Keeping an eye on city coffers
The gig: As city treasurer, De Foor serves as the primary banker, investor and custodian of public funds for Los Angeles and oversees its $7.5-billion investment program.
Education: Bachelor’s in business administration, University of Notre Dame; MBA, USC
On her resume: City treasurer and revenue officer for the city of Long Beach; interim treasurer for the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority; senior management consultant for accounting firm Deloitte & Touche
First jobs: As a teenager, De Foor worked at a call center soliciting donations for the American Red Cross. Her salary? “Less than a dollar an hour.” Later, she sold vacuum cleaners door to door.
Noteworthy fact: De Foor was a member of the first freshman class at the University of Notre Dame to admit women.
Dream job as a kid: The Yogi Berra fan wanted to be an attorney or general manager of the New York Yankees.
Dream job now: An executive finance board member for the U.S. Olympic Committee
No-turning-back moment: While working for the MTA in the late 1990s, De Foor said, she helped structure a finance deal that saved the organization about $25 million. “It made me feel like what I did could make a difference.”
Number of times wanted to quit: “Probably more times than I can count.”
First big purchase: “I don’t think I ever made one.”
Advice: “Stay grounded. Whether that grounding is your family or your friends or your mentor, just realize that we’re talking careers; we’re not talking about your life.”
