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OPINION
AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | DECEMBER 9, 2020
Conservancy touts 4 Club West board candidates
S
ome members of the current Club West HOA Board have served for 15-20 years, so it’s time for some fresh new leadership and term limits. The community needs volunteers who will find creative new solutions for the closed golf course that do not require new houses on the land. We know everyone is extremely busy, especially in these trying times. So, we are extremely grateful to these 4 talented residents who have volunteered to serve on the Board. Below are statements from them that explain a little about who they are and why they want to serve. There are four board seats coming up for election in February and nominations are due by Dec. 31. The Club West Conservancy believe these volunteers deserve our vote.Matthew Tyler, Club West Conservancy
Beau Burgess
I am 45 years old and my wife and I have lived in Ahwatukee since getting married 18 years ago. We bought our current home in Club West because the area was surrounded by mountain views and open spaces. I am an avid outdoor enthusiast, and especially enjoy fishing and biking. After graduating from Northern Arizona University with a degree in Geology, I have worked as a geologist and currently serve as manager for a regional environmental & water supply drilling firm. My work has provided me extensive experience with estimating & budgeting, subcontractor management and seeing jobs through to completion from every aspect of the project. My friends and work colleagues would say that I am a very logical, analytical person that is financially conservative, communicates clearly and remains calm and professional under stressful deadlines.
If elected to the HOA Board, I would work hard to restore the golf course or convert it to walkable parkland but would not endorse any new houses as part of the solution. I am committed to finding a land use solution for the golf course that will not harm ANY homeowners and participate as a board member that practices transparency and providing a better means of information for our community. I am also in favor of term limits (2-3 two-year terms) for the HOA Board because having energetic new people come on the Board regularly is in the best interest of the community.
Kristy Rockafellow
I grew up in Ohio and moved to Arizona in 1993 to attend ASU, where I met my husband. I g ra d u a t e d with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and in the last 23 years, I have worked at Nissan Technical Center N.A. as a Chassis Dynamics engineer. In 2010, we moved to Club West from Mesa with our two boys for many reasons. We liked the quiet neighborhood, the friendly neighbors, proximity to South Mountain and golf, the breathtaking sunset mountain views from our back patio and the open space. We attend Central Christian church in Ahwatukee and I participate in two weekly bible studies there. My local volunteer experience includes working as soccer team manager for the local American Youth Soccer organization (AYSO), and later serving as board treasurer. My husband and I, along with our two teenage sons, also volunteer in the Ahwatukee Boys Team Charity organization, which does philanthropic projects throughout Phoenix. If elected to the HOA board, I will bring transparency, integrity and an open mind to support the homeowners in our beautiful community.
I am for term limits for board members and against new homes in our community. I will work diligently to find a permanent solution for the golf course that meets the needs of the community. I will also encourage participation in monthly board meetings by creating an environment that is hospitable to homeowner input and ideas.
James Siart
We moved to the Foothills area in 1989 from Southern California. Our two daughters attended local Kyrene schools and g ra d u a te d from Desert Vista High School. I volunteered to coach them in volleyball and soccer. In 2009, we moved to Club West because we found the perfect home right on the golf course with great views of South Mountain. I don’t have time for much golf, but I love the open space views. My career experience has been in the Information Technology field, where I have worked for Delphi Systems, IBM, CGI and now UST-Global. Today I am Director of Solutions Architecture and in this role, I work with multiple clients to develop long term strategic technology plans for their companies. My career has required strong analytical skills, but also strong people skills as I interface with many clients daily. In regard to the Club West Golf Course, I believe solutions exist that do not require new housing, but it will require thinking outside of the box and building alliances both inside and outside the HOA. I respect every Club West homeowner’s rights and will make time to listen to their suggestions at our monthly Board meetings. I can offer a fresh perspective and promise to work transparently. Also, I support term limits and would be happy to step aside to allow someone else to contribute in the future.
Julie Tyler
W h e n home shopping with my fiancé, we both immediately fell in love with the mountain and golf course views in Club West, as I had grown up living next to a golf course. I also fell in love with the quiet community and friendly people. The people are the heart and soul of the community and I want to serve and represent them. I’ve spent 20+ years as an engineer in the semiconductor industry in both R&D and strategic business development. I’ve been an integral part of a very successful business group (>90% CAGR) and hold 25 patents. I’m currently responsible for strategy and business development for a $600M business and have the title of Principal Innovator. I understand how to efficiently and creatively drive initiatives. Prior to moving to Arizona, I served as president of our HOA in Maine for six years, where we reduced HOA energy costs by 90 percent and home prices increased by 35 percent on average. I hope to bring my passion to the Club West community on the HOA Board, and I support term limits so that anyone can contribute. I hope to use my collective experiences to help restore the golf course or keep the land as a walkable open space unmarred by any new housing development. Let’s work creatively to keep this 150+ acres of open space in the center of our community as the gem that Club West deserves.
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