(Sacramento, CA) – Tom McKernan has been appointed Co-Chair of California Forward, along with former White House Chief of Staff Leon Panetta.  Mr. McKernan is the Chief Executive Officer of the Automobile Club of Southern California.

The goal of California Forward is to contribute to improving the quality of life for all Californians by creating a more responsive, representative and cost effective state government.   Several major California foundations (The California Endowment, The Evelyn and Walter Haas Jr. Fund, The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, The James Irvine Foundation and The David and Lucile Packard Foundation) came together to form and fund the new organization.  Meeting in Sacramento last week McKernan and Panetta announced the organization’s endorsement of a redistricting initiative currently in circulation aimed at the November 2008 ballot.

"For California to meet the challenges in health care, public safety, education, the environment and economic development, government will need to change how decisions affecting the public are made and how public dollars are spent”, said McKernan. 

Bill Hauck, President of the California Business Roundtable also serves on the CA Forward Leadership Council.

Link to California Forward Website