From the Mayor's Desk: April 4, 2025

To the residents of Cerritos and our neighbors, I write this column with pride and humility as the new Mayor for the City of Cerritos. Thank you to those who attended the March 26 City Council meeting and for the thoughtful comments shared. About 700 guests joined us at the renowned Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts, where we installed three recently elected Councilmembers Jennifer Hong, Mark E. Pulido, and Sophia M. Tse; unanimously selected Lynda P. Johnson as Mayor Pro Tem; and unanimously approved my selection as Mayor. This was a historic night for the City, which now boasts Cerritos’ first all-Asian-American City Council, including three members of Filipino ethnicity, and the first majority female City Council. I’m also proud to serve as the first Japanese-American Mayor of the City of Cerritos. 

We collectively express our sincere gratitude for the City staff who made this event possible and to our special guests who supported the Councilmember installations. Administering the oath of office for Councilmember Pulido was California State Attorney General Rob Bonta, with the oath for Councilmember Hong administered by City of San Gabriel Mayor John Wu, and the oath for Councilmember Tse jointly administered by ABC Unified School District School Board President Ernie Nishii and Deputy Superintendent/Chief Financial Officer Toan Nguyen. I’m also honored and thankful that Deputy Consul General Naoshige Aoshima of the Consulate General of Japan attended the ceremony as my guest. 

In one of my first activities as Mayor, I was pleased to join some of my Council colleagues at the Friends of the Cerritos Library’s Writers Festival on March 29. Thank you to our special guest authors and attendees. Looking ahead, we’re excited to invite all residents to the City’s annual Spring Fling & Fireworks Spectacular on Saturday, April 26 in honor of Cerritos’ 69th anniversary. The free event takes place at the Cerritos Sports Complex from 4 to 8:30 p.m., concluding with the fireworks display. For more information on City news and events, view the April edition of the Cerritos News that is mailed to residents, and visit our website at cerritos.gov. 

For 49 years, I have been proud to call Cerritos home and, with my wife Wendy, raised our two awesome children here. I was first elected to serve on the City Council in 2017, and previously was a Planning Commissioner. As I reflect on those years and look ahead in 2025, I see tremendous potential for an already vibrant community. Since its founding in 1956, Cerritos has seen remarkable growth, and become a hallmark for excellence in public service. This is truly a beautiful place to live, work, and visit. I look forward to guiding and collaborating with my colleagues to serve the diverse needs of our residents, businesses, staff, and strategic partners as we build upon this City’s strong foundation. Thank you.