Why Vote for David Vodden as your Trustee for Butte/Glenn Community College?

By David Bruce Vodden, Trustee

The short answer as to why your vote for me is the right thing to do is my leadership, business and team skills that will continue to ensure the success in all areas that Butte College has experienced. The long answer follows.

How does all this affect me? Did I do all of the above? No. But I was there as a teacher at first and then as a Butte/Glenn College Foundation member and President and now as a Trustee for 1.5 years. I have learned a lot. I have attended workshops and other California Community College training programs to become a knowledgeable and effective trustee and I have come to be a part of the winning team. The more effective we are as a team, the more we can get done for everyone we serve. This brings me to what may be the campaign issue for my seat, "what has the college done for Glenn County lately?" Answer: provide an exceptional and well run community college for our kids for over 40 years and, in different ways and at different times, had a presence in Glenn County for adult education, advanced high school education and honors classes for our kids. For some that should be enough but there is a need for more. I think I can speak for others at the college but I want this to just be from me for now. Butte/Glenn College needs a presence in Glenn County above and beyond the current levels. The facility in Orland is expanding this fall by acquiring the entire second floor and adding more classes. Butte College will, one day, have a greater presence on the I-5 corridor. I know it because it is logical and right. The land deal from a few years ago, had it materialized, would have been the catalyst for this effort. That deal went away because of the recession. Gone. When the economy changes and the I-5 growth stream returns, the main artery of the State of California pulses strongly once again, Butte/Glenn College will be here. It may be two years, it may be five but it will happen in my opinion because I know and the leadership at the college knows what is at stake and they are attuned to every opportunity to increase the presence of Butte College in Glenn County. I do not feel that the college has let Glenn County down. Quite the contrary, I feel that they have provided us with a top notch educational opportunity and made the campus a site to behold. If you have not been to the campus lately, you will be pleased to see how beautiful and modern it is without being garish. You can rest assured that the automotive technical training program about to get underway near Hwy 99 and Lowes will produce more and even better technicians and the campus just down the road offers huge economic benefits to the college as a whole and to the students who learn there. I am totally impressed with Butte/Glenn Community College. But I know it is not perfect. There are ways to make it better and that is why I want to stay on the Board of Trustees and work with Lou Cecchi, Mike Boeger, Bill McGinnis, Tom McLaughlin, Fred Perez plus the newest Trustee Rick Krepelka who will replace Tom Lando who moved out of his jurisdiction and is not eligible to run. I should say something about myself so you might think I am qualified to be a part of this exceptional team. I am very proud to have earned an AA degree from Fullerton Community College in 1968. I have a BA and MBA degrees in business from California State University, Fullerton and I have had the good fortune to build a business from scratch in Willows California called Thunderhill Park. I am President and CEO and father of Thunderhill Park so I think I own it. I do not. A great many people made Thunderhill what it is today which I will describe as a "success". The same is true of the College. I have been an instructor at Butte College in the Automotive Department. I was a member of the Foundation board of Directors and President and then was appointed to the Board of Trustees. This has given me a broad base of knowledge about the college that I will use to serve you and the college better. My wife and I enjoy giving back to the community. She is passionate about Government and has served on many boards and committees including City Council person and Mayor plus Planning Commissioner for the City of Willows. I have enjoyed being on the Glenn County Fair Board, the Tri Counties EDC, the Glenn Medical Foundation Board, Rotary Club President twice and now a Rotary District 5160 helper. I was a member of the former Butte/Glenn County United Way and I worked with the Chamber of Commerce on the Willows Car Show and Fireworks show with successful results. If I get elected to the Area 7 seat for the Butte/Glenn College Board of Trustees I will give 100% of my education, training and experience to keep the college viable and at the top of the list of the 112 Community Colleges that exist in California. I am prepared to deal with the $$$, make tough decisions and work to get the college a greater presence in Glenn County. Mostly I'll just work hard and do my best and never place my personal issues ahead of the mission of the college. If you were inspired or informed by the above e-mail, would you please consider sharing it with your friends and business associates? Remember, you can vote no matter where you live, Paradise, Chico, Durham, Hamilton City, Orland, Willows, Artois, Princeton, Layton, Biggs, Gridley, Oroville, etc. Vote for David Vodden, Butte/Glenn Community College Area 7 Trustee! This is a non-pay position and I have no plan to solicit funds so please do not send any. Thanks for your support in this quest to win the Area 7 Board of Trustee seat for Butte/Glenn Community College.