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Home My WebLink About03/18/2003, C2 - APPOINTMENT OF NEW SLO DOWNTOWN ASSOCIATION BOARD MEMBERS council agenba jzepom CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO FROM: Weborah eborah Holley, SLO Downtown Association Administrator Prepared By: Holley SUBJECT: APPOINTMENT OF NEW SLO DOWNTOWN ASSOCIATION BOARD MEMBERS CAO RECOMMENDATION: By motion, appoint Bob Seeley, Jeff Langford, Mark Jorgeson, Steve Potratz, Howard Carroll and Michael White to the SLO Downtown Association Board of Directors. DISCUSSION The SLO Downtown Association completed its annual elections in February for the Board of Directors positions with terms expiring March 31, 2005. In accordance with the Association's by-laws, the membership voted on a slate of candidates to appoint these members for one two- year term.. The ballots were tabulated by the nominating committee and the election results will be confirmed at the upcoming March 11 Board meeting. New Board members require City Council approval before they can assume their positions on April 1, 2003. As required in the by-laws, all elected members are owners or managers of businesses in the Downtown Association district. The following Board members were elected to serve until March 31, 2005: Bob Seeley SOHO Studio (2nd term) Jeff Langford Rudolph's Coffee& Tea (1st term) Mark Jorgeson Financial West Group (1st term) Steve Potratz The Parable (Ist term) Howard Carroll Carroll Properties (1st term) Michael White Blue (l st term) ATTACHMENTS Candidates' biographical information provided to membership with ballots. i 2003-kJ05 Board of Directors Nominees Bob Seeley ATTACHMENT 1 SOHO Studio SOHO Studio owner Bob Seeley has served on the board for the past two years and is also a member of the Downtown Association's Design Committee. As a seasoned veteran, Bob says he is "committed to working with the board for the betterment of Downtown." One of the things that Bob has accomplished as a board member is helping establish the Ambassador Program. This program is intended to connect the Downtown Association Board and staff with local businesses and foster better com- munication among members. Bob enjoys working with the Board of Directors and likes actively participating in discussions concerning a variety of issues. Bob and his wife Pamela take pride in having a business Downtown and Bob would like to focus on ensuring that the Downtown stays unique and preserves its vitality. Bob also feels strongly about showcasing the arts Downtown with displays in businesses and in public areas. Howard Carroll Carroll Properties Howard Carroll is a 3rd generation San Luis Obispo native, and has worked Downtown since 1971. As a current Board and Economic Activities Committee member, Howard feels that his involvement combined with his historical knowl- edge of Downtown make him a great candidate for the board. Howard has played many roles in the San Luis Obispo community including business person, property owner and resident. Howard believes his experiences give him a num- ber of different perspectives to bring to the Board. With all of the challenging times in retail due to Downtown construction, Howard would like to focus on keeping the economic vigor of these businesses strong. Howard has past experi- ence serving on the Chamber of Commerce Board and is very involved in the San Luis Obispo community. Jeff Langford Rudolph's Coffee & Tea Jeff Langford has been the busy business owner of Rudolph's Coffee & Tea since December of 2001. Although relatively new to the Downtown, Jeff has been in San Luis Obispo for 15 years and has been self employed for 20 years. For the ;b past two years, Jeff has worked with different Downtown promotions including the Farmers' Market Halloween festivities. Jeff intends to concentrate on eco- nomic activities Downtown and is a firm supporter of promoting pP p g privately- owned businesses. He also hopes to work on the Downtown parking issue and although be believes this is not much of a problem for his business, he knows that with more parking, Downtown businesses will continue to be successful. Jeff has an extensive background with service organizations and believes that his passion for the Downtown and expertise as an entrepreneur would make him a great candidate for the board. eve z T ATTACHMENT I The Parable arable ` Since 1981 Steve has worked for his family's Downtown business The Parable. Managing the business for his parents since November of 1997, Steve considers himself a "Downtown junkie" because of all his time and work spentDowntown. Over the last few months, Steve has been active in committees with the SLO PD working on the after hour drinking issue Downtown, one of the items that Steve would like to address as a board member in conjunction with safety. Along with concentrating on after hour drinking, Steve would also like to focus on crosswalk safety. Since The Parable is located next to one of the busiest crosswalks Downtown, Steve is aware of the many "close calls" that occur with pedestrians and distracted drivers. Another concern for Steve is the appearance and upkeep of the Downtown area. He believes that by keeping the Downtown clean and safe, San Luis Obispo will continue to uphold its reputation of peace and beauty. Steve has served on a number of boards in the past and feels that his experience along with his ties in the local community will aid in his representation of Downtown businesses. Michael White Blue After years of experience in the restaurant business, Michael White, in conjunction with Bill Hales and co-manager Mike Figueroa, has opened the new restaurant Blue. ' For five years Michael was the manager at the Downtown restaurant Buona Tavola — and participated weekly in the Farmers' Market. With the opening of a new restau- rant/bar in San Luis Obispo, Michael would like to focus on resolving alcohol-related issues Downtown. He hopes that all of the Downtown owners can come together to educate their servers and promote drinking responsibly. Michael believes that r y M supporting a safe Downtown, especially in the evenings, is a fundamental part of 1 keeping Downtown business thriving. Michael has lived in San Luis Obispo for 18 years and feels that his experience with Downtown business along with his light and 1 t' :,• ! ' young attitude could bring a fresh new tone to the board. Mark Jorgeson Financial West Group For 30 years Mark Jorgeson has been a Financial Consultant: 14 of those years spent as a principal with Financial West Group in Downtown San Luis Obispo. Being a third generation San Luis Obispo local, Mark hopes that his experience in the com- munity and doing business Downtown will help him represent Downtown businesses. Mark sees the Downtown as being unique as there are so many small pri- vately-owned businesses. He would like to focus on promoting viable economic entities" Downtown. He realizes that with small merchants it's tough, yet believes these businesses are what holds Downtown together. Mark would also like to work with Cal Poly and involve students more in Downtown activities. Mark feels that he isa good candidate for the board because of his experience as a Downtown business member. He also says that he would like to "help continue the quality of life for others that (he's) enjoyed in San Luis Obispo." CA r�