Susan Knox Wilson
Ask our newest volunteer board member, John Cohn, what he thinks about living in PebbleCreek and he will tell you it’s a “smoking hot deal.” John considers himself something of an expert since he’s lived in Arizona for over 30 years now—in Scottsdale, Phoenix, Tucson, Avondale, and Goodyear before moving to PebbleCreek—and has served as a member and president on the boards of three other HOAs. “Given everything that’s available to homeowners here in PebbleCreek, it’s just an incredible deal for the dues we pay,” John declared. “I’ve paid much higher dues in other communities for much, much less—nothing like the outstanding amenities, excellent operations, and the safety and security we have here.”
Prior to moving to Arizona, John had a fascinating 20-year career as a commissioned officer with The United States Public Health Service—one of the eight uniformed services of the United States (see article below). “With U.S. Public Health I moved and worked all over the country,” John shared. “From South Dakota—where I met my wife—to Kentucky, Colorado, Michigan, back to Colorado, and then Maryland. I got to see a lot of this great country and do a lot of interesting work.” John, who holds two Masters degrees—one in social work and one in public health—also holds a certificate in business administration and a certificate in project management. John worked in direct client services in hospitals, in administrative positions, as a contract negotiator and manager and, towards the end of his career, provided assistance, through his agency, to state health agencies during the Nixon era of block grants. He retired from U.S. Public Health Service as a Captain while stationed in Maryland.
Following his Public Health Service career, John worked as a financial planner for U.S. military personnel, as an RV event planner, and skydiving instructor. “After we moved to Arizona, my wife and I got very involved in the RV world,” John shared. “For seven years, we probably spent 4 to 5 months of every year on the road and we loved it. We got so involved that our RV dealer asked me to be an event planner for their customers and we really enjoyed doing that—meeting lots of great people and seeing the country. Unfortunately, a back injury ended our RV days as well as my days as a skydiving instructor.”
John says he was motivated to become more involved in the community because of the pending transition from developer to homeowner control. “I was involved in the successful transition of one of the HOAs where I was president and, though that community was not nearly as large as PebbleCreek, I think a lot of the elements will probably be the same and that my skills in contract management, business administration, and project management may be useful.”
To prepare for assuming the role of board member in January, John has been reviewing and studying the wealth of information contained on the HOA website, plans to attend upcoming committee meetings, and to meet with committee chairs, and Bill Barnard and his staff. “I plan to listen and learn and become a fully fledged board member,” John promised. “I’d like to meet with as many homeowners as possible, so if you’d like me to come meet with you and your club, please contact me at [email protected]. Thanks.”