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Last week, my close friend and former neighbor, Supervisor Zach Friend, publicly announced that he would not run for re-election for the Santa Cruz County 2nd District Board of Supervisor seat. After a 12-year tenure representing our county, he is stepping down at the end of 2024. Speculation of Friend’s departure from office first began in 2021 when the media reported that his wife, Tina Friend, was taking a job as the City Manager in Coronado, California, which is located in San Diego County. Considering Friend’s family ties to San Diego, this announcement was anticipated. I met Zach in the middle of his first term as our Supervisor to discuss issues of concern from the business community perspective. He was open to ideas and suggestions that were critical to a vibrant economy — job creation, access to affordable housing, a better and more efficient transportation infrastructure, public safety and a safe and clean water source for our community. During my tenure with the Silicon Valley Leadership Group (SVLG), I led a program called “Turning Red Tape into Red Carpet” where the SVLG team would call for public sector projects that demonstrated efforts to create public-private partnerships and establish projects, programs and policies that were a more cost-effective way to improve our community. We reached out to cities, counties and special districts throughout the region encouraging them to apply. SVLG would score each application based on the merits of the proposal. Santa Cruz County submitted a project, “Dig Once,” in response to an underground communication infrastructure (broadband). Santa Cruz County’s broadband initiative is one of the ten best government solutions designed to “enhance customer service, help improve the quality of our business climate and grow jobs,” according to the Silicon Valley Leadership Group (SVLG). Supervisor Friend received the group’s “Turning Red Tape into Red Carpet” award for his role in developing and leading the initiative. Friend’s initiative was the only winner in the business retention and expansion category, which “recognizes economic development initiatives that focus on retaining and growing existing businesses within the community or region.” The honor comes just a few weeks after the California Broadband Council promoted the Santa Cruz County policies as examples for the rest of the state to follow. I had the extreme pleasure of presenting this award to the Supervisor. Joining me at the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors meeting was the former CEO of Plantronics, Ken Kannappan, and 2004 Chamber Man of Year. It was a tribute to the local government doing the right thing. My future conversations with Supervisor Friend explored a cross-section of Zach’s previous experience working in the White House and federal government and how my professional career in government dovetailed with his past. While our career paths had different policy perspectives on what are the best options to make positive change, we clearly agreed — a collaborative effort where all sides had an opportunity to participate in the discussion – was a critical component of developing lasting public policy. During Supervisor Friend’s three terms as our supervisor, he has been a dedicated public servant helping make positive strides for our county. Specifically, in a statement he sent to the media announcing his decision, he said, “Representing this County has been the nonpareil opportunity of a lifetime. We are a region blessed with the most caring people, unrivaled natural gifts and unmatched innovation. The privilege of representing our area has been remarkable.” You can read about his service here: Supervisor Friend announces end to his service to Santa Cruz County I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for Supervisor Friend’s leadership these past twelve years — the work to improve our county parks and libraries, the creation of the Mid-County Public Safety Center in Aptos, and helping save the Watsonville Hospital and most recently securing $400 million for the Pajaro River Levee Project. Public health and safety have been a paramount issue that Supervisor Friend has spearheaded in addressing wildfires and the atmospheric weather. He was also open to receiving input from the business community during the COVID-19 crisis. My personal experience working with Supervisor Friend was during the contentious 2016 Measure D thirty-year 1/2 cent sales tax for transportation improvements throughout Santa Cruz County. While we had different viewpoints on which transportation projects should be our priority, we agreed that having our own local funding source was critically important. When the voters approved Measure D with over 68% of the vote it established what is called “a self-help county.’ Over the last seven years, Santa Cruz County has been competitive in receiving millions of grant funding from the State and Federal Governments. We are seeing dramatic changes to our transportation network — improvement of our highways, county roads, city streets, pedestrians and bike corridors and of course the controversial Rail-Trail debate. Regardless of your stand on that project, Supervisor Friend has been a key supporter of Measure D. Before moving on to his next adventure (wherever and whenever that takes him), I encourage county residents to work with Supervisor Friend as he completes his last term of public service. Thank you, Zach, for your leadership and your friendship.
Last week, my close friend and former neighbor, Supervisor Zach Friend, publicly announced that he would not run for re-election for the Santa Cruz County 2nd District Board of Supervisor seat. After a 12-year tenure representing our county, he is stepping down at the end of 2024.
Speculation of Friend’s departure from office first began in 2021 when the media reported that his wife, Tina Friend, was taking a job as the City Manager in Coronado, California, which is located in San Diego County. Considering Friend’s family ties to San Diego, this announcement was anticipated.
I met Zach in the middle of his first term as our Supervisor to discuss issues of concern from the business community perspective. He was open to ideas and suggestions that were critical to a vibrant economy — job creation, access to affordable housing, a better and more efficient transportation infrastructure, public safety and a safe and clean water source for our community.
During my tenure with the Silicon Valley Leadership Group (SVLG), I led a program called “Turning Red Tape into Red Carpet” where the SVLG team would call for public sector projects that demonstrated efforts to create public-private partnerships and establish projects, programs and policies that were a more cost-effective way to improve our community. We reached out to cities, counties and special districts throughout the region encouraging them to apply. SVLG would score each application based on the merits of the proposal. Santa Cruz County submitted a project, “Dig Once,” in response to an underground communication infrastructure (broadband).
Santa Cruz County’s broadband initiative is one of the ten best government solutions designed to “enhance customer service, help improve the quality of our business climate and grow jobs,” according to the Silicon Valley Leadership Group (SVLG). Supervisor Friend received the group’s “Turning Red Tape into Red Carpet” award for his role in developing and leading the initiative.
Friend’s initiative was the only winner in the business retention and expansion category, which “recognizes economic development initiatives that focus on retaining and growing existing businesses within the community or region.” The honor comes just a few weeks after the California Broadband Council promoted the Santa Cruz County policies as examples for the rest of the state to follow. I had the extreme pleasure of presenting this award to the Supervisor. Joining me at the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors meeting was the former CEO of Plantronics, Ken Kannappan, and 2004 Chamber Man of Year. It was a tribute to the local government doing the right thing.
My future conversations with Supervisor Friend explored a cross-section of Zach’s previous experience working in the White House and federal government and how my professional career in government dovetailed with his past. While our career paths had different policy perspectives on what are the best options to make positive change, we clearly agreed — a collaborative effort where all sides had an opportunity to participate in the discussion – was a critical component of developing lasting public policy.
During Supervisor Friend’s three terms as our supervisor, he has been a dedicated public servant helping make positive strides for our county. Specifically, in a statement he sent to the media announcing his decision, he said, “Representing this County has been the nonpareil opportunity of a lifetime. We are a region blessed with the most caring people, unrivaled natural gifts and unmatched innovation. The privilege of representing our area has been remarkable.” You can read about his service here: Supervisor Friend announces end to his service to Santa Cruz County
I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for Supervisor Friend’s leadership these past twelve years — the work to improve our county parks and libraries, the creation of the Mid-County Public Safety Center in Aptos, and helping save the Watsonville Hospital and most recently securing $400 million for the Pajaro River Levee Project. Public health and safety have been a paramount issue that Supervisor Friend has spearheaded in addressing wildfires and the atmospheric weather. He was also open to receiving input from the business community during the COVID-19 crisis.
My personal experience working with Supervisor Friend was during the contentious 2016 Measure D thirty-year 1/2 cent sales tax for transportation improvements throughout Santa Cruz County. While we had different viewpoints on which transportation projects should be our priority, we agreed that having our own local funding source was critically important. When the voters approved Measure D with over 68% of the vote it established what is called “a self-help county.’ Over the last seven years, Santa Cruz County has been competitive in receiving millions of grant funding from the State and Federal Governments. We are seeing dramatic changes to our transportation network — improvement of our highways, county roads, city streets, pedestrians and bike corridors and of course the controversial Rail-Trail debate. Regardless of your stand on that project, Supervisor Friend has been a key supporter of Measure D.
Before moving on to his next adventure (wherever and whenever that takes him), I encourage county residents to work with Supervisor Friend as he completes his last term of public service. Thank you, Zach, for your leadership and your friendship.