Sacramento, CA…Bringing together leaders across California’s diverse, innovative economic and social sectors to chart a path forward on recovery in the wake of COVID-19, Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the formation of a state Task Force on Business and Jobs Recovery. The Task Force will be co-chaired by Governor Newsom’s Chief of Staff Ann O’Leary and philanthropist, environmentalist and businessman Tom Steyer, who was also appointed Chief Advisor to the Governor on Business and Jobs Recovery. He will receive no compensation for his service.

Members of the Task Force include Senate President pro Tempore Toni Atkins, Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, Senate Minority Leader Shannon Grove, Assembly Minority Leader Marie Waldron, former Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen, Walt Disney Company Executive Chairman Bob Iger, former head of the Small Business Administration Aida Álvarez and dozens of prominent leaders in business, labor, health care, academia and philanthropy.

“This pandemic has forced millions of Californians out of jobs – with the most vulnerable hit the hardest,” said Governor Newsom. “While we have made significant progress in flattening the curve and increased preparedness of our health care delivery system, the actions taken have also impacted the economy, poverty and overall health care in California. We will use a gradual, science-based and data-driven framework to guide our re-opening timing while planning our economic recovery. I am honored that dozens of leaders in business, labor, health and philanthropy are stepping up to meet this moment by committing their time and talent to lift up all Californians. Through their leadership, and the leadership of California’s 40 million residents, I have no doubt we will emerge stronger from this crisis.”

The Task Force will work to develop actions government and businesses can take to help Californians recover as fast as safely possible from the COVID-19 induced recession and to shape a fair, green, and prosperous future. They will meet twice a month throughout 2020 to develop options that would work for all Californians, with a particular focus on those hardest hit by the pandemic.

“Governor Newsom has been a steady hand and shining example of how to lead during a crisis, and I am thrilled to help in this critical way,” said Tom Steyer. “In the coming weeks and months, we will bring together the public and private sectors, outside experts, organized labor, environmental groups, and activists to develop recommendations for a recovery plan that works for all Californians, with an emphasis on those communities hardest hit by the pandemic. Our goal is to present Governor Newsom with tangible actions that leverage the task force’s expertise to rebuild California, emphasize smart, green technologies and provide a model for just economic development for our country.”

The Task Force will craft ideas for short, medium, and long-term solutions that reflect communities across the state, and emphasize a fair and equitable recovery. There will be significant emphasis of the state’s strengths, including diversity and innovation. The Task Force will not only focus on our immediate recovery, but on actions to support a cleaner, more equitable and prosperous future for all Californians. It will build on the important work of other groups including the Governor’s Council of Economic Advisors, the Higher Education Council and the Commission on the Future of Work. Both co-chairs of the Future of Work Commission, President of SEIU Mary Kay Henry and Senior Partner of McKinsey & Company James Manyika, will serve on the new Task Force.

The Governor formed the Business and Jobs Recovery Task Force just days after he announced a multi-state Task Force with Oregon and Washington to coordinate the reopening of our regional economy. Governor Newsom outlined a road map to recovery with six indicators that should be met before California’s stay-at-home orders are modified.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating effect on California’s economy. The state has seen more than 2.8 million unemployment claims since March 12, 2020 – not including undocumented residents or independent contractors. The impact has been particularly devastating for California’s small businesses.

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Read the full list of Task Force members below

Governor’s Task Force on Business and Jobs Recovery
Co-Chairs
Ann O’Leary: Chief of Staff, Office of the Governor
Tom Steyer: Chief Advisor to the Governor on Business & Jobs Recovery

Honorary Task Force Members
The Honorable Edmund G. Brown Jr.
The Honorable Arnold Schwarzenegger
The Honorable Gray Davis
The Honorable Pete Wilson

Task Force Members
Eleni Kounalakis: Lieutenant Governor, State of California
Toni G. Atkins: President pro Tempore, California State Senate
Anthony Rendon: Speaker, California State Assembly
Shannon Grove: Minority Leader, California State Senate
Marie Waldron: Minority Leader, California State Assembly
Gregory A. Adams: Chairman & CEO, Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc. & Hospitals
Willie Adams: President, ILWU
Laura Albers: CEO, Williams-Sonoma, Inc.
Jack Allen: CEO, Proterra
Aida Álvarez: Former Administrator, U.S. Small Business Administration
Theodore Balestreri: Chairman, California Restaurant Association
Dan Beckerman: President & CEO, AEG
Marc Benioff: Chair, CEO & Founder, Salesforce Inc.
Angela Glover Blackwell: Founder in Residence, PolicyLink
Catherine Blakemore: Executive Director (retired), Disability Rights California
Jared Blumenfeld: Secretary, California Environmental Protection Agency
Keely Bosler: Director, California Department of Finance
E. Toby Boyd: President, California Teachers Association
Father Gregory Boyle: Founder, Homeboy Industries
Scott Bremerman: President, West Region, United Parcel Service
Stacy Brown-Philpot: CEO, TaskRabbit
Michael S. Burke: Chairman & CEO, AECOM
Rick Caruso: Founder & CEO, Caruso Management
Lourdes Castro Ramirez: Secretary, California Business, Consumer Services and Housing
Agency
Amelia Ceja: President, Ceja Vineyards
Priscilla Chan: Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative
Tim Cook: CEO, Apple
Jack Dangermond: Co-Founder & President, Environmental Systems Research Institute
Oscar De La Torre: Business Manager, Northern California District Council of Laborers
Lloyd Dean: CEO, Dignity Health
Chris Dombrowski: Acting Director, Governor’s Office of Business and Economic
Development
Dorene C. Dominguez: Chairman & CEO, The Vanir Group of Companies, Inc.
Ron Fong: President & CEO, California Grocers Association
Dr. Mark Ghaly: Secretary, California Health and Human Services Agency
John Grant: President, UFCW, Local 770
Emile Haddad: Chairman & CEO, FivePoint
Dan Hart: President & CEO, Virgin Orbit
Mary Kay Henry: President, SEIU
Antonia Hernández: President & CEO, California Community Foundation
Ron Herrera: President, Los Angeles County Federation of Labor
Marillyn A. Hewson: Chairman, President & CEO, Lockheed Martin Corporation
Ben Horowitz: Co-Founder & General Partner, Andreessen Horowitz
Robbie Hunter: President, State Building and Construction Trades Council of California
Bob Iger: Executive Chairman, The Walt Disney Company
Paul Jacobs: Chairman & CEO, XCOM
Belinda Johnson: Former COO & Board Member, Airbnb and Board Member, PayPal
Pamela Kan: President, Bishop-Wisecarver Group
Sarah Krevans: President & CEO, Sutter Health
Derrick Kualapai: International Representative, United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters
Janet Lamkin: California State President, United Airlines
Dr. Natasha Lee, DDS: Owner, Better Living Through Dentistry
James Manyika: Senior Partner, McKinsey & Company
Rose Marcario: CEO & President, Patagonia
Dr. Magda Marquet: Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Alma Life Sciences
Ana Matosantos: Cabinet Secretary, Office of the Governor
Doug McCarron: President, United Brotherhood of Carpenters
Ken McNeely: President, Western Region, AT&T
Mary Meeker: Founder & General Partner, Bond Capital
Brian Niccol: CEO, Chipotle
Irma Olguin, Jr.: CEO & Co-Founder, Bitwise Industries
Cynthia A. Parker: President & CEO, BRIDGE Housing
Dr. Manuel Pastor: Director, USC Program for Environmental and Regional Equity (PERE)
Garrett Patricio: COO, Westside Produce
Charles Phan: Owner & Executive Chef, The Slanted Door
Pedro Pizarro: President & CEO, Edison International
John Pritzker: Founding Partner & Director, Geolo Capital
Art Pulaski: Executive Secretary-Treasurer & Chief Officer, California Labor Federation
Ken Ramirez: Chairman, San Manuel Band of Mission Indians
Jacqueline Reses: Head of Square Capital, Square
Teresa Romero: President, United Farm Workers
Dr. Robert Ross: President & CEO, California Endowment
Fred Ruiz: Founder, Ruiz Foods
Maria Salinas: President & CEO, Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce
Ted Sarandos: Chief Content Officer, Netflix
Lee Saunders: President, AFSCME
Christina Sistrunk: President & CEO, Aera Energy
Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong: Owner, LA Times
Dr. KR Sridhar: Founder & CEO, Bloom Energy
Julie Su: Secretary, California Labor and Workforce Development Agency
Gene T. Sykes: Managing Director, Goldman Sachs & Co.
Sonia Syngal: CEO, Gap, Inc.
D. Taylor: President, UNITE Here
April Verrett: President, SEIU 2015
Jeff Weiner: CEO, LinkedIn
Janet Yellen: Former Chair, Federal Reserve
Allan Zaremberg: President & CEO, California Chamber of Commerce
Gillian Zucker: President, Business Operations, LA Clippers