Press Release
‘Ray Ellis has been a successful small business owner and he’s made a mark in San Diego as one of our most important non-profit leaders’
SAN DIEGO (Thursday May 14, 2015)—Ray Ellis, a small business owner, non-profit leader and community volunteer, announced today he is running for San Diego City Council.
A Carmel Valley resident, Ellis is running in District 1, and the Primary Election is in June 2016. His supporters include Mayor Kevin Faulconer, former San Diego City Council President Tony Young and Amy Wood, a Carmel Valley resident and member of the Del Mar Mesa Community Planning Board.
“Ray Ellis has been a successful small business owner and he’s made a mark as one of San Diego’s most important non-profit leaders,” Faulconer said. “His efforts to protect the environment, help the homeless, and promote strong economic growth have made San Diego a better place.”
Ellis is running for City Council to ensure city government is working for us.
- Find solutions to our local water supply. As board chairman of a non-profit environmental research group, Ellis has focused on addressing water sustainability, which is at the core of our quality of life and a strong economy.
- Invest in our roads and infrastructure. Ellis will continue to build on the progress recently made in addressing the deteriorating roads and related infrastructure from Birdrock to University City to Carmel Valley. Proper funding and streamlining infrastructure project funding are among his priorities.
- Put our communities first. Ellis has been a leader in opposition to the current One Paseo Project in Carmel Valley. He was out front on the issue early on, voting against it as a member of the Del Mar Mesa Community Planning Board in September, 2014; and detailing his opposition in a January guest editorial in U-T San Diego. Like many in the community, Ellis supports the concept of One Paseo, but not at the current density, which would result in a traffic nightmare.
- Create good jobs for all San Diegans. Ellis believes in strong economic growth that will result in more jobs and wage growth for all San Diegans. As a small business owner, Ellis knows how to create an environment that produces good jobs.
Last year, Ellis received San Diego Social Venture Partner’s Community Leadership Award for “A Life Dedicated To Community Service.” Kathlyn Mead, President & CEO of the San Diego Foundation, said at the time: “Anyone who has worked with Ray will attest to his commitment to creating lasting change in San Diego.”
Former San Diego City Council President Tony Young said: “I’ve watched Ray lead non-profits. He’s shown them how to raise funds and create a bigger impact within the community, while highlighting the importance of public-private partnerships. Ray’s experience and leadership would be put to good use at City Hall.”
Amy Wood, a Carmel Valley resident and a member of the Del Mar Mesa Community Planning Board, said: “Ray embodies the best of our community. He has demonstrated dedication to our neighborhoods and leadership by working on our planning group and standing with us in opposition to One Paseo.”
Ellis said he is running to put his experience to work at City Hall.
“Customer service – serving San Diegans – is what City Hall should focus on,” said Ellis, 57. “When you need the City’s assistance you should get clear answers to your questions, just like you’d expect to get from the best retail store. Parks should be clean, ball fields should be well-maintained and libraries should be open at convenient times for families. These may sound like little things to some, but not to me. To me, they make San Diego better for all of us.”
Ellis also said he would focus on securing more public-private partnerships to help pay for city services, a skill he honed as a volunteer with numerous non-profits.
Ellis serves on the boards of several local non-profits, including the Balboa Park Conservancy, The Parker Foundation, San Diego Workforce Partnership Workforce Investment Board, Lux Art Institute and Equinox Center. He is past Board Chair of Second Chance and Board Member of Voices for Children, and a member of the EDC Strategic Roundtable, San Diego Workforce Funders’ Collaborative, and San Diego Grantmakers’ Finance Committee.
Ray is the Principal of Ellis & Associates, LLC, an investment firm. He also manages the activities of the Ellis Family Foundation, a private foundation that helps fund numerous non-profit organizations, including Rady Children’s Hospital.
In addition to the volunteer activities, Ray coaches his son’s basketball and football teams. Ray’s son Matt and his wife Alaina live and work in San Diego. His daughter Jessica lives and works in Fort Worth, Texas. Ray and his wife Gina live in Carmel Valley with their son Jake.
Learn more at www.ellisforcouncil.com