Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: President David J. Canepa, District 5
Subject: Reappointments to the San Mateo County Exposition and Fair Association Board of Directors
RECOMMENDATION:
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Recommendation for reappointments to the San Mateo County Exposition and Fair Association Board of Directors, each for a term ending September 30, 2028:
A) Leonard Iniguez, representing Director (Agricultural Interests) for a fourth term; and
B) Rosanne Foust, representing Director for a third term; and
C) Kitty Lopez, representing Director for a second term; and
D) Amy Buckmaster, representing Director for a second term.
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BACKGROUND:
The San Mateo County Event Center (“Event Center”), located in the City of San Mateo, serves as an emergency evacuation center for San Mateo County residents, hosts conferences and conventions, and is the site of the San Mateo County Fair. The Event Center is managed by a non-profit organization, the San Mateo County Exposition and Fair Association (“Association”), whose Directors are appointed by the Board of Supervisors.
The Association’s Board of Directors (“Board of Directors”) consists of 11 Directors, all of whom must be residents of San Mateo County. Directors are each allowed to serve up to four three-year terms.
DISCUSSION:
Upon approval, reappointments of these members each reflect as a 3-year term effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2028.
Leonard Iniguez has served on the Board of Directors representing the Agricultural industry’s interests since 2016 and is being recommended for a fourth term. Rosanne Foust has served on the Event Center Board since 2019 and is seeking reappointment for a third term. Kitty Lopez and Amy Buckmaster were initially appointed in September 2022 and are each being recommended to serve a second term.
Leonard Iniguez has been on the Board of Directors for the San Mateo County Fair and Event Center since 2016. For a few years prior, he was a member of the San Mateo County Fair Livestock Advisory Group and managed the Junior Horse Show for the Fair.
Leonard has a passion for the San Mateo County Fair, especially the Youth Division. He genuinely believes every youth should have the opportunity to share their passion.
Leonard was born and raised in San Francisco, CA and has been a resident of San Mateo County for over 45 years. He has resided in Brisbane, Pacifica and is now a Half Moon Bay resident.
From a young age, Leonard has had a love for horses which led him to pursue a career as a Professional Horse Racing Jockey. He rode at Bay Area tracks and many other tracks around the country. When a life-threating accident ended his career in 1986, he pursued a career in non-profit working with troubled teens. Over the years, Leonard has been involved with several non-profits and served on many boards and commissions. He also served on the San Mateo County Civil Grand Jury in1987 and 1988.
As President and CEO of SAMCEDA, Rosanne Foust facilitates, directs and encourages conversations important to maintaining a strong local and regional economy, attracting and retaining major employers and good jobs, and creating partnerships between business, government, education, labor and non-profits to address the critical issues of an economy that lifts everyone.
With the onset of the pandemic, beginning in March 2020, Ms. Foust creatively pivoted SAMCEDA to be a key partner to the County of San Mateo serving as the business resource liaison for the entire county by assisting and coordinating COVID-19 pandemic response and recovery for the business community. One of the signature outcomes of this partnership included several rounds of small business emergency and recovery cash grant programs that distributed over $20M to 1500+ small businesses.
Previously, Ms. Foust had a twenty-year career with Alsace Development International USA, Inc. as Executive Vice President North America & Treasurer of the Corporation. She directed and managed U.S. offices and an international office in Sydney, Australia for the economic development authorities of Alsace, France. In her twenty-year tenure, Ms. Foust brought billions of dollars in investments to this region in France.
Ms. Foust served for twelve years on the City Council in Redwood City, including as Mayor and Vice Mayor. During her tenure on the Council, she successfully negotiated the Development Agreement to bring Stanford University to the community, oversaw the building of a brand new Public Library in Redwood Shores, and led the efforts to approve a $90 million recycled water plant and secure funding to restore Bair Island. She is also credited with working tirelessly on Redwood City’s Downtown Precise Plan which served as the catalyst for the transformation of Redwood City’s downtown.
Kitty Lopez has served as the Executive Director of First 5 San Mateo County since 2013, focusing on strategic investing, community leadership, policy and advocacy development for young children, 0-5, and their families. She has served as Co-Chair of the Advisory Body for Build Up for San Mateo County Children’s Initiative, since 2018. This initiative was established to preserve, grow, and increase the number of early care sites in San Mateo County. Kitty previously served as the Executive Director of Samaritan House, one of San Mateo County’s leading Core Service Agencies and safety-net nonprofits serving low-income families and individuals with food, shelter, clothing, health care, counseling, education classes, and holiday assistance from 2002 to 2013.
Prior, Kitty taught kindergarten, second grade, and high school in southern California and San Francisco and was a consultant in schools with children who have autism and special needs. Additionally, Kitty worked in a residential substance abuse treatment center in San Francisco and psychiatric hospital for children and youth in San Diego. Kitty’s roots in supporting children began as a 16-year-old volunteer at the Braille Institute in Los Angeles where she taught swimming to children and adults with visual impairments. She attended University of California Santa Barbara earning a California Teaching Credential and B.A in Psychology. Kitty is active in her community serving as Vice Chair of the San Mateo County Event Center and Past President and Current Member of the San Mateo Rotary Club. She is currently serving as Past President of the First 5 Association of California. In March of 2022, Assembly Speaker pro Tem Kevin Mullin selected Kitty Lopez as the 2022 Assembly District 22 Woman of the Year.
Amy Buckmaster has served as President & CEO of Chamber San Mateo County for the past 11 years, the first woman to lead the organization in its over 100 year history. The Chamber is one of the leading advocacy organizations in California, championing businesses of all sizes and industries. Serving more than 1,500 members in Redwood City, Belmont, San Carlos, Menlo Park and throughout San Mateo County, the Chamber, under Amy’s guidance, provides local and regional leadership on critical economic vitality issues such as education, housing, infrastructure, transportation, and economic development initiatives. Chamber San Mateo County is consistently ranked as one of the top chambers of commerce throughout the nine Bay Area counties by the San Francisco Business Times.
Amy is well known for being a champion of public/private partnerships and bringing stakeholders together to build consensus to identify common sense solutions to community problems. In addition to serving Chamber San Mateo County, she is also the Executive Director of the Redwood City Improvement Association, a community benefit district responsible for making decisions in the areas of public safety, beautification, economic development, maintenance, and promotions that are most beneficial for the community and its residents, while maintaining the culture and rarity of Redwood City’s downtown district.
Amy serves the local and regional community in several capacities, including as a member of the San Mateo County Events Center board of directors, San Mateo County Union Community Alliance Board, the City of San Carlos Downtown Advisory Committee, Bay Ferry 2050 Business and Community Advisory Group Member, BUILD Up for San Mateo County Children’s Advisory Group, Cañada College President’s Advisory Committee, and a member of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Redwood City Advisory Committee.
Recognized for her leadership and contributions to San Mateo County, Amy was named 2013 Business Woman of the Year sponsored by United American Bank, one of the San Francisco Business Times’ Influential Women in 2016 and as the 2023 Person of the Year. A proud San Mateo County native, Amy is a graduate of Notre Dame de Namur University, and resides in Redwood City.
FISCAL IMPACT:
None.