The Weekly Newspaper of El Segundo
Herald Publications - El Segundo, Hawthorne, Lawndale & Inglewood Community Newspapers Since 1911 - (310) 322-1830 - Vol. 110, No. 19 - May 13, 2021
Inside
This Issue
Certified & Licensed
Professionals.....................10
Classifieds............................4
Crossword/Sudoku.............4
Entertainment......................3
Legals........................... 8,9,11
Letters...................................3
Obituaries.............................2
Pets......................................12
Real Estate.......................5-7
Sports.............................. 3,11
Weekend
Forecast
Senior Eagles Truly Experienced
a Once in a Lifetime Special Event
On Friday, April 30th, El Segundo High School hosted Masquerade on Main for the Seniors. Main Street was closed between Mariposa and Palm to allow two hundred students to dine outdoors. There were
special surprises along the way, as the talented Jeff Cason provided a light spectacular followed by an amazing fireworks show. The City lit the water tower in ESHS blue and gold! Special appreciation goes
to the more than 30 ESHS employees who helped out along with Fire Chief Donovan, City Manager Scott Mitnick, and Public Works Director Elias Sasson who worked collaboratively with the school district
on all our special requests. Photo courtesy El Segundo Unified School District.
HR Director Rebecca Redyk Joins the
Administrative Team at El Segundo City Hall
By Duane Plank
I was trying to leverage the voluminous
Google info on the internet and find out
about a Hollywood- manufactured movie
that spotlighted the daily ins and outs of a
Human Resources department. A possible
hook for this story. And I kept getting directed
Certified Arborist Santos Haro
Cares for El Segundo Trees
By Kiersten Vannest
Walking the streets of El Segundo,
the city shines in shades of green, with
saplings and decades-old trees alike lining
every pathway and park. There are over
six thousand trees in El Segundo and more
than thirty species in this small ten-mile
area. So who takes care of them all?
Santos Haro is one of two certified arborists
working for the parks department in El
Segundo. His work is dedicated totally to
the forest of El Segundo. Whether it be an
inspection, removal, trimming, or evaluation,
his job is to help the citizens of El Segundo
by ensuring the health of our trees.
To be a certified arborist is to know
all things tree. One must keep up their
certification by taking several educational
units every year and pass a rigorous exam
meant to test their knowledge. Asked if
he could blindly identify any tree in the
area, Haro says, “No problem.”
Originally from Culver City, Haro
worked summers alongside his brother for
his father’s landscaping business, which
his father owned for over fifty years.
“I learned the trade from working with
my dad,” says Haro, “but it wasn’t until I
started working in a nursery that I started
to familiarize myself with names of trees
and plants.” Though his title is specifically
with trees, he says that he wears many
hats working in a parks department, so
to the 2011 film “Moneyball,” which
starred Brad Pitt and chronicled the rise of the
cheap-on-the-dime Oakland A’s major league
baseball team, spotlighting the 2002 season.
The book was published in the following
year and details how the A’s brain-trust built
their somewhat amazingly successful team,
wholeheartedly embracing the input of their
HR/analytics department.
Well, Irvine resident Rebecca Redyk is
not tasked with improving a baseball roster.
Still, she is tasked with guiding a cohesive
and successful team of employees in El
Segundo as the cities new Director of Human
Resources.
Redyk, who received her Bachelor of Science
degree in business administration from
the University of Southern California, comes
to town after a 20-year stint working for the
City of Newport Beach, rising to the position
of Human Resources Manager in 2015.
Before her tenure in Newport Beach, Redyk
worked for the City of Cerritos for three
years, conquering roles as an HR resources
recruiter and personnel administrator.
When Redyk was selected for the HR Director
post, El Segundo City Manager Scott
Mitnick was confident the selectors had made
the correct choice. “The entire Executive
Team is excited to welcome Rebecca as a
key member of the City’s leadership team,”
Mitnick said at the time. “Her diverse background
and level of experience make her the
ideal choice to lead the Human Resources
Department.” More from Mitnick in a bit.
For her part, Redyk was eager to embrace
a new challenge in her career pathway. “As
the City’s new Human Resources Director, I
am excited to bring my expertise and energy
to the executive leadership team to support
the City Council, employees, and the community,”
Redyk said at the time she was
selected. “I look forward to working closely
with the City Manager and executive team
to improve services further and accomplish
the strategic plan goals.”
Added Mitnick at the time of the Redyk
selection: “The City of El Segundo strives
for excellence in all aspects of municipal
government. With Ms. Redyk’s experience
and expertise, she will bring the necessary
skills and traits required to succeed in our
See Rebecca Redyk, page 10 City of El Segundo HR Director Rebecca Redyk
See Santos Haro, page 8
Friday
Mostly
Sunny
64˚/57˚
Saturday
AM Clouds/
PM Sun
64˚/57˚
Sunday
AM Clouds/
PM Sun
62˚/57˚