West Basic Municipal Water District

Director Ronald C. (Ron) Smith was elected in to the West Basin Board of Directors in 2006 to represent the Division I Cities of Carson, Palos Verdes Estates, Rancho Palos Verdes, Rolling Hills Estates, Rolling Hills and portions of San Pedro. He currently serves as the Board's Vice President. Director Smith has served for the past four years as the West Basin representative on the Association of California Water Agencies' Joint Powers Insurance Authority (ACWA's JPIA) Board of Directors. In 2010, Director Smith was appointed to the National Water Research Institute Board of Directors, representing West Basin. Over the past 4 years, Director Smith has worked diligently to maintain his commitments to West Basin constituents and customers in the areas of Water Reliability, Water Quality, Water Education, Water Conservation, Innovation, sound governance and financial management.  Founder and CEO of the REALTYSMITH Group and the Success Mastery Institute, Director Smith has brought his experience and expertise in business and government to bear in his role on the Board of Directors, helping West Basin Municipal Water District take it's place as an international leader in the world of water. A family man, Director Smith is the proud father of 7 children. He is also an accomplished co-author of a self-development book and an active instructor of Tennis/Physical Conditioning and the Martial Arts.

Gloria D. Gray was elected to the West Basin Municipal Water District Board in 2006 as the first African-American woman elected to the Board in its near 60-year history. Director Gray represents the Division II Cities of Inglewood, South Ladera Heights, a portion of Lennox and Athens, Howard and Ross-Sexton. In April 2010, she was appointed to the Delta Stewardship Council by House Speaker-Emeritus Karen Bass. Director Gray serves as one of West Basin's two representatives on the Metropolitan Water District Board of Directors. She dedicated her 36-year career to the Los Angeles County Departments of Health and Human Services and other public service arenas. She served two terms on the Inglewood Unified School District, from 1995 - 2003, and was elected an Executive Board Member for the Los Angeles County Democratic Party Central Committee 51st Assembly District.

Carol W. Kwan was first elected to the West Basin Board of Directors in 1996 to represent the cities of Hermosa Beach, Lomita, Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach and Torrance. She won re-election in November 2008 and is currently in her fourth term of office. Director Kwan is the first female and Asian American elected to the West Basin Board in its 50-year history and is the first Asian American member to serve on the Metropolitan Water District Board of Directors.

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Appointed to the West Basin Board of Directors in 1989, Ed Little represents the cities of Culver City, El Segundo, Malibu, West Hollywood and Lennox, North Ladera Heights, Del Aire, Topanga, View Park and Windsor Hills. Director Little is currently serving his fifth term of office. Director Little owns Ed Little Auto Service in Culver City and operated the business for 45 years. He is a former Culver City councilman. West Basin's world-renown water recycling facility is named after Director Little in honor of his commitment to West Basin, the water industry, and to providing a reliable water supply for the region. He currently serves as one of two of West Basin's representatives on the Metropolitan Water District Board of Directors.

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Donald L. Dear was elected to the West Basin Board of Directors in November 2000 to represent the cities of Gardena, Hawthorne, Lawndale and portions of El Camino Village. He is currently serving his third term after being re-elected in November 2008. Director Dear came to the Board with a vast array of experience in public service, serving as the Gardena Mayor for nine consecutive terms before retiring in 2001. He is also a widely respected, award-winning teacher who taught at Stephen White Middle School in Carson for 37 years.