Board of Directors
Chairman - Donald Rudy
Term Ends: January 01, 2015
Don Rudy comes to SSCAFCA with more than 25 years of experience in water policy and flood control in central New Jersey, where he also served as an elected municipal Councilman, Mayor and on a variety of municipal and county boards and commissions. He served with the Navy during the Korean Conflict. He holds a PhD in Physics and retired with 30 years experience in Research and Development with the Bell Laboratories.
Don lives in Corrales with his wife, RoseMarie. Don was elected to the Board of SSCAFCA, starting his service in 2003. He is strongly oriented toward detaining flood waters as close to the source as possible.
While his primary concern is public safety and protection he is also dedicated to making all flood control facilities serve also as multiple use for environmental, recreational and educational purposes.
Chair Pro Tem - Mark Conkling
Term Ends: January 01, 2013
Mark Conkling is a 32-year resident of New Mexico. His career path involves teaching, business, and the ministry. Mark holds a PhD in Philosophy and Psychology, and taught at the University of Oklahoma and Highlands University in Las Vegas, NM. He then became a homebuilder and real estate broker, and has owned and managed Sierra Homes and Western Heritage Realty for 25 years.
In 1996 Mark began a new career in the ministry, and is currently a Pastor at Rio Rancho United Methodist Church in Rio Rancho. Mark lives in Rio Rancho with his wife Pat, a certified family nurse practitioner currently in private practice at Meadowlark Family Healthcare. Together they have raised three children, Bryan (paramedic), Daniel (Navy), and Kimberly (Veterinarian). Mark was elected to the SSCAFCA Board and began serving in 2001.
He is an ardent supporter of multi-use flood control projects that serve the community with parks and recreation opportunities, and seeks ways to involve other agencies in infrastructure projects.
Secretary - Steve House
Term Ends: January 01, 2018
Steve was elected to the SSCAFCA Board in November of 2005.
He was born and raised in Los Alamos New Mexico. He attended New Mexico State University, earning a B.S. in Civil/Agricultural Engineering and is licensed as a professional engineer in both New Mexico and Arizona. Currently Steve serves as chair for the Rio Rancho Regional Chamber’s youth leadership program.
He lives in Rio Rancho with his two children, Cassie and Ryan. As an active young family they enjoy skiing, swimming, boating and most outdoor activities.
Treasurer - James F. Fahey Jr.
Term Ends: January 01, 2018
Jim Fahey and his wife Linda moved to New Mexico in 1997 to join the orthopedic faculty at the UNM Medical School. Although he was still working full time he managed the Corrales Growers Market for a year and served as a board member of that agricultural organization. Linda retired from her career as a registered nurse and immersed herself in the civic involvement including the Corrales Main Street and Friends of the Corrales Library. In 2003 he retired from UNM Medical School and began more actively pursuing his passion for gardening. He still maintains a booth at the Growers Market where he sells organic produce grown on his land. Jim’s involvement in Corrales continued to grow like his vegetables, as he served from 2006 until 2010 on the Corrales Village Council. Due to districting he could not run again for the Village council and instead ran for the SSCAFCA board of Directors and won his seat with 14,789 votes.
Jim’s interest in watershed management, flood control and storm water was triggered by a flooding event in 2006 that was successfully handled by SSCAFCA and the Village of Corrales. After assisting in the emergency action caused by this storm water event, Jim became even more involved in the community’s flood control. Jim regularly attended SSCAFCA board meetings following this event as a representative of the Village of Corrales.
Jim joined the SSCAFCA board of directors in 2011 and will use his strong relationships with the Village of Corrales to continue building partnerships with SSCAFCA. In the future he would like to see additional options for storm water use in rehabilitation of wetlands and restoration of the Bosque cottonwood forest.
Chair Pro Tem (Alternate) - John Chaney
Term Ends: January 01, 2013
John Chaney has been a resident of Sandoval County for thirty seven years. He is an economics undergraduate of the University of Oklahoma and received his law degree from the University of Michigan. He is a long standing member of the New Mexico State Bar, though not a practicing attorney.
John has chosen a career as an independent businessman. He has been involved in the Native American art business for over three decades, spending time in the pueblos and on the reservations of the Southwest and owning several galleries. He also helped found the San Pedro Creek Estates and was a partner in several office warehouse ventures in Albuquerque and in El Paso, Texas.
John brings a deep understanding of the nature of SSCAFCA’s responsibilities in that he lived for thirty four years in the village of Corrales prior to moving to Rio Rancho. He and his wife, Barbara, have two children, both of whom were born and raised here in New Mexico. Their daughter is an engineer in Santa Fe, New Mexico and their son has joined the family Native American art business. John’s experience in both Corrales and Rio Rancho give him a knowledge of the concerns and needs of both communities. His experiences in rural New Mexico give him an understanding of the impact of flooding and the need for infrastructure in those communities outside the metropolitan area as well.
John was on the original Board of the Southern Sandoval County Arroyo Flood Control Authority, serving as Chairman for four years and Vice-chair for six years.
John believes that the mission of SSCAFCA is to protect the residents of southern Sandoval County and assure taxpayers that their dollars are spent wisely and efficiently. His positions consistently reflect his deep conviction that the costs of development of SSCAFCA facilities should be borne by those who benefit from them, whether they be in the private sector or governmental entities. SSCAFCA taxes have not been raised while John has been on the Board.
