Russell Goldsmith, Chair, L.A. Coalition & Chairman of Forest Management Company
Russell Goldsmith is chairman of Forest Management Company, LLC. He retired as Chairman of both City National Bank and RBC Wealth Management-U.S. in February 2022.
When Mr. Goldsmith became City National’s Chairman and CEO in 1995, the company had $3 billion in assets, 1,300 colleagues and 16 offices in Southern California. At his retirement, it had $91 billion in assets, 5,500 colleagues and 75 offices in seven states, including California and New York, as well as the District of Columbia and $100 billion in client investment assets. RBC Wealth Management had over $500 billion in client investment assets.
In February 2019, after more than 23 years as CEO, Mr. Goldsmith turned over his role as CEO of the Bank to Kelly Coffey.
For four years from 2008 through 2011, Mr. Goldsmith represented the Twelfth Federal Reserve District on the Federal Reserve Board’s 12-member Federal Advisory Council and served as its vice president for two years.
Mr. Goldsmith also is the founder and chairman of the Los Angeles Coalition for the Economy & Jobs, an independent organization of local leaders that has been focused on fostering economic and job growth since 2010. From 2006 to 2008, he served as chairman of the Los Angeles Economy & Jobs Committee, which was created by the city’s then mayor, Antonio Villaraigosa.
In 2013, The Los Angeles Business Journal named Mr. Goldsmith “Business Person of the Year” for his leadership of City National Bank and his role as an advocate for economic growth and job creation.
In 2010, he founded the Mid-Size Bank Coalition of America, which today is composed of more than 100 banks across the United States. He chaired the organization until 2015.
Mr. Goldsmith currently serves on the board of directors of the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles and The Board of Trustees of the Aspen Institute. He is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
From 1986 until it was sold in 1994, Mr. Goldsmith was chairman and chief executive officer of publicly-held Republic Pictures Corporation, an entertainment production and distribution company. He was also vice chairman of the San Diego Padres Baseball Club from 1990 to 1994. He previously served as chief operating officer and a director of Lorimar, Inc., a public entertainment company, from 1983 through 1985.
Mr. Goldsmith began his professional career as an entertainment attorney in Los Angeles. He is a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School.