Councilman Eriksson – How Does It Sound?

Göran Eriksson, longtime resident and chair of Culver City’s Finance Advisory Committee, is inviting the community to attend a campaign kickoff celebration as he opens his run for one of three open City Council seats next April.

Mr. Eriksson’s opener will be Sunday, Dec. 6, at 1 o’clock at the home of Madeline and Paul Ehrlich, 11472 Diller Ave. (Those planning to attend should RSVP by Dec. 3 to rsvp@erikssonforcouncil.com.

Mr. Eriksson, with a long record as a successful businessman and community activist, already has been endorsed by four of the five sitting City Council members Mayor Mehaul O’Leary, Vice Mayor Andy Weissman, Jeff Cooper and Jim Clarke.

“I am pleased with the support I have received so early,” he said of the Council members who urged him to run.

“They know the city’s future depends upon making intelligent prudent financial decisions.

“I am proud of my record working to improve our quality of life.”

As chair of the Finance Advisory Committee, he has led in making recommendations to increase community involvement in the budget process, update current financial policies and extend the  long-term financial forecast. In addition, under his leadership, the committee has developed a Measure Y quarterly fact sheet and communication plan, made recommendations regarding financial transparency strategy and made recommendations regarding the communication of financial information on the city website.

Mr. Eriksson serves as the vice chair of the School District’s Citizen Bond Oversight Committee, where he helps keep the public informed of the expenditures of the bond proceeds and ensure that bond proceeds are used only for the purposes set forth in the Measure CC bond.

“I have the background and the experience necessary to keep our city on firm financial footing while making the tough decisions that will guide us into the future,” said Mr. Eriksson.

The man  who served on the Advisory Committee on Redevelopment said he believes “in protecting our quality of life while enhancing city services and sustainability.

“I want to move our city into the future while maintaining our small-town charm.

At the heart of Mr. Eriksson’s plans is a need to make prudent financial decisions.

There is no doubt why the city has been keen to capitalize on his business savvy. Mr. Eriksson has been in international sales, marketing and business development for more than 30 years.

He is president and founder of esi Techtrans, Inc., an international business development consultancy he founded in 1987. He also serves as chairman of the board and CFO for Euro VAT Refund Inc., the company he co-founded with his wife, Britta, in 1992. That firm is a leading VAT financial service corporation that specializes in VAT reclaim and management.

Mr. Eriksson is a board member of the Chamber of Commerce, where he served as chairman in 2012. He is a member of Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), Culver City Amateur Radio Emergency Service (CCARES), Culver City Exchange Club, a graduate of the Citizens Police Academy and has coached soccer in AYSO for several years.

Mr. Eriksson is also chairman of the Board of Trustees of Lund University Foundation, Inc., where he raises funds for a project to curate, translate, and digitize the Ravensbruck Archive, a rare body of survivors’ real time testimony, which now resides at the Lund University Central Library. Ravensbruck was a concentration camp built solely for women and children, the only one of its kind. The Archive includes 500 interviews done at Lund of the women of Ravensbruck, among 21,000 evacuated to Southern Sweden.

A 20-year homeowner in Culver City, Mr. Eriksson together with his wife of 30 years, Britta, has two sons, Philip and Niklas. They have grown up in Culver City. They are studying at UC Davis and Loyola University Medical School, respectively.

Mr. Maleman may be contacted at gmaleman@aol.com