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Los Angeles County, CA June 3, 2008 Election
Smart Voter Full Biography for Gavin Hachiya Wasserman

Candidate for
Council Member; City of Torrance

This information is provided by the candidate

Gavin Hachiya Wasserman is a lifelong Torrance resident, leader, business owner and family man.

Gavin graduated from West High School after attending Bert Lynn Middle School and Towers and Carl Steele Elementary schools. As a student, he began his lifelong dedication to the community through service clubs and scouting with Cub Scout Troop706 and Boy Scout Troop 851. Identified early on as a gifted student, Gavin was a team member on the first Torrance Academic Decathlon team to become Los Angeles County champions. He also was active in music, both band and chorus, as well as Little League.

Gavin also got an early taste of community involvement by volunteering to help successfully elect his mother, Fumiko, to the Torrance School Board. Since then, he has volunteered on local campaigns for most of his life, meeting residents and hearing about their concerns through the changing times.

After graduating from UC Berkeley with honors and attending Law School at the University of Chicago, Gavin went into the family business, Wasserman and Wasserman, located in Torrance. He also co-founded a video production company in Torrance with his brother, Steven.

Gavin believes that living, doing business, and spending leisure time in the city also means giving back. Gavin helped the Torrance High Alumni Association create the Ted Tanouye Memorial in front of Torrance High School. He is currently an Associate Member of the Torrance High Alumni Association. Gavin also volunteers with the "Go For Broke Education Center" recording the oral histories of World War II Veterans.

Gavin is serving his second term on Board of Managers of the Torrance-South Bay YMCA, where he volunteers with students in the Youth in Government program. Gavin is a former Board Member of the Switzer Learning Center, has been a leader in several professional organizations and is active in the Torrance Chamber of Commerce.

Gavin is a former Torrance Environmental Quality Commissioner and a graduate of "Partners in Policing" at the Torrance Police Department. He currently serves as a Member of the Risk Management Advisory Committee for the County of Los Angeles, providing citizen objectivity for the process of managing the loss risks of the county's $20 billion annual operations budget.

Gavin and his wife, Linda (formerly Chang), are homeowners in West Torrance and are expecting their first child. The extended Wasserman family, including Gavin's grandmother, parents, uncle & aunt, brother & sister-in-law, and cousins all are Torrance residents.

Gavin Wasserman is working for the community even as he campaigns, by:

  • encouraging residents to join the revitalized Neighborhood Watch Program, and helping them actually join
  • helping residents obtain city services such as sidewalk repairs and attention to unsafe road conditions
  • working with students and parents to oppose state budget cuts to our schools
  • listening to neighborhood concerns.

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Created from information supplied by the candidate: April 23, 2008 20:19
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