Category: Board News

We are saddened to report that former Commissioner Sam Diannitto passed away last week.  We honor and recognize his long history of service to the City of Los Angeles and the Fire and Police Pension System.  

Commissioner Diannitto started with the Fire Department in 1954 and after serving 43 years, he retired in 1997 as an Assistant Fire Chief.

He served on the Los Angeles Fire and Police Pension Board for 42 years as both an active and retired Fire Department member commissioner.  Commissioner Diannitto was first elected to the Board in 1972 by members of the Fire Department as the Active Fire Commissioner and served for 25 years (five terms).  When the City Charter was changed to allow two retired members to serve on the Board, Commissioner Diannitto was easily elected and on July 1, 2000, he began his first term as the Retired Fire Commissioner. He was re-elected to serve three more terms but announced his early retirement from the Board in October 2017.

Prior to his retirement, the Board formally dedicated the Fire & Police Pensions’ Boardroom to Commissioner Diannitto in October 2016. He was honored by his family, fellow members, LAFPP staff and other stakeholders from the affiliated unions and associations of both LAPD and LAFD.

Sam Diannitto leaves behind a legacy of leadership and dedication to the sworn members of LAFPP. We send our deepest condolences to his family and friends.

LAFPP welcomes Commissioner Kenneth Buzzell, the newly-elected Fire Department Retired Employee Member of the Board of Fire and Police Pension Commissioners! On October 5th, Commissioner Buzzell will be sworn-in at the Board meeting and fulfill his fiduciary responsibilities as a Board member.  

In September 2017, a special election was held to fill the vacancy created by former Commissioner Sam Diannitto, who retired from the Board after 42 years of unwavering service to System members. Commissioner Buzzell will serve the remaining 27 months of a 5-year term ending June 30, 2020.

Commissioner Buzzell retired from the Los Angeles Fire Department as a Fire Captain II, after 32 years of service. He served on the boards of the United Firefighters of Los Angeles City (UFLAC), Local 112; the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF); the Los Angeles Retired Fire and Police Association (LARFPA); and the National Conference on Public Employee Retirement Systems (NCPERS). 

Welcome Commissioner Buzzell and congratulations on your election!