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Personalitys
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Anonymous user Fri Sep 14, 2007 11:38:18 PDT
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0 responses 0 comments Often, a name catches your attention
for one reason or another. This
month we would like to introduce you
to eight locals that have not only made
a well-respected name for themselves
in the community, but who are trying
to make life in Bakersfield the best it
can be. Welcome to our first of many
more community features that brings
Bakersfield’s movers and shakers into
your home.

Gary & Eydie Gibson
Redevelopment Masters

    If there’s one thing Eydie Gibson can’t resist, it’s a handsome man in a yellow suit. It was 30 years ago that Gary Gibson met Eydie and their lives have never been the same – all for the better, of course. Eydie recalls waiting for Gary to pick her up outside of the Bank of America building downtown where she worked at the time. Gary’s charm and eye-catching yellow suit brought one word to Eydie’s mind – “interesting.” She was hooked and so was he – after all, with a business card that read, “Here’s a dime, call anytime…” with an actual dime attached, who could resist?
    “When I first met Eydie I just thought, ‘wow,’” he says. “And nothing has changed. I still feel the same way about her now.”
    As any man would have done, Gary got to know her interests and hobbies. Eydie loves tennis and Gary loved to be around her so he asked her to teach him how to play.
    Fast-forward to 2007. The Gibsons have become well recognized and respected names in the real estate business while working for Watson Realty. It was only natural for the couple to find a development project to keep them busy on their downtime. “With no kids at home anymore, we found that we had a lot of free time to play around with,” Eydie says. “I wanted to have a development project to work on and luckily Gary trusts me enough to invest our money. Although this project has become like a whole other job for me, I love it and believe strongly in it.”
    The Gibson’s project is the phenomenal resurrection of the historic Hay Building in downtown. The top level of the building will now showcase downtown’s first modern city lofts. With nine units being constructed, the Gibsons say they hope this project sparks other building owners to do the same thing with their space.
    “I’ve always felt a draw to downtown,” Eydie says. “As I spent more time down here talking to the business owners and hearing their thoughts and visions for the future of downtown, I wanted to help to redevelop the area.”
    The Gibsons say they are fortunate to have found great support from the Downtown Business Association and the Art Council of Kern in promoting business downtown and connecting people and ideas. They have also found a great working relationship with the City and Redevelopment Agency.
    Having a strong understanding of real estate and commercial development, the Gibsons took the idea of creating city lofts and tailored the concept to an existing building in downtown. After enlisting the design and marketing skills of good friend Don Martin, the Gibsons were ready to manifest their vision.
    “We had seen similar projects in other areas of the state and I think we both feel that Bakersfield is ready for this style of living,” Gary says. “More and more people want to live in an area that has dining and shopping close by. We were just pleasantly surprised at how beneficial wordof- mouth advertising worked in generating interest in potential buyers.” The project has been in the works for over a year and is projected to be complete by the end of the year.

Museum Maestros
Bernie and Joan Herman

    When it comes to where we live, so many Bakersfield residents think that the grass is always greener on the other side of the city limits. But take it from Bernie and Joan Herman, the grass really isn’t all that green.
    Finding professions in the field of art and education, the Hermans are a quiet force in the community. Bernie’s sense of humor and mild manner perfectly compliments Joan’s compassionate nature and easyto- talk-to charm. Regardless of how many places the two have lived together or alone, they are both proud to call Bakersfield home.
    “I’ve lived in 22 homes in 15 cities,” says Bernie, CEO of the Bakersfield Museum of Art. His last stop was Bakersfield, where he and his wife Joan raised their two daughters and have lived for the past 21 years.
    “Bakersfield has always been such a great place to live,” says Bernie. “We’ve been able to build a great network of business and personal relationships. Even though we’ve had opportunities to move other places, we’ve always opted to stay here.”
    Bernie and Joan have opted to have the hearts of servants by continuously giving back to the community through their professions and involvement in numerous community organizations. Bernie’s resume of leadership roles runs longer than the Kern River, and includes his professional role as Executive Vice President turned President of the five Mercy Hospitals in Kern County as well as multiple past presidencies in organizations like the Greater Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce and Bakersfield’s Downtown Rotary Club. Today Bernie is the CEO of the Bakersfield Museum of Art, a cultural gem in our community that is continuing to establish itself as the anchor of the Bakersfield art district.
    He is also a founding member of Vision 2020 and serves on the Klassen Corporation Board of Directors. And Bernie spends many an afternoon at Virginia Elementary helping children learn how to read, one of his favorite ways to give back to the community. “It’s so delightful to see these kids grow and learn as you work with them over time. You can’t help but feel good.”
    Contributing to the development of our youth is a passion that he strongly shares with his wife Joan. Even when she was taking care of their two daughters full time, Joan was active in the lives of other children. She was a consistent volunteer in her daughters’ classes, an active “soccer mom” helping out with soccer team operations and also worked part time in the education system.
    Today Joan is the Lead Counselor at Foothill High School and has spent the past two years as the President of the Kern High School District Counselors’ Association. In the past she donated much of her time to The Bakersfield Californian’s Editorial Board, the Girl Scouts Board of Directors and to the American Association of University Women.
    “We really feel that the community is an extension of our family,” says Bernie. And while the list of what these two do in the community could go on forever, the bottom line is that the Hermans are truly a couple who cares.

Community Neighbors
Bart and Napier Hill

    Bart and Napier Hill have a way of subtly commanding a room together. Well-known throughout the community as kind-hearted supporters of arts, education and nonprofit organizations, the Hills have continued to make a positive impact in the community. A prime example of the community’s appreciation of the Hill’s community activeness was witnessed this past spring at the Kern Literacy Council’s annual “Read for Life” fundraiser, which recognized Bart for his community support. Although Bart and Napier have origins outside of Bakersfield, they say they couldn’t think of any other place they would want to call home.
    “We’re not originally from Bakersfield but I think that newcomers have a deeper appreciation for the city,” Bart says. “Because we have lived in other places, we’re grateful for the way of life here. It’s wonderful to raise a family here.”
    Both Bart and Napier have strong backgrounds in banking. In fact, it’s the banking industry that brought them to Bakersfield in the early ‘80s. Since then the couple has raised two daughters and dedicated their time to several community groups and foundations. Bart is the president and CEO of San Joaquin Bank and Napier is an esteemed interior designer.
    “I was inspired by my involvement with the California Agriculture Leadership Program in the late ’70s to give back to the community around me,” Bart says. “It’s important for all of us to do what we can to help better the community and help it grow.”
    Having served on the boards of organizations such as the Tree Foundation of Kern, Rotary and The Bakersfield Museum of Art, Bart’s positive attitude is enough to inspire generations to come to lend a helping hand. In fact, it inspired his wife to get involved with the Bakersfield Museum of Art’s Blue Ribbon womens’ group.
    “It’s been very rewarding to see the city grow, especially at the Museum of Art,” Napier says. “For a town of this size, you would expect an art museum of a certain caliber and we are getting there. The art education programs for children are fantastic.”
    But their connection to the community doesn’t stop there. The Hills have high hopes for the beautification of the city. Outside the windows of San Joaquin Bank in downtown Bakersfield, Bart is quick to point out the lovely trees that can be seen outside the windows.
    “Those trees out there were planted by the Tree Foundation,” he says proudly. “It’s amazing how a simple tree can change the appearance of our city. Let’s hope the city continues to grow in quality as well as quantity over the years.”
    With the flash of a gorgeous smile and a simple head nod, Napier agrees.
    “Trees add so much visually to the landscape of the city, and help clean up the air as well. That’s something we really need,” she says. “Bakersfield is such a generous town. I truly believe that the people who volunteer and give back are one of the city’s most attractive qualities.”

Gentleman Racing
The Destefani Family

    When the last checkered flag was waved on the track of Mesa Marin in 2005, racecar fans everywhere thought that would be the end of Bakersfield’s racing era. Pieces of the benches, where spectators once sat and watched their favorite local and national racers take the turns of the half-mile track with skill and precision, became crumbled bits of memorabilia. As the snack bar and ticket booths were torn down and the track paved over in preparation for new homes, a void was left in the community, which the Destefani family decided to fill.
    Having roots, both figuratively and literally, here in Bakersfield for over 70 years, the Destefani family, now four generations strong, is no stranger to the community. They’ve been known as strong community supporters, particularly in the agricultural industry, and for having almost magically turned an 80-acre cotton farm to 4,500 acres of cotton, alfalfa, grains, almonds, wine grapes and more. The family has been a part of Bakersfield as long as “most of these streets were fields and the sidewalks were made of wood boards,” as the eldest and wittiest Destefani, Melvin, puts it. It was Melvin’s father who, in 1902, came to Bakersfield from Italy to start new. And it was Melvin, along with his brothers who really helped the family business take off post-depression to become a full-fledged family operated farm that would be taken over by his son, Alan. “Bakersfield is certainly a race town,” says Alan Destefani. “With the closure of Mesa Marin there was a need and we wanted to be able to meet it.”
    Alan understood firsthand how the closure of Mesa Marin affected the community. He also felt like he was in a good position to partner with the Collins family to give something back to the community. The Destefanis approached the Collins family who had owned and operated Mesa Marin for all of its 29 years, to propose the use of their property for a brand new, state-of-the-art NASCAR track. The Collins were approached to open a new track by a number of people in the community, along with a handful of outside developers, but there was something that struck them about the Destefanis. “Not only did the Destefanis have a great piece of property, but they really had their hearts in the right place,” says Larry Collins, who is now the president of “Kern County’s New Home to NASCAR.” “We have the approach that, if we’re going to do something we’re going to do it top notch. And luckily the Destefanis take that very same approach to everything they do.” The other thing that the Collins family found appealing about the Destefanis was how they had run their agriculture operations for generations. “The fact that they had been running a family operation for so long and that our former race track had been a family operation made the partnership a very nice fit.” Come spring 2008, the new NASCAR track itself is going to be a very nice fit for Bakersfield and Kern County. “A study has just been done that puts the track’s economic impact in Kern County at $40 million a year,” says Larry Collins. The new track will bring back the excitement that only the roar of engines, smell of tires burning and the sound of “Gentleman, start your engines,” can bring.

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