San Gabriel Valley Economic Partnership Appoints Luis Portillo

The San Gabriel Valley Economic Partnership is delighted to announce the appointment of Luis Portillo as its new President and CEO, effective December 16, 2021. The Partnership Board of Directors has unanimously chosen Portillo, who until recently served as Director of Public Policy for the Inland Empire Economic Partnership, to succeed Bill Manis, who retired this month.

“We are most fortunate that Luis Portillo has emerged as the outstanding candidate from a competitive field of several highly qualified applicants for this key leadership position,” said Alex Eng, Chair of the Partnership Board of Directors and Senior Vice President and Private Bank Market Leader at Bank of America. “His deep experience within the public policy realm and connections to local and Sacramento elected officials will be a huge asset to the Partnership. Among his many strengths, Luis has a strong connection to the San Gabriel Valley community, where he has spent much of his life, which will enable him to be an effective leader in helping the Partnership to move forward.”

Portillo brings more than 18 years of experience working in the public, private and nonprofit sectors. Previously, he managed the Inland Empire Economic Partnership’s advocacy efforts.  While there, he helped establish a grassroots coalition that brought together more than 20 business organizations throughout the Inland Empire to advocate on behalf of pro-growth economic policies. He also worked at Edison International, the parent company of Southern California Edison, as part of its Government Affairs team focusing on the analysis of legislation proposed in Sacramento and Washington, D.C.

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Luis also spent nine years working in the state capitol. There he served as a Senior Staff Member in the Office of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, led the Regulatory and Legislative Affairs Unit of the California Department of Consumer Affairs, and worked as a Senate Fellow/Legislative Aide in the State Senate.

He received a B.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in Information Management and a specialty in Computer Information Systems and a B.A. in Business Administration with a concentration in Management from California State University, San Bernardino.  “I am truly honored and extremely excited about taking on this opportunity with the Partnership, and serving our members,” Portillo said, stating his appreciation for the Board’s decision in selecting him as the new President and CEO. “This is an exciting time for the Partnership as the reopening of the San Gabriel Valley is really taking off – from healthcare, aerospace, bioscience, and tourism to what is taking place at the Ontario International Airport. This growth all equates to amazing economic opportunities for the San Gabriel Valley, and the Partnership plays a key role.”

The San Gabriel Valley Economic Partnership (SGVEP) is a regional, not-for-profit corporation supported and directed by its members and committed to the continued successful economic development of the San Gabriel Valley. A collaboration of businesses, local government, higher education institutions, and non-profits, the Partnership pursues this commitment through three key areas of focus: providing professional business assistance, advocating public policy, marketing the San Gabriel Valley, and facilitating workforce development. For more information, visit www.sgvpartnership.org.