Meet The Candidates!

The Suncrest Annual Meeting is coming up fast! At this meeting on June 28, 2023, you, the owners, will be voting for candidates to fill the two (2) open Board positions. Before casting your vote, please take a moment to read the candidate bios below.

Rick Bennett

I’ve lived here in The Cottages for over 10 years. I was president of the Lakemont Woods HOA, Bellevue, Washington in 1992 and figure it’s about time I served our community. My strength is advertising and PR, having been the one-man ad agency that took Oracle from $15million in sales to over $1 billion in just 6 years. I also did all Salesforce.com’s pre-IPO advertising. I’m semi-retired (nurturing the occasional tech startup), working these days on my 4th novel. My wife and I are currently ordinance workers in the Draper temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. My website is www.rickbennett.com if you’d like to see evidence of my mis-spent career. My email is rick@rickbennett.com.

Bill Maxwell

My name is Bill Maxwell. I have been a Suncrest Board Member for the last few years. I have been a Suncrest resident now for 10 years. I not only live in Suncrest, but my business is here as well so the community is very important to me. My office is in the K-2 Building across from the Club House. I am a commercial insurance agent specializing in Long Haul Trucking accounts.

I worked for a CPA for 4 years as I was an accounting major at the time, so I know how to read a financial statement. I also read insurance contracts almost every day so I have the ability to understand the contracts that the community needs negotiate with various vendors. I work for myself so I am able to allocate the time needed to perform the job with the Suncrest Board and have been able to meet with Holly and other board members during the day if needed as I am on site here in Suncrest.

My main reason for wishing to serve on the Suncrest Board is to make sure we are spending your Association Fees responsibly. It is very easy for semi governmental agencies like the Suncrest Board to say “We have money in the Project Fund account so let’s find something to spend it on” That does not work for me. I am all for maintaining a certain level of lifestyle in our community, but wish to make sure we are spending Association Fees wisely. We live in a wonderful area and it is my desire to help protect what we have here.

Ryan Miller

The HOA should exist solely for the upkeep of the neighborhood and act in an unobtrusive, cost-effective manner. My primary objective as a board member will be to ensure access and maintenance to our shared spaces, including the pool and clubhouse. This includes the creation of adults-only pool & jacuzzi hours, lengthening the gym hours, and making sure the men's bathroom at the clubhouse has two functioning soap dispensers. Help me get us back to the basics

Larry Nilssen

I need your vote to continue to serve as a Trustee. My tenure started in 2021 and I will have served two years. I have learned that an effective SunCrest Trustee must balance two tradeoffs:

First: Money. I am very happy that we have been able to maintain dues at $133. Although I am as jealous of your money as I am of my own, there is an equal, competing consideration: ensuring high quality SunCrest facilities which boost property values and contribute to our exceptional living standard. With the help of our amazing residents, Committee’s, Trustee and staff, we have both maintained high standards and used your money wisely.

Second: Change. While I strive to maintain the SunCrest distinctive community “feel,” change is inevitable. My continued goals have been finding out what residents want and then accommodating the change that some residents desire in a way that does not infringe on the legitimate expectations of other residents. SunCrest is a beautiful place to live and I would like to keep contributing to that.

I believe we did that with the RV parking rule, which I supported. We found a balance that accommodated RV enthusiasts without infringing on non RV owners as it is a seasonal expectation. We have not had a single RV complaint.

Another compromise allowed flying US flags up to Draper Code size limit at suitable sites., which accommodated everyone.

I have also been a member of the Covenant Committee for more years than I care to admit.

I use this position to stay informed and sensitive to homeowner concerns. I express these concerns to the other Trustees.

Serving on the board takes a lot of time, I make the time and have been committed to being involved.

I believe I have been an effective and balanced Trustee, and I ask for your vote.

Ross Quigley

My family has cherished our time in Suncrest for the past 6 years. We appreciate the community's focus on family-centric activities and programming, and we are committed to maintaining and improving this great place we call home. As a Board Member, I will prioritize managing Suncrest's growth while keeping the needs of all residents in mind.

In my day job I am the Chief Marketing Officer for a Utah County-based start-up. But I’m a family man first and I’m passionate about making Suncrest an even better place to live and raise my 3 kids. If elected I have identified several areas that I will focus on, including:

• Using surplus cash to make community improvements (and who wouldn't love a second clubhouse?)

• Addressing the need for expanded parking at the existing clubhouse

• Upgrading the current clubhouse and its operations

• Keeping monthly dues and reinvestment fees low for all residents

• Working with TRSSD and Draper City to enhance the snow removal process

• Assessing snow removal contracts and other contracts to ensure the best service possible

I am known for being fun, outgoing, and always encouraging everyone around me to succeed. I pride myself on my communication, marketing, and collaboration skills. If elected, I would collaborate with other Board Members, residents and local government entities to ensure the best possible outcome for the community. As a neighbor, I am always willing to listen and help those in need. Running for the Board is an opportunity for me to have a platform to make informed decisions that positively impact our community.

Ultimately, communities should be about working together to make them better, rather than policing each other. I know some folks that feel like there has been too much of the latter recently and that shouldn’t be the case.

I would be honored to have your vote and the chance to serve on the Board to help make Suncrest an even greater place to call home.

Sayeed Sajal

I am an assistant professor and secure computing program director in the Computer Science department at Utah Valley University (UVU). Recently, I collaborated with others in the university to secure $5 million from the state. In conjunction with this grant, I am leading Secure Computing and AI initiatives to develop a new program named "Secure Computing." I served in many vital roles, including conference chair, faculty senate, university-level diversity council chair, and many more. Currently, I perform several leadership positions such as chair of UVU Showcase, co-chair in SCULPT, co-chair in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) committee, faculty advisor, Computer Science club, and faculty senate. In 2023, I was recognized "Faculty Excellence" award, a very prestigious award for my extraordinary performance and contributions. In addition, I am a licensed realtor with experience in real estate, which I can utilize to shape the community in the right direction.

I earned my master's and doctoral degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from North Dakota State University. I also earned my MBA in Finance and Marketing. Besides, I have five years of industrial experience. I passionately love to teach as I believe in the "ripple effect of teaching" that will continue after my death. I have published more than 60 publications in peer-reviewed conferences and journals. I also had a track record of securing several NSF grants (Over $20 Million).

I am very passionate about serving and learning. I volunteered to promote our department, college, and university in recruiting events such as UVU Girls' Engineering and Technology Day, UVU Day at Utah Capitol Hill, and NCWIT award committee member. I sponsored NCWIT event, an organization to improve gender equity in Computer Science creating a better community. I also serve in the CS faculty search and the CET Dean search. I regularly organize a diversity & inclusion event," International Mother Language Day," each year since 2016 to promote diversity and inclusion in local and global communities. In 2021, I initiated and organized the "International Mother Language Day 2021" online for the first time at UVU. In 2022 and 2023, I organized a big state-wide community event to promote diversity and inclusion for the first time in person at UVU. There were a lot of challenges to organizing such a big event, but I overcame all the difficulties and successfully managed, utilizing my leadership skills to promote diversity and inclusion.
I was awarded "the 2019 North Dakota Governor's Roaming Bison" for my work in excellence in public service for the "K-20W Cyber Security Initiative". I am very passionate about volunteer work that serves people. I describe myself as a dedicated teacher, mentor, community leader, and researcher to make the world a better place.

I believe in all the core values of the Suncrest community, and I have the passion to serve for good. If I get an opportunity to serve on the Suncrest Board of Trustees, I can utilize my experience, skills, and expertise to shape the community in the right direction. My mission will be to have an inclusive, vibrant, and incredible Suncrest community.

John Wheatley

My name is John Wheatley, and I humbly request your support as I run to be a new member of the Suncrest Board. I have served as a HOA board member and President for a full three-year term in the community where I lived in Colorado for 16 years. This experience helped me gain invaluable understanding and insights into effectively managing and overseeing an HOA for the benefit of its residents.

In the past while working for homebuilders, I played a leading role in establishing dozens of new homeowner's associations in communities. This experience provided me with extensive knowledge in drafting governing documents, collaborating with local municipalities, and engaging third-party service contractors. Having built successful communities for 40 years, I bring a very practical knowledge to construction and maintenance issues that communities face as infrastructure ages. Over the years, my ability to work as an effective teammate has fostered real collaboration among board members, community managers, and residents to help tackle challenges in a manner that is a win-win result for all parties. Change can be a challenge in any community but updating Suncrest governing documents that created 20+ years ago should be a priority. As technology advances and new building materials evolve, styles change so as our community progresses forward, we need to adapt. By actively listening to our neighbors and considering everyone’s interest when making reasonable and realistic decisions, we can ensure the continued success of Suncrest as one of the premier communities in Utah.

If elected, I will focus on the following key areas:

1. Keeping HOA fees affordable for all residents.

2. Conducting annual reviews of third-party contracts, such as snow removal, to ensure the highest level of service.

3. Allocating excess funds to upgrade and improve existing facilities.

4. Analyzing operational processes to maximize the efficient use of resources.

5. Managing the growth of new members to maintain the sense of community.

6. Making myself readily available to residents, fostering open communication and accessibility.

As our community expands and our facilities age, we will face important decisions in the years ahead. I am eager to leverage my expertise to contribute to these crucial choices, ensuring that Suncrest remains a remarkable place we are proud to call home. Thank you for your consideration.