Calabasas resident receives top VICA award

Fred Gaines Fred Gaines, founding and managing partner of the San Fernando Valley-based Law Offices of Gaines & Stacey LLP, will receive the 2005 Harmon Ballin Award for Community Service during the Valley Industry and Commerce Association’s (VICA) 56th annual meeting and luncheon at noon Thurs., Dec. 8 at the Hilton Universal City and Towers Hotel, 555 Universal Hollywood Drive.

A new member reception will start at 11:15 a.m.

Gaines, a 46-year-old Calabasas resident, is the immediate past VICA chairman and champion of VICA’s “Ax the Tax” campaign, which initiated the discussion and eventual reform of the City of Los Angeles business tax.

Gaines has long been active in civic and community affairs. He was president of the Library of California Board (2004), president of the City of Calabasas’ Library Commission (2000-01), chair of the Los Angeles County Public Library Commission (1997-98), and chair of the Southern California Association of Governments Regional Advisory Council (199596). Gaines also serves on numerous boards, including Economic Alliance of the San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles Jewish Home for the Aging The Executives and VICA.

Gaines currently is a member of the State of California San Fernando Valley Advisory Commission, the City of Calabasas Library Commission, the California Building Industry Association Select Committee on Industry Litigation and the Board of Trustees of the Valley Community Legal Foundation.

He is an honors graduate of UCLA with a bachelor’s in economics and political science. He received his masters in public policy from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, and earned his Juris Doctor from the Boalt Hall School of Law at UC Berkeley.

VICA was established in 1949 and its mission is to encourage and enhance the economic vitality of the greater San Fernando Valley region by advocating on behalf of its business community.