Beyond the Monochrome : Ueberroth appointment of Kinsey adds to Rebuild L.A.’s reach

The appointment of Bernard W. Kinsey, a former top executive of Xerox, as chief operating officer of Rebuild L.A. sends the right signal. It means that chairman Peter V. Ueberroth has listened to the reasonable appeal to broaden the leadership of the group charged with remaking Los Angeles after the civil strife that tore the city apart.

Kinsey, 48, an African-American, has a long record of commitment to opening the doors of opportunity to more people of color. Kinsey said that he is a believer in meritocracy--and in making sure there is a large and diverse pool of excellence in the work force. That’s essential if a manager truly wants to choose the best America has to offer.

In describing how he plans to administer the day-to-day operations of Rebuild L.A., Kinsey said: “I’ll have an organization where the No. 1 characteristic is competence, people that are sharp and have values of inclusion, not exclusion, people interested in the common good who can see the good in other people.”

That’s the kind of positive statement that makes his appointment a hopeful sign.

Ueberroth last week also expanded the board of Rebuild L.A. to include more African-Americans, Latinos, Asian-Americans and women, after much community criticism that the panel was decidedly male and monochromatic.

Ueberroth has said he may add more people to the board; we suggest he do just that, trying harder to acquire not just top executives and well-connected activists but more grass-roots voices.

Bernard Kinsey, who overcame racial obstacles and did very well without forgetting from whence he came, seems well suited to help pull off the difficult and thorny task of breathing new life into a beleaguered and divided Los Angeles.