Simitian Appoints Business Leader/Community Volunteer to Airports Commission
SAN JOSE – Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian has appointed Alan Groves, Treasurer of the Experimental Aircraft Association, Chapter 20 (San Carlos) to the County’s Airports Commission, effective immediately.
Made up of seven community members appointed by individual County Supervisors, the Airports Commission reviews, evaluates, and advises the County Board of Supervisors on airport operations, financing, and issues such as safety and noise control.
“Whether it’s for business, recreation, agriculture, or training, the aviation community relies on County airports,” said Simitian. “We work hard to run our airports for the benefit of all the residents of the County, and in a way that’s respectful of all residents. The Airports Commission provides an essential forum for open discussion among all the folks interested in County airports.”
Groves flies a Columbia 400 single-engine aircraft out of San Carlos Airport and has clocked 1,500 flight hours at airports in 40 states. He has served as a volunteer pilot for Angel Flight West, which flies people with major illnesses to hospitals for specialized treatment.
Formerly Vice-President of Finance and a Corporate Controller at 3Com Corporation in Santa Clara, Groves volunteered for 15 years in the tutorial center at Los Altos High School, where he tutored math, chemistry, and physics. A graduate of Northwestern University and Stanford Business School, he has lived in Santa Clara County for 56 years, and in the city of Los Altos since 1985.
In his application to the Airports Commission, Groves said, “I would like to use my experience in aviation to help aviation have a positive impact in our community. I will listen openly and try to understand the views of everyone that I work with.”
Members of the public interested in serving on a County Board or Commission can find a complete list of vacancies online.