Alan Rothenberg Named Board Chairman of LA Tourism

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Alan I. Rothenberg, founder and chairman of Los Angeles-based 1^st Century Bank, N.A., has been elected Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board (LATCB), the organization charged with marketing the city to visitors and meetings and convention organizers.

Rothenberg will preside over the 26-member, volunteer Board of Directors for an 18-month term beginning Jan. 1, 2015.

The LATCB Board of Directors is comprised of civic leaders representing a cross-section of the Los Angeles business community impacted by LA's dynamic travel and tourism industry. The programs and policies approved by this voluntary leadership are carried out by a full-time staff of more than 100 tourism industry professionals under the leadership of LATCB President Ernest Wooden Jr.

“Alan Rothenberg brings exceptional business experience and acumen to his leadership role on our Board of Directors,” Wooden said in announcing the election of Rothenberg, noting that Rothenberg is a long-time member of the Board as well as a past Chairman. “L.A.'s vibrant tourism industry continues to break records in visitation and local economic-impact numbers, having welcomed more than 42 million visitors who spent more than $17 billion in the area economy last year.

“Under Alan's skillful leadership, I am confident we will continue to make great strides toward our goal of welcoming over 50 million annual visitors by 2020,” Wooden said.

In addition to his work with 1^st Century Bank, Rothenberg is chairman of Premier Partnerships, a sales, marketing, and consulting firm specializing in sports, entertainment, and major facilities. Its clients have included the Atlanta Falcons, Cisco Stadium, Dolby Theater, Grand Central Terminal, Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Clippers, NFL International, Overstock.com Stadium, Pizza Hut Park, Portland Trailblazers, PPL Stadium, the Rose Bowl, Texas Rangers, TCL Chinese Theater, and University of California-Berkeley, among others.

Rothenberg's involvement with sports led him to serve as Chairman of the Board of the breakthrough 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup; Chairman and CEO of the 1994 World Cup Organizing Committee, which staged the historic and incredibly successful 1994 World Cup, and President of the United States Soccer Federation (1990-1998). He also is the founder of Major League Soccer was Soccer Commissioner for the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee (1984), member of the Board of Directors of the North American Soccer League (1977-80), and Chairman of Aztec Sports Limited (owner of the Los Angeles Aztecs of the North American Soccer League, 1977-80).

Rothenberg has also served as a member of the National Basketball Association Board of Governors (1971-79, 1982-90) while representing the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers, respectively. As a lawyer, he has also represented athletes such as Amy Alcott, Steve Garvey, Bruce Jenner, Greg Louganis, among others.

From 1990 until his retirement in 2000, Mr. Rothenberg was a partner at the law firm of Latham & Watkins, LLP. From 1968 to 1990, Mr. Rothenberg was managing partner of Manatt, Phelps, Rothenberg and Phillips, a Los Angeles law firm. He also serves as a commercial arbitrator and mediator, primarily in complex business matters.

Rothenberg served from 2005 to 2010 as President of the Board of the Airport Commission for the City of Los Angeles. In addition to the LATCB, he serves on the board of directors of the United States Soccer Foundation (past Chairman); Constitutional Rights Foundation (past Chairman); Los Angeles Sports Council (Chairman); Los Angeles Business Council; and, Chairman of the Greater Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce (past Chairman). In addition to 1^st Century Bank FCTY, Rothenberg has served on the following public-company boards of directors: Zenith National Insurance ZNT; California Pizza Kitchen, Inc. CPKI; and, Arden Realty (NYSE).

Rothenberg is past president of the State Bar of California. He has been honored by numerous national and local organizations, including the American Jewish Committee, Boy Scouts, Constitutional Rights Foundation, FIFA, the Foundation of the State Bar of California, the Jewish Federation-Legal Division, Century City Chamber of Commerce, U. S. Olympic Foundation, U. S. Soccer Foundation, and UCLA.

About The Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board

The Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board (LATCB) is a private, nonprofit business association whose primary mission is to market and promote Los Angeles as the premier site for leisure travel, meetings and conventions. L.A. Tourism is recognized as the City's official tourism marketing organization. For more information about the endless entertainment experiences offered in Los Angeles, go to discoverLosAngeles.com, like us facebook.com/LosAngelesFan or follow the destination on Twitter @discoverLA.

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