Mayor Rex Richardson Announces 2025 Key to the City Recipients

Long Beach, Calif. — Mayor Rex Richardson announced today the recipients of the Keys to the City for 2025. The honorees are William “Jack” and Brenda McDowell, Dr. Jane Close Conoley, Sheriff Robert Luna, and 1970’s hitmakers WAR.

“Each of these distinguished honorees has made a profound impact on Long Beach—through education, public service, or by representing our city on the world stage,” said Mayor Rex

Richardson. “By presenting the Key to the City, we formally recognize their extraordinary contributions and express our deepest gratitude on behalf of the people of Long Beach.”

The honorees will receive their Keys to the City at a ceremony during the Long Beach City Council meeting scheduled for 5:00 p.m. on August 12. The meeting is free and open to the public, with no registration required.

About William “Jack” and Brenda McDowell

A trailblazer as one of the first enlisted Black United States Marines, 1st Sgt. William “Jack” McDowell fought in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. First serving as a truck driver and later as an infantry Marine, McDowell is the recipient of three Purple Hearts. In 2012, he was presented with the Congressional Gold Medal alongside his fellow Montford Point Marines, the first Black Americans to serve in the Marine Corps.

Brenda is a retired Flight Attendant from the former Northwest Orient Airlines (now Delta Airlines), and the General Motors Corporation Airlines. She has also been a Real Estate Property Manager, and an Early Childhood Education Specialist. Brenda has more than 45 years of experience in customer service, property management, teaching and the management of early childhood education programs and staff while concurrently engaged in furthering her educational credentials. During her tenure as a Coordinating Teacher with the Long Beach Unified School District, she simultaneously managed and supervised the teaching and care of pre-school students, the maintenance of related facilities, and improved relationships with parents and students. Brenda is an alumnus of the 2017 class and active member of the Leadership Long Beach Institute. Brenda earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Human Development from Pacific Oaks College, Pasadena, CA, and her Master of Arts Degree in Human Behavior from National University, San Diego, CA. She is currently completing her Doctorate in Educational Leadership Degree at Liberty University, West Virginia.

About Dr. Jane Close Conoley

Jane Close Conoley was appointed president of CSU Long Beach in January 2014. Conoley is the first woman to be appointed permanent president of CSULB and the seventh president overall in the history of the campus.

Immediately prior to coming to CSULB, Conoley served as dean of the Gevirtz Graduate School of Education at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB). She also served from November 2012 to August 2013 as the interim Chancellor of UC Riverside.

Since 2006, along with serving as dean, Conoley was a professor of counseling, clinical and school psychology. Prior to her service at UCSB, she served as dean and professor of educational psychology at Texas A&M University (1996-2005) and associate dean for research at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Teachers College (1989-94). In addition, she held faculty positions at Texas Woman’s University and Syracuse University.

Conoley is the author or editor of 22 books and more than 100 chapters, refereed journal articles and technical reports. Her areas of primary interest are interventions with children with disabilities — especially serious emotional disturbance and aggressive children and youth — and family intervention. Her most recent work investigates the application of the science of positive psychology to educational settings.

Dr. Conoley recently announced her retirement after serving more than ten years as president of CSULB.

About Sheriff Robert Luna

Robert G. Luna was elected as the 34th Los Angeles County Sheriff on November 8, 2022. Sheriff Luna commands the largest Sheriff’s Department in the United States, with nearly 17,000 budgeted sworn and professional staff. In 2021, Sheriff Luna completed his service as Long Beach Chief of Police, capping a 36-year career at the Long Beach Police Department, Los Angeles County’s second largest police department.

Growing up in unincorporated East Los Angeles, Sheriff Luna’s neighborhood was patrolled by the Sheriff’s Department. He saw examples of both good and bad policing, which inspired him to become a peace officer and shaped his philosophy on relationship-based policing, specifically in communities of color. Sheriff Luna started as a Long Beach Police Department reserve officer in 1985 and was promoted within every rank of the Police Department. He was appointed Chief of Police in 2014. During his time as Chief of Police, he served on the Major Cities Chiefs Association (MCCA) executive board and Homeland Security Committee, and on the Police Executive Leadership Institute (PELI) mentorship program. He also received various awards from organizations in Long Beach for his civic leadership and community engagement.

Sheriff Luna is a graduate of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) National Executive Institute and National Academy, Harvard University’s program for senior executives in state and local government, and the University of Southern California’s (USC) Delinquency Control Institute. In addition, Sheriff Luna holds a Master’s in Public Administration from California State University Long Beach.

About WAR

First formed in Long Beach, California, in 1962, WAR from the beginning was a concept & musical laboratory. As Eric Burdon’s back band, it was the vehicle for veteran record producer Jerry Goldstein (as producer/songwriter) and Burdon (as lead singer) to experiment with the blending of many musical styles and influences. “At the time, I didn’t envision WAR as a separate entity. It was just a band to back Eric. I kind of thought it would change with his musical moods” says Goldstein. “It turned out to be that constantly evolving device, just without Eric Burdon.”

Nevertheless, Goldstein’s spontaneous impulse to scratch Burdon’s musical itch would yield a mother lode of chart gold and platinum. WAR would wind-up being honored with 17 gold, platinum or multi-platinum awards which include the triple platinum The World Is A Ghetto, double platinum Why Can’t We Be Friends? and Greatest Hits, platinum Deliver The Word, WAR Live, All Day Music, Best Of WAR and…more and Platinum Jazz, and gold Eric Burdon Declares WAR, Galaxy, and The Music Band.

In 1981 after WAR made the one-off single “Cinco de Mayo” for LA Records (Jerry Goldstein’s own label, which also reissued Eric Burdon Declares “War” under the title Spill the Wine the same year), War signed with RCA Victor Records and recorded singles “Just Because”, “Outlaw” (1982) and “You Got the Power”. Followed by “Life” (is So Strange) (1983). WAR did not record another full album until a decade later. The “Best of WAR” compiled in 1987 included two new tracks, “Livin in the Red’, and “Whose Cadillac is That?”, and a remixed version of “Low Rider” in addition of to the original “Low Rider” version.

The band’s popularity has grown steadily ever since, as a result of the commitment to being road WARriors combined with great increases television appearances, record sales, use of their music in film, television and commercials, samples and covers by other recording artists. A big shot in the arm to WAR’s presence on the touring scene was the release of 1994’s Peace Sign, an album well received by critics and fans. WAR now tours over 150 dates a year to audiences ranging from tens of thousands to intimate clubs.

Most recently, WAR received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and their legacy will now be recognized by their hometown.

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Rex Richardson is a husband, father, and the 29th Mayor of Long Beach, California. Mayor Richardson’s history in Long Beach is grounded in empowering communities to have a seat at the table.

Mayor Richardson has a distinguished record of public service. He serves on the Advisory Board of the United States Conference of Mayors and, regionally, is Chair of the Los Angeles County Affordable Housing Solutions Agency. Richardson has previously served as President of the Southern California Association of Governments.

Mayor Richardson and his wife, Dr. Nina Richardson, are proudly raising their two young daughters, Alina and Mila, in the North Long Beach community.