Bakersfield Life

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Who's Next?

Bakersfield’s community leaders have certainly been impressive over the past several decades. They have developed the city from a small town into a bustling municipality that might not be perfect, but is good enough for hordes of people from across the nation to want to move here. But as time goes by, these same leaders step down, one by one, allowing someone else to take over their place in local government, business or the nonprofit world.
There are plenty of these new leaders in their own right throughout the city, but Bakersfield Life sat down with nine of these future leaders to look at what currently drives them and what they see for themselves and the city in the future.
What we found shows that Bakersfield is in good hands. This group is young, bright, intelligent, and most of all, eager to give back to the city that has given them so much. Bakersfield Life takes this time to recognize and highlight the next generation of leaders in Bakersfield. These are the people to watch in the next several decades. See them here now, and watch them grow into our leaders in the future.

Tory Brandt
Executive National Vice President
Arbonne

Tory Brandt isn’t a typical community leader. Sure, she is an active member of the Junior League and is involved at Stockdale Country Club, but this 41-year-old mother of two helps the community in a much different way than most – she helps them become successful.
Brandt is an impressive Executive National Vice President for Arbonne, an international health and beauty products company. Brandt’s job is simply to help other Arbonne consultants be successful. “I’m always looking around for more people in Bakersfield I can help and change their lives,” Brandt said. “I give people the opportunity to have a multi-million dollar company but be a stay-at-home mom or dad at the same time.”
Involvement in Junior League has been key for Brandt. Sitting on the board over the past year as membership co-director has continued her love of giving back, whether to other Arbonne consultants or to Bakersfield in general. “I love giving back to the community,” Brandt said. “The women are amazing there and the connections and friendships I’ve made are amazing, too.”
Brandt is currently in Montana for the summer with her husband Dave and two boys Jack Henry and Hayden, but when she returns, it will be back to assisting others in helping their dreams come true through Arbonne while helping the community improve overall through Junior League.

Joe Hay
Commercial Sales Manager
Jim Burke Ford

At just 29 years old, the knowledge of running one of Bakersfield’s most well-respected businesses might be overwhelming, but Joe Hay takes that current position at Jim Burke Ford in stride. The Notre Dame graduate moved back to Bakersfield three years ago to get involved in running the business.
With his most recent experience coming straight out of college at the Ford Motor Company, Hay understands the auto business well. But the amount of work involved in making Jim Burke Ford run every day was still a bit surprising. “I hate to say it, but making this place run well takes a lot of work,” Hay said.
Preparing to run a business isn’t the only thing that Hay has interest in. The Bakersfield High graduate came home with an intention to stay in Bakersfield permanently and make the city the best it can be. “As the city expands, I want to help serve the needs of the community,” Hay said. “I like to pick something and see it moving forward. My dad and grandpa did a lot in that regard as well.”
Hay isn’t just talking, either. His commitment to the city includes recently joining the board for the Bakersfield Museum of Art Foundation, and he volunteers at Franklin School in a Kern County Superintendent of Schools reading program. He also recently graduated from the Greater Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Bakersfield program.

Rick Peace
Founder/President
White Wolf Land Services

Rick Peace might be the senior member of this group, but he might also be the most young-at-heart. Peace’s late run into a key leadership role in Bakersfield came because of a late return to college, but there might not be a person more involved in helping the city more than the 52-year old Peace.
“There are international problems and so much of our efforts go there,” Peace said. “Those are certainly worthy causes, but gosh, we have problems in our own backyard to take care of. I was born and raised here and I’m not going to change. I love Westchester Bakersfield and I’m here for the long haul.”
The long haul for Peace means not only continuing to run White Wolf Land Services, his land consultant business, but also continue to organize the annual Brews in the Village to benefit his nonprofit organization, Children’s Advocates Resource Endowment. Peace also organized the first Relay for Life in California and has served as an officer and volunteer for the Bakersfield Association of Professional Landmen since 1998 and has been its president, vice president of activities and events, vice president of memberships and meetings, and secretary.
Truly a role model for anyone seeking involvement in the community, Peace was able to sum up his future in one sentence: “I think I’m just going to continue to stay involved everywhere I can; maybe even get more involved.”
If that’s the case, the city of Bakersfield will certainly benefit.

David Blaine
Partner
Klein, DeNatale, Goldner, Cooper, Rosenlieb & Kimball, LLP

At just 43 years of age, David Blaine has combined his legal and human resources expertise to run KDG Human Resource Solutions, a division of the Klein, DeNatale, Goldner, Cooper, Rosenlieb & Kimball, LLP law firm. That combination of being an employment lawyer and having human resources experience at a bank gives him unique experience in solving complex employment issues.
But there’s a lot more to Blaine than just his work. He’s involved with Black Gold Productions, the Bakersfield Business Network, the Greater Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce labor and employment committee, and SHRM, a society for human resource management. He even coaches soccer for the YMCA.
This Garces High graduate left Bakersfield to earn his bachelor’s degree at Cal Poly and his law degree at the University of San Francisco School of Law. But he returned to Bakersfield for a single reason. “It’s changed since I grew up. Instead of people going away and not coming back, people are going away and bringing back well-educated spouses. It’s really making Bakersfield a well-rounded city. We have all of the things that are necessary to make Bakersfield a wonderful place to live. We have the raw materials, we just need to focus and refine.”

Jeff Giumarra
Assistant Controller
Giumarra Vineyards Corporation

When Jeff Giumarra moved away to attend college at Claremont McKenna, he stayed in Los Angeles for work. But he always knew in the back of his mind that he would be moving back to Bakersfield to run his family’s impressive business. The business, which grows everything from table grapes to potatoes, citrus and more, has always been where his heart is.
“I always had an intention of moving back, it was just a matter of when,” Giumarra said. “The opportunity presented itself and I took it. It was a good time.”
The 32-year old Bakersfield High graduate is quick to point out that the business will not be exclusively his in the future. Anyone who has spent any time in the area knows that the Giumarra family is a big one. The business is currently run by the second generation of Giumarras – Jeff’s father and his cousins – and at some point that will transition to Jeff and his cousins.
He is looking to balance involvement in the community, involvement in the family business and involvement with his family for the foreseeable future, while getting involved in other areas as more time presents itself. Giumarra’s current involvement away from the business and family might seem like not very much to him, but it is impressive on its own. He is on the board for the Kern County Economic Development Corporation and his wife is involved in the Junior League.
“Between two young boys, work and my running regimen, it doesn’t leave a lot of time,” Giumarra said. “But I’m on the board for the Kern EDC. I’d like to see our economy grow and get better and keep raising the bar. This is one way I can help see that happen.”


Gino Valpredo
Owner/Manager
Luigi’s

Gino Valpredo has seemingly done it all. He was a local football star at Garces High and went on to play for Pac-10 power Arizona State in college. And after graduation, his thoughts were miles away from Bakersfield while living a great life in Santa Barbara. But, life called an audible at the line of scrimmage to bring Valpredo home.
“My dad called me and asked me to come home and run the business,” Valpredo said. “I hadn’t planned on it. I never thought I’d be in it. But my mom and dad asked me to come home and help and see if I like it, so here I am.”
The 38-year old is now running a Bakersfield legend that is known as much for its historical décor as it is for its ½ & ½. While he wasn’t planning on coming back home while living in Santa Barbara, he’s not planning on leaving Luigi’s at all now. His plans for the future are to keep the restaurant at the same quality level as it always has been and not change too much, but also keep it as updated as possible. He would also like to acquire the building next door to house a bigger kitchen and make more room for private parties at night.
Valpredo is involved in the community by furnishing food for charities from the restaurant, and he certainly knows the restaurant’s legendary status in the city. “I tell everybody every day that I’m blessed,” Valpredo said. “This place has been here since 1910. My grandfather started something special here. I count my blessings every day. This is a great business to have.”

Vincent Fong
District Representative
Congressman Kevin McCarthy

Despite being raised by parents who he described as “apolitical,” 28-year-old Vincent Fong has jumped into the political arena headfirst and is finding more ways to be involved. As District Representative to Congressman Kevin McCarthy, Fong is McCarthy’s eyes and ears in the district, as well as being McCarthy’s spokesman at times while helping to coordinate district events and activities.
Those apolitical parents were key to Fong’s political involvement. The West High graduate was attending UCLA and desired a summer at home, but his parents wouldn’t allow it unless he had a job. “It just happened that Bill Thomas sent out a press release about internships, so I got an internship and worked in the Bakersfield office doing constituent casework.”
He’s been hooked ever since, working in Washington D.C. on the Ways and Means Committee for Thomas before returning to Bakersfield to eventually work for McCarthy. He was also recently elected to the Kern County Republican Central Committee.
Fong’s future is uncertain. In fact, a UCLA professor told him to plan his next five years on a piece of paper, then crumple it up and throw it away because it’s never going to happen as expected. He’s enjoying working with McCarthy, but he isn’t ruling out the possibility of entering public service.
“If I was fortunate enough for something like that to present itself, that would be great, but I’m perfectly happy doing what I do now,” Fong said. “If there are other opportunities to serve the community, though, I’d entertain that.”

Michael Rubio
Fifth District Supervisor
Kern County

There might not be anyone at 30 years old in Bakersfield who is more involved in the community than Shafter High graduate Michael Rubio, but that’s hardly surprising considered his life in public service as Kern County Fifth District Supervisor.
He credits his parents for his interest in public service. “My parents raised me and instilled in me the importance of participating in government to make it work better and to make the world a better place,” he said.
Rubio’s resume is already impressive. He was selected to work for the Department of Justice under President Clinton before returning to Kern County to work under Senator Dean Florez. He was then elected as Kern County’s Fifth District Supervisor at 26 years old and has used a hands-on approach to represent his constituents ever since.
His affiliations are numerous, including chairman of the Joint City/County Standing Committee to Combat Gang Violence and the San Joaquin Valley Regional Planning Agencies Policy Council. And if it is up to the voters, Rubio is planning to serve the community well into the future.
“There is no greater service than public service,” Rubio said. “I will continue to work my hardest to do what I believe is right as a public servant. By tackling local government issues with my core principles of access, accountability and action, I truly hope that I earn the great honor to represent the people of Kern County in another area of service, be that the State Assembly, Senate or U.S. Congress.”

Adam Icardo
Supervisor/Manager
Gary Icardo Farms

Adam Icardo’s entire life has been in his family’s business at Gary Icardo Farms. During summers he worked the harvest, then developed into the harvest manager. The 34-year old Garces graduate then went to Cal Poly to study agribusiness and has now returned to learn how the business is run.
“I came back here and just started learning,” Icardo said. “Every day I keep learning. My dad’s slowly turning certain things over to me, but he keeps a watch on me.”
Gary Icardo Farms handles mostly vegetables and fruit, from onions and peppers to carrots and melons, and also produces some almonds among other things. While the farming industry gets more difficult every day with rising costs, Icardo is looking to do things more efficiently and is learning the political side of farming to better understand the decisions that lawmakers make and how they effect him.
In fact, Icardo is learning about every facet of the business. “I’m learning the farming end of it, but I’m also concentrating on other things that affect our lives also,” Icardo said. “Agriculture is a worldwide business now, it’s not a fruit stand on the side of the road anymore.”
Icardo is staying on top of local business as well. He is on the Kern County Farm Bureau board as well as the Calcot board, and he is also part of the Cal Ag Leadership Program. He also gives time back to Garces High, local churches and the CSU Bakersfield athletics barbecues. His wife is also involved in Junior League, but it appears that Garces is his favorite thing to give back to. “Garces is dear to my heart,” he said. “I’m involved in things happening there. I want to help the next generation of Garces students.”