WHEREAS, Joe Levy was a prominent Fresno businessman and civic leader, whose commitment to the Fresno area created an enduring legacy of community and humanitarian service. His contributions include championing women’s professional advancement and active involvement in local organizations such as the Boy Scouts of America, the American Red Cross, the Fresno Arts Council, and the Fresno Area Chamber of Commerce; and

WHEREAS, Joe Levy was born on January 30, 1932, in Fresno, and died on February 10, 2014. He is survived by his wife, Sharon, his children, Felicia Weston, Dr. Jody Schlesinger, and Bret Levy, and his nine grandchildren; and

WHEREAS, Joe Levy graduated from Fresno High School in 1950, and he attended the University of Southern California, Marshall School of Business, where he graduated in 1954; and

WHEREAS, Joe Levy began his career with Gottschalks as an Assistant Merchandise Manager in 1956, became a Merchandise Manager in 1960, and became Executive Vice President in 1972. He was named CEO and Chairman in 1982, and was the third generation of the Gottschalk family to hold a top executive post; and

WHEREAS, When Joe Levy returned to Fresno and began his career with Gottschalks, Gottschalks had one store in downtown Fresno. Under his watch, he helped the independent store expand across Central California and the West Coast, growing to about 80 stores and 29 specialty stores in six western states; and

WHEREAS, Under Joe Levy’s guidance and personal involvement, the company became renowned for its outstanding community service and steadfast commitment to customer service and high business ethics; and

WHEREAS, Joe Levy strongly supported civic participation among Gottschalk employees to support an array of local organizations and programs, including, but not limited to, the annual “Coats for Kids” campaign; and

WHEREAS, Joe Levy’s list of leadership positions and accolades is lengthy. He won the Leon S. Peters Award in 1989, the top honor for service to the community recognized by the Fresno Chamber of Commerce. A former president of the Fresno Chamber of Commerce, he was active in the Downtown Association of Fresno, the Boys Club of Fresno County, the Fresno Arts Museum, the Fresno Metropolitan Museum, and the Craig School of Business at Fresno State. He received other awards including the City of Hope’s Spirit of Life Award and the Fresno Advertising Federation Foundation’s J.U. Berry Lifetime Achievement Award. He was inducted into the Clovis Hall of Fame and in 1990 was voted third in the Fresno Bee’s Top 10 Guiding Forces in Fresno with the headline “Joe Levy loves sales but reveres highways.” Leadership positions he held include serving on the Board of Trustees during the founding of the University of California, Merced, the Business Advisor Council for the Craig School of Business at Fresno State, the Executive Committee for the Fresno Business Council, as a board member for the Fresno Economic Development Corporation, a board member for the San Joaquin Political Academy, a cofounder and sustaining sponsor of the annual Central California Women’s Conference, a Trustee and Secretary of Community Hospitals of Central California, a leader in successfully obtaining “All-American City” designation for Fresno in 1967, a board member of the National Retail Federation, a board member of the Fresno County Transportation Authority, and as past president of the Fresno Host Lions Club; and

WHEREAS, Joe Levy dedicated his life to serving the community as the notable head of Gottschalks and continued his commitment to the community upon being appointed by Governor George Deukmejian to the California Transportation Commission. He served on the California Transportation Commission from March 9, 1983, to February 1, 1991, and was its Chairman in 1986. With his constant vision for the future, Joe Levy was a driving force for successfully securing funding for the expanding freeway system in Fresno and he aided in the development of Highways 168 and 180 that serve as integral transportation lines in Fresno County; now, therefore, be it