The Valley Industry Association recently hosted one more sendoff for former Santa Clarita Mayor Cameron Smyth, who passed the gavel for the last time Dec. 10 as his term came to an end.
For Smyth, the quarterly VIA event at Margaritas, Cocktails and Conversation, was one of his final events after nearly 30 years of service in Santa Clarita.
He remembered well his very first foray into the political arena.
He was a field representative for then-Assemblyman Pete Knight, standing in for his boss at an Association of Realtors event at the Odyssey — which is where many of the SCV’s business-related gatherings were held at the time.
Reflecting back, the five-time mayor and former assemblyman described the personal connections made on the job as what he’ll miss most.
“I think with most things, with most transitions, you miss the people, and seeing the people that I’ve worked with for decades,” he said. “Our city staff has done such a great job and I really enjoy working with them and council colleagues, so again, I think, like most people, when you go through a transition, it really is the people that you’re going to miss.”
He said while his work with Molina Healthcare as a government liaison takes him on the road often, Smyth said he’s looking forward to having more time in Santa Clarita to be a “Dance Dad” for his youngest daughter who attends high school locally.
Kathy Norris, the longtime CEO for VIA, said the organization has shared a connection with Smyth that goes back to his beginning, as the business-lobbying nonprofit worked in the same building during Smyth’s days as a field rep.
“He’s actually someone who always listens carefully to his constituents,” said Norris, adding that as an advocacy group, that’s incredibly important.
Ed Masterson, a VIA board member who emceed the Cocktails and Conversation, worked with Smyth as his field representative while Smyth was in the Assembly.
Two things that stand out, he said, are his dedication to his family and his commitment to doing the right thing, Masterson said.
Smyth is one of the easier elected officials to work with, he added, because he’s so knowledgeable about the area and prepared for whatever the occasion may be.
“He’s very much confident in his ability to manage the situation,” Masterson said, “and I think that comes from being confident in what your beliefs and viewpoints are about trying to represent people as fairly as possible.”
