6 running for 4 open GVR seats

Six people are running for four open positions on the Green Valley Recreation board of directors, with ballots due back in early March.

The candidates for the three-year terms are Mike Banks, Bob Barry, Al Crawford, Stan Riddle, Joe Roth and Linda Sparks. Riddle has served on the board before as president and in other roles.

Ballots go out to GVR members by mail in February.

The candidates are:

Mike Banks, full-time resident since 2003, living in Las Campanas - San Miguel.

Banks has an MBA in finance and marketing and reported he was involved in the financial sectors of information technology for 42 years. He volunteers in the town of Sahuarita’s finance department.

In a statement he said he’ll use his analytical strengths and problem-solving skills to help keep GVR running as a cost-effective and well-run organization.

Bob Barry, Canoa Ranch - Canoa Terrace.

He has had careers in the Navy for 25 years and with Ball Aerospace, and said he was part of several successful space programs.

At one time, Barry said he had been active in coaching youth sports and playing senior basketball and softball. He joked, “I’ve continued my quest for softball mediocrity with the BAJAS, the Born Again Jocks, athletic group.

He said he wants to help keep GVR “a strong responsive organization.”

Al Crawford who lives at Canoa Vistas II, came to Green Valley in 2001.

He said the quality of Green Valley Recreation was one of the factors that led him and wife Charlotte here.

He came to Green Valley from Kansas, where he was a college professor of computer science. He’ s a photographer and is past president of the Camera Club, where he taught classes.

“It’s my desire to see that GVR continues to serve the people of Green Valley,” saying the organization is very important to the physical and mental health of its members.

Stan Riddle and his wife came to Green Valley 12 years ago from Southern California. They live at San Ignacio Ridge Estates.

He had 40 years experience in corporate real estate development and was on the board of two publicly held companies.

During seven years on the GVR board, Riddle has served as president, vice president, treasurer and chair of the Fiscal Affairs, Planning & Evaluation and Developer committees. He’s also treasurer of the GV Community Foundation and the GV Community Coordinating Council.

Joe Roth and his wife have lived in Green Valley at Santa Rita Springs De Anza Links I for two and a half years.

They came here from the San Bernardino Mountains.

He was born and raised in Stockholm, Sweden, and after completing his master’s in mechanical engineering, he came to the United States in 1963 to help develop computer-assisted manufacturing for U.S. companies.

After running a Swedish company in Chicago, he and his wife moved to California, where she became an authority in the California water industry.

Joe is a U.S. citizen, and said he has managed many different kinds of companies.

Roth said GVR is “a great organization” that maintains superior facilities “at a bargain membership fee.”

Linda Sparks graduated from Gettysburg College and then went to work for the Department of Defense for 25 years in a variety of assignments. After retiring she and her husband moved to Colorado where she was an EMT first responder, firefighter and president, vice president and board member of her Citizens Association.

They moved to Green Valley in 2007. She’s active in swimnastics, the Clay Studio, garden club, Tucson Audubon and other organizations. She also is an American Kennel Club approved dog show judge.

jlamb@gvnews.com | 520-547-9749