Chair Jim Lewis, Community Leader award recipient Eric Marsh, Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster and Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe

10:45am | Some of the city’s highest ranking officials and community activists gathered at The Grand on Wednesday morning for the 28th annual Leadership Long Beach Prayer Breakfast.

From former to current Long Beach mayors, city councilmembers and congressmembers, all gathered to take a moment for silent prayer and discuss ways to make the city a better place. “How do you benefit, if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul in the process?” asked Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe.

Long Beach Chief of Police Jim McDonnell served as the keynote speaker – “Mediocrity and complacency are the biggest killers of excellence,” he said – along with Jim Lewis of the Long Beach Rescue Mission and tax credit expert Blake Christian as emcees. Eric Marsh, pastor of hope at the Grace Brethren Church received the Community Leader award. Special thanks to photographer Star Sky for capturing these moments.


Chair Jim Lewis


Commander Joe Levy and Long Beach Police Chief Jim McDonnell


Congressmember Laura Richardson


Dennis Lord and Jane Kelleher


Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe and Steve Kuykendall


Emcee Blake Christian


Former Long Beach Mayor Eunice Sato


City Councilmember James Johnson, Dan Pressburg, Ron Petke and Jerry Caliguri


Kathryn Courtney and Sandra Gonzalez


Keynote speaker and Long Beach Police Chief Jim McDonnell


Supervisor Knabe


Signal Hill Councilmember Larry Forrester and Steve Chesser


Marilyn Bohl, Harbor Commissioner Mike Walter and wife Arline


Marine Safety Chief Randy Foster and Captain Mike Duree


A moment of prayer for Congressional candidate Star Parker


Long Beach First Lady Nancy Foster and Martha Flores-Gibson


Chief McDonnell and Mayor Foster