Noaki Schwartz
Only twice in his 56 years has Steve Bromberg ever had a premonition:
when he saw his future home on the island and when he was diagnosed with
cancer.
He believes the two are interconnected. For if he had never moved into
the little community where everyone knows each other, he would never have
had the support to overcome the illness that has threatened his life.
"The people here are wonderful," he said. "You can't keep anything a
secret."
Despite the sickness and treatments that turned his skin ashen and lined
his eyes with deep, gray moons, Bromberg held his position as president
of the Little Island Property Owners Assn.
In exchange for attending the meetings, helping to build the new fire
station and organizing annual parades, Bromberg had the community support
he needed to fight the sickness.
And now, six years later and another bout with cancer behind him,
Bromberg is stepping down in May.
"Steve's high level of commitment and passion for the job will be
difficult to replace," said Newport Beach Mayor and Balboa Island
resident John Noyes.
Still, as someone who is so involved in the community, Bromberg probably
won't fade into the background. He was key in establishing the Balboa
Island Theater Foundation, the Business Improvement District for the
island and is a member of Newport's Civil Service Board. He will
undoubtedly continue to work his magic behind the scenes.
Though rarely on the front lines of community politics, Bromberg is a
well-known city insider. His mind jumps and bends, flexing just enough to
make him a successful civil attorney. And yet he speaks plainly and deals
directly with any obstacles facing him.
So it's not surprising that when he was growing up in the Bronx in New
York, Bromberg considered becoming a cop before turning to law school.
While he says he didn't come from money, in the end Bromberg felt he had
more to offer society as a lawyer.
"You can truly make a difference," he said. "There is the satisfaction of
helping people."
His wife and high school sweetheart, Ronnie, helped put him through law
school. Almost three decades later, Bromberg remains loyal to an often
poorly portrayed industry that has ballooned from 35,000 lawyers in the
state to 140,000. It is this optimism and dedication to giving back that
earned him an award from the state bar for his pro bono work.
"He thinks like I do. When you live in a wonderful place, it's
[important] to give back to the community," said Dayna Pettit, president
