It is with deep regret that the Board of Directors announces that Mr. Bob Figeira is scheduled to retire from the Association as of the first of the year.
     Bob has served as the Association’s Executive Director since its inception in 1976. The community owes a deep debt of gratitude to Bob for everything that he has given to Woodbridge over the years to ensure its continued success. Bob’s fingerprints are all over Woodbridge and thanks to Bob and many others, it is recognized nationally as one of the best communities in the country in which to raise a family and enjoy a recreation based lifestyle.
     Bob Figeira was hired in 1976 by The Irvine Company to serve as the Executive Director of Woodbridge Village Association–before there were even any homes in the community. Bob received a degree in Recreation from San Jose State. Before coming to Woodbridge, his experience included serving as Recreation Director for Rancho Bernardo Swim & Tennis Club in San Diego and as General Manager for the Lake Forest I Homeowners Association. As the new Executive Director of what was planned to be one of the largest homeowners’ associations in the country, Bob found the perfect challenge to utilize his skills as well as opportunities to develop a few new ones.
     Bob’s first task was to assist The Irvine Company in marketing Woodbridge. This was accomplished by hiring students to come to the Beach Club to swim and boat on weekends while the model homes were open in order to give visitors a vision of the activities that were to be a part of Woodbridge. To ensure that the model home visitors were aware of the benefits of buying in this community, he set up trams to take visitors from one model home site to another and to the recreation facilities as well. The marketing campaign was an overwhelming success as homes sold as quickly as they were built and lotteries to purchase homes were common.
     With residents beginning to move to Woodbridge, Bob’s next challenge was to hire staff and begin organizing operations for Woodbridge. Anyone who knows Bob knows that he has a passion for recreation. So he started organizing activities and events for residents to begin to develop a sense of community. To this day, we believe all would agree that Woodbridge has a very unique and special community spirit. Much of that spirit is due to events that allow residents to gather and get to know their neighbors.
     With a rapidly growing village and increased demands for recreation programs, landscaping and maintenance of our facilities, it was necessary for the administrative office to grow to meet these needs. Originally, the Association’s business offices were based out of a trailer located in the parking lot at the North Lake Beach Club. As the association grew, a group of eight trailers were connected for association offices and set up across from today’s fire department on East Yale Loop.
     When it became apparent that offices of a more substantial and permanent nature were required, the WVA Board of Directors negotiated with The Irvine Company to build the Woodbridge Village Association Community Center at 31 Creek Road. This was a three phase project: the first phase, which was the administrative offices, was completed on May 22, 1982; the second phase, providing a maintenance building, was completed within the next two years; and the third phase, which was the addition of multi-purpose rooms for meetings and resident activities, was finished approximately 2 1⁄2 years later.
     The grand opening of the Community Center was held on January 31, 1987. Today the Community Center continues to serve as the hub for more than 350 housing developments and for the 34 maintenance associations that have been annexed into the Woodbridge Village Association during Bob’s 33 year career.
     Bob has been recognized over the years many times for accomplishments, excellent service and innovative management techniques. Some of those awards include….

    Bob has always placed a strong emphasis on customer service and employee relations. Many residents are familiar with Bob and know that he has always been willing to meet or talk with anyone in the community who desired some of his time. Additionally, as a testament to Bob’s management skills, many of the employees at the Association have been with the community for an extended time period. In fact, some have worked for Bob for over 30 years and most have been with the Association for over 5 years. This strong core of staff is another example of Bob’s dedication and commitment.
     Woodbridge has come a long way since Bob set up trams to introduce visitors to the community thirty-three years ago. Today, Woodbridge is nationally renowned for its tremendous aesthetic beauty and incomparable quality of life for residents. It has been toured and studied numerous times over the years, and managers from around the country have visited Woodbridge and copied Bob’s recreation programs, procedures and policies in their own communities. After all, they say that imitation is the greatest form of flattery.
     The Association has been contacted by many residents expressing their gratitude for Bob’s service and commitment. At this time, the Association’s Board of Directors would like to invite residents to submit their stories, tributes and any other comments or a special thank you to be presented to Bob upon his retirement. Please send your comments in writing either to Nicole@wva.org or to Woodbridge Village Association, attention Nicole Lucio, 31 Creek Road, Irvine, 92604.
     Please join us in congratulating Bob for his tremendous accomplishments, thanking him for his service and commitment and wishing him many years of happy retirement!