New board members tour the theatre. From left to right: Ray Down, Nancy Shaw, Jenelle Osborne, David Ramsey, Michelle Ball, Mark Herrier, Ron Bock, Jack Carmean
During its annual membership meeting Sept. 22, the nonprofit Lompoc Theatre Project membership elected four new board members and renewed terms for two existing board members.
The new board members are Lompoc residents Michelle Ball, Raymond Down, Jenelle Osborne and Nancy Shaw. Founding members Carol Benham and Jack Carmean, also of Lompoc, were also re-elected to continuing seats on the nine-member board of directors.
“We’re delighted with the addition of these four talented, dedicated Lompoc residents to our board of directors,” said Mark Herrier, LTP president. “We’re stronger than we’ve ever been and are ready to hit the ground running when we take possession of the theater later this year.”
Ball is a Santa Barbara County native who moved to Lompoc in 2011. She graduated from UCSB with a degree in environmental studies. She and her husband, Jeremy, founded and own Bottle Branding, which provides photography, film production and design services for the food and wine industries.
Before launching Bottle Branding, Ball enjoyed a 10-year career in the restaurant and wine industry, working at the Ballard Inn, Root 246 and Longoria Wines.
“The Lompoc Theatre Project is an enormous step in the right direction for our city, and I can’t wait to see it come to fruition,” Ball said.
Ball was named co-chair of the nonprofit’s media/communications committee.
Down retired as president of Lompoc Community Bank after a lengthy career in the financial industry, which included stints as banker, loan broker and stockbroker. He first moved to Lompoc in 1960, when his father was stationed at VAFB, and returned for good in 1970 after graduating from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with a business degree.
Over the years, Down has been involved with many Lompoc civic organizations, among them the Lompoc Jaycees, Lompoc YMCA, the City of Lompoc’s Economic Development Committee, and the California Association of Hospital Districts. He remains a member of the Lompoc Rotary Club, the Lompoc Valley Chamber of Commerce, the Village Country Club and the Lompoc Valley Club.
In addition, Down is president of Surf Development Company, a nonprofit dedicated to providing quality low income housing throughout Santa Barbara County, and has been a member of the Lompoc Hospital District board of directors since 1973.
Speaking of the Lompoc Theatre, Down noted: “I believe in economic development, and while our Old Town Lompoc has struggled for a long time to reinvent itself, this may be the project that gives it the final boost to become vibrant once again.”
Down will take the helm as chair of the nonprofit’s finance committee.
Osborne, currently chairperson of the City of Lompoc’s Economic Development Committee and a graduate of Leadership Lompoc Valley’s Class of 2014, graduated from Texas Woman’s University with a degree in history. She brings nearly two decades of event management, marketing, staff training and fundraising experience for both corporate and nonprofit organizations to the LTP.
Since 2005, Osborne has provided event management, organization and publicity for commercial, nonprofit and private clients throughout the tri-county region via her company, OriJenel Organizer.
"Economic revitalization of Olde Town has begun and renovating the Lompoc Theatre is a major component,” Osborne said. “Joining the LTP board and contributing to this project’s success is one more opportunity to improve Lompoc, and I look forward to the challenge!"
Osborne will serve as chair of the board’s fundraising committee.
Shaw, a native of Atlanta, Ga., has resided in Lompoc since 1996, when she moved to Lompoc by way of VAFB at the end of 20 years of active duty in the U.S. Air Force. She earned a degree in project management and continues to specialize in financial and contract management.
Like Osborne, Shaw participated in Leadership Lompoc Valley, where she was a member of the Class of 2015. To celebrate its 30 years of community success, the LLV Class of 2015 hosted a fundraiser for LTP during an April 30 celebration. Shaw chaired the event as her class project, and led the effort to raise nearly $5,300 for LTP’s building fund.
“I have a great appreciation for the arts and an understanding of how a community like ours can benefit from making this a reality again,” she said. “I love Lompoc, and I believe the potential is there for our town to offer a lot to anyone who has lived here all their life, moves, or comes to our town on vacation.”
Shaw will head the nonprofit’s community outreach and volunteer efforts.
Benham, a founding member of the nonprofit, was re-elected for a second term and will continue as secretary and governance chair.
Carmean, a Lompoc native who returned to the city from the San Franciso Bay area in 2013, was also re-elected to a second term.
Other board members include Herrier, Ron Bock, treasurer, and Laurie Jervis, media co-chair.