Metropolitan board convenes first meeting in facility newly named in honor of former chair

The Metropolitan Water District’s Board of Directors today met for its first regular meeting in the newly renamed Phillip J. Pace Board Room, an honor bestowed upon the former board chair who ushered in an era of change and progress during his time at the helm from 1998 to 2004.

Metropolitan’s board approved the renaming of the board room at Metropolitan’s Los Angeles-based headquarters building in 2023 in honor of Pace, who represented the Central Basin Municipal Water District on the board from 1995 to 2008 and led a life dedicated to public service. He passed away in 2022.

Metropolitan officials, community members and Pace’s friends and family formally celebrated the naming during a ceremony on Jan. 28, when they unveiled the new signage with Pace’s name at the entrance to the board room, as well as a painted portrait of Pace hung in the interior. Today was the first regular board meeting since that naming.

"Phil was here when I was elected chair in 2022, and the plan was for him to be here during my swearing in, but unfortunately he passed away before that day,” said Metropolitan board Chair Adán Ortega, Jr. “It is gratifying to begin my second term presiding in this auditorium named after former Chair Pace. It is symbolic of the heights we must reach for in our era, just as Mr. Pace exemplified 25 years ago when he led the board of directors.”

Pace’s three terms as board chair were highlighted by several critical milestones in Metropolitan’s recent history. In 2000, Metropolitan completed construction of Diamond Valley Lake. And in 2003, Metropolitan was the first California agency to endorse the Quantification Settlement Agreement, an historic agreement that marked a new era of collaboration on the Colorado River between agricultural agencies and urban water districts.

Pace also advanced actions to protect water quality and led the board through a complex, but critically important strategic planning process to collaboratively craft a new water future for Southern California.

"For more than two decades, this room, where the policies that guide our organization are formed, has gone without a formal name. We’ve just called it the board room,” said Metropolitan General Manager Deven Upadhyay. “This space is now named for a man who helped put Metropolitan on the course it is today. Because of him, we are better prepared to serve Southern California and navigate the many uncertainties we face.”  

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is a state-established cooperative that, along with its 26 cities and retail suppliers, provides water for 19 million people in six counties. The district imports water from the Colorado River and Northern California to supplement local supplies, and helps its members to develop increased water conservation, recycling, storage and other resource-management programs.