elizabeth. She encouraged attendees to join her in embracing the center’s mission ofequipping people with the transformational power of ethical leadership.
College of Business Dean Mark Suazo echoed the center’s vision of having an ethics module in every CSULB course through its Ethics Across the Curriculum program. By awarding $3,000 stipends to faculty who integrate ethics modules into their classes, this vision is well on its way to becoming a reality. Over the past 20 years, the Ukleja Center has awarded more than $585,000 to more than 225 faculty members.
Daniel Pollock, a program graduate, shared the impact of the center’s Student Leadership Institute and how it strengthened his core values and built a strong foundation for ethicaldecision-making.
Center co-founder Louise Ukleja introduced Levine, whose talk focused on the power of forgiveness in transformational leadership. Major table sponsors received copies of Coach Wooden’s book, The Essential Wooden: A Lifetime of Lessons on Leaders and Leadership.
The inspirational evening culminated with presentation of the Nell and John Wooden Ethics in Leadership Award to Jeff Levine by co-founder Mick Ukleja and Greg Wooden, Nell and John’s grandson. Greg remarked that Jeff’s commitment to his faith, family, and community reminded him of his grandparents, who always focused on being of service to others. The evening concluded with Janey Roeder thanking everyone for their support of the event, which raised over $65,000 for Ethics Across the Curriculum at CSULB.
Seen at the Scene: Celeste Ahl, Michele Bivens, Laura Doud, Rose Gonzalez, Mark Guillen, CJ Harmatz, Doug Haubert, John Keisler, Lauren Levine, Bonnie Lowenthal, Bruce Mac Rae, Greg and Valerie Owen, Seiji Steimetz, Krista Suazo, and Sharon Weissman.
From left, Dr. James Wells, Shirley Wild, Anthony Gagliardi, Mari Hooper and Karen Wells at a special Steel Magnolias event at the Pinball Land/Pinnacle Entertainment Center in Santa Ana on Sunday, Oct. 13. (Courtesy photo)
R.I.P. Anthony Gagliardi
Tony Gagliardi was my close friend for well over a quarter of a century. I will miss him greatly, as will many others.
He is well-known throughout the community as a generous, talented, smart and successful businessman. A man with a big heart and an abundance of creative energy. He was a modest man who never sought the accolades that were offered in abundance.
He was loved for the man he was: kind, loving, generous in thought and deed. And he was fun. He liked nothing better than to entertain and share his beautiful home with friends andorganizations. He was a Founder and Chairman of the Board of the Steel Magnolias for over 20 years.
His productions for fundraising charitable groups became legendary. He had an enviable creative imagination, the know-how, energy and commitment to make things happen.
He was a staunch supporter of Musical Theatre West; the International City Theatre; and the Carpenter Center of the Performing Arts, creating many of the production hairstyling. He was exceptionally kind and supportive of cancer patients who required one of his wigs.
Tony was devoted to his large family above all else.
He will be deeply missed.
News of Social events with charitable purposes may be sent to Shirley Wild at spwild@verizon.net.