Austin Beutner Inducted to Junior Achievement of Southern California’s Hall of Fame at the 2023 JASoCal Hall of Fame Gala

Junior Achievement of Southern California is thrilled to announce Austin Beutner’s prestigious recognition as the 2023 JASoCal Hall of Fame Inductee. The event, which took place on Friday, November 3, 2023, at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles, was an inspirational evening celebrating Mr. Beutner’s extraordinary contributions to empowering youth.

The JASoCal Hall of Fame event is an annual fundraiser that supports Junior Achievement of Southern California’s mission and honors individuals who have demonstrated outstanding entrepreneurial, professional, and philanthropic leadership while serving as role models for the next generation of leaders.

This year’s event featured a vibrant panel discussion on “A New Approach to Education” moderated by Austin Beutner. The panelists included Jack Harris, President & CEO of 3DE, an organization dedicated to systemically reengineering high school education to significantly expand economic opportunities for all students; Dr. Ulcca Joshi Hansen, Chief Program Officer at Grantmakers for Education, an author and education thought leader with expertise in human-centered, developmentally-aligned education; Donté Apperwhite, Los Angeles Marketplace Workplace Services Manager at Deloitte, who leads the Workplace Services team for the LA Office, enhancing the workplace experience for professionals in Los Angeles.

The event also featured a captivating musical performance by Jane Monheit.

“Austin Beutner is a remarkable individual whose entrepreneurial spirit, public service, and philanthropic endeavors have left an indelible mark on our community, and we are proud to recognize him as the 2023 Hall of Fame Honoree,” said JASoCal President and CEO Dr. Les McCabe. “His unwavering investments in education, his remarkable leadership during challenging times, and his dedication to creating positive change in our community embody the values of Junior Achievement of Southern California. We are privileged to recognize his outstanding achievements and look forward to celebrating his legacy at this year’s Hall of Fame event.”

During his tenure as Superintendent, Austin Beutner led the largest food relief effort in U.S. history, providing over 140 million meals to those in need and ensuring that over half a million students and their families had access to essential technology for remote learning during the pandemic. His dedication to education and literacy includes initiatives like Primary Promise and Vision To Learn, which have profoundly impacted students nationwide.

The evening was further enriched by a captivating musical performance by Jane Monheit.

Junior Achievement of Southern California extends its gratitude to the event’s gold sponsors, whose generous support made the evening possible: Banc of California, Antonio Bernardo, Capitol Group, Cathay Bank, CBRE, Comerica, Goldman Sachs, Fender, Rusty Gregory and Alterra Mountain Company, Illumination, Light Bay Capital, Lockton, Longo Toyota Lexus and Penske Motor Group, Mercedes-Benz, Anthony & Jeanne Pritzker Family Foundation, RSM, Carolyn and John Tipton.

This is the 2nd Annual JA Hall of Fame event, and JASoCal has a rich history of honoring individuals for their contributions to the community. Recent recipients include Tony Ressler, Chancellor Gene Block, and Secretary Maria Contreras Sweet.