City of Bakersfield inducts Harvey L. Hall into the Rabobank Arena Hall of Fame

Hall Ambulance Founder and President Harvey L. Hall, who served 16 years as Mayor of Bakersfield, Calif., from 2001–2017, was inducted into the City of Bakersfield's Hall of Fame at the Rabobank Arena on Jan. 5, 2018.

City Manager Alan Tandy made the presentation to Hall before a crowd including the current mayor, council members, department heads, community leaders, his family and leadership team at his ambulance company.

The purpose of the Hall of Fame is for the City to recognize notable citizens who through their individual areas of endeavor have had a significant impact on the community. "During his tenure as mayor, Harvey Hall was not only the City's biggest cheerleader - he took action to foster unity in the community," said Tandy, "This recognition is a fitting tribute to his devotion to Bakersfield."

Since the opening of the Rabobank Arena in 1998, the City of Bakersfield has honored its rich history and notable citizens by featuring select individuals and their accomplishments in the Rabobank Hall of Fame including Buck Owens, Congressman Kevin McCarthy, Majority Leader U.S. House of Representatives; NASCAR Driver Kevin Harvick, and Oakland Raiders Quarterback Derek Carr.

Hall of Fame displays consist of a picture of the honoree and a 250-word description of their achievements. Directly beneath the text display sits a locked glass case that allows for items relating to the achievements of the honoree to be put on display.

During his tenure, Mayor Hall prided himself on serving as a mayor for all of the people. Always eager to acknowledge the accomplishments, celebrations, and inclusiveness of our great city, Mayor Hall presented 1,836 Proclamations and 10,750 Certificates of Appreciation; performed 958 ribbon cuttings, 91 ground breakings, 981 speeches, 469 welcomes, hosted 452 foreign visitors, and read 166 books to school children.

Hall focused his priorities on beautification, tackling challenging issues associated with homelessness, and giving of his time and resources to inspire Bakersfield's youth, which included donating his entire mayor's salary to create the Mayor's Scholarship Fund-awarding $253,000 in financial aid to 297 local college students.

Hall founded his ambulance company on February 10, 1971, and today is the 9-1-1 paramedic provider for 88% of Kern County's population.