NEWPORT BEACH, CA, June 18, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Denise Ashton has been appointed the new incoming District Council Chair for Urban Land Institute Orange County / Inland Empire (ULI OC/IE). Ashton previously served as the ULI OC/IE Assistant Chair and has been active in various leadership roles at the District Council for over two decades.
“Denise has been a tremendous contributor to our District Council over the years and was the clear choice to lead the District Council over the next two years,” said outgoing Chair John Williams, Chief Investment Officer, Avanath Capital. Denise Ashton is a Senior Principal at WHA Inc. (William Hezmalhalch Architects) in Santa Ana and is a recognized leader in residential and community design.
“I am excited to continue our Strategic Plan for ULI OC/IE with education as the overarching umbrella that defines leadership and organizes a structure for successful, relevant and enticing involvement of our membership,” said Ashton. “Our continued work with diversity in our local product councils and entire membership seeks best solutions from a variety of perspectives, be it age, gender, ethnicity, business disciplines or regions.”
“Housing attainability is an issue we hope to move the needle on, bringing key entities to the table in search of perspectives and solutions from cities, homebuilders, commercial/retailers, employers and the financial industry,” added Ashton. “Public engagement through experiences are a focus as our mix of people, historic development patterns, and employers that are headquartered locally create a palette for innovation and change.”
As Ashton’s leadership team begins to take shape, Eric Herro, Director at Northwestern Mutual has been appointed Assistant Chair. Herro currently serves as Treasurer for the District Council and has held leadership roles for over ten years. Yolanda Sepulveda, Principal of Spectacle* Design and 16 years of ULI leadership experience, has been selected as the Assistant Chair of Mission Advancement and will collaborate with the current ULI OC/IE CMA Michael Ruane. These appointments will strengthen the District Council and ensure quality relevant programming, member engagement and a vibrant Council.
The Governance Committee also announced the launch of a Strategic Advisors Council for ULI OC/IE. The Strategic Advisors Council will consist of prior District Council Chairs, current and past ULI trustees and distinguished industry leaders. The role of this Council will be to provide input to the annual plan of work and to serve as a resource for key initiatives. The group will officially launch in late summer and be co-chaired by John Williams and Randy Jackson, the immediate past Chairs of the District Council.
“Over the next two years our new leadership represents the diversity of generational perspective and leadership that will guide Orange County and Inland Empire as a region to serve as an active incubator for the evolving face of communities and how we live in and use places,” said Ashton.
The Urban Land Institute (www.uli.org) is a nonprofit education and research institute supported by more than 40,000 members worldwide since its establishment in 1936. Its mission is to provide leadership in the responsible use of land and in creating and sustaining thriving communities worldwide. As a nonpartisan organization, ULI has long been recognized as one of America’s most respected and widely quoted sources of objective information on urban planning, growth and development. Members form a spectrum of land use and development disciplines, including developers, builders, investors, designers, public officials, planners, real estate brokers, attorneys, engineers, lenders, academics and students.
The OC/IE District Council carries forth the ULI mission by serving this region’s public and private sectors with pragmatic land use expertise and education. To learn more visit www.orangecounty.uli.org.
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