Frank Zerunyan

Frank Vram Zerunyan (born September 17, 1959) is a two-term Mayor and still serving Councilmember in the City of Rolling Hills Estates, California. In his role as a public official, after serving as Chair of the Planning Commission in Rolling Hills Estates, Zerunyan was elected to the City Council in 2003 and re-elected in 2007 and 2011. He previously served and continues to serve on various regional public boards, including law enforcement, sanitation, technology, community economic and human development and transit. He has chaired and continues to chair select city government committees in Rolling Hills Estates.
Zerunyan’s public service on various local government policy committees extends statewide with the California League of Cities, California Contract Cities Association and Southern California Association of Governments. In 2008, Zerunyan was elected and assumed a leadership role as the 52nd President of California Contracts Cities Association, the second largest municipal organization in the state of California with approximately 70 member cities and 7 million residents.
As a gubernatorial appointee under Governor Schwarzenegger, Zerunyan was a state regulator serving on the Medical Board of California in the Department of Consumer Affairs. He was elected by the Board to serve as its Vice President.
Zerunyan is a Professor of the Practice of Governance at the University of Southern California Sol Price School of Public Policy and Director of Executive Education at USC Price Bedrosian Center on Governance. His key areas of expertise include Local Governments, Public Private Partnerships, Civic Leadership, Land Use, Regulation, Negotiation and Executive Education. He teaches graduate courses on Intersectoral Leadership, Business and Public Policy, International Issues in Public Policy, Negotiation as well as International Laboratory. He also lectures locally and globally to build capacity and foster leadership among public executives worldwide.
In January 2013, Zerunyan was appointed to an ad hoc experts committee on capacity building in public administration at the United Nations Division for Public Administration and Development Management in the Department of Economic and Social Affairs. In that capacity, he lectures and conducts capacity building seminars at UN headquarters in New York as well as at UN Forums around the world.
Zerunyan has more than 25 years of comprehensive and multi-sectorial experience as a lawyer, consultant, director, board member, professor and public servant. Zerunyan has been honored as one of Southern California Magazine’s Super Lawyers since 2004, The Legal Network’s Top Lawyers in California, Marquis’ Who’s Who in America and American Law and Government institutions like the California Assembly, the California Senate, the County of Los Angeles and various city governments for his leadership in the public sector. In the not for profit sector, Zerunyan chaired the Daniel Freeman Hospitals Foundation in 2001 and oversaw the successful distribution of $8 million in gifts. He has acted as a policy advisor and counsel to the Armenian National Committee of America in Washington DC. Zerunyan also served as chairman of the Board of Governors of the worldwide Armenian Bar Association. As a lawyer, he is licensed to practice law in California, District of Columbia (inactive), Courts of International Trade, Federal Courts in the 9th Circuit, and the Supreme Court of the United States of America.
Zerunyan earned his Juris Doctor degree from Western State University College of Law and his Bachelor of Arts degree from California State University, Long Beach. He also completed his advanced legal studies in Corporate Taxation at the University of Southern California Law Center. He is a graduate of California League of Cities’ Leadership Institute.
Past Speaking Engagements, Presentations and Teaching
Association of City Attorneys of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; National Organization of Telecommunication Officers and Advisors (“NATOA”), Denver, Colorado; Armenian Bar Association Conferences, Santa Monica, California, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Los Angeles County Bar Association, Los Angeles, California; Armenian National Committee of America, Washington DC, County Counsel’s Association of California, Siskiyou Lake, California; California Contract Cities Association, Indian Wells, California; California League of Cities, San Diego, California; Armenian Professional Society, Beverly Hills, California; Lions Club, Rotary International, Kiwanis Club, Council of PTAs, PVP Chamber of Commerce, Rolling Hills Estates, California; California State Bar Conference, San Diego, California; Yan’s Club, Paris, France; American University of Armenia, Yerevan, Armenia; IMN’s California Municipal Finance Conference, San Francisco, California; Coalition for Adequate School Housing (CASH), Sacramento, California; Conference and Infrastructure West Finance Forum and National Council for Public Private Partnerships, Redondo Beach, California; SANBAG Annual Conference, Ontario, California; Fundação Getulio Vargas, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil; Labor Ministry of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; United Nations Division of Public Administration and Development Management and Department of Economic and Social Affairs, New York, New York; United Nations Division of Public Administration and Development Management Committee of Experts on Public Administration, New York, New York; United Nations Public Service Forum, The Kingdom of Bahrain; National Association of Regional Councils, Santa Monica, California; United Nations High Level Workshop, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; United Nations Division of Public Administration and Development Management Committee of Experts on Public Administration, New York, New York; and United Nations Public Service Forum, Seoul, Korea; United Nations High Level Workshop, Yerevan, Armenia.
Publications
Book
Newgotiation For Public Leaders; The Art of Negotiation for a Better Outcome” Newgotiation Solutions - Amazon and iTunes - January 2015,
Articles
“The Demise of California Redevelopment Law, and the Repackaging of Tax Increments for California Municipalities” Public CEO - March 2015,
“From Contract Cities to Mass Collaborative Governance” American City and County-April 2014
“Public Private Partnerships — Coming to a Civic Building Near You” American City and County June 2010
“The Use of Public Private Partnership for Special Districts and All Levels of Governments” California Special Districts May-June 2010
“US House must uphold truth and justice with Armenian genocide resolution” JURIST University of Pittsburgh School of Law, November 2007
“Chapter 11, the End of the Book? The Bankruptcy Process Revealed,” NATOA Journal of Municipal Telecommunications Policy, Spring 2003.
“Landlords: Is the Security Deposit From Your Tenant Really Secure?” Business Credit, National Association of Credit Management, March 2003.
“Overview of California Corporate Dissolution Law” Inland Empire Business Journal, and The Los Angeles Daily Journal, April 2000.
"Divine Deals" Spotting, resolving and drafting commercial lease issues and provisions are not mundane tasks. Commercial landlords and tenants should always analyze and address their specific needs and diverse requirements. California Real Estate Journal, January 1999 and The Banking Law Journal, February 1999.
"U.S. Laws Take Priority Over U.C.C" Article 9 of the U.C.C. excludes 13 types of collateral, including IP and federal government debts. The National Law Journal, September 28, 1998 and The Banking Law Journal, January 1999.
"Lease Peace” Prior to assumption or rejection, the landlord is entitled to performance of all tenant obligations under an unexpired real property lease. California Real Estate Journal, May 1998. Real Property page of the Los Angeles Daily Journal and San Francisco Daily Journal on April 23, 1998
"No Call Waiting" Adopting a 24-hour turnaround time to answer all phone calls goes a long way toward making good attorney-client relations. California Law Business, A Supplement to the Los Angeles Daily Journal and San Francisco Daily Journal, November 24, 1997
Early life
Zerunyan was born at the American Hospital in Istanbul, Turkey to Armenian parents who were direct descendants of victims as well as survivors of the first genocide of the 20th Century. Zerunyan’s trace their family name to 1745 and to Gesarya (modern day Kayseri in Asia minor) in what was once Western Armenia. Zerunyan attended elementary school at the Dadyan School in Bakirkoy, a suburb of Istanbul. Zerunyan’s parents successful garment manufacturers in Istanbul, enrolled him at College Armenien Samuel Moorat, in Sevres, right outside of Paris, France, an all boys catholic boarding middle and high school directed by the Mekhitarist Fathers of Venice Italy. After successfully completing his French education, Zerunyan moved to California to attend college and ultimately graduate school to obtain his doctorate in Jurisprudence. He is a graduate of California State University Long Beach, where he met his wife Jody and Western State University College of Law in Fullerton, California.
Professional career
Zerunyan began his professional career managing his family’s garment business in Torrance, California and throughout seven showrooms across the United States. Right before the birth of his son, he founded his law practice in Torrance representing business and real estate clients. The firm grew to several lawyers and staff and ultimately merged with another local law firm. In 1995 Zerunyan brought his practice to an established and boutique law firm of Sulmeyer, Kupetz, Baumann and Rothman. During his practice he represented developers, banks and governments in real estate and finance matters. Zerunyan is the founder of Public Private Community Development, a real estate advisory firm focused on public private partnerships to build and finance public infrastructures. Zerunyan practiced law for approximately two decades before joining the faculty of the University of Southern California.
Public career
In 1999 Zerunyan was appointed to the Planning Commission of the City of Rolling Hills Estates. In 2003 after being appointed chair of the Planning Commission, he ran and was elected to the city council of the City. He was re-elected in 2007 and 2011. He served as Mayor in 2007-2008 and 2012-2013. In his capacity as a council member representing the 8,000 residents of the city of Rolling Hills Estates, Zerunyan served on city, region and state committees.
City of Rolling Hills Estates: Chair of Equestrian Committee (2014)
City of Rolling Hills Estates: Chair of Traffic and Safety and Environmental Committees
(2003-2007-2012)
County of Los Angeles Sanitation District: Board Member
(2007-2008 and 2012-2013)
Palos Verdes Peninsula Transit Authority: Board Member
(2006 and 2010-2013 and 2015)
Palos Verdes Peninsula Law Enforcement Committee: Board Member and Chair
(2007-2009 and 2012-Present)
Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG): Member of Policy Committees:
Energy and Environment and Water Task Force (2005-2007)
Community Economic and Human Development (2013-Present)
League of California Cities: Member of Administrative Services Policy Committee (2005)
Selected to the prestigious California Civic Leadership Institute (2006)
In 2006 Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger appointed Zerunyan to the Medical Quality Division of the Medical Board of the state of California. The California State Senate unanimously confirmed his nomination that same year. He served on the Medical Board for 5 years and retired as its Vice President.,
In 2008 his peers elected Zerunyan as the 52nd president of California Contract Cities Association, the second largest municipal organization in the state of California with 70 member cities representing more than 7 million residents.,
Awards and Honors
Who’s Who in America
Who’s Who in American Law
The Legal Network, Top Lawyers in California
Los Angeles Magazine Southern California Super Lawyers
Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating BV Distinguished
The President’s Commission on White House Fellowships Selection Panel
Special United States Congressional Recognition
Special Recognition by the California League of Cities
Special Recognitions by the California Contract Cities
Special Recognition by the City of Los Angeles
Special Recognition by the State Assembly
Special Recognition by Sheriff Leroy D. Baca
Special Recognition by the County Assessor
Special Recognition by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors
Bar Memberships and Professional Licenses
State of California
United States Federal District Court (Southern and Northern Districts of California)
United States Court of International Trade
District of Columbia (currently inactive status)
United States Supreme Court

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