Gilbert Ivey: Metropolitan Water District Executive Honored by Southern California Leadership Network

Gilbert Ivey (Class of '75, B.A., business administration), the chief administrative officer for Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD), was named Public Sector Leader of the Year by the Southern California Leadership Network (SCLN) this summer. He will be honored at the organization’s annual awards luncheon in December.

As chief liaison between MWD’s management and the board of directors that represents 300 cities in the district, Ivey is responsible for the MWD’s administrative functions, human resources, real property portfolio, an award-winning business outreach program, and the district’s headquarters at Union Station in downtown Los Angeles.

Ivey’s role also includes working with an alliance of business, labor and water leaders on solutions to California’s ongoing water crisis, The R.E.A.L. Coalition, and the preservation and maintenance of the Sacramento/San Joaquin Bay-Delta, a key source of water for agricultural and public needs. He says that his involvement with SCLN has enhanced his abilities as a leader with an invaluable opportunity to connect with a broad range of colleagues from government agencies, private companies and nonprofit organizations.

“Southern California is one region made up of six counties and hundreds of cities, all serving 19 million people,” he says. “Issues are very complex, impacting people and regions in a variety of ways [that] are intertwined.

“Diverse perspectives result in stronger solutions.The best way to resolve issues and address challenges is to build consensus and cooperation between stakeholders. It is very important that expert leaders work together seek input and guidance from others to find solutions that benefit everyone.”

Ivey has served on numerous boards and commissions, including cultural commissioner for the city of Compton, utilities commissioner for the city of Rialto, and on the executive boards of the Los Angeles Central City Association, the American Association of Blacks in Energy, and the University of Southern California's Minority Real Estate Program. He is a member of San Diego's Catfish Club, and both the Greater San Diego and Greater Los Angeles Area Chambers of Commerce.

In 2004, Ivey received the Tom Bradley Equal Opportunity Award from the Los Angeles Metro Chapter of the American Society for Public Administration for promoting equal opportunity in the workplace and community, and in 2005, received special recognition from the Greater Los Angeles African American Chamber of Commerce.

An active member of the advisory board of the College of Business Administration and Public Policy at CSU Dominguez Hills, he says that he will always have a strong connection to his alma mater as an institution that provided him with “a solid foundation.”

“I not only learned critical knowledge and skills but I was nurtured at CSU Dominguez Hills,” he says. “Now, I strive to help young professionals that work for me as they develop and achieve their full potential.”

Ivey encourages students to become future leaders by seeking out mentors, opening themselves to new experiences, and building networks.

“You never know who you’ll meet and how they may be able to help you in the future,” he says. “Take every opportunity that is available and make opportunities when they are not available. As James Brown said, ‘I don't want nobody to give me nothing - just open up the door, I'll get it myself.’”

- Joanie Harmon