Executive to Be Honored at Gala

Telling Lynn Effinger that he can’t do something is like waving a red flag in front of a bull. He scuffs his heels, looks you straight in the eye, and charges ahead.

That’s a good thing for March of Dimes since Effinger helped raise $27,000 for the organization this year, making him the top individual fund-raiser for the Los Angeles area WalkAmerica program.

Effinger, 48, will be honored as the 1999 Southern California Chapter March of Dimes Real Estate Industry Man of the Year at a gala tonight at the Universal Hilton Hotel.

“When I was a child, I had to cross the street when I saw kids coming, because I didn’t like being called names,” said Effinger, who was born with only one hand. “I developed a belief early on that I could either sit in my room and feel sorry for myself, or go out and do what I want to do and grab life. I like the choice I made.”

So do those who know him best.

“Lynn has all the characteristics that make a good individual: He’s loyal, responsible, he’s an overachiever,” said Sid Kibrick, a business colleague and co-chairman of tonight’s event. “When he walks into a room, he’s the leader. He goes the extra mile to help people. I would trust him with anything that was important.”

Effinger said he developed his strong determination to succeed as a high school student when he was discouraged from playing football by most of his coaches.

“I noticed that the most admired guys on campus were the football players, and I knew that I wanted to play,” Effinger said. “Sports eventually helped me earn self-respect and acceptance from my peers, and it really turned my life around.”

Under the training of a sympathetic coach, Effinger eventually joined the varsity team, for which he played fullback. He played the same position at Long Beach City College, but gave up the sport after he married his high school sweetheart, Kathleen, with whom he has raised three children.

Despite his success as a lumber company salesman, Effinger missed the camaraderie and excitement of football. So at 22, he began a rigorous training regimen and tried out for the Orange County Rhinos, a semiprofessional team with which he played for about a year. He quit after suffering a knee injury.

“The experience taught me the value of hard work and setting goals,” Effinger said. “I’ve applied those skills to my career, and everything else I’ve accomplished.”

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For the past 20 years, Effinger has worked as a consultant to builders, developers and real estate companies and is currently a vice president of the real estate division of a large bank. He also is in demand as a motivational speaker, which allows him to bring his success story to schools and business seminars.

Closest to his heart, though, is his work for March of Dimes, which funds research and community-service programs that help prevent birth defects and infant mortality.

“Lynn’s overcome his own adversity and is eager to help others,” said Greg Doran, a March of Dimes board member. “He realizes that there’s nothing more admirable than helping babies. He’s there to let others know they can make a difference, despite what they’re dealt.”

Effinger’s reasons for participating are simple: “There have always been people around to tell me I couldn’t do something. I’ve proved them wrong. I want to help others find that out too.”