I had heard of Steve Conley and Bancap Investment Group through a close friend and business associate Fran Mc- Grath of Color Broadband, Inc. I was told that he was an important man with whom I needed to meet and connect. Fran was right—I am a better person, having had the chance to sit down face-to-face with this humble, adventurous, and impressive gentleman.

My first introduction to Mr. Steve Conley was at the top of a 30-foot water tank at the Aquarium of the Pacific. He was at attention, walking around in his wet suit, readying his gear for an educational scuba dive into the fish tank with his team of divers. We shook hands as we were introduced and shared some jokes and small talk for a few minutes before he had to dive. The divers then needed to leave for the show, and we took the facility elevator behind the scenes down to watch with the crowd.

Steve, a self-described “worldly dive junkie,” takes one day of each busy week, usually Thursdays, to give presentations to child and adult visitors at the aquarium. The program was designed to provide information, entertainment and education around marine life and to protect our oceans. Fran and I watched as he mesmerized the audience through a special fiberoptic cable that ran from his scuba air mask to a high tech PA system that filled the room with his underwater voice. His favorite part of the presentation is when he has the children come up the tank to put their hands out to give him a high five through the 9-inch-think glass.

The next week, I was able to sit down with Steve in his gorgeous office at Alamitos Bay to have our first conversation. Steve has had a passion for photography from a very young age. His office is hung with innumerable amazing professional aquatic photographs taken from all parts of the world, from unique fish and coral to sharks and whales that he has confronted under the deep blue.

Our conversations started out with my trademark question:

AJ Yager: What is your secret, or secrets, to success?

Steve Conley: Learn how to treat people well and recognize how important they are. You don’t get things done unless you motivate people. Reading people and quick decision making are important ones for me to mention. Really successful people are good “people people.” No matter what you do, learn the people business. Being driven to be successful [is another]. You can’t feed tiger pills to a pussycat! Those are my top answers or secrets to success that I have found helped in my life.

AJ: What important mentors influenced your life?

SC: I would have to say one of the most important was my father who was on the Board of Directors at Union Bank. He taught me that a good man will always stick to his good ethics. Always make a good deal for all parties involved. He was always against racial intolerance as well. My partner John Hancock is an excellent man and has been very influential in my life, professionally and personally. Bob Latimer, who is my CPA and boat partner, and last and not least, my beautiful wife. Fran makes for a great balance in my life. She keeps me grounded. Sometimes I will be all excited about an idea and want to run with it, but she asks me questions and pulls me back down. I feel that marriage is a compromise, and we have had a wonderful forty-seven years of marriage.

AJ: That is great perspective on marriage. Napoleon Hill in his book Think and Grow Rich talks about the importance of a great woman in your life, and countless successful people have said the same thing. Thanks for the insight. Let’s switch gears to Long Beach. In your vision for the next five years in Long Beach, what do you see?

SC: I would like to see the economic balance be more in alignment with the state. I hope that we can build a support system for a good lifestyle here in Long Beach. I love this city, and it has been my home for a long time. Just what Long Beach Magazine represents— fine coastal living in Long Beach and the surrounding areas—is very parallel to how I see Long Beach transforming. It is also important to me that we find social solutions to deal with gang problems.

AJ: What is your end-of-the-day routine?

SC: I always make sure that I don’t leave until my desk is clean and clutter-free, and return all of my phone calls and e-mails: If someone thinks that it is important to send an e-mail or call me on the phone then, most of the time it is important for me to respond and follow up.

AJ: No one can be 100 percent perfect, but having this routine for follow-up is a great lesson and practice for all of us.

SC: If you don’t wrap up the day before leaving the office, then when you come in the next day you can never really be on top of your game and feel caught up.

AJ: What kinds of inspiration do you gain from your four grandchildren?

SC: The skill of truly listening and recognizing their point of view. They teach me to be more fun-loving, and keep me young. Also, they keep me engaged in participating on all levels of their lives.

AJ: If there was only one lesson you could pass on to them, what would it be?

SC: That is a simple one: “To Live life by the Golden Rule.”

AJ: What is in your library? What is Steve Conley currently reading?

SC: I’m currently reading a book titled The World is Flat: A Brief History of the Twentyfirst Century by Thomas L. Friedman. I enjoy historical novels, so I have many of those, Tom Clancy books, management books, and of course the books my son writes. His first one is Rebel Rules: How to be Yourself in Business, and he is writing another one right now.

AJ: What is your best parting advice for Long Beach business owners, both large and small?

SC: Get involved in your community above and beyond your business. Volunteer work, mentor a child, find things that you can do to give back and make a difference. We are all busy, but you need to make the time to connect with your community.
Born in 1937 and raised in Long Beach, Steve attended Long Beach Polytechnic High School.

Chairman, Bancap Investment Group, Inc. (1982–present)
Co-founded Bancap in 1982 as an entrepreneurial start-up company. Bancap operates 350,000 square feet of office and retail properties in Long Beach and surrounding areas, including Alamitos Bay Landing, Alamitos Bay Marina Center, Columbia, Hartly, and Hillside Medical Buildings at Memorial Hospital and others. Licensed real estate broker.

Board of advisors, Joie de Vivre Hospitality, Inc. (1986–present)
This San Francisco-based hospitality company is owned by Conley’s son, and operates thirty-four boutique hotels in California.

Board of directors, Color Broadband, Inc. (2006–present)
This Long Beach-based firm provides state-of-the-art WiFi and VoIP services to much of the greater Los Angeles area.

Board of directors, president/CEO Westminster Memorial Park (1982–1996)
Joined the board of directors in 1983. Elected CEO in 1992 to turn the company around. Sold WMP to Service Corporation, International in 1994.

Senior vice president, Union Bank (1978-1982)
Assistant to the chairman and director of the bank’s corporate operations group.

Vice president and general manager, McDonnell Douglas Automation Co. (1962–1978)
Started in corporate planning of Douglas Aircraft Co. and completed his association with the company as the executive in charge of all West Coast computer service operations from 1972–1978, with 1,500 employees.

Attended Stanford with a bachelor’s degree in economics and went on to receive his MBA at UCLA. In 1959, he joined the United States Marine Corps and became a captain. He was active from 1959–1961 and in the reserves from 1961–1967.

Steve Conley is a very warm, understanding, giving, and successful individual. After having spent some time with him, I am glad to have him here in Long Beach as a leader and a devoted community supporter. We need more Steve Conleys. Whether diving in the ocean around the world or making quick decisions in his corporate dealings, Steve is a man who sticks to his word and carries himself with a grand stature.

May the conversations continue. Until then, as my grandmother always said, “Keep on keeping on.”