2010
GVR Board of Directors
Candidates

 

JOHN KNUTSEN – Desert Creek

I am the President & owner of Express Employment Professionals, formerly Express Personnel Services, in Lynnwood, Washington. I previously owned two offices but sold my North Seattle office in 2005. I previously worked 25 years for Washington Natural Gas Company in Seattle as their Marketing Manager. I currently teach Business courses for Everett Community College and Pima Community College in Tucson.

I am a former President of the South County Chamber of Commerce, the Alderwood Rotary Club and the Steven’s Hospital Foundation. I am also one of the founders and former Chairman of the Snohomish County Workforce Development Council. I have served on a variety of education advisory committees for the community colleges and local school districts. I also served as a Board member for Campfire USA for 25 years before coming to Green Valley.

I am a past Assistant Governor for Rotary District 5030, one of the largest Rotary Districts in the world. I am also a past District Vocational Chair. Currently I am a member of the Valle Verde Rotary Club here in Green Valley.

My wife Donna and I currently have homes on Lake Serene in Washington and in Green Valley, Arizona. While in Seattle we enjoy sailing, gardening and walking our two dogs. While in Green Valley, I enjoy teaching business management courses at Pima Community College, movies and swimming. We have two adult children, a married daughter living in Calgary, Canada and a son living in northern California.

 

CHUCK CATINO – San Ignacio Vistas

Growing up in Chicago, I participated in all sports. I went to Transportation College, studying law and claims. I managed trucking companies, including negotiating contacts with unions.

In Green Valley, I am a charter member of the Born Again Jocks Association (BAJA) Sporting Club. I umpire for the Copper Hills Little League and the Tri-county Middle School girls softball and boys baseball teams.

I was instrumental in receiving a $47,000 Community Development Block Grant for another softball field at Sahuarita Park. I work with a developer who will be donating 57 acres to Pima County for our only Green Valley Park. Eighty percent (80%) of the funding will be in the proposed 2010 Bond Issue.

At GVCCC, I am a member on their Community Services and Environmental Committees, and attend their Planning & Zoning (P&Z) and Board of Representative’s meetings.

I have been Treasurer of the Green Valley Men’s Poker Club for 6 years.

In November, I was appointed to serve a 5-year term as Parks and Recreation Commissioner of District 4 in Pima County.

I have been a GVR Director for three years. During my tenure, I chaired the Nominations Committee, chaired and vice-chaired both the Planning & Evaluation and Developer Committees, and currently I am the Vice-President of the Board.

GVR needs to bring in revenue other than raising dues, to keep our aging facilities in good condition. This is one area I am very interested in continuing to develop. My background in negotiations, being on various Boards and Committees, and being a “people person” has and will again serve me well on the Board of GVR.

 

JERRY BELENKER – Las Campanas - Solano

My wife, Harriet, and I have lived in Green Valley for 3 ½ years, after living in Silver Springs, MD (just outside of Washington, DC for 35 years). Harriet was a teacher. I was a lawyer with the Postal Service’s legal department. My primary work involved litigation against persons and companies charged with mail fraud. I also worked as adjunct instructor of business law and economics for the University of Maryland and other schools. (Thanks to the internet, I now evaluate student projects, and also mentor federal probation officers enrolled in a management course.)

I earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in economics in New York and Minnesota respectively. My law school years in Ohio were in evening classes, so I have some idea how to juggle diverse responsibilities – school, job, family, and civic activities.

My local volunteer activities include my HOA board (and as the HOA representative to GVCCC); a member on GVR’s Bylaws Committee; volunteer as a fitness room monitor; assisting at the Performing Arts Center; helping at the state Attorney General’s consumer protection office in Tucson; and as a poll worker during elections (ok, there is a small stipend for a 16-hour day).

If I am privileged to serve on the GVR board, I will try to listen carefully, ask good questions, respect differing views, and cast my votes objectively for the best interests – short term and long term – of the GVR membership.

 

 


MARK HASKOE – Las Campanas - San Miguel

My wife and I have been Green Valley residents for nearly two years. We’ve thoroughly enjoyed the move from Washington and enjoy our active lifestyle here. I’m a member of the BAJA Sporting Group and an avid pickle ball player. I like helping others and feel a need to give back to a society that’s been good to me.

I retired from the USAF in 1998, as a Chief Master Sergeant, following a 30-year career. I managed air traffic control facilities around the world. I was a member of, or chaired, numerous boards and committees. I spent many hours developing policies, designing budgets and working with people from diverse backgrounds. I’ve earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and a Masters Degree in Public Administration.

In 1998, we moved to Walla Walla, Washington, where I pursued various volunteer opportunities. I was an administrative assistant for the VA’s Outpatient Clinic Manager and an Ombudsman for two assisted living facilities. I taught AARP Driver’s Safety and served as the program’s District Manager. I’ve worked in AARP’s Tax-Aide program for 10+ years, and held local and WA state leadership positions. Currently, I’m a Tax-Aide counselor, helping local residents prepare their annual tax returns.

As a Director, I would ensure that GVR provides superior recreational, educational and social opportunities. The organization must focus on allocating limited resources smartly and fairly, and in accordance with membership desires. I would work with board members toward those goals and ensure that all member requests are equitably considered.

 

JAN COCKRUM – Canoa Sierra


My husband, Jay and I have been residents of Green Valley for about a year and a half.

I was born and raised in Washington State. There I attended Peterson School of Business graduating in 1969. After traveling for two years I returned to Washington where I started my 30 plus years in banking. Customer relations are what I love.

My parents taught us to volunteer so my younger years were very busy.
Girl Scouts, church, car clubs and many organizations gave me the opportunity to get involved in the community and chair committees.

Green Valley is a wonderful community with a very diverse population. As a way to get to know more neighbors I became a monitor at Canoa Ranch Pool.
All of our 13 recreation centers are full of activities every day. Each one has its own needs. Resolving these will be a unique challenge as GVR moves in to the future.

I look forward to being part of the GVR Board.

 

 

MARGE GARNEAU – Portillo Hills II

I believe in serving the community I live in and being on the GVR board is a good way to do this. I have served on numerous Boards in Colorado, one of which was a Special District that provided Parks and Recreation, water, sewer and irrigation.

I have a B.S. in Organizational Management and a Masters Degree in Business Administration. I retired from teaching high school business education and computer science a year before moving to Green Valley and have worked in business all my adult life.

As a Board member, I have served as Treasurer and have either Chaired or been a committee member on Elections, Nominations, Fiscal Affairs and Planning and Evaluation. I now have a good grasp of the way GVR operates and believe I can use this experience to serve the members in the next 3 years. I voted no on the increase in dues last year and no on the budget for 2009. Why? Because I did not agree with the process or with the reasoning behind the increase in member dues.

As I come to the end of my 3 years of service, I look back on the experience and realize I have used my mediation training consistently, my sense of humor often, kept an open mind to new ideas, and worked for transparency and open communication. I would like to have the opportunity to use all the knowledge and experience I have gained over the last 3 years to represent the members another 3 years.


The six candidates listed above were presented to the Board of Directors at their November 24, 2009 Board meeting. The order of the above candidates was drawn by lottery on December 14, 2009.

 

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