Longtime city advocate Don Benninghoven dies at age 90

Guest obituary by Sheri Benninghoven

Don Benninghoven, former League of California Cities executive director, passed away in November after a two-year battle with cancer. Don began his career at Cal Cities in 1958 as a field representative and retired 40 years later. He spent the final 26 years as executive director. Don was a highly respected voice for city government and was known for being a skilled negotiator, his ability to resolve conflicts, tremendous empathy, and his capacity for finding common ground.

Don believed that the greatest assets of Cal Cities could be found in two main sources: the incredible dedication of city government representatives to better their communities and a relentless focus on ethics by Cal Cities and its staff. He nourished those sentiments each and every day and was proud to know that culture remains with Cal Cities today.

Don worked with some of the major figures in Sacramento and Washington, D.C., including seven California governors — from Pat Brown and Ronald Reagan to Jerry Brown and Arnold Schwarzenegger. He also worked with and became friends with several elected officials, including Helen Putnam, Pat Russell, Jack Maltester, Tom Bradley, and Dianne Feinstein.

Through his work — or rather his calling — Don helped ensure city leaders have the flexibility and resources to carry out local goals. He influenced major legislation that continues to impact the lives of all Californians, including the Coastal Act, Williamson Act, state funding of mandates, and various tax authority measures. And while the accomplishments were major, he felt his career was a great one because of the dedicated people he worked with, including Cal Cities staff, elected officials, and staff from all the cities he encountered during his career.

Don was a proud recipient of the League’s Past President’s Award in 2017. His full obituary can be found here. A memorial service will take place on March 16 at 1 p.m., at All Saints-by-the-Sea Episcopal Church, 83 Eucalyptus Lane, Santa Barbara CA 93108.