Russ Lesser

About this Talk – Creating the 10K

Russ Lesser uses the story of the creation and growth of the Manhattan Beach 10K to beg his audience to make a difference to the world.

About Russ Lesser

Russ’ grandparents purchased a home in Manhattan Beach in 1917 and he and his wife live about 100 feet from the original family house. His brother and family lives next door, his oldest son one half mile away, and his other son and daughter within a fifteen minute drive.
Russ attended Manhattan Beach schools from kindergarten through high school and then graduated from California State University at Long Beach with a degree in accounting. He served in the U.S. Army as a first Lieutenant in the finance corps, then worked as a CPA in the Long Beach based firm of Windes & McClaughry. He was a partner from 1970 to 1990, In 1986 he was elected managing partner. In 1990, when he left the firm to become president of Body Glove International there were about 110 employees at Windes, making it one of the largest single office CPA firms in the country.

Russ has been married to Charlotte for over 43 years and they have three grown children. He served eight years on the Manhattan Beach City Council, including two terms as Mayor. Russ and Charlotte have received many awards individually and jointly, including Citizens of the year in Manhattan Beach, and Citizens of the year for the South Bay.

Russ, along with his sons Tim and Greg, friends Jim Miller, Pat Dietz, Rich Wenzel, Evan Calbi, Bill Severance, and Body Glove attorney Hillary Kane form the Folk/Rock Band Thin Ice. They have played at various venues in the South Bay. Russ plays guitar, does vocals, and has written a selection of songs, including two that have been released on a new album commemorating 100 years of surfing in the United States, and a theme song for the International Year of the Reef, 2008, which is being sung by children’s choral groups around the world and is on many internet sites.