Bob Foster is widely-respected business and community leader who was elected as Mayor of Long Beach in June of 2006.  He received the majority of votes in every council district in the City. 

Bob retired in 2006 from Southern California Edison (SCE) where he had worked since 1984.  Bob worked his way up through the company, eventually becoming president in 2002.  As an Edison executive in 1998 -1999, Bob led the effort that prevented Enron from taking over the electrical utility service in Long Beach.  A purchasing business that he brought to Long Beach through SCE has generated over $18 million in sales tax revenue for the City to pay for vital public services.  Bob played a leadership role in helping California and Edison survive the energy crisis and develop new environmentally-sound energy sources to prevent future emergencies. Under Bob’s leadership, Edison developed the largest renewable, clean energy programs (solar, geothermal, biomass and wind) in the country.

Before his work with Southern California Edison, Bob worked for the California State Senate where he helped develop legislation that established statewide energy efficiency standards.  A graduate of San Jose State University, Bob has an undergraduate degree in Public Administration and PhD level coursework in political theory.  Always an active supporter of youth sports, Bob coached his son’s Little League teams for 10 years taking one of the teams to the Little League World Series in 1983.

Bob has worked hard to support many local community groups like the Public Corporation for the Arts and International City Theatre. He serves on numerous boards, including the Long Beach Public Library Foundation Advisory Board and the Advisory Board of Long Beach Memorial Miller Children’s Hospital.  He is a former member of the Aquarium of the Pacific Advisory Board.  Bob was appointed as a Trustee of the California State University system where he has served since 1998. 

Bob Foster and his wife, Nancy, have been married for 37 years and have two grown sons and three grandchildren.