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  ERNESTO CARDENAS BIOGRAPHY  

Commissioner David Sickler

Ernesto Cárdenas was confirmed by the Los Angeles City Council for a position on the Board of Public Works on June 13, 2007 . Cárdenas was appointed by Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa to join the only full-time city board of commissioners that functions as chief administrator of the nearly 6,000-employee Department of Public Works, the City’s third largest municipal agency. 

Cárdenas is an accomplished mechanical engineer whose 21-year career with AT&T, formerly SBC, brings extensive experience in project management, building infrastructure programs, contractor relations and government affairs.  In his tenure as senior project manager for the company, Cárdenas enforced best management practices and applied his engineering and real estate expertise to handle a $50 million annual project budget.

Not a newcomer to city commissions, Cárdenas served on three different boards from 2000 through 2005. Former Mayor Richard Riordan appointed him to the North Valley Area Planning Commission in 2000 where he worked on the area’s issues regarding land use, conservation and zoning regulations.   In 2003, he filled a seat on the Transportation Commission until former Mayor James K. Hahn assigned him to serve on the City Planning Commission.  In that function, Cárdenas advocated for the balance between the preservation of communities and economic development through land use.

As a member of the Board of Public Works, Cárdenas will serve as Board liaison to the Bureau of Street Services and back-up liaison to the Bureau of Contract Administration.  He will also represent the Board on activities and issues concerning Council Districts 3, 7 and 12.  His special assignments include the 50-50 sidewalk repair program, the design-built task force, the Spanish outreach task force, and youth programs such as Junior Commissioners and the department’s high school internship program.

In his spare time, Cárdenas is involved in the community.  He is a 15-year veteran volunteer for the Pasadena Tournament of Roses and is also involved with his sons in the Boy Scouts of America.  Furthermore, Cárdenas is an active co-founder of the Andres y Maria Cárdenas Family Foundation. The commissioner was president of the non-profit organization from 2001 through 2007, running its operations that provided college scholarships to deserving students from eight high schools in the east San Fernando Valley .  As of 2007, his efforts have benefited 330 students that received $520,000 in scholarships. 

Commissioner Cárdenas earned his masters degree in Business Administration from California State Polytechnic University , Pomona , and his undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering from University of California , Santa Barbara .

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