Candidate for
Governing Board Member; Pomona Unified School District; Term Ending 12/11

Steve Lustro is a native of Monterey Park, California and was educated in public schools, graduating from Mark Keppel High School. While in high school, Steve developed an interest in community service. He was a member of Jr. Lions, sponsored by the Monterey Park Lions Club, and a member of the Monterey Park Youth Commission from 1971-1973.

After attending Cal State L.A. for a short period, Steve became a partner with his father in a family business, Crystal Building Maintenance Co., Inc., in 1980. Involvement in this small business for the subsequent 28 years gave Steve a valuable insight into budgeting, problem-solving, and customer service.

In 1988, Steve continued his education in a field of lifelong interest, Urban and Regional Planning. After successfully balancing school with family and work responsibilities for almost five years, he graduated cum laude from Cal Poly Pomona in 1993. Steve was employed in progressively more responsible positions with the City of Claremont from 1992-2000, accepting a promotion opportunity with the City of Montclair in November, 2000. After serving as Montclair's City Planner for seven years, he was promoted to his current position as Director of Community Development in 2007. Steve is a member of the American Planning Association and American Institute of Certified Planners.

Since moving to Pomona nearly 27 years ago, Steve's involvement in school and community has been virtually non-stop. Shortly after moving into his neighborhood, Steve was instrumental in helping set up a Neighborhood Watch group encompassing about 50 residences. This led to an invitation by a neighbor to serve on the School Site Council at Decker Elementary from 1984-87. Almost concurrently, Steve served as a board member of the Phillips Ranch Homeowners Association. When Ranch Hills Elementary opened in 1990, Steve volunteered to serve as editor of the school newsletter, Rattlers' Tattler, which he did for four school years.

It was also during 1990 that Steve was contacted by the Pomona Unified School District to help organize a campaign to support Proposition E, a $62.5 million general obligation bond that would provide money to upgrade schools districtwide and also provide the "seed money" for the district's fourth comprehensive high school. Steve organized the Phillips Ranch community into about 40 geographical divisions, each headed up by one or two "block captains" who were responsible for going door-to-door to campaign for the bond. On June 5, 1991, district voters passed Proposition E by a 75% margin. Steve is very proud of the fact that, because of the hard work of the neighborhood block captains, the Phillips Ranch community supported the bond by more than a 90% margin.

In 1993, Steve was asked to participate as a community member on the planning advisory committee for Diamond Ranch High School. The committee was charged with helping select the site architect, determining when the school would open, and providing input on curriculum.

Steve was appointed to and served on the City of Pomona Planning Commission from July, 1991 through April, 1997. He was elected to the PUSD Board of Education in November, 1997 and re-elected in November, 2001. Steve's colleagues selected him to serve as Board vice-president during 2000, and as president during 2001. After the untimely passing of longtime Board member Candelario J. Mendoza, the Board of Education voted in July, 2008, to appoint Steve to fill Mr. Mendoza's unexpired term.

Steve continues to be a booster of his community and the surrounding area. He has been a member of Pomona Heritage since 2001 and currently serves on the Design and Construction Committee for the Pomona Valley Chapter of Habitat for Humanity.

Steve and his wife, Sharon, have been married for 26 years and have two children, Olivia, 24, and Drew, 23. During the kids' school years, education was constantly celebrated in the Lustro household. Steve and Sharon believe that the importance placed on education in the home played a large part in their daughter and son doing well in school. Olivia and Drew are both proud alumni of UC Berkeley.