Chamber Fetes Arts Contributors

The name Medici means generous patron of the arts and literature and dates back to the family of rich, powerful Renaissance bankers, merchants and rulers of Florence and Tuscany. The Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, at its black-tie Medici Awards dinner at the J. Paul Getty Museum in Malibu, saluted six companies and their executives who make significant contributions to the arts.

The winners: Myron A. Friedman & Associates for its contribution to the Palos Verdes Community Art Assn.; Larry and Irving Gentler for All American Home Center’s contribution to the Downey Museum of Art; Raymond D. Edward for Glendale Federal Savings & Loan’s gifts to the Glendale Symphony Orchestra; Merle Hunt for David Abell Fine Pianos’ dedication to the Marina del Rey/Westchester Symphony; Eli Broad for Kaufman & Broad’s gifts to the Museum of Contemporary Art, and Robert Felton and Bernett McCellan for McKinsey & Co.’s connections with the Los Angeles Children’s Museum.

Former Medici award winner Wayne Ratkovich was dinner chairman. Others there were Diane Paton, executive director of the President’s Committee of the Arts and Humanities, and Caroline Leonetti Ahmanson, chairman of the chamber’s cultural resources committee. They chose First Lady Nancy Reagan to be honorary dinner chairman, much to the pleasure of David E. Anderson, the chamber’s chairman, and actress Barbara Bain, who presented the awards.

So what does art have to do with business? Robert B. Egelston, chairman of the Capital Group Inc., explains it very well. He and his partner, Jon B. Lovelace, greeted friends with Security Pacific National Bank’s chairman and CEO Richard J. Flamson III this week at the opening reception of “California Paintings and Sculpture from the Collection of the Capital Group.”

It’s currently showing to the public in the Gallery at the Plaza, 333 S. Hope St.

Says Egelston: “Our decision to build a small corporate collection started simply with the objective of visually enhancing our working environment. We soon saw, however, that with a certain additional commitment each year, we could move toward something more interesting and perhaps more important.”

He adds: “The process by which professional investors make portfolio decisions from a mix of facts and judgments and the process by which artists communicate new ways of seeing the world through their work have some striking similarities. Both spring from an abiding curiosity. Both take what is commonly available and add a special dimension. Both are fragile and often require courage--and encouragement--in expression. In an age where technology is becoming increasingly dominant, integrating the intuitive with the rational takes on more importance. Business decisions are shaped by more than pure rationality.”

The eclectic viewers of the wonderful Elmer Bischoff, John Altoon, David Park and Wayne Thiebaud, among the many artists, included Arco chief William Kieschnick, Peter Barker, who had completed a Goldman, Sachs & Co. (the stock brokerage firm) $100-million sale that day, Ron and Linda Hartwick (she’s elated about her new executive-search job with Korn/Ferry), the George Bensons from Claremont, the Music Center’s Michael Newton, Los Angeles Cultural Commissioner Merry Norris and art appraiser Esther Robles and her husband, Robert, who were among the early La Cienega gallery owners.

The warm evening--all night--was perfect for the strapless gowns, bangles and beads and all the twinkly lights Rose Mary Mitchell and Florist Milo Bixby concocted the other eve for Children’s Chain of Childrens Hospital’s friend-raising party at Eileen and Bill Zimmerman’s home. On the other hand, can we say it? The black-tie fellows were perspiring.

Were there more Westsiders, or more Eastsiders? Chairman Mrs. James Cheney didn’t know, but it was a superb mix with agile dancing very late into the night to Lew Malin’s Sounds of Music, the choice of Mrs. Randolph Stockwell.

Almost always on the dance floor were the newlywed Gregory Brundages, the James Youngs, the Ray T. McCulloughs, the Robert J. Lowes, the David B. Partridges, the Peter K. Barkers, the Paul Livadarys, the Russell Keelys, the Stephen R. Onderdonks, the John Sturgeons and the Robert Bakers (Cheryl is Chain chairman). More, too, were the James Bennetts, the John C. Sicilianos, the Arthur McClures, the James M. Galbraiths, the Henry Yosts, the James Youngs, the Ronald S. Hartwicks, the Sam Chews, the Stender Sweeneys, Susie and Tom Hollingsworth, Kathy and Bob Ray Offenhauser, Barbara and John Poer, Dick and Suzie Miller, Bob and Carolyn Volk, Angus and Lucy McBain, the Jack Blumenthals, the Paul Clarks, the Danford M. Bakers, the Sam Colemans, the William Drewrys III, the Richard Gordiniers, Judge and Mrs. Dickran Tevrizian, the Olin Barretts, the Llewellyn Millers.

The dessert table (Hallee Gould of Somerset Caterers) was so heavily laden with chocolate, it was, as always, sinful.

Awards and honors galore. Crowns are due:

The Hispanic Bankers Assn. honors Ignacio E. Lozano, publisher and editor of La Opinion and a Bank of America director, and Yvonne Santa Maria, president and CEO, Ponce de Leon Federal Savings & Loan Assn. of Florida, at its fifth annual recognition reception next Thursday on the 50th-floor executive dining room of Bank of America. James P. Miscoll is honorary chairman, with Cecilia Alatorre, Joe Bueno, Ralph C. Carmona, Irma Chavez, Mary Salinas Duron, Irene Oropeza, Joe Pichardo, David M. Ramirez, Estella Romero and Dilys Tosteson and Yolanda Duarte White involved.

Emmy Award winner John Ritter (USC theater arts graduate) and his wife Nancy Morgan Ritter receive the Bella Rackoff Humanitarian Award at the Women in Show Business Silver Anniversary Celebrity benefit ball Oct. 19 at the Century Plaza. Charlton Heston, Golden West producer Johnny Grant and Joanna Carson will help to honor the Ritters for their aid to children’s causes. . . .

Good Shepherd Hospice gives television star Michael Landon the first “The Rev. Kenneth D. Higginbotham Sr. Award” on Oct. 24 at the Century Plaza Hotel Towers in appreciation for his concern for the care for the terminally ill. The award, according to dinner co-chairmen Supervisor Kenneth Hahn and Darryl R. Miller, district manager, metropolitan division, Southern California Gas Co., is named in honor of the Reverend Higginbotham, rector of Christ the Good Shepherd Episcopal Church and founder of the hospice, the only one of its kind to provide such care in the inner city. . . .

USC Trojan Clubs hosted a “Special Trojan Family Welcome” on Wednesday evening at the Torrance Marriott to honor Jeff Keith, who lost a leg to cancer at age 12, yet completed a 3,000-mile run across the United States, raising $120,000 for the American Cancer Society.

Jeff will be attending graduate school at USC to obtain degrees in both law and business. During the same time, he hopes to swim the English Channel and compete in the Hawaiian Iron Man Triathlon. The “family” program includes Bud Furillo, John Naber, Cheryl Miller, Dr. Robert Schuller and the USC Pep Band and Song Girls--for a mix. . . .

This is a switch. Elbert E. Souders of Arcadia retired in July as superintendent of the Arcadia Unified School District, after 30 years with the district. He’ll stay close to home, becoming director of the Private Turf Club for the Santa Anita racing season, which starts Dec. 26. . . .

This week New Mexico invaded. Led by state Gov. Toney Anaya and Albuquerque Mayor Harry Kinney, a delegation of top New Mexico busines and industry leaders met with Los Angeles counterparts to attract Southern California capital investment to their state with fanfare over the current “Maya--Treasures of an Ancient Civilization” exhibit at the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History.

The group is duly proud that the Albuquerque Museum organized the exhibit, sponsored by both city and state economic groups. In the entourage, New Mexico Film Commission chief Paul Lazarus and Albuquerque film office head Jeanne Swain.