Connie Bandstra
The annual election to fill one of the two resident-elected members POA Board will be held next month. The final deadline to submit a Letter of Intent to become a candidate is September 11, 2017, at 5:00 p.m. To allow residents to learn more about the candidates, there will be “Meet the Candidate” events, and they will also be able to display a poster at the Madera Clubhouse.
As of August 18, the Election Committee has received a Letter of Intent from one candidate, Connie Bandstra. Here are some excerpts from the biography she provided:
Connie Bandstra
Connie is committed to working toward four goals: (1) Improving and increasing communication with residents; (2) Initiating the “Village to Village” program to address “aging at home”; (3) Establishing an independent performance audit of the Food & Beverage Division with a focus on financial accountability; and (4) Reinvigorating the volunteer spirit in the community.
Connie’s education included Northwest Missouri State and American Institute of Business. Over the course of her career, she has worked in various industries, including insurance and real estate. She owned a paint, paper and decorating studio in Florida and was the sole owner of Bandstra Associates in Los Angeles, a wholesale gift industry showroom with annual sales over $6 million. As a principal with the Yankee Candle Company, she facilitated the increase in national sales from $1 million to over $68 million annually.
After her “retirement” at age 52, Connie started a new career. She renovated a Victorian home and created “Teacups and Tiaras,” a café and gift shopping experience in Historic Valley Junction, National Mainstreet Community, West Des Moines, Iowa.
She has served on various boards and organizations. As a Committee Woman for the Whittier Area Community Church Women’s Fellowship, she coordinated an annual luncheon for 1,000+ women. A published cookbook author, Connie also was a segment contributor on the ABC Channel 5 Morning News in West Des Moines. A resident of Quail Creek since 2012, Connie served as Chair of the Food & Beverage Committee for 2-1/2 years. She volunteers for the “SOUL” lunch program at the Church of the Risen Savior in Green Valley.