Arts Council Silicon Valley Elects New Officers
San Jose, CA, July 18, 2005 – Arts Council Silicon Valley Board of Trustees elected a new slate of officers this July to lead the 18-member Board of Trustees in fiscal year 2005-06. Officers are elected by the full board and serve one-year terms.

Joyce Iwasaki, Director of Community Affairs at Sugimura & Associates Architects, succeeds Steve Kottmeier as board president, having participated on the board since 1998. Iwasaki has served on a number of boards such as San Jose Taiko, Midori Kai Professional Women’s Group and Japanese American Chamber of Commerce of Silicon Valley, to name a few. She is also the founder and President of the Ed Iwasaki Memorial Fund which awards High School Seniors for academic achievements and leadership capabilities. A former school teacher, Iwasaki has also served on Honorable Norman Y. Mineta’s US House of Representatives Campaign Committee.

Kottmeier is a shareholder of Hopkins and Carley, A Law Corporation of San Jose, and will serve as immediate past president. In addition, two new trustees take the helm as first time officers: Kirsten Carr, Executive Director of the Gilroy Visitor’s Bureau, became vice president of advocacy and planning and David Sandal, Manager of New Business Development for Applied Materials, will serve as vice president of development.

Remaining slate of officers:
John DuBois, continues as vice president of programs;
Dhelia Fahrner, community volunteer, continues as secretary;
Jeffrey Strawn, senior vice president/credit officer at Silicon Valley Bank, continues as treasurer;
Elena Mosko, community volunteer, continues as co-chair of the board development committee;
Ida Highlander, community volunteer, will join Elena Mosko as co-chair of the board development committee;
Audrey Wong, arts consultant, will take over as chair of the grants committee.

"An organization cannot function effectively without a qualified, passionate Board of directors," said Bruce W. Davis, executive director of Arts Council Silicon Valley. "The Arts Council is very fortunate to have these dedicated individuals carrying out our organization’s mission."

About Arts Council Silicon Valley
Incorporated in 1983, Arts Council Silicon Valley is an independent, nonprofit arts agency dedicated to providing funding and advocacy support, and fundraising and marketing services to the region’s arts organizations and artists. As the official state/local partner with the California Arts Council and the County of Santa Clara, Arts Council Silicon Valley is now the largest nonprofit arts council in the state. Over the past 13 years, the Arts Council has distributed nearly $8 million to local arts and cultural organizations, individual artists, schools, and community groups.