El Cajon resident Dr. Michael T. Long, MD, is a retired neurologist who practiced for 40 years locally as an active member of the medical staff at Grossmont Hospital. He is a Fellow with the American Academy of Neurology. He retired in 2006. He served as Chief of the Medical Staff in 1987, and served as a Medical Staff Executive in support of the Chiefs-of-Staff from 1988 to 2006. He also served as a member of the Medical Staff Executive Committee for 12 years. From 1990 to 2010, he served as a hospital surveyor on behalf of state and national standards organizations. He was elected to a two-year term on the GHD board in the November 2008 general election. He was reelected to a four-year term in November 2010. He has served on the GHD board as chair of the GHD Proposition G General Obligation Bond Committee, Facilities Committee, Finance/Audit Committee, and Library Committee. Dr. Long and his wife Belle have lived in the East County since 1967. He has been involved in the community supporting youth sports and as a singer/performer in community theater productions.

Robert “Bob” Ayres is a retired banking executive with 48 years of experience in both public- and private-sector banking and construction financing and management. He joined the GHD board in September 2010 to fill a vacancy. He was reelected to a four-year term in November 2012. He has served on the GHD board as chair of the GHD Proposition G General Obligation Bond Committee, Finance/Audit Committee, Investment Committee and Legal/Legislative Committee. Prior to joining the Board, Ayres served on the GHD Proposition “G” Independent Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee (ICBOC), which oversees the District’s $247 million bond measure approved by voters to modernize Grossmont Hospital. The resident of El Cajon is a graduate of San Diego State University and Southern Methodist University’s Graduate School of Banking. Bob and wife Elaine have been married since 1966, and have two daughters and two grandchildren.

A second generation San Diegan and resident of East County since 1964, Gloria Chadwick, R.N., has served on the Board since 1998. She was the first woman to be elected to the board in 22 years. In 2000, she was the first woman ever to serve as Board President. She was reelected in 2002, 2006 and 2010. She retired in 2008 as a retired psychiatric nurse after a 44-year career in the healthcare profession. She has served as a member of the Legislative Committee of the Association of California Healthcare Districts.

Michael Emerson, FNAO, RDO, Board Treasurer

A Registered Ophthalmic Dispenser, Michael A. Emerson, FNAO, RDO, is certified by the State Board of Medical Quality Assurance of the California Medical Board, and has owned Hart Optical Company of La Mesa since 1987. He was appointed to the GHD board in May 2008, and was elected to a four-year term in November 2008 and reelected in November 2012. Prior to joining the GHD board, he served on the Grossmont Hospital Corporate Board beginning in March 2007. He has served on the GHD board as chair of the GHD Proposition G General Obligation Bond Committee, Finance/Audit Committee, and Government Relations Committee. Emerson also has served in numerous offices on both the local and state levels as a member of the La Mesa Kiwanis Club and the La Mesa Optimist Club. He served as Lieutenant Governor of the California South District of Optimist International. He also is currently serving on the board of the California Special Districts Association, San Diego chapter. A firm proponent of continuing education, Emerson has completed Advanced Government Finance at the University of Wisconsin School of Business in Madison, Wisconsin, and the Special District Leadership and Management Certification Program offered by the Special District and Local Government Institute. He also has served as a volunteer martial arts instructor at the YMCA Davis facility in La Mesa. Mr. Emerson served for two years in the U.S. Army, including at the Optometry Clinic at Irwin Army Hospital in Ft. Riley, Kansas.

Betty Stieringer, R.N., Board Member

Barry Jantz Chief Executive Officer

Barry Jantz was appointed as Chief Executive Officer in September 2004, after having been a community relations consultant handling the District's annual grants program. Past experience includes financial services manager at Kaiser Permanente, and as district chief of staff to Assemblyman Jay LaSuer. Jantz was a member of the La Mesa City Council from 1990 to 2006, and is the current chairman of the East County Economic Development Council. His educational background includes journalism and political science at Grossmont College and San Diego State University.

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