Rancho Santa Fe Association board candidates explain why they want to serve

Three candidates will run for three seats on the Rancho Santa Fe Association board this spring. Heather Slosar, Philip Wilkinson and Jerry Yahr are the candidates for the 2013 election.

The Rancho Santa Fe Association’s Annual Meeting will be held on May 9, at 5 p.m., at the RSF Garden Club. The meeting will offer a chance to meet the new Association board candidates.

Ballots for the uncontested election will be sent out May 10 and will be due in 30 days, on June 10 at 5 p.m. While there are only three candidates for three seats, the Association must still go through the election process — 75 total votes are needed for election validation. For more information, call the RSF Association at 858-756-1174.

If elected, the candidates will take the seats of outgoing board members Anne Feighner, Eamon Callahan and Roxana Foxx.

Below is some biographical information on the three RSF Association board candidates. They also answer questions about why they want to serve on the board and more.

Name: Heather K. Slosar

Occupation (current or former):

Former human resources executive for Tier1 Automotive supplier; Former clinical psychologist

Years living in the RSF Covenant:

12

Community activities:

Library Guild board member, Rancho Santa Fe Tennis Club member, Successful advocate for children’s play structure in the Covenant

Education:

B.A. psychology, Michigan State University; M.A. psychology, California School of Professional Psychology; Psy.D. California School of Professional Psychology; Fluent in Spanish

1. Why are you running for a seat on the RSF Association board?

Slosar: I love our community and would like to contribute in any way I can for the its betterment, including representing the interests of the members of our community. Specifically, I would work to enhance the assets of our town and represent the voices of young families that have recently been underrepresented on our Association board.

1. What do you think are the biggest issues facing the RSF community?

Slosar: Our town is very unique and sometimes overlooked as families consider which local community best suits them. Frankly, we have a lot of competition from other communities that lure in home buyers with their family-friendly assets. I hope to help represent and accentuate the benefits we have and help our community grow with the addition of young vibrant families.

3.) How do you think your experience can help address some of these issues and others that come before the RSF Association board?

Slosar: I have had the pleasure of working with our past Association board members to establish a playground at the Ball Fields and have worked with the Tennis Club to better our Youth Tennis Program. I am flexible and have significant business experience as a negotiator in formulating win-win approaches for issue resolution. I am open to feedback and ideas from our community and will serve our members, both old and young, in an attempt to further better the Covenant of Rancho Santa Fe.

Name: Philip C. Wilkinson

Occupation (current or former):

Co-founder of Entravision Communication, past President/COO

Years living in the RSF Covenant:

25

Community activities:

RSF Youth Soccer Coach for 12 years, past board member; RSF Little League Coach for 10 years and past board member; Member RSF Trails Committee for six years and past chairperson for four years.

Education:

BSBA, San Diego State University

1.) Why are you running for a seat on the RSF Association board?

Wilkinson: To give back to the community I call home. To use my knowledge and experience to help maintain the preservation of the Historic Covenant Community while taking advantage of today’s technology.

2.) What do you think are the biggest issues facing the RSF community?

Wilkinson: Village parking, Covenant branding, awareness and outreach, the Golf Course tree removal and replanting plan, a possibility of collective bargaining with service providers that most homeowners use (waste removal, Propane service, etc.), the Garden Club purchase and subsequent management of that asset. This is what comes to mind immediately, but there are more.

3.) How do you think your experience can help address some of these issues and others that come before the RSF Association board?

Wilkinson: Running a successful publicly traded media business gave me the experience to help solve problems and resolve issues amicably by getting all the facts, back stories, and knowledge before making any decisions or proposed resolutions.

Name: Jerry Yahr

Occupation:

Real Estate Development and Investment

Years living in the RSF Covenant:

20 years (1993)

Education:

Bachelor of Science, California Polytechnic State University – San Luis Obispo

Community activities:

Osuna Committee

Member 2007 - present; Chairman 2012 - present

Trails and Recreation Committee

Member 2010 - present; Chairman 2012 - present

Parks and Recreation Committee

Member 2007 - 2010

Ranch Santa Fe Soccer Board of Directors

Director 1997 - 2007

President 2002 - 2005

Rancho Santa Fe Golf Club

Member 2001 - present

1.) Why are you running for a seat on the RSF Association board?

Yahr: I have really enjoyed living in this community and have been impressed how we, as an Association, have been able to maintain all of the positive attributes that attracted our family to the Ranch 20 years ago — the rural character, sense of community, open space and trail system, historic golf course, etc. In addition, I have learned through my various Rancho Santa Fe Association committee appointments that it takes personal involvement from community members to maintain these attributes. As a result I want to do my part to help the Ranch maintain these characteristics and prosper well into the future.

2.) What do you think are the biggest issues facing the RSF community?

Yahr: Rancho Santa Fe is faced with a number of issues, many are those that have confronted the community for years; increased traffic through the community, water conservation, reforestation, parking in the village and maintaining a financially sound Association and Golf Club. In addition to these there are some issues that have surfaced more recently such as: the branding of our community, collaboration between the RSF Association and the RSF Golf Club, and preservation of our community’s key assets.

3.) How do you think your experience can help address some of these issues and others that come before the RSF Association board?

Yahr: I believe that with my background and experience in business and the real estate industry, as well as my understanding of the needs of our community that I have learned through my various community activities and golf club membership, I can make a positive and immediate contribution to the RSF Association board and the community as a whole.