Soteras named to regional water board

Alex Soteras of Calabasas has been appointed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to serve on the ninemember Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board.

Soteras has owned Soteras Mortgage since 1984 and is director of the United Chambers of Commerce of the San Fernando Valley. He's also the past president of the Agoura/Oak Park/Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce.

"Growing up in Malibu I have always been concerned about water pollution in the Santa Monica Bay," said the 47-year-old Soteras. "Our cities are in the process of cleaning up the septic tanks which have added pollution to our environment.I hope this will continue under the water board's encouragement."

Soteras is also a board member of the Calabasas Park Homeowners Association.

"The importance of keeping (Calabasas) creeks and streams free of pollution has always been a number one priority," he said.

Support for Soteras to serve on the regional water board came from former Gov. George Deukmejian, Los Angeles City Councilmember Dennis Zine, L.A. Dept. of Water and Power boardmember Lee Alpert, Pepperdine University president Andy Benton, and Ventura County Board of Supervisors chair Peter Foy.

Soteras is a corporate board member of the Southeast Ventura County YMCA and a former trustee of the $30-billion Los Angeles County retirement pension fund.

The Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board is one of nine statewide boards charged with establishing water quality and discharge standards and enforcing the federal and state clean water statutes.

The nomination requires Senate confirmation. The term runs four years. - John Loesing