Otay Board Elects Jose Lopez as 2024 Board President
At its January meeting, the Otay Water District Board of Directors elected new officers to lead the board in 2024. The board elected director Jose Lopez, who represents division four, as president. The board also elected board member Ryan Keyes, serving division two, as vice president, and Mark Robak, serving division five, as treasurer.
Director Mark Robak, Treasurer
Director Ryan Keyes,
Vice President
Director Jose Lopez, President
Lopez’s election as president follows one year of board leadership under past president Mark Robak. Lopez will serve as president through January 2025, when officer elections will again take place. He has served on the District’s board since December 2020. He also served from 2001 to 2016.
“I am honored and humbled by the trust that my fellow water board members place in me by electing me as president. Serving our customers in this role is a responsibility I take seriously,” says Lopez. “As we embark on this journey together, my focus will be on fostering collaboration, transparency, and sustainable water management practices. Our community’s access to high-quality and reliable water is of utmost importance, and I am committed to working diligently to ensure the continued well-being of our residents. I look forward to building upon the solid foundation laid by my predecessors and collaborating with our dedicated board and staff to address the opportunities and challenges ahead.”
In 2023, Lopez served as vice president of the board, and on the District’s engineering, operations, water resources, desalination project, and ad hoc legal services committees. He also represents the District at various local organizations and task forces, including the OWD and Sweetwater Authority Task Force to develop recycled water opportunities, the Water Conservation Garden Authority, and the South County Economic Development Council. Lopez held the position of treasurer in 2004, 2021, and 2022. Also, during his tenure from 2001 to 2016, he served as president of the board in 2002, 2003, 2005, and 2012 to 2015. He also served as vice president from 2006 to 2010, and 2016.
Lopez retired as an Assistant Fire Marshal from the San Diego Fire Department in 2011. He also served on the San Diego County Water Authority board from 2002 to 2003. He has an Associate of Science in Fire Science/Fire Suppression from San Diego Miramar College and attended the University of California, San Diego. In addition, Lopez has served as a member of the South Bay Forum since 1998, the City of Chula Vista Safety Commission from 1999 to 2008, and the Board of Appeals and Advisors Commission from 2009 to 2014. He currently lives in Chula Vista, California, with his wife Bertha, and enjoys spending time with his grandkids. Lopez enjoys traveling and has traveled to 45 countries so far.