New Orange Mayor Strives to Boost Customer Service ,

The bedridden woman Dan Slater went to visit once a week in the early 1980s had difficulty speaking, but the smile on her face remains vivid in his memories. Slater and his college buddies visited the 90-year-old woman and numerous others at an Orange convalescent home because some of the residents did not have visitors all year.

It’s one of many examples of how Slater treats others with respect—an approach he applies to life, his work as a longtime real estate broker, and now as the new mayor of Orange.

“I want to apply this philosophy to City Hall and treat the entire community with respect like they should be treated,” Slater says.

Slater was sworn in as mayor in December, returning to city government after 20 years. He previously served as a city council member from 1994 to 2002, helping to preserve the historic district and improve the city as a whole. Slater decided to run for mayor in 2022 to address homelessness in the city.

A third-generation Orange resident, Slater’s family members have lived in the city since the 1880s. After graduating from Orange Lutheran High School, he went on to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from California State University, Fullerton in 1985. Slater has served as a member of the Orange Rotary Club, president of the Old Towne Preservation Association and president of the Orange Chamber of Commerce, among other organizations. He lives in Old Towne in a 1923 California bungalow that he restored.

Slater had already started working as a real estate agent by the time he was at Cal State and sold his second house on his last day of college. He is the broker/owner for Orange Realty, Inc.—the oldest real estate firm in the city. Slater is known for embracing the customer-service model to gain loyal clients.

“A large part of my success in real estate is due to customer service and how you serve customers,” he says. “If you always treat customers like you would want to be treated, they will want to use your services again.”

Longtime friend and former real estate law paralegal Gillian DeGraff, who helped with Slater’s mayoral campaign, has seen his approach firsthand.

“Dan is good-natured and friendly and always takes the time to really listen to what people have to say,” she says. “These qualities are what people really respect.”

His service extends beyond his professional and government role. DeGraff says he helps clean up trash on the 55 Freeway once per month and has taken homeless children Christmas shopping in his service with the rotary club.

Since December, the mayor has been developing a plan to address homelessness in the city by establishing a temporary shelter. It’s a resource that is needed because currently a homeless person has to go to neighboring Buena Park or Placentia to find a bed, and often those facilities are full with a waiting list.

“We’re doing the best we can with our resources, but the critical missing link is a temporary shelter where we can provide beds to anyone who is on the street,” Slater says. He and other city officials are currently looking for a location for a 60-bed facility in Orange.

To improve customer service for residents, Slater and the rest of the council approved the addition of a second council meeting per month. The change went into effect in March.

And to boost public transparency, Slater created a new “Meet with the Mayor” program to offer residents a chance to schedule appointments with him and share their concerns.

Slater sees a bright future for Orange, given its location and unique neighborhoods. “People who grew up here stay here, and I think that says a lot about our community,” he says. “People truly love our city.” •

To contact the Mayor’s office, call 714-744-2219

by Julie Bawden-Davis

When Chapman University’s former Executive Vice President, Chief Advancement Officer (EVP/CAO) left in September 2021, Matt Parlow had no idea he would soon be stepping into the position. At the time, he was happily serving as Chapman University’s Dean of Fowler School of Law.

“When President Struppa asked me to fill the EVP position, it came as a surprise, but he saw something in me, and after some wonderful conversations, I told him I was in,” says Parlow, who started as EVP/CAO on December 1, 2021. “It isn’t a traditional career path for a dean to transition to a position like this, but it has been an exciting and rewarding opportunity to be directly involved in Chapman’s bright future.”

Well-Suited for the Role

While Parlow may have been surprised to be asked to take over as EVP/CAO, his background, experience and track record squarely pointed to his ability to excel in the position.

“As Dean of the Law School, I was involved in fundraising and have raised funds in various settings for nonprofits, as well as a for-profit real estate investment company that I helped found,” says Parlow.

While dean of the law school, Parlow had three consecutive years of record graduate employment. His fundraising efforts also led to several new professorships, a scholarship fund and supported curriculum expansion.

“When the previous EVP left, many were expecting I’d do a national search, and I also thought I would do so—at first,” says Chapman University’s President Daniele Struppa. “But then I realized I had a gem in my own organization. Matt had been a great dean for the Fowler School of Law and very successful raising money. He understood well the university priorities, and I thought that while nontraditional, this was going to be a great choice. That has proven to be true way beyond my expectations.

The 2022-2023 year is going to be the best ever in Chapman fundraising. He has also become a very valuable and trusted advisor.”

Zeinab Dabbah is a member of Chapman’s Board of Trustees and Chair of the Academic Committee and currently works at Cal Optima Health as the Deputy Chief Medical Officer. She agrees with Struppa’s assessment.

“For those looking in, Matt may not have been the obvious choice, but for those of us who know him and understand his passion for the university, he was the perfect choice,” says Dabbah, who was asked by Parlow to join the Fowler School of Law Board of Advisors when he was dean. “Matt has been instrumental in bringing new major gifts to the university.”

Chapman’s New Five-Year Strategic Plan

Recently at the annual State of the University Address, Struppa announced Chapman’s new five-year strategic plan, which includes a comprehensive campaign that is the largest in the university’s history. The new campaign has a goal of $500 million, and they have raised $315 million to date.

“As we work toward a new level of excellence at Chapman, I look forward to making an impact in this role and achieving the goals that the Board and President Struppa have set for us,” says Parlow.

The comprehensive campaign will provide financial support and resources in a wide variety of areas, including supporting student scholarships and ensuring academic excellence as the university’s national ranking continues to rise. Funding is also earmarked for tripling the size of the Hilbert Museum of California Art by 2024.

“The Hilbert is a treasured community asset,” says Parlow. “This is just one example of how the university is set to reach new heights.”

As the EVP/CAO, Parlow oversees a diverse team of more than 100 team members responsible for development, strategic marketing, communications, career services, and the Hilbert. He enjoys how his position calls for interfacing with a wide variety of groups associated with Chapman.

Interacting with the Chapman Family

“Advancement touches so many areas of the university— from the students, to faculty and leadership, to parents, alumni and the community,” says Parlow. “I am an extrovert, and I really enjoy interacting with the many different groups that make up the Chapman family. Just this morning I met with an alum for breakfast and had lunch with one of our generous supporters and trustees. Then this afternoon, a colleague and I worked on planning a special event for this spring where we’ll be bringing Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to campus.”

As Alexis Reekie, 2022-2023 President of the Student Government Association, sees it, Chapman University is very fortunate to have someone like Parlow invested in the wellbeing of the university and its students.

“Matt has been an integral part of the university’s planning and progress in advancement that directly supports the students at this institution,” she says. “The fundraising initiatives he has been directing I am sure will result in greatly advancing the university, academics and student experience. Matt works alongside every individual and always takes their concerns and questions into consideration. Even as a student leader, I have found that when I provide my insight, it is always received with an open mind and discussion, and that is greatly appreciated.”

Transformational Impacts of Education

For Parlow, it is the transformational aspects of education that most excite him about his involvement at Chapman. He is the son of second-generation immigrants. His grandparents immigrated to New York from Germany and Russia, and due to a lack of money, his mother was raised in a foster home and his father in an orphanage.