Businesspeople mix work, community interests

San Fernando Valley Business Journal, Feb 18, 2008

The Business Journal chose these 40 young businesspeople to feature out of nearly 100 nominations received over the past several months from readers and our editorial staff's own independent research. The purpose of this special report is to shed light on just who are the young businesspeople to watch in our area. They are emerging as leaders in our businesses and organizations, making the decisions that drive our economy. This group of people represents the greatest diversity of industries that the Business Journal has ever featured in its 40 Under 40 reports over the past five years.

Dawn Abasta

Account Executive

LBW Insurance & Financial Services

Age: 39

Dawn Abasta was seemingly destined for an insurance career.

"I was born in the industry. My dad sold insurance for Mutual of Omaha, so I grew up in the industry," said Abasta, now an account executive at LBW Insurance & Financial Services in Valencia.

Despite having insurance in her blood, so to speak, Abasta explored other careers for a spell.

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"I had left the industry," she recalled. "I had kind of gone out on my own. I worked for Apple right after high school. I didn't really come back to the industry full time until 1994."

Upon her return to insurance, Abasta climbed the corporate ladder at breakneck speed. She began her career at LBW as a receptionist, but her computer skills enabled her to move forward. Before long, Abasta became licensed and was promoted to a commercial lines assistant.

Three years later, she became a large account underwriter with a certified insurance service representative (CISR) designation. Then, in 2003, Abasta became a certified insurance counselor, as well as a senior account manager.

At this time, Abasta recalled, LBW asked her to join the board of the San Fernando Valley Insurance Agents and Brokers Association. She began as young agent chair, moving on to the executive board. Today, Abasta is president of the San Fernando Valley IBA. She is also relishing the opportunities being an LBW account executive, a position to which she was promoted in June 2007, has given her.

Abasta considers that promotion, as well as the chance to head the San Fernando Valley IBA, to be highlights of her career.

"Getting promoted to account executive is something I've been wanting to do since 1998," she said. "It took nine years to accomplish."

Now that she's an account executive, Abasta can build her own book of business, which is currently more than $5.4 million.

In addition to all of that, Abasta is active in the Santa Clarita Valley Jaycees and has served in numerous positions, including marketing vice president, executive vice president and individual development vice president, for the organization.

The CEO of LBW, Mitzi Like, explained how Abasta has been able to excel.

"She manages to handle the large volume of business in our office," Like said. "She's very ... communicative with a number of our clients, whether it's by e-mail or phone. When she approaches each task or client she's working on, she works on it as if it were her own, and she does the best job for them, and, ultimately, she gets additional business from them and additional referrals."

--Nadra Kareem

Tracey Adlai

Founder and Organizer

The Valley Film Festival

Age: 37

The Valley Film Festival was born out of Tracey Adlai needing something to do after deciding that film production was not for her.

Making the annual event Valley-centric was due not only to Adlai's roots but the secession movement then taking place and a realization that even with all the filmmaking taking place within the Valley there was no dedicated outlet to get that work before an audience.

"There is so much culture and history that is overlooked and overshadowed by Hollywood," Adlai said.

Now in its eighth year, the festival puts a spotlight on local independent filmmakers who reside in the Valley or film here. The Sherman Oaks Galleria served as the host theatre for the first few years until moving to the El Portal Theatre in the NoHo Arts District.

While operating on a smaller scale than other festivals, Adlai's creation has grown in popularity and creates a sense of community.

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The festival is Adlai's way to make a mark in her own way on the place where she grew up, said Paul Hough, a college classmate who has helped out as filmmaker liaison for the festival.

"She really is a proud Valley girl, so to speak," Hough said.

An internship led Adlai to fall in love with the area of the city home to New York University. While her parents both had connections with the entertainment industry, there was no pressure from them for Adlai to attend film school.

After several years of working in film production, Adlai realized she did not like the work. Starting the festival was a way for her to combine the film school degree with a strong interest in event planning.

The festival receives funding from nonprofit community partners, corporate sponsorships and private donations. Helped along by a team of volunteers, Adlai still does much of the organizing herself.