Bill Baca was born and raised in Lakewood. His parents were original homeowners in the 1950s, and he’s been here ever since. When he and his wife were ready to start a family, they bought their own home in Lakewood and raised their children here. Bill works for a commercial and industrial supply company in Cerritos. His community activities in Lakewood include being a sports coach for 10 years, and a sports official for another 20 years. He’s also a longtime volunteer with the Lakewood Sheriff’s Station and you may see him around town in a white uniform assisting at traffic collision sites and community events. “I love Lakewood and wanted to raise our kids here so they could have the same big-city, small-town environment. When you drive by our city parks there are always people there enjoying them. Cruise down our streets and you’ll see folks mowing their lawns, washing their cars, or walking their dogs. It’s a great community.”
Terry J. Cole (chair) and his wife Charity chose to purchase their first home in Lakewood in 2019 because Lakewood is a thriving safe and centrally located community, ideal for raising a family. Terry is a civil litigator with a law firm in Los Angeles, and is very experienced in analyzing complex problems and coming up with pragmatic solutions. He looks forward to helping the city develop policies that will enhance Lakewood’s social, economic and physical development. “I’m excited to invest my time and energy to help the city deal with some of its planning, environmental and land use challenges. As an attorney, I plan to use my skill set to confront those challenges and make a positive contribution to Lakewood’s development.”
Diego Garcia-Salas (vice chair) is a high school teacher (and former Lakewood High School student) whose seven years of volunteer service in the Lakewood community has enabled him to meet and engage with neighbors, businesses and local officials. "I want to preserve, protect and defend development that contributes to Lakewood's family values," says Diego. "I champion the adaptive reuse of older buildings to maintain the city's original character and support policies that attract diverse industries while nurturing local business. I look forward to giving my very best for the city that has given me so much."
Jerry Rowland is a certified arborist, semi-retired from West Coast Arborist, with 39 years of public service experience. "As a Lakewood resident, I see new growth throughoutt this city which can be attributed to properly thought out decisions in development," says Jerry. "I believe communication is vital in assuring an open dialogue to help continue Lakewood's new growth."
Vicki L. Stuckey has been a resident of Lakewood for 30 years. She served 15 years on the Planning and Environment Commission, including four terms as chair, prior to her appointment by the Lakewood City Council in September 2020 to fill the remaining two years of the seat left vacant due to the retirement of City Council Member Diane DuBois. Stuckey has been active in several Lakewood community organizations, including the Pan American Association and the board of directors of the Lakewood Regional Medical Center. Stuckey retired professionally in 2019 after working 34 years for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, rising through the ranks from deputy, to sergeant, to lieutenant, ultimately becoming a captain and the commander of the Altadena Sheriff’s Station, managing the 65 sworn and civilian personnel of that station. “I love living in Lakewood. I love the parks, the residential neighborhoods, and our wonderful residents, community groups and events.”