2014 Silver SPUR: How Ron and Barbara Kaufman Advocate for San Francisco

The 2014 Silver SPUR Awards, held on November 18, recognized five individuals whose achievements have made San Francisco and the Bay Area a better place to live and work.

Ron Kaufman has been working for half a century to preserve the historic character of one of the city’s oldest neighborhoods. Through The Ron Kaufman Companies, he has helped create historic reuses for a majority of the Old North Waterfront area of San Francisco. He has been a vital force in the business and philanthropic community, serving on and often chairing numerous boards, including those of the California Pacific Medical Center, the Jewish Community Federation, the Bernard Osher Foundation, Jewish Family and Children’s Services of San Francisco, United Way and the UCSF/Mt. Zion Board. He has played a critical convenor role, wading through tricky political waters for many of the city’s biggest projects.

Barbara Kaufman hosted Call for Action, a top-rated consumer advocacy radio show on KCBS-AM. This high-profile role led her to win a citywide seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. During her tenure she served as a good government steward, culminating in the 1996 reform of San Francisco’s city charter. Barbara served on the Federal Reserve Board’s Consumer Advisory Council, as chairwoman of the Bay Conservation and Development Commission and on the Metropolitan Transportation Commission. In 2004, she was appointed director of the San Francisco Regional Office of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Barbara has also served as a leader in the Jewish community in San Francisco.

 

 

Learn about our other 2014 Silver SPUR honorees:

2014 Silver SPUR: How Clothilde Hewlett Inspires Civic Leadership >>

2014 Silver SPUR: How Michael Painter Re-Envisions Urban Design >>

2014 Silver SPUR Awards: How Leslie Tang Schilling Champions Small Business >>