President and CEO, Kosmont Companies
“Economic Development has become the universal platform upon which city leaders can identify and come to agreement on strategies that generate jobs and taxes in pursuit of an enhanced quality of life in their communities. By comparison, land use has become the anchor wherein the dreams of accomplishing community enhancements become weighed down in seemingly never ending argument about growth, density and traffic. In essence, Economic Development is the high road.”
Address: Kosmont Companies
16501 Ventura Blvd. Suite #511
Encino, CA 91436
Phone: 818-981-8484
Fax: 818-981-8588
E-mail: lkosmont@kosmont.com
Web: www.kosmont.com
Mr. Larry J. Kosmont, CRE, is the President and CEO of Kosmont Companies, which he founded in 1986. He has become well known as the founder of the national publication, the Kosmont-Rose Institute Cost of Doing Business Survey ®.Mr. Kosmont graduated from the University of Southern California with a Master’s Degree in Public Administration with the honor of Graduate Fellow and earned his bachelor’s degree in Political Science/Economics from State University of New York at Binghamton, graduating Phi Beta Kappa and Magna Cum Laude.During his 29-year career, he has guided over one thousand projects for public agencies and private sector clients in obtaining approvals, structuring deal terms and securing public and private financing. He has assisted hundreds of local government agencies in project and policy decisions ranging from large-scale economic development to site-specific real estate strategies.Mr. Kosmont has served as City Manager, Director of Community Development, and Redevelopment Director in the cities of Santa Monica, Seal Beach, Bell Gardens and Burbank. He served as President of the City Managers Association in Southeast Los Angeles County, Commissioner of the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board, and on the Metropolitan Water District Board for 4 years (appointee of Los Angeles May Richard Riordan).Mr. Kosmont was named Service Professional of the Year in the Los Angeles Business Journal’s “Who’s Who of Commercial Real Estate”.Mr. Kosmont serves as a State Commissioner on the California State Economic Development Commission. He serves on the boards of the California Redevelopment Association, Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation, California Association for Local Economic Development, California Center for Land Recycling, USC Lusk Center for Real Estate, and Deja Foods, Inc.