Ruben Alvarez:  

of the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy Committee for the County of Orange. Appointed by the County Board of Supervisors, he has lead the committee in promoting the application by Cities and organizations for Economic Development Administration Funds. These funding grants are through the US Department of Commerce and targets economically distressed areas nationwide. Through the committees lobbying and technical assistance to applicants, over $7.5 million has been received to help Orange County’s pockets of high unemployment and low median income areas by creating infrastructure projects that produce high multiplying economic effects. Ruben has also been active as a member of the Advisory Boards of the Century High School TEACH and E-Business Academies and was named the Academy’s Business Partner of the Year for the ’06-’05 school year. Students in the programs have a 99% graduation rate as compared to the 45% rate of non-academy participants. He has made presentations to Students, Faculty and Staff on the importance of staying connected in the community. He devotes much time to keeping connected with the community through his consulting business, Stay Connected OC. He has lived in Santa Ana since 1965 and active ever since. He was a member of the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Ana from the ages 8 through 18 where he excelled in leadership and photography. Ruben won several local and national honors for his photographs and served on the nationally recognized school paper “The Roadrunner”. Alvarez also has distinct honor of being one of Boys Clubs of America’s National Semifinalist Youth of the Year. Rarer honor still is being elected by his peers Student Body President of Lathrop Junior High and Saddleback High School. He has served on the Parks & Recreation Board as well as the Library Board for the City. He is a graduate of the Hispanic Leadership Institute of the Orange County United Way