Robert Anthony Toigo

Robert Anthony Toigo (June 9, 1942 – April 22, 1993) was a California State Legislator, and acted as the Chief-of-Staff for Speaker of the Assembly, Leo McCarthy.

Personal life

Robert Anthony Toigo (Bob) and his three siblings were born and raised outside of Chicago by second-generation Italian immigrants. His mother, a homemaker, completed the eighth grade. His father, an artist, completed grade twelve. The family moved to Los Angeles for his father’s health when Bob was in high school. There he received his BA in Political Science from UCLA and his Law Degree from University of Southern California, he also completed summer internships at the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C.

After graduate school Bob went to work for State Senator Anthony Beilenson and spent a 12-year career in the California State Legislature, culminating with his appointment as the Chief-of-Staff for Speaker of the Assembly, Leo McCarthy. Following his legislative service, Bob spent four years as the governmental consultant to the Nissan Motor Company.

In 1984, Bob conceptualized and wrote a ballot initiative to amend the State Constitution by creating a Prudent Person Rule [1] for pension fund investing. Organizing the statewide, county and municipal pension funds as well as the press, Bob watched the initiative pass on the June ‘84, ballot, enabling California’s retirement funds to diversify internationally for the first time. Following this, he organized and filed the Articles of Incorporation for the establishment of the California Association of Public Employees Retirement Systems (CALAPRS) .

Upon his passing in 1993, the Robert Toigo Foundation [2] was renamed in his honor.