October 30, 2013- The California Rodeo Association
added a new President, Vice President and installed three new Directors to the
Board during the annual Stockholders Dinner and Meeting on October 17th. Every
two years a new President takes over the leadership of the organization,
working closely with three Vice Presidents, a Treasurer and a Secretary as well
as an Executive Committee made up of Directors and an at large Board of 52
Directors. Daryl Whitcher is now holding the reins as President after being an
Officer since 2004. Dave Pedrazzi is now the 3rd Vice President,
joining Mike Scarr who moved to 1st Vice President and Brent Eastman
who moved to 2nd Vice President. Benny Jefferson now moves on to the
role of immediate Past President.
The three new Directors include Laurie LaVelle who chairs
the Miss California Rodeo Salinas Committee, Martin Jefferson who chairs the
Rental Committee and Tim Baldwin who chairs the Carnival Committee. All three
new Board members have extensive experience at the California Rodeo Salinas and
have been long-time volunteers.
Benny Jefferson and Daryl Whitcher also presented Salinas’
Mayor Joe Gunter with a symbolic check in the amount of $247,402 which
represents the amount of money the California Rodeo helps to generate for local
non-profit organizations. This amount is based on the Rodeo only, the
total non-profit donation amount will be announced at a later date.
Daryl Whitcher, President 2013-2014
Daryl Whitcher started as a Committee Member of the
California Rodeo in 1983 on the Round Up Day Committee then went on to chair
the Credentials Committee for several years. Daryl became an Officer in 2004.
He is a California Native who graduated from Monterey High and Monterey
Peninsula Community College and went on to earn a degree from Fresno State
University in Geomatics Engineering. He is the Owner and President of Monterey
County Surveyors, Inc. working on many pro-bono projects in the community and
beyond. Daryl enjoys golfing in his spare time and is also active in the Far
West Division of the National Ski Patrol organization. He lives in Salinas with
his wife Debbie and has a son, Thomas, and a daughter, Crissy.
Dave Pedrazzi, 3rd Vice President
Dave Pedrazzi is the fourth generation to grow
up on the family cattle ranch in the Salinas Valley.
He has been involved in the California Rodeo almost his entire life and
became a Director in 1983. Dave followed in his father Pete’s footsteps as the
Track Director, running all the events that take place on the track surrounding
the arena during the show. After attending Hartnell Junior College
here in Salinas and California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo,
Dave moved back to Salinas and began a farming and ranching career which continues
to this day. In his spare time, he enjoys roping, hunting, skiing and
family gatherings. Dave lives on River Road in Salinas with his
wife, Debbie. Dave’s daughter Nicci and her husband Danny DeRoza, daughter
Nette, her husband Braden Hoover and their 2 sons, and son Peter and his wife
Emily all live here in Salinas as well and help out with the family
cattle business throughout the year.
Laurie LaVelle-Director
Laurie LaVelle considers herself very fortunate to have
lived most of her life in the Salinas Valley surrounded by the produce and
cattle industries. Her family has deep roots in the California Rodeo dating
back to the 1920’s. Laurie’s involvement with the Rodeo began back in the 70s
as a member of the Honorary Color Guard that led the daily Downtown Parade and
Grand Entry of the Rodeo. She competed against 12 other deserving contestants
for the title of California Rodeo Sweetheart in 1975 and began helping on the
Arena Committee in the 1980s. In 1999 Laurie joined the Miss California Rodeo
Committee and she began chairing that committee in 2003. Outside of her
Rodeo activities, which keep her busy all year long, Laurie enjoys landscaping,
sewing and riding and showing horses. Laurie and her husband Butch reside
outside of King City and they have one grown daughter-Leeann Bettencourt.
Martin Jefferson-Director
Martin Jefferson can’t remember exactly when he started
volunteering out here because he has always tagged along to help his Dad and
other relatives work to prep the ground and get the arena ready for the Rodeo
and Monster Truck events. He officially became a committee member when he was
15 years old and has worked out here for over 20 years. About 11 years were
spent on the Ground Prep committee and over the past 4 years, Martin has taken
over as the Chairman of the Rentals Committee. He has also worked multiple
years on the Monster Trucks and Central Coast Motorsports Committees. After
leaving the family farm last February, Martin has been working as a Plant
Nutrition Specialist for Wilbur Ellis Co. here in Salinas and Soledad. Martin
enjoys restoring vintage and unique farm and military equipment and is an
active volunteer with Monterey County Regional Fire District. Martin has been
married to his wife Jamie for 7 years and they have a 3 year old daughter,
Adalyn Clair.
Tim Baldwin-Director
Tim Baldwin has volunteered at the California Rodeo for over
10 years. He started on the Track Committee moving flying gates and later
served on the Coordinating Committee. He became Committee Chair of the
Credentials Committee in 2007 and is currently Committee Chair of the Carnival
and Co-Chairman of the Credentials Committee with Adam Jacop. Tim is a partner
in the law firm of Noland, Hamerly, Etienne and Hoss with his practice focusing
on business and real estate transactions, specializing in agricultural
enterprises. Tim has helped the Rodeo on a pro-bono basis with various legal
matters. In addition to volunteering for the Rodeo, Tim is a member of the
downtown Salinas Rotary and Rotarian of the Year for 2013 as well as Vice
President of the Board of Directors for the Salinas Valley Fair in King City.
Tim is a self-described recreational team roper with an emphasis on
recreational; he is a past winner of the committee roping here at the Rodeo and
attends the Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital trail ride each year. Tim lives on
River Road with his son Trent, a junior at Palma, and his daughter Tayler, who
is in the fifth grade at Spreckels Elementary School.
Photos by Interface Visual.
-Benny Jefferson, Miss California Rodeo Salinas Grace Tobias
and Daryl Whitcher; presenting Benny with his Past President buckle
The California Rodeo Salinas will take place July 17-20,
2014. The California Rodeo Association is a not-for-profit organization that
strives to preserve and promote the traditions of the California Rodeo Salinas
and the West. We support the community and other non-profit organizations
through the staging of the annual California Rodeo Salinas and other year round
operations of the Salinas Sports Complex. Through donation of our facility,
vending and fundraising opportunities during Rodeo and other events, the
California Rodeo Association returns over $350,000 annually to local
non-profits. For more information about the California Rodeo Salinas, log on to
www.CARodeo.com
or call the California Rodeo Office at 831-775.3100. ‘Like’ the California
Rodeo on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CARodeoSalinas
or follow us on twitter @CaliforniaRodeo for updates, photos and more.