Friday, February 13, 2026 at North Beach Restaurant: Averell “Ace” Smith, Gavin Newsom campaign guru
- tarmour2
- Feb 11
- 2 min read
“Ace” Smith is our guest this Friday, February 13. Averell “Ace” Smith is the campaign guru behind Kamala Harris and Gavin Newsom. Capitol Weekly says he’s “a legend among California political consultants, the San Francisco-based Smith has handled campaigns for president, governor, senator, local contenders and, perhaps most memorably, his own father.” (Past Seminarian and San Francisco District Attorney) Arlo Smith. https://capitolweekly.net/oral-histories/ace-smith-political-consultant/ Ace will be introduced by Sac Sem’s new speakers/program chair Brian Chase.
RSVP TO ATTEND any upcoming seminar. To assist the kitchen staff with planning for our Friday lunchtime meetings, please notify DENNIS WHEATLEY at dennis@triticum.com NO LATER THAN MID-DAY ON the WEDNESDAY BEFORE EVERY SEMINAR if you plan to attend and indicate if you’ll be bringing a guest. Dennis DOES NOT need to know if you are not attending. Valet Parking: If there are less than (10) ten sign-ups, there will be no valet. To register for valet parking contact our newly reelected Chair Greg Ryken at (415) 215-3775 or email him the Wednesday before seminars at Greg@rykenlaw.com
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UPCOMING SEMINARS:
Alan Wong, the newest member of San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors is the Seminar’s guest on Friday, February 20. Supervisor Wong was appointed by Mayor Dan Lurie to the board’s Sunset District-centered District 4 seat on December 1. The post had been held by Supervisor Joel Engardo until he was recalled over the conversion of the Great Highway to Sunset Dunes Park. A Lincoln High Grad, Supervisor Wong received degrees from UC San Diego and a master’s degree in public affairs from USF. He previously was an elected City College of SF trustee. He has served in the California National Guard for the past 15 years.
San Francisco Chronicle columnist Carl Nolte will return to Sac Sem on Friday, February 27. Carl writes the “Native Son” column on page 2 of each Sunday Chron., A lifelong San Franciscan, Carl was a beat reporter with the “Voice of the West” starting in the 1970s. Carl will look back and reflect on where and how The City has changed for the better and where change has been for the worse. Chair emeritus Dick Spotswood will introduce our guest.
Mary Noel Pepys is our speaker for Friday, March 6th. Mary Noel will be reflecting on her 30-year journey, during which she has lived two lifestyles that are worlds apart—one in the United States, where she enjoyed the privileges of living in a democracy, and the other abroad where she had worked to advance democratic reforms in more than 45 countries. A Seminarian, Mary Noel is a director emeritus of UC Law – San Francisco (formerly Hastings College of Law.)
Read details of her background in this introduction to her address at The Commonwealth Club:
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OTHER THOUGHTS: “What a pity that when Columbus discovered America, that he ever mentioned it.” Margot Asquith
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