Silicon Valley Leadership Group
Carl Guardino, one of Silicon Valley’s most distinguished business and community leaders, is the President and CEO of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, a public policy trade association that represents more than 300 of Silicon Valley’s most respected companies.
In February 2007, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger appointed Guardino to a four-year term on the California Transportation Commission. He also serves on numerous other boards and is actively involved in a wide range of community organizations and projects. In 2000, the San Jose Mercury News named Guardino one of the “Five Most Powerful” people in Silicon Valley in a once-per-decade study.
Guardino has been the chief executive of the Leadership Group since 1997. He previously served as a vice president with the organization between 1991 and 1995. In between, he held an executive position in governmental affairs with Hewlett Packard. Earlier, he spent six years on the staff of Central Valley Assemblyman Rusty Areias, the last three as his chief assistant.
Known throughout the region as a consensus builder, Guardino has championed a number of important issues, especially in the areas of transportation, housing and education.
His transportation leadership includes successful management of ballot Measures A & B in 1996 that funded 19 key road and rail improvements with $1.4 billion; and co-management of a 2000 traffic relief initiative that will generate some $5.5 billion in local funds to bring BART to Santa Clara County, improve CalTrain and other transit improvements.
As a housing advocate, he co-created the Housing Trust Fund, which has helped 7,800 families afford homes in high-cost Silicon Valley by raising more than $38 million in voluntary contributions. He also co-managed Prop. 46, the statewide Housing Bond, in 2002 and co-chaired Prop. 1-C, the November 2006 statewide Housing Bond.
Guardino is the chair of City Year San Jose Silicon Valley and the founder and race director of the annual Thanksgiving Day Applied Materials “Silicon Valley Turkey Trot.” In addition, he serves on the boards for the Second Harvest Food Bank, the Housing Trust of Santa Clara County and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Guardino also hosts “The CEO Show,” a radio talk featuring top Silicon Valley CEOs and other executives that airs every Tuesday at 7 p.m. on KLIV AM 1590.
Guardino was born and raised in San Jose and received his Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from San Jose State University, where he is a Distinguished Alumnus. He is a member of Junior Achievement’s “Silicon Valley Business Hall of Fame” and a recipient of the “Lifetime Achievement Award” from City Year and an inductee into the California Housing Hall of Fame by the Housing Consortium.
Carl is married to Leslee Guardino. In their spare time, they compete in marathons and Ironman distance triathlons. They have two daughters, Jessica and Siena. They reside in Los Gatos, Calif.