HSIA Officer Elections – Candidates for HSIA Officers for the 2023-2025 Term
Election will be held this November for the four HSIA Officer positions—President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. All candidates are residents of the Hillsmere Shores Community and are confirmed to be in good standing and current in their HSIA membership. Ballots will be included in the November issue of the Sea Breeze and available on our website. Candidate Statements:
Candidate for President, Tom Anderson
Background
My name is Tom Anderson, and I am a candidate for the position of HSIA president. I am a Hillsmere resident and the acting/interim HSIA president.
Along with Ellen, we thoroughly enjoy this community and have come to know many of you since moving here in March of 2021. We have three grown children who visit us frequently and share many of our interests and passions. Ellen and I both enjoy boating, gardening and are musicians. In addition, I am a woodworker and have a small woodshop.
My career as a federal contractor has been focused on information technology, engineering and sciences supporting government missions. I am a native of this area and have lived locally in Maryland and Virginia and abroad. I attended high school in Kensington, Maryland, and college in Virginia. I have a Master of Science in Technology Management from George Mason University (GMU) and a Certificate from the Federal CIO Council. I have also served on numerous GMU Business School advisory boards since 2006 and in 2021, was named a senior fellow at GMU.
Professional Experience
I am the founder and Managing Partner of DataStrategi, LLC, a Management Consulting firm focused on strategic planning, business growth and creating operational efficiencies for federal focused companies. Prior to this, I worked in senior executive positions for SAIC, Wyle, CSC, Raytheon Company, Federal Data Corporation, and the Boeing Company. I have served on or led various Boards, most notably as the Public Sector Chairman of TechAmerica, a nonprofit trade organization bridging commercial industry and government supported by 400 member companies.
Goals and Vision for HSIA
My vision for our Hillsmere community is to foster its evolution through continued effective Board leadership and increased community involvement. I believe we have one of the most attractive, spacious, and green waterfront communities in Anne Arundel County.
That said, I believe we have numerous topics which need to be addressed as requested by the community and the HSIA Board. These need to be in line with the Covenants of the Hillsmere Association and support of the community fabric in Hillsmere. Generally speaking, I believe the Board has two broad primary responsibilities – one focuses on the effective maintenance of the community and the other on improvements to the community.
HSIA has an excellent Board of Directors that collectively bring years of experiences and knowledge needed for a community like ours. We need more volunteers to support our various initiatives and one of my goals is to see this increased substantially.
I really enjoy working with people and believe the best approach is to have consensus on issues, to discuss pros and cons and to support financial decisions with analysis. I have already initiated a process to identify and prioritize issues that need to be addressed. I believe in making sound decisions followed immediately by action. I believe in communicating frequently and effectively. My plan is to ensure this community knows what is happening and is actively engaged to enrich it. Also of importance, I believe we must maintain our excellent working relationships with Key School, Quiet Waters Park leadership and Anne Arundel County.
My number one goal is to make Hillsmere the most desirable community in Anne Arundel County to live in. I welcome your help to accomplish this and look forward to your involvement.
Candidate for Vice President, Claire Corcoran
It has been 6+ years since my move to Hillsmere Shores; my previous homes were located in Bowie, Frederick and Baltimore. Since 2018, I have been serving on the HSIA Board of Directors, Chaired the Security and Zoning Committees and most recently, served in the position of Vice President. Professionally, I hold Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees as well as Certification in Legal Studies (paralegal.) I am a veteran of the United States Marine Corps, where I served in a presidential support unit in Washington, DC; I’ve also worked in public education as well as real estate redevelopment with the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Currently, I am a US Sailing certified keelboat instructor as well as a volunteer with a sailing non-profit that serves veterans. In addition, I work with the Naval Academy Business Services Division at the USNA Visitors Center. As a Board member and volunteer in Hillsmere, my duties have included overseeing our security patrol and taking the lead on issues related to zoning, principally property use and maintenance, which has required my working with Anne Arundel permit and zoning inspectors, the Health Department, DPW, the county executive’s office and the county council. My goals are to work towards preserving and enhancing the character of our neighborhood as a single family, residential community in which residents feel safe, neighbors take pride in their homes and property values remain strong. As such, my vision for Hillsmere is for the community to maintain and grow its standing as a safe, desirable and attractive neighborhood for homeowners and their families for many years to come.
Candidate for Secretary, Mike Wurst
My name is Mike Wurst and I have held the position of HSIA Secretary since June of 2017. My wife and I have lived in Hillsmere since 2007, and we have 4 young children, with 3 so far in Anne Arundel County Public Schools. We thoroughly enjoy what this community has to offer. I have decided to run for re-election to continue to help the community work together to maintain and improve our neighborhood. Most recently I help guide the board to obtain equipment to offer virtual meetings as an alternative for those who cannot attend in person. I hope to expand on this capability to allow more residents to participate going forward. I am always open to suggestions, ideas, and even general comments to improve on things. I thank you for your continued support.
Candidate for Treasurer, Gene Gross
I am seeking re-election to serve as Treasurer for the next term. I have been an HSIA member in good standing since moving to Hillsmere in 2001 and have served as Treasurer for the past five years. If re-elected, I will continue to ensure fiscal responsibility and support any initiatives that are supported by the residents of Hillsmere to improve our community.
