Tom Thomas – President
Tom Thomas a California native graduated from the University of Nebraska with a degree in Business Administration where he attended on a football scholarship. A long time Upland resident who has been married to Ann Thomas for 43 years; they have three grown daughters and three granddaughters and a grandson. Tom served as a City of Upland Council member from 1990 through 2010, and on the Upland Planning Commission from 1987 to 1990. He is also a member of the Upland Sister City Association, Ophelia’s Jump Productions Board of Directors, Pomona Valley Protective Association, San Antonio Water Company, Upland Police Foundation, Upland YMCA Honorary Board, West End Water Company, Friends of the Upland Library and Cooper Museum.
Kelly McMenomy – Vice President
Kelly McMenomy is a certified public accountant and managing partner in the firm of McMenomy & Richmond CPAs, LLP in Upland. Her community service includes a current volunteer appointment as a Director on the San Antonio Regional Hospital Foundation board and a member of the Pomona Valley Estate Planning Council. Her past service includes volunteering for the adult literacy program for the Upland Public Library and board member for the Girl Scouts Spanish Trails Council. She is also a member of the California Society of CPAs and the AICPA. She graduated from Arizona State University with a B.S. in accounting. Kelly raised her family in Upland and has been a member of the Upland community since 1985.
Kelly is also a director of the Upland Rotary Club for 2016/2017 and co-chairperson for the Foundation Committee and Mini-Grant Committee.
Yvette M. Walker – Executive Board Secretary
Yvette M. Walker’s experience includes her role as Director of Marketing & Public Relations for her husband’s law firm, Walker & Mann, which is recognized in Southern California as a leading Professional Liability and Business Law Firm, prior to launching her company, Premier Marketing & Public Relations. She has a degree in Communications and Marketing with almost 20 years experience in product development, branding & local and international marketing. Yvette has served the City of Upland as Chair of the Community Development Block Grant Committee from 2012-2016 and currently serves as a City of Upland Planning Commissioner. She is proud to serve as Secretary to the Upland Community Foundation since 2011. Community programs she has served on include: Steven’s Hope for Children’s annual “Run Day”, Ontario Reign’s, Hope Reigns Foundation’s Annual Golf Tournament (2012-2015), Ontario Fury’s Fury Foundation “ Health’s a Kick!” program (2014-2016) and is an Upland Rotary Club Board Member. She is a proud supporter of San Antonio Regional Hospital and was recently inducted into San Antonio Hospital Foundation’s prestigious, Frances Mary Paul Circle (2017). She has served 10 years as a volunteer for St. Paul of the Cross Church in Administration & Faith Formation Education. Yvette is a St. Anthony’s Parish Eucharistic Minister and DDF supporter. Yvette lives in Upland with her husband Jeffrey A. Walker, ESQ and their three children, Sophia, Nicholas and Alexander on beautiful and historic Euclid Avenue. She is proud to live in the city of ” Gracious Living”. email: yvette@premier-ie.com
Ray Musser – Board Member
Ray has 35 plus years of experience as a fundraiser for non-profit organizations. Ray serves on the Upland Community Foundation Board as an Emeritus and as an advisor. Ray initiated and created the California Health Underwriters Foundation and served as Founding President. Ray has been President and Principal of Ray Musser & Associates Insurance Services for 45 years. Ray had served on Upland City Council for 13 years and in 2011 was appointed through 2016 as Upland City Mayor. Ray has been an Upland resident since 1957. Current Memberships: Local, State and National Association of Health Underwriters, Estate Planning Council of Pomona Valley, San Antonio Regional Hospital Cardiac Care Club Member and Founder, Pomona Purpose Church, former SanBag Board Member and San Bernardino Metro Board Member, SCAG (Southern California Association of Governments) Past Memberships – San Antonio Regional Hospital Foundation Board Member.
Neil Gerard – Vice President
Neil is a career educator, having spent over 48 years in higher education. He spent the last 25 years at Pomona College and the 15 years prior at Cal Poly Pomona. Neil is on the UCF Board as a representative of the Upland Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) which is affiliated with the Upland Police Department. In CERT, he serves as the Executive Officer and as a CERT instructor. In the community, Neil has been an active member of Temple Beth Israel, including two terms as President. He is an AYSO National Referee and referee instructor. He currently serves on the Board of Directors and the Investment Committee for Mount San Antonio Gardens, a retirement community in Claremont. Neil and his wife Joan have lived in Upland since 1977 and raised their two children, Alison and Craig here. They are the proud grandparents of five.
Stephanie Wells – Executive Board Treasurer
Stephanie Wells graduated from USC with degrees in Broadcast Journalism and Political Science. She worked as a writer and producer in the television industry for over 15 years before moving into the nonprofit world where for over 25 years she has specialized in financial development and strategic planning. She currently serves as the Executive Director of The Friends of EXPO Center – a non-profit providing vital community resources to families, seniors, and children in South Central Los Angeles. Her prior experience includes serving as Senior Director of multiple Southern California YMCAs and was instrumental in the strategic development and initial fundraising for the Scheu Family YMCA and the Upland YMCA Early Childhood Development Center. She has served as the Associate Executive Director of the Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles Montclair Council, Western Region Director of Development for the Foundation Fighting Blindness, and Principal Gifts Officer for the Los Angeles Philharmonic and is the current President of the Upland High School Theatre Booster Club. Stephanie and her husband Gene, their five children, two dogs, and one cat are all Southern California natives and thoroughly enjoy living and supporting the beautiful city of Upland.
Cliff Mathews – Board Member
Cliff Mathews is a lieutenant with the Upland Police Department. He has been a police officer with the Upland Police Department since 1991. Cliff has a bachelor of science degree from the University of La Verne in public administration and a master of science degree from Cal State Long Beach in emergency services administration. Cliff has been active in the community throughout the course of his career. He spent several years as an advisor to the Upland Police Department Explorer post. Cliff was a member of the Upland Police Foundation board of directors for many years. Currently, Cliff is coordinating the Upland Police memorial project in conjunction with the Upland Community Foundation.
Karen Hermann – Board Member
Karen Hermann
Khermann@friendsofuplandanimalshelter.org
Sid Robinson- Board Member
Sid Robinson was appointed to the City Council in December 2016.
A 30-year resident of Upland, Robinson has been an active member and influential leader in the community for many years. He served on the Upland Planning Commission prior to joining the City Council.
Owner of Upland-based strategic communications firm Robinson and Associates, Robinson has enjoyed a successful and diverse career as a strategic communicator and public relations professional spanning more than 32 years, launching his own firm after a long and effective tenure as Associate Vice President for Public Affairs at Cal State San Bernardino.
Sid also currently is an adjunct professor at Cal State San Bernardino, and he is a contributing columnist for the Foothills Reader, which appears Sundays in the Los Angeles Times.
Previously, Robinson worked in public relations positions at Fairplex in Pomona and with Magnet Communications, the Los Angeles Dodgers and at Hollywood Park. He is APR-accredited by the Public Relations Society of America.
Among his city responsibilities, Robinson also serves on Upland’s economic development, police and fire, public works and financial investments committees. He also was a member of the airport land use committee while serving on the planning commission.
Sid currently serves on the board or directors of the Upland Veterans Monument Project, Inland Valley Recovery Services, Upland Chamber of Commerce and Upland-Fairplex Community Committee (Upland Day at the Fair). He was a member of the Upland National Little League board of directors for more than a decade, also spending many years as a team manager and coach.
Robinson earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Communications from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, and a Master of Arts in Public Relations from the University of Southern California, where he was the School of Journalism’s (now Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism) Graduate Student of the Year (Trojan Fourth Estate).
Sid and his wife Beth have two adult boys, Sid IV and Sam.
Renuka Balakrishnan – Board Member
Renuka is an engineer and a 26 year proud resident of Upland. She is currently a member of the Upland Library Board and a dedicated supporter of literacy. Her love of books has fostered an on going support of the 30 year old Upland Library book club – The Bookenders. Her support of the Bookenders has continue to provide its members a north star to reading the common and uncommon.
Ruby Ahmed- Board Member
email: theahmedteam@gmail.com
Experience:
- Received my real estate license in 1984 and my Broker license in 1990.
- Treasurer of the Board of Realtors ( Inland Empire West) from 1996-1997
- State Director for the California Association of Realtors 1992-1994
- Professional Standards committee of the Board of Realtors (both Inland Valley and Citrus Valley)
From 1990-2003
- Chairman of Equal Opportunity for the Inland Empire West Board of Directors 1994 & 1995
- Chairman of Orientation Committee for the Inland Empire West Board of Directors 1993
- Team Leader of The Ahmed Team since January 2006
- List and sell REO’s for Premiere Asset Services 2008-Present
- Home Retention Consultant for Titanium Solutions 2008-Present
Awards and achievements
- Graduate of The Realtors Institute (GRI)
- Certified Residential Specialist
- Certified Relocation Agent
- Top Listing Agent 2007, 2010, 2011 Top Sales Jan 2012 Blackstone Realty
- Honored as one of the 63 Most Distinguished Women by Assembly men Bill Emerson
- Five Star Institute training 2008-Present
- Business of the Year for the 31st District, honored by Senator Bob Dutton 2011
- Woman of the Year 2010-2011 National Association of Professional Women
- Rookies of the Year -2014 Laguna Niguel Chamber Of Commerce
- Volunteers of the Year -2015 Laguna Niguel Chamber Of Commerce
Community Service
- Chairman of The Board of The Upland Chamber of Commerce July 2012-July 2013
- Executive Board of Directors; Upland Chamber of Commerce 2008-Present
- Board of Directors; Project Sister, rape crisis center Pomona 2007-present
- Board of Directors; Upland Chamber of Commerce, July 2008- July 2013
- Ambassador to Laguna Niguel Chamber of Commerce – 2014
- Board of Directors Laguna Niguel Chamber of Commerce – 2016