Laura’s House adds Members of the Orange County Business Community to Board of Directors
Posted on March 20, 2012
From left to right: Kurt Ross and Rick Lutzky
Rick Lutzky and Kurt Ross join in supporting Laura’s House in its mission to end the silence of domestic violence
LADERA RANCH, Calif., March 19, 2012 – Continuing to strengthen the ties that it has with the Orange County business community, Laura’s House is pleased to welcome Rick Lutzky, Founder of Lutzky Associates Development, LP; and, Kurt Ross, Senior Vice President for Sunwest Bank to its board of directors.
Based in Ladera Ranch, Laura’s House is a non-profit organization whose mission is to change the social beliefs, attitudes and behaviors that perpetuate domestic violence, while creating a safe place in which to empower individuals and families affected by abuse.
“We are honored to welcome Rick and Kurt to our board of directors,” said Margaret Bayston, CEO and Executive Director, Laura’s House. “Together, these individuals continue to demonstrate their commitment to supporting the local communities in which they do business, through their involvement in numerous community and civic organizations. We look forward to leveraging the unique talents they each bring to Laura’s House, as part of our ongoing efforts to end the silence of domestic violence here in Orange County.”
About the New Board Members
Kurt Ross is senior vice president and team leader for the Laguna Hills Office of Sunwest Bank. Since his banking career began in 1981, Ross has held Business Relationship Banker positions with Bank of America, Union Bank, Pacific Mercantile Bank and California Bank & Trust.
Ross, an Orange County native, received his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Chapman University and also graduated from Pacific Coast Banking School at the University of Washington. Ross volunteered at Cal State Fullerton’s Small Business Institute mentoring students in counseling projects with small businesses.
Rick Lutzky has worked in the real estate development industry since 1982. Over the past 30 he has developed or directed the development of more than 6.5 million square feet of commercial real estate. During his career, Rick has worked with W.R. Grace Development Company and Birtcher Real Estate Group. In 1998, he founded Lutzky Associates Development, LP. His impressive list of clients includes The First American Corporation, the County of Los Angeles and Rancho Mission Viejo, LLC. Since July 2009, Rick has volunteered approximately 1,200 hours to the Laura’s House emergency shelter rebuild project, in which he was instrumental in bringing it in more than $600,000 under budget, representing a savings of 24% of the overall budget. In December 2011, Laura’s House celebrated the grand opening of its new shelter, increasing its capacity to serve domestic violence victims in Orange County by 93%.
The Laura’s House Board of Directors is comprised of a diverse group of 15 uniquely talented individuals who represent a wide cross-section of the Orange County business community.
About Laura’s House
Over the past eighteen years, Laura’s House has provided residential shelter and support services to nearly 3,500 families, and counseling, life skills education and legal assistance to over 40,000 individuals. The mission of Laura’s House is to change the social beliefs, attitudes and the behaviors that perpetuate domestic violence while creating a safe space in which to empower individuals and families affected by abuse.
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