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A single moment of bad luck can become the best break of your career. Dr. Noel Hacegaba, CEO of the Port of Long Beach, tells the story of how his assigned seat at a major event was taken, how he ended up next to the Port’s HR director, and how that one conversation helped launch a journey that now places him at the center of global trade, goods movement, and supply chain leadership.

We go deeper than job titles to talk about what leadership really looks like day to day. Noel connects his immigrant roots, a Spanish-speaking blue-collar upbringing, and a life shaped by faith to a servant-leadership style built on trust, respect, and compassion. He shares practical lessons from early jobs, managing people who knew more than he did, and learning that real influence comes from advocating for others and helping teams succeed.

From there we zoom out to the big picture: the Port of Long Beach as a major economic engine, the public’s new awareness of ports after COVID-era supply chain disruption, and what it takes to lead through uncertainty when there is no playbook. Noel explains his bold vision to double container throughput by 2050, why building a “championship culture” matters, and how global conversations like Davos shape the future of supply chain resilience and sustainable trade.

If you care about leadership, workforce development, logistics, or the future of California’s economy, this conversation delivers both inspiration and concrete takeaways. Subscribe, share this with a future leader, and leave a review with your biggest lesson from Noel’s story.

📌 ABOUT OUR GUEST:
🔹 Name: Dr. Noel Hacegaba
🔹 Title: Chief Executive Officer, Port of Long Beach
🔹 Guests Social: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-noel-hacegaba-60b7894/

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🎓 Powered by California Leaders Workshops – advancing leadership through immersive learning experiences.

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Let’s build a city of leaders — one story at a time.

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🎙️ Host: Christopher Luna
🌐 Website: https://www.californialeaders.com/
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caleadersofficial/
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/californialeaders/
🐦 Twitter: https://x.com/caleadersx
📧 Email: cluna@californialeaders.com

🔔 Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more inspiring stories from leaders shaping California and beyond.

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Big titles mean little if the fridge is empty. That’s Ron Frierson’s compass, and it guides a conversation that cuts through buzzwords to what economic development is supposed to do: help people work, earn, and live with dignity. From a pastor’s household in Saginaw to directing Western U.S. economic development at Amazon, Ron traces the habits and values that traveled with him—showing how a praying family, a push mower, and a basketball scholarship built a leader who thrives in the oven of hard problems.

We unpack the real mechanics of cross-sector leadership: translating corporate imperatives into plain language for policymakers, and translating civic constraints into actionable plans for companies. Ron explains how site selection actually works, why trust is the only durable advantage, and how hard calls during COVID expanded his range. He also pulls back the curtain on LA’s global brand—its creative gravity and deep diversity—and the hard truth that fragmentation still slows permits, blocks investment, and widens the wealth gap where it hurts most.

There’s a blueprint here for turning marquee moments into long-term gains: align the 88 cities as one region, streamline timelines so small businesses can compete, and design procurement and permitting that deliver opportunity instead of charity. Ron speaks candidly about homelessness and addiction through the lens of personal loss, insisting on a human-first approach that pairs services with accountability. For students and rising leaders, he lays out a simple, powerful kit: find mentors, stay curious, and act like someone is always watching—because reputation compounds.

If you care about how Los Angeles can convert the World Cup, Super Bowls, and the Olympics into 15 years of inclusive growth, you’ll find both principles and playbook here. Listen, share with a friend who leads, and leave a review so more builders can find the show.

Support the show

🎧 New episodes every Month. (Dark in July & December)

🎓 Powered by California Leaders Workshops – advancing leadership through immersive learning experiences.

🌐 Learn more at: https://www.californialeaders.com/workshops
Let’s build a city of leaders — one story at a time.

🌟 SUPPORT THE PODCAST
Want to sponsor a future episode or provide gifts for our guests?
👉 Email cluna@californialeaders.com

🔗 CONNECT WITH CALIFORNIA LEADERS

🎙️ Host: Christopher Luna
🌐 Website: https://www.californialeaders.com/
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caleadersofficial/
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/californialeaders/
🐦 Twitter: https://x.com/caleadersx
📧 Email: cluna@californialeaders.com

🔔 Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more inspiring stories from leaders shaping California and beyond.

#CaliforniaLeaders #CaliforniaLeadersPodcast #Networking #CaliforniaBusiness #PodcastInterview #Entrepreneurship #LeadershipDevelopment #BeyondNetworking #ChristopherLuna

Leading California Leaders - Real stories. Real leaders. Real impact.

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Ready for a masterclass in leadership that outlives the leader? We sit with Dr. Thomas A. Parham—licensed psychologist, author, and the 11th president of California State University Dominguez Hills—to unpack how spirit, mentorship, and uncompromising standards fueled a campus-wide transformation. From a childhood across South, East, and West LA to steering a $250M “small city,” Dr. Parham shares the moments that reshaped his path and the philosophies that guided every decision.

We trace his pivot from criminology to psychology through community work and a life-altering encounter with Dr. Joseph White, father of Black psychology. Parham explains why spirituality—distinct from religiosity—is essential to leadership, how ideas shape behavior, and why reading a room’s energy can change outcomes. He shows what it takes to shift culture at scale: raising expectations, aligning incentives, celebrating staff, and holding firm to Ma’at’s virtues—truth, justice, harmony, order, balance, propriety—so institutions become cultural comfort zones where dignity is nonnegotiable.

The receipts are real. CSUDH secured long-sought accreditations, upgraded facilities, and launched a student-funded health, wellness, and recreation center—an $86M investment born from a bold ask: What are you prepared to invest in your future? Parham’s leadership turned “we can’t” into “watch us,” proving that optimism plus structure can move an entire community. He talks succession with humility—principles over personality—and offers a simple nightly test: Did I fulfill or betray the legacy I was given?

If you care about higher education, social mobility, DEI, and leading with both rigor and heart, this conversation will reset your bar for what’s possible. Subscribe, share with a friend who leads teams or dreams big, and leave a review to help more people find the show.

Support the show

🎧 New episodes every Month. (Dark in July & December)

🎓 Powered by California Leaders Workshops – advancing leadership through immersive learning experiences.

🌐 Learn more at: https://www.californialeaders.com/workshops
Let’s build a city of leaders — one story at a time.

🌟 SUPPORT THE PODCAST
Want to sponsor a future episode or provide gifts for our guests?
👉 Email cluna@californialeaders.com

🔗 CONNECT WITH CALIFORNIA LEADERS

🎙️ Host: Christopher Luna
🌐 Website: https://www.californialeaders.com/
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caleadersofficial/
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/californialeaders/
🐦 Twitter: https://x.com/caleadersx
📧 Email: cluna@californialeaders.com

🔔 Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more inspiring stories from leaders shaping California and beyond.

#CaliforniaLeaders #CaliforniaLeadersPodcast #Networking #CaliforniaBusiness #PodcastInterview #Entrepreneurship #LeadershipDevelopment #BeyondNetworking #ChristopherLuna

Leading California Leaders - Real stories. Real leaders. Real impact.