Bill Koster, President, is from the Tracy area where he grows walnuts and row and field crops. For the past 125 years Bill and his family have resided and farmed on the original homestead. Bill was appointed in October, 2000, to the RCD Board after a short term as an Associate Director. He was encouraged to join the RCD after the retirement of his father from the SCJRCD Board of Directors after 17 years of service. With a passion for service Mr. Koster was a past San Joaquin Farm Bureau President, past President of the Young Farmers and Ranchers, and has served on many agriculture boards.

 

Molly Watkins Vice President, (info forthcoming)

Ralph Lucchetti, SJCRCD Secretary, is a farmer, businessman and realtor. He served as an Associate Director of the Bear Creek Resource Conservation District from 1971 to 1974 before becoming a Director until1982. Later, he became a Director for the San Joaquin County RCD after consolidation of the county's RCDs into a single entity. He is a member of the California Cherry Growers Foundation, Waterloo Athletic Club, Italian Gardeners Society, Associazione Liguri nel Mondo, Waterloo-Morada Fire District (Board Member), Knights of Columbus, and the Lodi Board of Realtors. He is a graduate of Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, and the California Agricultural Leadership Program (Class XV)

Pat Connolly, Director, is a third generation cattle rancher in the Corral Hollow area southwest of Tracy. Pat is the owner of Union Livestock, Inc. He is a graduate of U.C. Davis with a B.S. degree in Agricultural & Managerial Economics. For more than a decade Pat was on the board of directors for the Stanislaus–San Joaquin Cattlemens Association, he also served as the chairman for the State Beef Cattle Commodity Advisory Committee. In 1993 he served a two-year term as the San Joaquin Farm Bureau President. Mr. Connolly is committed to conservation rangeland management and the production of the highest quality beef cattle.

 

Richard Rodriguez, Director, has more than 25-years of farming and custom-farming experience. He lives in the Lodi-Linden area where he grows primarily row and field crops including tomatoes, bell peppers, onions and similar products. His custom-farming business takes him from Redding to Bakersfield where his heavy equipment is put to use land leveling, furrowing and providing similar farming services. Richard holds an Associate of Arts Degree from San Joaquin-Delta College, has served 15 years as a director for the San Joaquin Farm Bureau Federation, 15 years on the Agricultural Expo Planning Committee and has served as President of the San Joaquin County Farm Bureau Federation Agricultural Foundation. Richard was appointed to the RCD Board of Directors in May, 2000, after serving five years as an Associate Director

John Thoming, Director, John was appointed to the Board of Directors in June, 2001. He has more than 45 years of farming experience and currently resides in Tracy. He is a member of the Tracy Rural Fire District, National Dry Bean Council, American Dry Bean Board, and California Dry Bean Board and the (Duel Vocational Institute) DVI Citizens' Advisory Board.

 

Marden Wilber, Associate Director, is a rancher from the Clements area in northeastern San Joaquin County. He has more than 30 years experience in farming, water management, ranching and range management. Marden is the owner of Lane Ranches, a cattle and wine-grape operation. He also owns the Fitzgerald Ranch Conservation Bank which sells credits to developers, farmers, ranchers, and others seeking mitigation for impacts to vernal pools. He holds a degree in Animal Husbandry from the University of California, Davis. He has served as an RCD Associate Director since July, 2001.

Rogene Reynolds, Associate Director, is a life-long resident of San Joaquin County and was raised on the family farm on Roberts Island. She has had an 18-year career in banking operations and is currently in her 13th year of selling real estate (re-sale residential and ranch). A graduate of Tracy High School, she enjoys reading history and philosophy, gardening and sailing. Rogene has been active in the Delta Island School District (former Trustee), Junior Achievement, California Women for Agriculture, and the Roberts-Union Farm Center. She was appointed to the RCD in October, 1998. Her areas of special interest include water and land-use related issues.

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