Public Works Director: Yader Bermudez

Mr. Bermudez comes to us from the City of Oakland where he is currently employed as the Engineering Design and Right of Way Management Manager.  Prior to working for the City of Oakland, Mr. Bermudez worked for the State of California for twenty-three (23) years, starting as a Design Engineer and working his way up to the Deputy District Director of Maintenance. Mr. Bermudez holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the National University of Nicaragua. Additionally, Mr. Bermudez is a Registered Civil Engineer with the State of California. Mr. Bermudez will start working for the City on September 4, 2007.

Community Services Program Director: Peni Basalusalu

Peni Basalusalu, a new Community Services Program Manager for the Recreation Department, supervising Community Centers and working on Staff Development.  Peni’s first day was Monday, August 6, and his office is located in the Recreation Complex.  I hope that you’ll all take a moment to introduce yourself to Peni when you see him.

After graduating from high school in Suva Fiji, Peni Basalusalu received a scholarship to study at the La’ie, Hawaii Campus of Brigham Young University (BYU).  He graduated with a B.A. in Political Science in December of 2000.  While studying in Hawaii, Peni discovered his aspiration to work in government which led him to serve as secretary for the Associated Students of BYU. He also had the opportunity to do a 3 month long internship in his home country of Fiji with the House of Representatives under the Elections Department where he trained enumerators and conducted town meetings on the government’s new electoral procedures.  During his senior year of college Peni worked in Washington D.C. as a Management Intern with the Fiji Embassy, specifically dealing with visa enquiries and attending committee meetings up at Capitol Hill where issues with direct links to Fiji’s economy such as permanent normalized trade relations (PNTR) were discussed. 

Upon leaving Hawaii, Peni worked as a long term substitute teacher for 6 months with the Manteca Unified School District in California.  He taught 7^th and 8^th grade Math, Social Studies, English, Health Science and P.E.  With the desire to gain more education, Peni pursed and completed a Masters degree in Public Administration from the Provo, Utah Campus of Brigham Young University. Peni has a Masters degree with a double emphasis in Urban/City Management and Human Resource Management.  While completing his studies in Provo, Peni worked part-time for the neighboring City of Orem in their Community and Neighborhood Services Department.  There he assisted in implementing usage of Community Development Block Grants, surveyed land and wrote recommendations to the City Manager on how to develop and utilize certain parcels of land with in the city limits, and organized over 1000 volunteers and raised over $15,000 for the City’s annual community clean up project.  While in graduate school Peni joined and became a member of the International City Managers Association. 

Peni returned to California with his family after completing his studies and worked part-time as a Recreation Leader with the City of Stockton Parks and Recreation Department.  He developed and implemented a training program for all new hires for the department.  He spent many hours training over 500 new employees during his tenure with the City of Stockton.  In 2004 after only serving for 3 months as a part time employee he was offered a full-time position working as an Administrative Analyst.  In this capacity he enjoyed having the opportunity to work with every division in the department from sports, to supervising after school programs, conducting presentations with the arts commission, etc.  Peni also served as the advisor to the Youth Advisory Commission.  He implemented a Youth Leadership Academy that takes high school students through an 8 month course of practical study on how to be leaders in the community.  The biggest accomplishment Peni achieved is in creating history with the National Recreation and Parks Association (NRPA) accreditation process.   Peni directed the process and with his leadership the City of Stockton became the first city in the state of California to receive accredited status with the NRPA.  In 2006 Peni was named Employee of the Year for the Parks and Recreation Department in the City of Stockton.   

Recreation Supervisor: Kris Lofthus

Kris Lofthus comes to the City of Richmond as a new Recreation Supervisor working with community centers.  His office will be located at the Booker T. Anderson Community Center.  Kris begins today, and I hope that you’ll all take a moment to introduce yourself when you see him. 

Kris grew up in Cottonwood, California, and attended West Valley High School.  He was an avid soccer player and participated in the sport until college. After high school, Kris attended Shasta College and then transferred to CSU, Sacramento, where he graduated with honors with a B.A. in Recreation Administration. He continued his education by completing a Masters of Science in the same field of study.  While attending Sacramento State he began employment with the City of Sacramento, Neighborhood Services Department, and was given the opportunity to operate 3 area teen centers, elementary and middle school sports, and the operation of a community center. In 1998 Kris went to work with the City of Vacaville, Community Services Department, to be their teen coordinator and operate the Three Oaks Community Center. During the last 9 years in Vacaville he has supervised a skate park, a boxing gym, middle school programs, special events, community events, and for the last 3 years was the Executive Director of the Vacaville Police Activities League. Kris has been married for 6 years and has a daughter who will be 3 in August. In his spare time he enjoys fishing, golf, and spending time with his family and friends.