Los Angeles Venture Association (LAVA) Has their 30th Anniversary Meeting.

Since 1985 the Los Angeles Venture Association has been providing forums where entrepreneurs and executives of start-up, emerging growth and late stage venture funded companies actively meet and learn from fellow executives, investors, bankers, financial advisors and other providers of professional services.

This is their 30th year and they are still going strong. Many of the past presidents were at the meeting and talked about their time as president and the issues and successes they faced though the growth of their organization and the changes in technology and the economy over three decades.

LAVA’s Leonard Lanzi Interview

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In the audio interview above, I got a chance to speak with the executive director of LAVA Leonard Lanzi about his role, where LAVA has been and where it is going.

I also went to the meeting and got to hear many of the past presidents speak about the problems and incredible successes the organization faced over the last 30 years.

It was a breakfast meeting at Skirball center which was hosted by ultimate Hollywood insider Sandro Monetti, a leading British entertainment journalist, based in Los Angeles, who reports for the BBC and other major media organizations.

He is also a Director of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, Los Angeles, and the author of bestselling books Colin Firth: The Man Who Would Be King and Mickey Rourke: Wrestling with Demons.

The room was full of investors, business leaders, entrepreneurs and business resource representatives.

Leonard Lanzi, the Executive Director spoke as well as past presidents, Reg Gipson, Mike Donahue, and Richard Koffler which spoke about the three decades of LAVA from its beginnings to its current incarnation. Ivan Nikkho, Managing Director of Siemer & Associates, Los Angeles, delivered the keynote address.

I was thoroughly impressed with the quality of the people I met and know why this is one of the premiere networking associations in Los Angeles.

If you are looking to network with people that can help you get your venture off the ground, then LAVA is definitely an association and resource you should highly consider. – JW

LAVA

Since 1985 the Los Angeles Venture Association has been providing forums where entrepreneurs and executives of start-up, emerging growth and late stage venture funded companies actively meet and learn from fellow executives, investors, bankers, financial advisors and other providers of professional services.

Their extensive slate of monthly Strategic Interest Group meetings and panel discussions feature exceptional presentations by prominent members of their investment, entrepreneurial, business and academic communities. Their annual Meet the VC conference, First Look LA and the LAVA Awards Dinner are their region’s premiere forums on investment capital. They also co-produce events with many of our affiliated organizations.