Glenn Spyksma, a retired executive president of The Wine Group, has been appointed to the South San Joaquin Irrigation District board.

The Ripon resident fills the Division 2 director vacancy created when Ralph Roos passed away in June.

He will complete the balance of Roos’ term that ends in December 2022.

Roos was a Ripon almond farmer who served on the SSJID board for 27 years 

The SSJID board selected Spyksma from applicants who applied for the post and were interviewed on Tuesday.

Spyksma has 37 years of management and engineering experience in the food processing industry.

He holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Sacramento State. Spyksma’s hobbies include farming almonds, restoring classic cars, reading, snow skiing, fly fishing, and cycling.

The Ripon native serves on the boards of Calvary Reformed Church and the Central California Classis, participating in regional church leadership, mentorship and training.

Spyksma and his wife Carla have four children and five grandchildren.

Division 2 covers all of Ripon as well as Manteca southwest of Main Street and Yosemite Avenue with the exception of the Tesoro neighborhood.

The SSJID provides irrigation water to 57,000 acres surrounding Manteca, Ripon, and Escalon.

It also delivers wholesale drinking water to 193,000 residents in Manteca, Tracy, and Lathrop with plans to serve Escalon as well.

The SSJID works with Manteca to allow much of its storm runoff to flow through its canals and pipes to reach the San Joaquin River.
SSJID is continuing to work toward assuming control of the PG&E deliver system in Manteca, Ripon, Escalon and surrounding areas to reduce retail electricity costs 15 percent.

The SSJID along with Oakdale Irrigation District shares 600,000 acre feet of water rights on the Stanislaus River watershed. The partnership includes the Tri-Dam Project that harnesses the water to generate hydropower.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com