The California Rodeo Salinas welcomed three new Directors to the board on Thursday October 20th. These dedicated individuals have put in countless hours to help the Rodeo Association thrive. Adam Jacop, Matt Jenkinson and Tonya Linares were present at the annual Stockholders Dinner to accept their new titles and silver badges. Three Directors also moved to the designation of Advisory Director after providing decades of service on the board. Bill Grainger, Mike Martin and Mark Schmidt realize that for the continued growth of the California Rodeo room must be made for new active directors.
Mike Scarr continues as President for his second and final year of office along with the other Officers: 1st Vice President Brent Eastman, 2nd Vice President Dave Pedrazzi, 3rd Vice President Fred Hooker, Treasurer Tom Nielsen and Secretary Steve Davis. The California Rodeo Salinas would not be able to give back over $400,000 to the local community or put on one of the top 20 professional rodeos in the United States without the leadership of our Officers and Board of Directors. These dedicated volunteers are the greatest assets of the organization. Read on for full biographies of the new Directors and Advisory Directors.
Adam Jacop, Director
Adam Jacop began his volunteer career with the California Rodeo on the Passes Committee in 1995 working security in the Hansen Pavilion. He has served on the Passes, Monster Jam, Central Coast Motorsports Spectacular and Volunteer Services Committees, chairing both Passes and Volunteer Services last year. Adam loves being able to say that he is involved with the greatest rodeo on the West Coast and takes a lot of pride in what the organization does for the community. Born and raised in Salinas, Adam is the caretaker for the Salinas Sports Complex, living here on the grounds, and also an Account Manager at RDO Equipment Company where he has worked for the last 11 years. He and his wife Kari have two daughters, Breana and Hayden. Adam enjoys hunting, riding motorcycles, working on cars, boating and working with his horse in his free time.
Matt Jenkinson, Director
Matt Jenkinson started volunteering in 1994 on the Ground Prep Committee and has worked on the Monster Jam and Facilities Committees and has been the Chairman of the Central Coast Motorsports Spectacular Committee for the past 5 years. Matt can be found out at the complex, often with his dad, brothers or Uncle, working hard year round and is always willing to help with projects the staff or board comes up with. He loves volunteering for the Rodeo because it is a great organization to be a part of. He has met a lot of great people who share the same passion: giving back to the Salinas Community and carrying on Rodeo traditions for future generations. Matt was born and raised in Salinas and currently lives in South Salinas; he has worked for Jenkinson Construction Inc. since 1994. Matt married his wife Jennifer on June 18, 2016 and they have a 5 year old Weimaraner named Emma who is like their child. Matt’s hobbies include spending time at Lake Nacimiento, playing softball and travelling wherever Jenn books their adventures.
Tonya Linares, Director
Tonya Linares officially became a committee member in 1990, but before that she risked crashing into the wooden beams beneath the old grandstands searching for lost items like wedding rings that fans would drop. She has served on many committees: gates, security and she has been the team captain for our Relay for Life team since 2008. Tonya fondly remembers being surprised with the Committee Man of the Year award in 2010 and volunteering with her dad Jim Kelley in the early years before his untimely death in 2006. She loves volunteering because the Rodeo is great for the community and it also creates friendships with people that become family. Tonya was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan and she moved to Salinas when was 3. She works for the United States Department of Agriculture and is married to Frank Linares. She raised 3 wonderful step children and has 3 grandchildren and one smart Border Collie named Hannah. Her hobbies include attending various Rodeo functions, camping, fishing, hunting, kayaking and taking their 1955 Chevrolet Nomad to cars shows around California.
Bill Grainger, Advisory Director
Bill Grainger was out at the Rodeo Grounds painting fences in 1958, but wasn’t an official committee member until a decade later when he would drop numbers in the old scoreboard. After attending Oregon State and living in Bakersfield for a few years, Bill got involved with the Rodeo again in 1978 on Walt Cameron’s Maintenance & Construction Committee. When Norman Martella retired from the Ground Prep Committee in 1981 Bill took over as Chairman. Bill enlisted the help of his buddy Benny Jefferson to improve the arena conditions and they and their committee did a lot of year-round work, especially when it was time to build the new stadium back in 1996. Bill is married to Mary Lou, his high school sweetheart, and they live in Salinas, where four generations of Graingers have lived. They have two daughters, Leslie and Amy, and six grandchildren. Bill’s hobbies include hunting, fishing and playing golf.
Mike Martin, Advisory Director
Mike Martin started volunteering with the California Rodeo when he was only 18 years old, almost 50 years ago, on the Arena Committee in the south end stripping chutes. After a few years he moved to the north end near the roping chutes when Allan Wallace left the barrier and Mike ran the barrier for over 20 years. He was also on the Insurance Committee at one time with Homer Hayward and Walt Cameron. He also led horses out during the Wild Horse Race and has served on the Golf Committee for the last 8 years. Mike has worked or Granite Rock for 44 years and is married to his wife Barbara and has lived in Salinas his entire life except for the years he ventured to San Luis Obispo to attend Cal Poly. Mike has a step son Jonathan, step daughter Jamie and daughter Kate. He has three grandsons, Ben, Jake and Joey. Mike enjoys golfing and hunting in his spare time.
Mark Schmidt, Advisory Director
Mark Schmidt started volunteering for the California Rodeo in the summer of 1964 with the Boy Scouts. In 1969, he stared with Ground Prep two weeks before the show and during the show worked on the Track Committee driving the panel tractor. In 1971 he moved to the catch pens on the Arena Committee under Director Hardy and in 1974 moved to the north end roping chutes and is still there 52 years later. Mark has also served on the Executive Committee, Maintenance & Construction Committee and Production Committee. Mark was born in Salinas in 1952 and currently lives in Pebble Beach. His career has included working as President of Alco Water Service, in the produce industry from 1908-2005 and he is currently self-employed with Omniterra, a training company, Omniterra Pools & Spas, a service company, and Masscom, a consulting company. He has been married to his wife Sally since 1978 and they have three children, one of whom is deceased, and they are raising their grandson Jake and plan to adopt. The Rodeo is Mark’s hobby when he isn’t with his family.
Photo by INTERFACE VISUAL. Directors Adam Jacop, Tonya Linares and Matt Jenkinson with President Mike Scarr.
About California Rodeo Salinas
The 107th California Rodeo Salinas will take place July 20th-23rd, 2017. The California Rodeo Association is a non-profit organization that strives to preserve and promote the traditions of the California Rodeo Salinas and the West. We support the community and other non-profit organizations through the staging of the annual California Rodeo Salinas and other year round operations of the Salinas Sports Complex. Through donation of our facility, vending and fundraising opportunities during Rodeo and other events, the California Rodeo Association returns over $300,000 annually to local non-profits. For more information about the California Rodeo Salinas, log on to www.CARodeo.com or call the California Rodeo Office at 831-775.3100. ‘Like’ the California Rodeo on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CARodeoSalinas or follow us on twitter @CaliforniaRodeo for updates, photos and more.