Born in Watsonville, CA on October 20, 1952 to Donald and Grace Chapin. He has one
older sister, Marilyn, and three younger sisters: Janet, Carol, and Sharon. Don
graduated from Mora Central Catholic High School in 1970 and attended Cabrillo College
studying architecture. He is currently married to wife, Barbara, and has three children:
Caroline, age 24 and a civil engineer, Donald III and a recent graduate of civil
engineering at Fresno State University, and Erin age 10.
Don was raised in Watsonville and moved to the Prunedale area in 1972. Don and his
family still reside in North County. He began his career in the construction industry
at an early age. His father began his business in Salinas in 1963 with partner Bob
Clark. The business known as Chapin & Clark was focused primarily on underground
work and septic systems. Don began working with his father at a young age while
still attending school. In 1971, Don began a full time career at Chapin and Clark.
On May 5, 1975, Don left Chapin & Clark and began his own business. He started
with a single dump truck and launched "Don Chapin Jr. Trucking". In 1977,
Don purchased his first tractor and began his own construction business. In 1978,
his father left Chapin & Clark and the two embarked on what is still known today
as the Don Chapin Company. Currently, the company employs approximately 325 people
and has a range of services from engineering, construction, trucking, ready mix
concrete supply, aggregate quarries, recycle operations, retail landscape supplies
and develops properties into resident subdivisions. Don is the President and CEO
of the Don Chapin Company and has a hand in the management of all of its affiliates.
Yet, Don's real passion is service to his community. Some of the organizations he
is involved with include:
- Past President and 10-year Board member of the California International Airshow.
- Member of Madonna Del Sasso Church.
- Board President of Lagunita School District for 23 years.
- Board President of the Board for North County Fire Protection District.
- Chair of the United Way Success By Six program.
- Founding member of the United Way Alexis de Toqueville Society.
- Founding member of the Common Ground Monterey County.
- Past Chair of the Boy Scouts "Building Future Leaders" committee.
- Co-chair of the Sheriff's Commission on Finance and Budget.
- General Char of the YMCA Capitol Campaign Committee.
- Vice-President of the Board of Directors for Rancho Cielo Youth Campus.
- Members of Board of Directors, Community Bank of Central California.
- Member of trade organizations including the Builders Exchange of Salinas Valley,
Associated General Contractors of California, Associated Builder and Contractor
of California, Construction Mining Association, and many others.
Don believes in giving back to his community and has been committed to that
goal. He supports many local schools and projects that focus on serving the youth
of our community. To that end, Don developed an endowment fund at Cal Poly San Luis
Obispo that provides scholarships to local students seeking a higher education in
the engineering fields. Don's latest endeavor is a project in North Salinas that
he hopes will provide 171 units of 100% affordable housing for the work force of
Salinas and the immediate area including many of his own employees.
Don has received numerous awards for his efforts including Citizen of the Year,
Construction Person of the Year, two State awards for Construction Excellence, and
most recently, the National Pope John the XXIII Humanitarian Award.
Don's favorite pastime is traveling with his family in their motor coach during
the summer and snow skiing in the winter.
I feel privileged and grateful to know and work with the remarkable, hardworking
and dedicated people here at North County Fire District (NCFD). I am a long time
resident of the North Monterey County, an area of rapid growth, rich in natural
resources. I find it to be an exciting challenge to balance the issues of growth,
and resource management with sound fiscal management. The recognition of this issue
lead to my earning a Ph.D. in Organizational Psychology and Master's Degrees in
both Psychology and Public Administration; a certification in Special District Management;
and the research and authoring of scientific studies focusing on effective and efficient
performance of the duties of firefighters. I am the lead consultant with The Championgroup
which designs and facilities organizational strategies, policies, and procedures
that promote improved performance, quality and harmony through systematic and planned
resource management.
NCFD is a Special District that functions on a scale that allows direct communication
among the Board, Administration, the Firefighters and the Public. In order for NCFD
to achieve its mission, I believe:
* That NCFD must foster a culture that unites the organization through a spirit
of purpose, cohesiveness and trust. That policies and procedures insure the recruitment,
hiring and retention of the highest caliber employees, beneficial legal reform,
necessary equipment acquisitions, and personnel training and development.
* That NCFD must provide mechanisms to assure that all personnel are motivated,
satisfied and have the necessary knowledge, skills and abilities provide the highest
possible levels of service.
* That an entrepreneurial management style remains in place so that a debt free
district with the highest training and motivate personnel utilizing the latest and
most up to date equipment continues to provide savings to the taxpayers.