Bill Baca was born and raised in Lakewood. His parents were original homeowners in the 1950s, and he’s been here ever since. When he and his wife were ready to start a family, they bought their own home in Lakewood and raised their children here. Bill works for a commercial and industrial supply company in Cerritos. His community activities in Lakewood include being a sports coach for 10 years, and a sports official for another 20 years. He’s also a longtime volunteer with the Lakewood Sheriff’s Station and you may see him around town in a white uniform assisting at traffic collision sites and community events. “I love Lakewood and wanted to raise our kids here so they could have the same big-city, small-town environment. When you drive by our city parks there are always people there enjoying them. Cruise down our streets and you’ll see folks mowing their lawns, washing their cars, or walking their dogs. It’s a great community.”
Joe Ung has been a Lakewood resident for 28 years. He is well-known to many residents as the owner of Cassidy’s Corner Café (on Del Amo Blvd. just west of the 605) and the Juice Lab. Joe is active in the community as a member of the Rotary Club of Lakewood and as a board member of the Lakewood Family YMCA. “I love being able to promote the economy of Lakewood and get a look at some of the exciting developments coming to our city,” says Joe. “I also want to give a big thanks to my fellow commissioners for helping guide me in my initial months on the panel.”
Pete Samaniego has lived in Lakewood for 22 years, and is a familiar face to many households because he’s a longtime letter carrier for the Postal Service in Lakewood. “I enjoy being on the Planning Commission,” says Pete, “because we try very hard to help the community come to reasonable decisions that affect our neighbors and neighborhoods. I love Lakewood as a community for many reasons, including the commitment that parents make when coaching and leading children in sports, the arts, etc. The parents who are able to do that are helping the entire community, including those children whose parents aren’t able to help.”
Vicki L. Stuckey has been a resident of Lakewood for 30 years. She served 15 years on the Planning and Environment Commission, including four terms as chair, prior to her appointment by the Lakewood City Council in September 2020 to fill the remaining two years of the seat left vacant due to the retirement of City Council Member Diane DuBois. Stuckey has been active in several Lakewood community organizations, including the Pan American Association and the board of directors of the Lakewood Regional Medical Center. Stuckey retired professionally in 2019 after working 34 years for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, rising through the ranks from deputy, to sergeant, to lieutenant, ultimately becoming a captain and the commander of the Altadena Sheriff’s Station, managing the 65 sworn and civilian personnel of that station. “I love living in Lakewood. I love the parks, the residential neighborhoods, and our wonderful residents, community groups and events.”
Terry J. Cole and his wife Charity chose to purchase their first home in Lakewood in 2019 because Lakewood is a thriving safe and centrally located community, ideal for raising a family. Terry is a civil litigator with a law firm in Los Angeles, and is very experienced in analyzing complex problems and coming up with pragmatic solutions. He looks forward to helping the city develop policies that will enhance Lakewood’s social, economic and physical development. “I’m excited to invest my time and energy to help the city deal with some of its planning, environmental and land use challenges. As an attorney, I plan to use my skill set to confront those challenges and make a positive contribution to Lakewood’s development.”