Tony Tartaglia thought he was done with politics after running for the Glendale City Council in 2001. However, when there was a resignation on the Glendale Board of Trustees in 2006, he saw it as an opportunity to benefit the college, both through fiscal responsibility and by setting policies. He was appointed to the position in 2007, and has been on the board since.

 
“Politics isn’t my passion, but  I saw it as an opportunity to benefit the college,” he said.

 
Tartaglia’s goal on the board is to help bring resources to the college, whether it is through funding or various program opportunities.

 
“I am passionate about the holistic experience for the students.” he said. “We could have the best faculty in the world but if the place looks terrible and trashy and unkept, the students aren’t going to have a good experience.”

 
One of Tartaglia’s largest accomplishments while on the board was the launch of the Verdugo Power Academy. This joint effort between GCC, the Verdugo Workforce Investment Board and Glendale Water and Power has generated over $1 million of additional revenue for the college. In addition, the program has a hiring rate of more than 80 percent.

 
Tartaglia also made the board more accessible to everyone. By broadcasting the meetings on local cable, it was possible for those who were unable to make the 5:00 p.m. meetings to still keep up with the meetings at home.Being on the college board for so many years, he has seen many different building projects, including the Bhupesh Parikh Health Sciences and Technology Building and the new Lab/College Services building, come into fruition.

 
His least favorite part of politics, however, is raising money and the campaigning itself. He also dislikes listening to other peoples’ negativity but rises above it. Campaigning, in his opinion, is less about facts and more about individual opinions.

 
When Tartaglia is not at his job as the Regional Affairs Manager for the Southern California Gas Company or working on the school board, his favorite hobby is hiking the local mountains. He has even hiked Yosemite.  Fifteen years ago, a friend recommended they hike together, and he has not stopped since, hiking around six miles every weekend.

 
“I had never thought about it and didn’t realize the wealth of beautiful hikes we have,” he said. “We have things that are so magnificent locally that you would only know about if you hike. We have an old abandoned gold mine in the Altadena area that is just fascinating. We have an old hotel that burned down at the turn of the century that is up in the Arroyo Mountains.”

 
Tartaglia’s favorite trail is the Deukmjian Wilderness Park. The area was owned by a wine producer through 1933 when a forest fire burned much of the wine making supplies. Currently Glendale Parks and Recreation have opened a vineyard behind the winery, and have begun producing wine again.

 
He loves that it is a combination of history, fun and exercise, three of his favorite things.

 
As a lover of nature, his favorite part of Glendale is that it is nestled against the mountains, making it part of both the city and the wilderness.

 
As a member of the Glendale Parks, Recreation and Community Services Commission, he helps raise money to keep the trails maintained and updated. His love of hiking gives him an added incentive to keep trails cleared.
He has served, or is currently serving on, many boards and organizations including the Glendale Chamber of Commerce, the American Red Cross-Glendale Crescenta Valley Chapter, and the Verdugo Woodlands West Homeowners Association.

 
Tartaglia cares about this community and the college. He said that he has shown through his multiple different projects that he has the experience necessary to help the college grow.

 
He is endorsed by U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff, the Glendale News-Press, Glendale Mayor Zareh Sinanyan, Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich, the Glendale Teachers Association, and GCC Board of Trustees members Ann Ransford and Armine Hacopian. For more information, visit tonytartaglia.com.