The Ganpat & Manju Distinguished Lecture Series
Director of LA County Public Works to Speak on Engineers' Essential Role in Society on March 6
The Los Angeles County Public Works' responsibilities for its 10+ million citizens are far-reaching–managing water supply, treating wastewater, the maintenance of roads, the construction of public libraries–a comprehensive list would make this email go on for days.
Join us on Wed., March 6 to meet Mark Pestrella, director of the essential department that impacts millions of lives on a daily basis. As the director for the last 36 years, he is excited to talk to you about:
- The essential role of engineers in society
- How engineers are the best advocates for social change
- How engineers are tasked with leading the development of sustainable, resilient infrastructure to make modern life possible for millions of people
Director Mark Pestrella: Engineers' Role in Society
When: March 6 at 5:30 – 6:45 PM
5:30 – 6:00 PM: Mixer (Refreshments, appetizers and pizza served.)
6:00 - 6:45 PM: Lecture and Q&A (Followed by refreshments, desserts and yes, pizza.)
Where: BSC Ursa Major
Have Your Questions Ready: Q&A will follow!
Pizza will be served before and after the lecture—register today!
About Mark Pestrella
Mark Pestrella is the director of Los Angeles County Public Works. With an annual budget of more than $2.7 billion and a workforce of 4,000 employees, Los Angeles County Public Works is the largest municipal public works agency in the United States, providing vital public infrastructure and civic services to more than 10 million people across a 4,000-square-mile service area.
A native of Southern California, Director Pestrella attended California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, where he received a bachelor of science in civil engineering. He is a 36-year veteran of Public Works and is a licensed professional engineer.
About Ganpat "Pat" Patel
Pat is a businessman and philanthropist. He founded the power supply company Cherokee International and served as its president and CEO before retiring in 2004. Currently, he is the president and patron-in-chief of Ganpat University located in the Mehsana district of North Gujarat.
In 2015 he was inducted into the College of Engineering Hall of Fame for his professional accomplishments and contributions to the field of engineering. In 2019, Pat earned the Padma Shri award from the Republic of India, one of the most prestigious civilian honors conferred by the country.