In celebrating WVA’s 25th anniversary, it is only fitting that the person who has overseen the management of Woodbridge for the entire 25 years should be recognized. Bob Figeira was hired in 1976 by The Irvine Company to be Executive Director of Woodbridge, their major new development that was to open that fall. Bob came to the association with a degree in Recreation from San Jose State and with experience as Recreation Director for Rancho Bernardo Swim & Tennis Club in San Diego and as General Manager for the Lake Forest 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 started by helping The Irvine Company market Woodbridge. He did this by hiring students to come to the lagoon to swim and boat on weekends while the model homes were open in order to give visitors a more concrete image of the activity that was 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. Needless to say, the homes sold as quickly as they were built, actually even before.

With residents beginning to move to Woodbridge, Bob’s next challenge was to hire staff and begin organizing all operations for Woodbridge. Anyone who knows Bob, knows that he has a passion for all types of recreation, so he started organizing activities to develop a sense of community. According to Bob, recreation is a key element to creating a community atmosphere: “It is what draws individuals out of their homes and allows them to get to know their neighbors.” When people move into Woodbridge, they buy into a lifestyle geared to open space and recreation areas that encourage a very social community.

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. Those early residents will probably recall the trailer at the North Lake Beach Club parking lot that served as the administrative and recreation office. 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 Community Center. 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 Woodbridge Village Community Center was held on January 31, 1987. The Community Center acts as the “hub” for more than 350 housing tracts and for the 36 maintenance associations that have come into the Woodbridge Village Association during the twenty-five years Bob has managed Woodbridge.

Both the Association and Bob have received recognition in the form of various awards. Woodbridge has been rewarded in the American Institute of Architects with the Award of Excellence for Neighborhood places; recognized by the Urban Land Institute with the Award of Excellence for Large-Scale Residential Development; honored by Community Association Institute as Association of the Year; and featured as one of the “Ninety-nine Best Communities in America”. Bob has also received personal recognition for his excellence in association management in the form of the Chapter May Russell Award, the Hall of Fame Award, and the 1992 CACM (California Association of Community Managers) Manager of the Year Award.

Woodbridge has come a long way since Bob set up trams to introduce visitors to the community twenty-five years ago, and his guiding hand has been significant in establishing a community of tremendous aesthetic beauty as well as one that offers an incomparable quality of life for residents.