PAT & JOAN ABRUZZESE O ur communities make us proud. From Santa Susana Knolls to Wood Ranch and all points in between, we enjoy a beautiful environment, excellent schools and strong businesses. Very few people who live here will tell you they’d rather be somewhere else. Today, the Simi Valley Acorn presents the Top 25 People of 2011, a tribute to the local men and women who help makeour community special. What these leaders share is a desire to build and maintain a high quality of life. Volunteers, business people, educators and politicians—congratulations all. You’re in the Top 25.

PAT & JOANNE ABRUZZESE

Simi Valley power couple. Though they’ve only called Simi home for 14 years, the Abruzzeses are more involved than most natives. Pat, who is vice president of finance for Pacific Coast Cabling Inc. in Chatsworth, is also the current chair of the Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce, a member of the Simi Valley Community Foundation and a past executive board member of Neighborhood Council No. 4. Joanne works as director of East County services for The Arc of Ventura County, sits on the boards of the Simi Valley Hospital Foundation and Youth Employment Service, and was the recipient of the Community Foundation’s 2008 Humanitarian Award. Both are members of the Rotary Club of Simi Sunrise.

KURT FREDRICKSON KURT FREDRICKSON

Supervising chaplain for Simi Valley Police Department. While serving as senior pastor at Simi Covenant Church in the mid-1990s, Fredrickson felt a conviction that he and his flock needed to become more engaged in the community. The ensuing 15 years have seen him respond to that prompting in a diverse and overwhelming fashion. Now an associate dean at Fuller Seminary in Pasadena, Fredrickson serves not only as a chaplain for SVPD but is also on the city’s Task Force on Homelessness and the Crime Prevention Task Force. He feels his position on the board of directors for the Simi Valley Free Clinic is one of his greatest blessings, calling the facility one of the best-kept secrets in town.

CHRISTIAN AURAND CHRISTIAN AURAND

Former Simi Valley High boys’ basketball coach. With 250 victories in a dozen years as head coach, Aurand, who stepped down as the Pioneers’ head coach earlier this week, won more games than any boys’ basketball coach in Simi Valley High School history. Aurand’s squads captured three Marmonte League championships during his tenure and qualified for the postseason in 12 consecutive seasons. The coach helped send multiple players to major Division I college programs. The 1985 SVHS graduate has spent two decades teaching social studies at the school. Aurand, 44, lives in Simi Valley with his 8-year-old son, Chase.

BRIAN GABLER BRIAN GABLER

Assistant city manager, director of economic development. Gabler has been working at city hall nearly 25 years and has called Simi home for almost as long. With a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s in public administration, Gabler became an assistant city manager in 1999. At that time, the City Council created the office of economic development, which he’s led since its inception. Given the recessed economy, Gabler is tasked with a heavy burden: helping existing businesses expand and bringing new companies and more jobs to the community. He also oversees the city’s facade renovation and Shop Simi Valley First programs.

FRED BAUERMEISTER FRED BAUERMEISTER

Executive director of the Free Clinic of Simi Valley. Bauermeister has been with the Free Clinic since it opened March 1, 1971. Under his guidance and with the help of a cadre of loyal volunteers, the nonprofit has expanded its services from medical and counseling to include legal aid, dental services and chiropractic care. Due to the economy, the clinic’s mission to provide healthcare regardless of a person’s ability to pay has become even more critically needed. Last year, the facility served a record total of 14,779 clients. When he’s not at the clinic, the longtime Moorpark resident and professional photographer can be seen behind a lens, snapping photos at community events.

MELISSA GILLER

MELISSA GILLER Director of communications and programs at the Reagan Library. The Reagan Library is synonymous with Simi Valley, with its newly renovated galleries and high-profile events drawing visitors from all over the world. Putting her master’s in business administration— with an emphasis in marketing—to good use, Giller has worked at the library for nearly a decade, and one of her primary duties is lining up the guest speakers for which the hilltop museum is known. She took the lead in coordinating February’s centennial birthday celebration, a huge nationally broadcast affair. It’s because of Giller’s leadership, and the help of her team, that these kinds of events go off without a hitch.

JANIE JOSEPHSON & PAULA CORNELL

Co-founders of For The Troops. Knowing the hardships her husband endured while serving in Vietnam, Cornell began sending care packages out of her cubicle to troops overseas. A year later, in November 2005, she and Josephson, a contributor to the cause, officially launched For The Troops. The nonprofit quickly outgrew Cornell’s office and garage; today the grassroots organization is housed in a donated storefront in Sycamore Village. To date, FTT has sent more than 38,500 packages to soldiers and Marines in Afghanistan and Iraq. For their efforts, former mayor Paul Miller presented the duo with the Humanitarian Award in 2009.

PAULA CORNELL & JAINE JOSEPHSON JAN GLASBAND

Founder and artistic director, Actors’ Repertory Theatre Performance Academy. The energetic nonprofit director has volunteered countless hours to offer free performing arts workshops to kids. Through her academy, the community’s youth have staged many musicals at the Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center. After 17 years leading ARTS and 13 years offering the Jack Oakie Summer Musical Theatre workshop, she still pushes for progress. One of her biggest accomplishments is keeping the long-running program alive without a permanent base. By October, ARTS may have a home. Glasband, a graphic artist, is raising $150,000 for the renovation of buildings once a part of Belwood Elementary School.

JAN GLASBAND BETTY ESKEY

Homeless advocate, humanitarian. On weekday mornings, Eskey is a human tornado. Describing her as busy would be an understatement. Since becoming executive director of the Samaritan Center in July 2007, Eskey has seen the daytime dropin facility grow from serving 30 homeless people per day to now having as many as 80 clients walk through the doors. The center has provided basic services such as food, clothes and a hot shower since 1994, but under Eskey’s leadership the center has expanded its case management and referral programs and helped house 212 individuals last fiscal year. The Rotary Club recently honored the 23-year Simi resident with the Paul Harris Fellow Award.

BETTY ESKEY PAT HAVENS

City historian, author. Havens’ family history in Simi dates back to before the turn of the century. She’s called Simi home since 1943 and graduated from the original Simi Valley High School in 1947. Perhaps that’s why she is so dedicated to preserving Simi’s roots. More than 45 years ago Havens helped establish the Simi Valley Historical Society, and in 1981 she was named city historian. In addition to serving as director of Strathearn Historical Park and a member of the Ventura County Cultural Heritage Board, Havens has captured Simi’s history for future generations in the books “Simi Valley: A Journey Through Time” and “Simi Valley: The Strathearn Letters—Windows on the Past.”

PAT HAVENS PETER FOY

Ventura County supervisor. A Simi Valley resident since 1984, Foy was granted the right to play a major role in hometown matters when voters elected him to a seat on the Ventura County Board of Supervisors in 2006. The ensuing five years have seen him focus on areas such as public safety, fiscal accountability by local government and ethics reform. He is also the founder, president and chief executive officer of Peter C. Foy and Associates, an insurance brokerage and consulting firm. Foy created his own eponymous foundation to help underprivileged, abused and neglected children, and sits on the executive board of the Ventura County Chapter of Boys Scouts of America.

PETER FOY ED HAYDUK

Assistant general manager, Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District. In less than two years the dedicated manager has helped oversee the renovation of softball fields at Rancho Simi Community Park, opened a dog park with 3 acres of turf and contributed to the Sinaloa Park project, which will boast one of the best mini golf courses on the West Coast when it breaks ground later this year. Hayduk and his team also guide maintenance and operations at some of Simi Valley Unified School District’s fields. He says the strength of his agency is the maintenance staff, which is highly responsive to citizen complaints. He is proud of the park district. Community residents can be proud of what he’s achieved for them.

LOUIS PANDOLFI

Simi Valley Landfill Expansion Task Force chair. Since moving to Simi Valley in 1981, Pandolfi—who deals with petroleum geochemistry by trade—has embraced an activist’s role in an effort to create positive outcomes for local residents. So it was no surprise that, when invited to join the landfill expansion task force, he quickly became the public face of the group’s effort to lobby the city and Waste Management for an expansion that would do Simi more good than harm, saying, “Whenever I get involved I like to get involved with both feet.” Pandolfi is also part of the recently formed ad hoc committee charged with looking into the city’s finances.

ED HAYDUK LARRY HIBBLER

President and owner, Simi Valley Ford. The 42-year auto industry veteran is also a local leader. He is a member of the NAACP’s Ventura County chapter, serves on the board of directors for the Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce and Simi Valley Business Advisory, and volunteers with the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. In 2007, he completed the Leadership Simi Valley program, designed to develop leadership potential within the community. Hibbler bought Simi Valley Ford in 1991. His dealership sponsors community events, such as the annual Martin Luther King Day program, and encourages its employees to volunteer. He is an advocate for serving others.

LOUIS PANDOLFI DEBI SCHULTZE

Simi Valley Hospital Foundation president. A Simi resident since 1978, Schultze has come full-circle with the foundation, having started it as a volunteer in 2002 and serving as the board chair until 2005. After a stint as president and CEO for the United Chambers of Commerce in the San Fernando Valley, Schultze returned to the foundation in January 2010 in a professional capacity and has spearheaded a $3-million capital campaign to expand and renovate the hospital’s emergency department. She also serves on the city’s Red Tag Team charged with finding new tenants for the Farmers Building and is a former elected officer with the Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District.

LARRY HIBBLER CINDY JACOBY

Executive director, Simi Valley Education Foundation. Jacoby has helped lead the effort to bring more resources to public schools in Simi Valley for seven years. One year after her arrival, she and a board of directors launched the foundation’s biggest fundraiser to date, the annual Celebration of Education Gala. The event has raised more than $550,000 for local schools. Her goal is to win the support of more community businesses and individuals to deliver educational resources amid state budget cuts. She is guided by her passion, the foundation’s motto: Education is Everyone’s Business. By reaching out, she reminds us what we can accomplish together.

DEBI SCHULTZE SGT. DWIGHT THOMPSON

Manager of community and youth services, Simi Valley Police Department. A 21-year veteran of the department, Thompson spends much of his time working with the youths—many of whom will one day follow in his law enforcement footsteps. When the department created the Youth Services Unit in 2007, Thompson was appointed its leader. As such, he runs the Explorers Post—which has grown from five to 35 active Explorers under his leadership—and teaches the 10-week Parent Project class, an already-established program he brought to Simi in 2008. His responsibilities recently expanded to include community services, meaning he also oversees the crime prevention, reserve officer and volunteer programs.

CINDY JACOBY MAGGIE KESTLY

Healthcare advocate, volunteer, savvy businesswoman. The Simi Valley Hospital Foundation recently named Kestly its Woman of the Year, and for good reason. Just check her resume: The 26- year Simi resident is the leasing and property manager at Mid Valley Properties, managing a portfolio of 1 million square feet in Ventura County. Kestly puts her financial sense to good use as president of the board of the Free Clinic and as a member of the city’s permit processing review committee. She’s also founder of the Leonard Coppola Scholarship Fund, which honors her late son by assisting young people in reaching their vocational career goals.

SCOTT TIGNAC

Simi Valley Landfill and Recycling Center district manager. A prime example of the local boy done good. The 40-year Simi resident grew up on ranch land bordering the landfill and was first hired by Waste Management 24 years ago to be a paper picker. He has moved up the ranks to his current role, where he is in charge of all landfill and recycling operations. Tignac has played a key role in the ongoing landfill expansion process, offering the perspective of both a Waste Management employee and a concerned Simi Valley native. He is a member of the Kiwanis Club and sits on the board of directors for the Boys & Girls Club of Simi Valley.

SGT. DWIGHT THOMPSON PHIL & MARY MCPHERSON

Co-founders of the Amanda McPherson Foundation. After the death of their 8-year-old daughter in December 2003, Phil and Mary wanted to do something to honor the spirit of their little girl. Since its founding in 2004, the nonprofit has raised more than $1 million through its annual golf tournament and 5K walk. These funds are used to support local special education students and young athletic programs, as well as research and education in the fields of viral myocarditis, or sudden cardiac death, and the genetic birth defect velo-cardio-facial syndrome. Currently the foundation is focused on raising funds to build a field for the Challenger Baseball League, which allows special needs kids to play baseball.

MAGGIE KESTLY JIM VIGDOR

Operations manager, Alcoa Fastening Systems. At Alcoa, the manager helps bridge the space between business and the community by taking part in company volunteer projects. For the past seven years, Alcoa’s foundation has awarded grants totaling close to $500,000 to nonprofits, including the Free Clinic, Simi Valley Education Foundation, The American Red Cross and The Boys & Girls Club. Vigdor serves on the Simi Valley Police Commission advisory board and the Simi Valley Community Foundation’s board of directors, with which he is working on the Alliance Project Under One Roof, a plan that aims to join community-related services in one building.

SCOTT TIGNAC VIRGINIA NELSON

Tireless volunteer. After turning over the reins of the Samaritan Center to one of our other list makers, Nelson didn’t abandon her passion for making her community the best it can be. Instead, the 40-year Simi resident amped-up her involvement at the Senior Center. Her efforts started humbly 20 years ago when she was an employee at Albertsons, loading up her car with day-old bread to donate to the center’s Brown Bag program. Today, she is coordinator of that vital service. For the past five years, Nelson has spent her Mondays collecting and sorting food and her Tuesdays distributing bags of groceries to as many as 83 seniors—more than double the number the program served a few years ago.

PHIL & MARY MCPHERSON LINDA WHITE

CEO, Boys & Girls Club of Simi Valley. White was a single parent looking for a place for her son to go after school when she was introduced to the Boys & Girls Club of Simi Valley. She eventually became a volunteer, then a board member for the club before taking over as CEO in 1995. That year, she raised more than $1 million for the construction of a new 25,000-square-foot facility. Opening day in 1996 was her proudest moment. She has also increased the operational budget and boosted membership to serve more than 10,000 kids annually. Her goal is to continue supporting schools in giving kids the best opportunities for learning.

JIM VIGDOR LEIGH NIXON

Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce president/CEO. The ongoing nationwide economic downturn hasn’t kept Nixon from remaining an advocate and cheerleader for local businesses in Simi Valley. Now in her 12th year at the Chamber helm, she oversees a staff of seven and is responsible for keeping 800 Chamber members informed about the local business scene. In addition to her Chamber role, Nixon has “been on pretty much every foundation in town” since moving to Simi 13 years ago, including current stints on Simi Valley Hospital’s governing board and the Simi Educators Foundation board of directors. She is also the current president of Rotary Simi Sunrise.

WAYNE WRIGHT

Veteran, volunteer. Walk into the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10049 any day of the week and chances are you’ll find Wright. An Army veteran—he served a 19-month tour of duty flying helicopter combat missions over Vietnam—Wright has been a member of the VFW for two decades and a fixture at the Simi post since 1997. The retired Los Angeles County Fire Department helicopter pilot has served as the post service officer since 2004, assisting veterans and their families in receiving benefits and military honors. From 2008-10, Wright served as post commander, and in 2009, Assemblymember Cameron Smyth selected him as Veteran of the Year. This month, Wright was chosen as commander of VFW District 7, which is made up of 15 posts from Lancaster to L.A.

VIRGINIA NELSON
LINDA WHITE
LEIGH NIXON
WAYNE WRIGHT