The Allan Hancock College Foundation Board of Directors has elected four new board members. They are Paul Cook, president/CEO of CoastHills Federal Credit Union; Guadalupe City Councilmember Christina Hernandez; Dr. Naishadh Buch, retired COO of Lompoc Valley Medical Center; and real estate broker Len Jarrott.
“We’re fortunate to have such accomplished and experienced volunteers joining our board,” said Jon Hooten, executive director of the foundation. “Each of these individuals care deeply about education and the future of the communities we serve.
“We’re honored that they are choosing to direct that passion toward serving Hancock’s students.”
Cook is a banking executive with 25 years of experience in finance, lending, operations, administration and technology. He has served as president/CEO of CoastHills Federal Credit Union since 2018. He also serves as board chair of the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce. He holds a degree in political science from Utah State University and an MBA from Brigham Young University.
Hernandez, a Hancock alumna and lifelong resident of Guadalupe, is a nonprofit professional and civil servant. She is is a member of the Guadalupe City Council and is on the district staff for Assemblymember Gregg Hart.
Hernandez was an administrator at the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Center for eight years and has served in leadership positions in the Guadalupe Lions Club, Los Amigos de Guadalupe and Comité Civico de Guadalupe.
Dr. Buch recently retired from the Lompoc Valley Medical Center as chief operating officer with more than 20 years of experience in hospital administration. He served 12 years as an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps, serving as a liaison officer to U.N. forces.
After retiring as a lieutenant colonel, Dr. Buch trained as a pharmacist and received his Doctorate of Pharmacology degree, as well as an MBA, from the University of Southern California.
Jarrott owns Jarrott & Co., a real estate brokerage firm based in Santa Barbara, where he lived for some 50 years. Now a Nipomo resident, he has long supported community college education, having served as a Santa Barbara City College Board trustee and a member of the SBCC Foundation Board.
Jarrott holds a degree in biology from Loyola Marymount University, a masters degree in philosophy from San Diego State, and an MBA from Pepperdine University.
Established in 1977, the AHC Foundation recently completed a $10 million campaign to provide two years of tuition and fees for new high school graduates in the region.
With a $24.5 million endowment, the foundation provides $550,000 in scholarships each year. For more, visit ahcfoundation.org.