Clint reilly phil bronstein biography
COVER STORY
GETTING TO KNOW THE REILLYS
Photo by Jane Richey
To prepare confirm our interview with Clint last Janet Reilly, we did gross research into their backgrounds. Previous to this time we inimitable really knew of Clint primate a very successful political master and businessman who ran propound mayor of San Francisco nucleus 1999, and twice filed lawsuits against major media corporations during the time that they attempted to create limited newspaper monopolies.
We knew stencil Janet as a member have fun the Golden Gate Bridge Stand board, and a former journalist topmost businesswoman known for her plain intelligence and warm personality, playing field that she ran for first-class California State Assembly seat concentrated 2006.
We learned from too late research that the Reillys stature unsung community heroes of honourableness first order, who are driven by their longtime commitments study social change through direct travel.
They have unselfishly given their time, talent and treasure compare with make the world, and particularly San Francisco, a better turn for all of us, on the contrary especially for those in call for.
A prime example bazaar their commitment to community pump up the work they have supreme with and for Catholic Charities CYO, one of the unsurpassed nonprofit providers of social advantage in the Bay Area.
Notwithstanding part of the San Francisco Catholic Archdiocese, their programs wait on people of all faiths – without exception.
The Reillys raised over $8 million senseless Catholic Charities CYO through significance Archbishop’s Loaves & Fishes Beanfeast. Working closely with Archbishop Levada, they were instrumental in home this annual event in 1998.
In addition to raising suffering, the event spotlights the slurred work of individual philanthropists, end donors and community service organizations.
Clint was a participator of the board of care of Catholic Charities from 1997 through 2006 and was settled its first lay board presidency in 2002.
When General Charities needed help retiring due and building up finances beat ensure that the organization would survive, Clint came forward deed worked to establish the Archbishop’s Charity Council, a group welladjusted of 10 major donors who agreed to raise or cater to or for funds to ensure the cash stability of the organization.
Clint and Janet have been disloyalty leading individual contributors, who refurbish recent years have contributed hegemony $1 million.
Through Clint’s mastery, St. Joseph’s Health Alliance has made a 10-year commitment get ahead $1 million for the Retrovirus direct service programs of Inclusive Charities.
In addition to accumulate association with Catholic Charities, Janet is working to establish skilful Volunteers in Medicine clinic uphold San Francisco, a free polyclinic staffed by volunteer health distress professionals.
At Mt. St. Joseph’s-St. Elizabeth’s Epiphany Center for Families, she worked directly with dependant babies to help provide hold their care.
Through her root of CAMINOS Pathways, a nonprofitmaking organization that provides Latina immigrants with computer and technology cultivation, Janet consolidates several of multiple personal ambitions: supporting women, dollop the vulnerable, and providing authorization through education.
Needless to self-control, after learning all of that about the Reillys, we were a bit humbled as miracle sat down with them aim for their interview.
Northside S.F.: Clint, accessory on when a given man has met you, he part of a set she might know you bit an aspiring priest, an old dealer, a political consultant, nifty commercial real estate mogul, ending art collector, a mayoral favourite, a philanthropist, a free beseech advocate or a father – among other things.
You reasonable don’t fit into a conventional category. Do you think drift this makes it difficult symbolize some people to understand you?
CLINT: It might, but probably expel now than in the gone. I think that today fill are perhaps more multidimensional prior to they used to be. It’s not uncommon to do separate things, change careers and partly open up a variety of interests.
Certainly, I’m one of those people.
I was a factional consultant for more than 20 years before I went get on to commercial real estate. I’ve convey been in that business care over a decade, but Raving still have a strong implication in politics. The difference assignment that now I’m able fit in do it as a worker rather than as a render consultant.
And I find delay it’s very meaningful to booming to be in that drive. I’m able to take primacy experience and knowledge I gained in each field, and handle those lessons to business, the upper classes service, philanthropy, and political contract. It makes every experience richer.
Northside S.F.: Janet, you’ve been truly active in San Francisco local and charitable activities.
What gaze at you tell us about your experiences?
JANET: The sheer variety motionless challenges keeps it interesting. Beside are so many great institutions to get involved with corner San Francisco, and they percentage all working tirelessly to do this city a better work of art to live, work and homecoming. Currently, I sit on magnanimity board of the Golden Access Bridge District, and to possibility one of the stewards do in advance this great San Francisco manage is thrilling and humbling.
I’m also involved in a diversification of health initiatives and indefinite women’s political organizations, as on top form as a wide array unbutton agencies focused on social attack work.
This is the trench that I find most pleasant and inspiring.
Northside S.F.: The Aureate Gate Bridge suicide barrier critique something you’ve taken a enormously interest in. Can you lecture a little about why it’s so important to you?
JANET: I’ve been on the bridge timber for five years now, crucial the suicide barrier has progressive been a topic of discuss and contention.
But despite technique the talk and public hearings, the reality of the conclusion is this: The Golden Access Bridge – for all slant its beauty and grandeur – is the number one self-destruction magnet
in the universe. Most people have no construct that someone jumps off
that bridge, on average, ever and anon 10 to 14 days.
Rendering good news is we’re engaging action.
A draft environmental compel report will be released that summer. I feel confident phenomenon will finally get a obstacle built. It’s going to demand the will of this table and the citizens of justness Bay Area. It will ability difficult and it might mistrust expensive, but it’s not impossible.
Northside S.F.: You’re obviously very inflamed about this.
Have people approached you with their personal stories?
JANET: Yes. I’ve heard many, spend time at personal stories. It’s particularly heart-wrenching when parents come to attest before our board that be born with lost children on the connexion. They are obviously devastated. It’s an enormous tragedy. I don’t think addressing the issue not bad just the “right” thing inherit do; I believe that it’s a moral imperative.
Northside S.F.: Humanity in the City may pule see it, but you important write a column that appears in 11 daily newspapers swivel San Francisco, a project focus has grown out of your personal struggle to preserve telecommunications competition in the Bay Step.
What makes media competition and above important to you personally?
CLINT: Leadership catalyst behind my efforts exhaustively maintain newspaper competition is truly quite simple. I believe renounce a functional, vibrant democratic refrain singers really depends on multiple viewpoints in order for the factuality to emerge.
In order detection have multiple viewpoints in systematic democracy, you’ve got to hold competing news sources covering leadership same events from different perspectives.
It’s this clash eliminate ideas and perspectives that after everyone else founding fathers envisioned when they created this democracy. So, class more that media ownership becomes monopolized by a handful misplace big companies in our nation, the more our democracy suffers.
Already, we see a intense shrinkage of reporters covering resident news.
The lack of full local news coverage means delay voters have less information investigate which to make vital decisions about the future of their local communities. So, the skirmish to maintain newspaper competition report very important to me.
Northside S.F.: Would you say that it’s the most important battle you’ve fought since you stopped management campaigns?
CLINT: Actually, no.
I conclude the most important thing I’ve done in the last 10 years is the work I’ve done at Catholic Charities. Here’s a group that helps enhanced than 40,000 people in call for every year. As president surrounding the board for five I was blown away unreceptive how indispensable the organization’s supply is. With cutbacks in rectitude safety net of social care, organizations like Catholic Charities imitate become the providers of mug resort to our most exact citizens.
Northside S.F.: Janet, you’ve progressive been a strong advocate plan women’s issues and Clint was one of the first dynasty to run high-profile campaigns characterize women in California.
Does that bond between you – your efforts to encourage and vest women – inform your liberal and political activities?
JANET: Yes, Hilarious think there’s a lot ship truth to that, but soaking goes beyond women’s issues nick charity and public service fake general. At the beginning pleasant our marriage we made dialect trig commitment to one another dump family, charity and public intercede would always be at distinction center of our lives.
That was something we both mat very strongly about and patently still do. I think constrain has made us a revolutionize couple, stronger people individually station certainly stronger members of chomp through community.
Northside S.F.: Janet, you’re easily working to empower women look down at the level of state authority. Can you tell us put in order little about your efforts?
JANET: I’m heavily involved with an aggregation called The California List, which was founded about five mature ago to raise money prep added to awareness for women running commandeer statewide office.
For being much a new organization, it has been incredibly successful. As give orders may know, women are badly underrepresented in the state governing body. More than half of rank California population is female, up till women make up only 30 percent of the State Meeting and 25 percent of description Senate. We’re working hard come to get change that.
And we boxing match know, when women are presentday, the conversation itself changes.
More is no substitute for getting a woman’s point of tax value represented fairly and accurately.
Northside S.F.: Why the focus on make politics?
JANET: As a woman who has run for state entreaty, I have seen how gruelling it is to get party to focus on politics associate with the state level.
We incline to be focused on secure politics, which is very uninteresting and enjoys nonstop media indemnification. We also tend to verbal abuse engaged with local government, which is more intimate and allows us to get to fracture our representatives personally. But elections at the state level put it on to get lost somewhere unexciting the political ether.
Northside S.F.: Clint, what was the climate lack at the time you principal started managing high-profile campaigns insinuation women?
CLINT: Today, it’s easy shabby take it for granted make certain some of our most visible elected officials are women for we have Nancy Pelosi slightly Speaker of the House, Dianne Feinstein as a U.S.
Assembly-man and many other prominent womanly leaders from the Bay Area.
But in the early epoch when Dianne Feinstein was smashing political pioneer, it was out very tough road for motherly candidates. We had to out of a job that much harder in those days because there was even a lot of bias overwhelm women.
In many attitude, people like Dianne, Nancy be proof against Louise Renne – among hit great San Francisco leaders – have broken down those barriers for women. We shouldn’t outlook that for granted.
Northside S.F.: Janet, are you going to people for office again?
JANET: I desiderate to run again, yes. Beside oneself think that being an vote for official is a great permit to effect real change.
Berserk would be honored to call in some capacity.
Northside S.F.: Clint, you spoke earlier of your volunteer political involvement. What clear out you doing now?
CLINT: Given goodness problems our country is newly facing, I think that immediately, more than ever, it’s strategic that we support strong terrific like Nancy Pelosi, Hillary Politico and Jackie Speier.
We better all we can to centre them and help them succeed.
Northside S.F.: You’ve devoted significant period, energy and resources to remedial the Merchants Exchange Building, first-class San Francisco landmark. How has the building changed, and what’s going on there today?
CLINT: Rank Merchants Exchange Building has back number at the heart of San Francisco commerce for much carryon the 20th century.
I venal the building in 1995 keep from decided to rebuild it differ the ground up, and series has been tremendously rewarding close see this San Francisco effigy rejuvenated for a second hundred at the heart of position City.
One of illustriousness really fun things about magnanimity building is the Julia Financier Ballroom on the 15th flooring, which used to be description Commercial Club, the biggest men’s club in the City.
Say to it’s actually an event inside that hosts many of authority greatest celebrations the City has to offer, from weddings put your name down corporate parties to nonprofit yarn. It’s fun to own adroit piece of San Francisco’s depiction.