In addition to her work with FOTO, Picus serves also on the Children's Planning Council, CSUN Foundation, Community Partners, and the Valley Alliance of the Jewish Federation. She chairs the University of Wisconsin Foundation's Committee in Los Angeles and is past chair of their Women's Philanthropy Council.

As a child growing up in Chicago, Picus insisted on monthly visits to the Adler Planetarium where she absorbed information on astronomy and learned to love the heavens.  She is still looking up.

Picus is married to Gerry, a physicist.  "I taught him to recognize Orion," she says, "but he's the one who actually understands astronomical concepts and details and is my indispensable technical advisor."

Primes joined Los Angeles-based Sobul, Primes and Schenkel in 1981 and became a shareholder in 1984. In addition to client responsibilities (primarily for professional service concerns) he serves as Sobul, Primes and Schenkel's technology leader.

A frequent lecturer and consultant on computer topics and accounting technology, Primes is a member of numerous professional associations. He formerly chaired the National Kidney Foundation of Southern California and resides in Northridge with his wife Joyce and daughters Amanda and Victoria.

Retired from industrial research, the Los Angeles-area entrepreneur holds a Ph.D. in physics from UC Berkeley.

"This is a time when many people disparage science, and yet there is so much incredible stuff happening" in all branches, Gold says. "We are not producing enough scientists and engineers to maintain our lifestyle.  Griffith Observatory encourages and inspires people to want to understand our world and perhaps become scientists.

"It inspired me."

Facilities like Griffith Observatory do critical work in counteracting those tendencies, he believes.

"I feel very strongly that it's really important to recognize our debt to scientists and engineers of the past," Gold says, "as well as keep learning interesting and exciting for new generations."

Evans says that as her friendship with the Griffiths grew, so too did an awareness of their increasing concern regarding the family's great legacy.

"The City of Los Angeles could not realistically address the Observatory's needs," Evans says, "so Debra asked a small group of friends and professionals to meet and discuss the formation of an organization to raise funds and advocacy through membership and donations to directly support Griffith Observatory."

Through Debra Griffith's determination, vision and considerable financial contribution, the non-profit charitable organization called Friends Of The Observatory (FOTO) incorporated in 1978. Evans was installed as a founding member of the board of directors. Over the years she has served as treasurer, secretary and a member of numerous committees.

Sadly, neither Debra nor Grif lived to see the difference FOTO has made for the Observatory.

"The privilege and feeling of pride I have continues as I serve with this very dedicated board and staff," Evans says. "My own sense of accomplishment in honoring my commitment to dear friends is overshadowed by the excitement of seeing the newly renovated Griffith Observatory as representative of many generous and focused Friends."

In 1978, after four years as a FOTO member, Kara Knack was inspired to join the board by no less than Griffith Observatory director Dr. Ed Krupp. A UCLA-sponsored trip to the Yucatan, led by Dr. Krupp (with discounts to FOTO members) sparked conversations with him on the future of the Observatory and the work of FOTO.

Within a year, Knack was on the board and for the next 10 years she wrote and edited FOTO's Update newsletter. Since 1985 she has written the monthly FOTO Notes section in the Griffith Observer, the Observatory's magazine.

Knack went on to serve in key board positions: secretary (four terms); vice president (two terms) and president (three terms). And that's in addition to stints on the Master Plan Committee, the Architectural Committee, the Selection Committee, the Renovation and Expansion Steering Committee, the Exhibit Planning Committee, the Planetarium Planning Committee, the Reopening Committee and the Volunteer Neighborhood Oversight Committee.

It's been a busy and productive association, she says. "FOTO events have brought me into contact with thousands of people who love and visit Griffith Observatory. Serving on the myriad committees and the board has allowed me to associate with highly dedicated people who celebrate the excellence of Griffith Observatory and its staff."

Attorney and CPA Michael H. Lester is the founder of a successful business management practice firm in Los Angeles. During the past 26 years, he represented some of the most recognizable names in the entertainment industry in financial matters including budgeting, production accounting, investments, financial planning, insurance and tax planning and compliance.

Lester learned about FOTO from board member Chris Laib, who served with him on other community boards. “I love science and space,” he says, “and it seemed like a great opportunity, especially after I met others associated with FOTO and found what a high caliber of people were involved.”

Prior to establishing his own firm, Lester practiced law for seven years and worked for a "Big 8" accounting firm, concentrating in the areas of taxation, corporate and partnership business formation and transactions, and securities law for both small start-up companies and publicly-held companies.

In 1996 Lester co-founded The Willows Community School, a private elementary and middle school in Culver City, Calif., and served as a board member and co-chairman of the Finance Committee for several years.

While maintaining his business management practice, in 1999 Lester co-founded an Internet new media company, served as its general counsel and chief financial officer, and directly assisted in raising more than $1,000,000 in seed money.

Lester attended Wayne State University in Detroit, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Accounting in 1971 and a Juris Doctor in 1974. He resides in Los Angeles.

Martin Neumann is an estate planning attorney with Weinstock, Manion, Reisman, Shore & Neumann in Century City, the firm he joined after admittance to the Bar in 1981.

Neumann has written and lectured extensively in estate planning and co-authored a leading textbook in the field, “Planning an Estate, a Guidebook of Principles and Techniques.”

Originally from Toronto, Neumann has lived in the greater Los Angeles area since the age of 4. He obtained both his B.A. and law degree from UCLA, returning there in 1987 to teach beginning and advanced estate planning courses for UCLA Extension. Besides working and teaching, Martin has been a High Holiday cantorial soloist for several synagogues over the last 30 years.

Neumann’s connection with Griffith Observatory began in elementary school with annual field trips, and like many area teenagers in the ‘70s, he frequented the Laserium shows. But the family connection to Griffith Observatory reaches even further.

“Some of the machining work on the Foucault Pendulum was performed by the grandfather of my wife, Karen,” he says. Over the last several years, Neumann and his firm worked closely with FOTO on their fundraising efforts.   

The Neumanns are the parents of three children, Michelle, Danny and Jon.

Selk, the vice president and treasurer at Pitzer College in Claremont, Calif., already had considerable experience with new construction and project management.

She was amazed at what she saw on a behind-the-scenes tour of the Observatory.

"They were so stretched for space that some of the internal storage was literally underground. It was like a submarine, they were using every square inch they had."

Selk's early tenure on the board grew out of a keen interest in the Observatory as an important architectural symbol for the City. She was anxious to have a role in fostering that, but with increased familiarity her interest evolved. "I grew to understand and enthusiastically support its role in public astronomy and education as well," she says.

A native of Oklahoma, Selk joined the Pitzer administration more than 30 years ago and holds a master's degree from the Drucker Management Program at Claremont Graduate University. She and husband John are both private pilots and have a daughter in graduate school in California. Selk plans to retire in two years and return to school to pursue an interest in artisan bookbinding and fine letterpress printing.

Charles Wilmot has been a banking professional for nearly 15 years and currently serves as a senior relationship manager in the Corporate Banking Group with Union Bank of California.  He joined Union Bank in 2006 from Bank of America’s middle-market commercial banking group where he worked with both publicly-held and privately-held businesses in the Greater Los Angeles region. He also led the not-for-profit / religious organization banking practice for Bank of America in Los Angeles.  At Union Bank, Wilmot leads a corporate banking team focused on capital market, treasury, debt, and trade finance solutions for both private and public companies in the Los Angeles basin.

A Southern California native, Wilmot graduated from Walden High School in Orange County in 1985.

“I remember as a youngster taking field trips to the Observatory and had fond memories. That was the initial spark for my involvement now,” he says.

“I already supported their mission of education outreach—I benefited from that personally and thought this would be a great opportunity. But part of my interest has to do with what the Observatory does besides that [educational] mission—the scientific mission of the observance of the heavens”.

Wilmot formerly served on the Alumni Board of Directors for Graceland College. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for the South Bay Economic Development Partnership and on the Parish Council for American Martyrs Church in Manhattan Beach. He is an active volunteer with the University of Iowa’s ASIST (Alumni Seeking Iowa Students) Program.

A resident of Hermosa Beach, Wilmot and his wife of 10 years, Maureen, have two children, Charlie, 5 and Isabel, 3.