A Close-up Look At People Who Matter : Valley Booster Gets a Boost of Her Own

Fifteen years ago, Jane Boeckmann got tired of hearing the San Fernando Valley portrayed as some unsophisticated ‘burb.

“It was more or less, not a hick town,” she said, pausing to choose her words. “It was kind of the opposite of Beverly Hills in people’s minds.”

Boeckmann, of Northridge, couldn’t have disagreed more. The Arkansas native saw the Valley as a quiet, friendly place people came to raise families.

“I felt the Valley was slighted,” she said. “I felt the Valley was a wonderful place and I wanted to portray it in a positive light.”

In 1978, Boeckmann and a staff of seven launched a magazine devoted to Valley life, called Big Valley. The name was changed to Valley Magazine because the first moniker conjured images of the television Western.

The monthly now has a circulation nearing 40,000, and the company Boeckmann started, World of Communications Inc., puts out publications as diverse as Le Concierge Magazine, Woodland Hills Living, Chatsworth Living, Valley Brides and Santa Clarita Lifestyles.

The San Fernando Valley Business and Professional Assn. recognized Boeckmann’s contributions to Valley business Oct. 15 with the Free Enterprise Award.

“I felt extremely honored,” Boeckmann said. “The award has been given to people who have distinguished themselves in business or whatever field they were in.”

Past honorees include former President Ronald Reagan, entertainers Bob Hope, Gene Autry and Pat Boone and Robert Voit, chairman of the Voit companies. Boeckmann’s husband, H. F. (Bert) Boeckmann, who started as a salesman with Galpin Motors Inc. and now is president of the company, received the Free Enterprise Award in 1980.

David Gurnick, a veteran attorney specializing in franchising and trademark law, has been appointed president of the San Fernando Valley Bar Assn. The north Valley resident is a partner in the Woodland Hills office of Kindel & Anderson. He was installed at a dinner Oct. 29 at the Warner Center Marriott Hotel in Woodland Hills.

Also at the dinner, Susan Keating, the association’s recently retired executive director, was presented with the 1993 President’s Award.

David R. Hagen, senior partner in the Woodland Hills firm of Merritt & Hagen, was installed as treasurer of the 67-year-old bar association. Thomas Trent Lewis, of the Woodland Hills firm Rehwald Rameson & Lewis, became past president; Elizabeth Kaufman, who lives and bases her law practice in Northridge, became president-elect; Northridge resident Robert A. Weissman, senior partner of the Encino-based Weissman & Weissman, was installed as secretary.

Nineteen San Fernando and Antelope valley teen-agers are getting the opportunity to travel to Washington, D. C., this fall to meet lawmakers and newsmakers during National Young Leaders Conferences. The conferences, sponsored by the Congressional Youth Leadership Council, are leadership development programs for outstanding high school students who have shown leadership potential as well as scholastic merit.

Each six-day conference, with the theme “The Leaders of Tomorrow Meeting the Leaders of Today,” are attended by about 350 students. Eight conferences are being held between Oct. 5 and Dec. 12.

Local students chosen are Brinden Asher, Traci Brown and Erica Flores, from Encino; Ramon Jose and Kenneth Van Egdon of Glendale; Kerry Gallant of Hidden Hills; Jessica Coppenbarger and Manita Yin of Lancaster; Todd Anton, Sangeeta Chandra, Agatha Diaz, Mary Pappas and Christine Vergel de Dios from Northridge; Matthew Rhyne of Palmdale; Janelle Lunasin of Reseda; Adam Collier and James Vitale of Van Nuys, and Courtney McDonnell and Shahab Raphaely of Westlake Village.

Personal Best is a weekly profile of ordinary people who do extraordinary things. Please address candidates to Personal Best, Los Angeles Times, 20000 Prairie St., Chatsworth, 91311. Or fax them to 818-772-3338.