NEWS FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 10, 2001

TOP BUSINESS LAWYER JOINS OAKLAND CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE

Oakland, CA - Oakland City Attorney John Russo announced the addition of seasoned local attorney Celso Ortiz to his legal team as the public contracts specialist. In this position Mr. Ortiz will review contracts and advise City staff on contract matters pertaining to public works construction, design/architect and engineering, vehicle and equipment leases, underground utility districts and citywide procurement. His responsibilities include ensuring that executed contracts meet the City Council's contracting policies and directives.

Mr. Ortiz brings over 20 years' experience in business law, contracts and state and federal regulatory issues. For the past 11 years, Mr. Ortiz served as legal counsel to Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc., where he provided legal and business-related advice on complex matters to a wide array of client groups within Kaiser Permanente. Most recently he led contract negotiations, drafted national purchase agreements and drafted capital equipment leases for Kaiser Permanente's national and California purchasing organizations with a combined annual budget of approximately $1.8 billion.

Mr. Ortiz has a distinguished history of civic involvement. From 1989 to 1998, he served as President and Member of the Board of Commissioners for the Port of Oakland. He has also served on numerous local boards and advisory committees, including the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Jingletown Charter School, Bay Area Small Business Development Corporation and the Oakland Zoo. Mr. Ortiz obtained his bachelor's degree with honors in Anthropology from Stanford University, his master's degree in City and Regional Planning from University of California at Berkeley and his law degree from Boalt Hall School of Law at UC Berkeley.

"It's no secret that the City of Oakland needs to improve how it negotiates and manages its contracts," said City Attorney John Russo. "Having a contract attorney with Celso's experience will save the City millions of dollars in the coming years. I am delighted that Mr. Ortiz brings his depth of experience, wealth of legal and business skills and savvy understanding of local issues to our legal team."

Mr. Ortiz said, "I am extremely excited about joining the Oakland City Attorney's Office and the highly talented legal team that John Russo has assembled. I look forward to serving the City of Oakland and being a valuable and contributing member of John's team."