Lenny Leszczynski is a car guy, dating back to his days as a young man who drove a Daytona Blue 1964 Chevy Impala, but his wife was not expecting him to land this job. After all, Lenny had never been a CEO before. He did take advantage of all the free time the pandemic gave us by going back to school to earn an advanced degree. He was in Disneyland with his wife and kids hours after his job interview when he received the call. He got the job. He was the new CEO of the San Diego Automotive Museum located in Balboa Park.

You won’t find too many political people as smart as Steve Peace, but what really makes him interesting is his life as a grandfather (an Uber driver to his grandchildren is how he describes it), husband, and father. A former California legislator, Peace blazed a trail from San Diego to Sacramento that may never be surpassed. He also found success in the movie making business. He wrote and produced Attack of the Killer Tomatoes, a parody cult classic.

Michael Zucchet is one of those guys who listens more than he talks, and his calm and thoughtful demeanor has served him well at the poker table and at the negotiating table.

The majority of San Diegans are renters, but rents are crazy expensive because supply is so low. Very few new homes are built, so those that are sold come with a steep price. The average home in San Diego sells for $900,000. How did we get here? What caused our region’s housing crisis? How do we fix it? What do we need to do to build more homes San Diegans can afford? Tony and Juan get answers to these questions from two of the region’s leading housing advocates, Lori Pfeiler and Hannah Gbeh, on this episode of Dear San Diego.

This episode is dedicated to Tony’s dad, Bobby George Manolatos, who passed away October 5. They discuss Tony's dad at the top of the episode. When Monica Montgomery Steppe was 2 years old she told her family to stop calling her Pumpkin. Her name, she told them, is Monica. It’s that confidence and belief in herself that has carried Councilmember Montgomery to great heights throughout her young political career. Never one to back down from her values or beliefs, the San Diego Councilmember and county supervisor candidate joins Dear San Diego to discuss her motivations; her love for music, government and community; and why it’s important for her, and for people like her, to be at the table.

During his 8 years as a San Diego City Councilmember, Chris Cate was known as the smartest guy on the 10th floor, but he became more than a policy wonk. He worked with council members on both sides of the aisle to create positive change for San Diegans, and he became a force for his District 6 constituents, which includes the neighborhoods of Clairemont Mesa, Kearny Mesa, Mira Mesa, Miramar, Park Village, and Sorrento Valley. Chris was only the third Asian American in San Diego’s history elected to the City Council.

James Canning was the PR pro for one the region’s most popular politicians. Everything was going exceptionally well for his boss and for James. And then one morning that all changed.

Drew Lieberman counts San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, Hawaii Governor Josh Green, and the U.S. Navy among his clients. Drew has worked with Tony and Juan on several land-use campaigns.

Jessica Grounds does not shy away from a challenge and that’s a good thing considering she spends her days developing young leaders and striving for change in board rooms, on committees, and in corner offices.

Tamera Kohler is the leading voice on homelessness in our region. As CEO of RTFH or the San Diego Regional Task Force on Homelessness, Kohler is deeply invested in the region’s most pressing issue.