SACRAMENTO – Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced the following appointments.
Tom Richards, 68, of Fresno, has been appointed to the California High-Speed Rail Authority Board of Directors, where he has served since 2010. Richards has been chief executive officer at the Penstar Group since 1981. He is chair of the Fresno Regional Workforce Investment Board, of the Fresno First Steps Home Board of Directors and of the Premier Valley Bank Board of Directors and vice chair of the Fresno Chaffee Zoo Corporation Board of Directors. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Richards is a Republican.
Joseph Panetta, 59, of San Diego, has been appointed to the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine Independent Citizens’ Oversight Committee. Panetta has been president and chief executive officer at Biocom since 1999. He was global leader of government and regulatory affairs at Dow Agroscience from 1998 to 1999 and vice president of government and public affairs at Mycogen Corporation from 1988 to 1998. Panetta was a regulatory affairs manager at the Pennwalt Corporation from 1985 to 1988 and a senior policy analyst at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency from 1979 to 1984. He earned a Master of Public Health degree from the University of Pittsburgh. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Panetta is a Republican.
Effie Turnbull Sanders, 41, of Los Angeles, has been appointed to the California Coastal Commission. Turnbull Sanders has been an assistant general counsel at the Los Angeles Unified School District since 2006. She was a deputy attorney at the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office from 2004 to 2006 and an associate at Richards Watson and Gershon from 2001 to 2003. Turnbull Sanders was a special assistant to United States Commission on Civil Rights vice chair Cruz Reynoso from 1998 to 2001. She has been an alternate member of the California Coastal Commission since 2013. Turnbull Sanders is a member of the Liberty Hill Foundation’s African American Leadership Circle and the Los Angeles League of Conservation Voters Board of Directors. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Turnbull Sanders is a Democrat.
David Cultrera, 60, of Escalon, has been appointed to the 2nd District Agricultural Association, San Joaquin Valley Fair Board of Directors, where he has served since 2010. Cultrera has served as chief operating officer at Sierra Pacific Logistics since 2006. He was logistics manager at Foster Farms from 2000 to 2006, transportation manager for CSI from 1998 to 2000 and plant operations manager at Butterball Turkey Company 1989 to 1998 and at Louis Rich Turkey Company from 1979 to 1989. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Cultrera is a Republican.
Chris Darway, 57, of Arroyo Grande, has been appointed to the 16th District Agricultural Association, California Mid-State Fair Board of Directors, where he has served since 2005. Darway has been owner and partner at Darway Bros. Farming since 1973. He is a member of the California Agricultural Leadership Foundation Alumni Council, the California Rare Fruit Growers and the California Farm Bureau Federation. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Darway is a Republican.
Dee Lacey, 71, of Paso Robles, has been appointed to the 16th District Agricultural Association, California Mid-State Fair Board of Directors, where she has served since 2001. Lacey has been co-owner of Lacey Livestock since 1963. She is a member of the Heritage Oaks Bank Board of Directors and the Cuesta College Foundation Board of Directors. Lacey is a member of the San Luis Obispo County Farm Bureau and the San Luis Obispo County Community Foundation. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Lacey is a Democrat.
Staci Buttermore, 46, of Orland, has been appointed to the 42nd District Agricultural Association, Glenn County Fair Board of Directors, where she has served since 2010. Buttermore has been owner and operator of Buttermore Rancho Costa Lota since 1998. She was executive director of the Glenn County Farm Bureau from 1998 to 2010 and office manager for the City of Page, Arizona Public Works Department from 1991 to 1997. Buttermore is a Glenn County 4-H leader and a member of the Glenn County Farm Bureau. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Buttermore is a Republican.
Jacob Chavez, 43, of Orland, has been appointed to the 42nd District Agricultural Association, Glenn County Fair Board of Directors. Chavez has been owner of the Hay Wagon Inc. since 2003. He was a packaging operator at Johns Manville from 2001 to 2002. Chavez is a member of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and the California Deer Association. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Chavez is a Republican.
Cheryl Howard, 53, of Orland, has been appointed to the 42nd District Agricultural Association, Glenn County Fair Board of Directors. Howard has been an animal control officer at the City of Chico Police Department since 1998 and has been owner and operator of H Bar Livestock since 1985. She was owner and operator of Gatlin Farms from 1993 to 1997 and an animal tech supervisor at the University of California, Davis Veterinary Animal Resource Services from 1985 to 1993. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Howard is a Democrat.