BRUCE GIBSON FOR SUPERVISOR
San Luis Obispo County (CA) District 2

Bruce Gibson, 54, is a fifth-generation Californian who has lived in Cayucos and Cambria since 1989 with his wife, Grace Crittenden, and their family. They have two sons, Brian, 23, and Scott, 19. Bruce has been active in San Luis Obispo County’s public issues for more than a decade.

Bruce currently serves as the Planning Commissioner for the 2nd District and has served on the Cayucos Community Advisory Council and the Cayucos Land Conservancy Board of Directors. In addition, Bruce is a trustee and former President of the Board of the Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County. He has also served on a variety of committees for the County and local school districts (see complete list below).

After graduating from Pomona College, Bruce completed his master’s degree in geophysics at the University of Hawaii. In 1976 he took a job in Houston, Texas, doing research in exploration seismology. After eight years there, Bruce helped establish a seismic exploration program at Rice University, where he also earned his doctorate.

With the move to Cambria, Bruce switched fields from geophysics to agriculture. Since 1993, Bruce and his family have lived on their ranch in rural Cayucos, where Bruce farms the county’s oldest commercial orange grove. He is a licensed pilot and he loves all forms of recreation that involve being on, in, or under water.

During his years of public service, Bruce has been part of some remarkable successes:

	The preservation of Estero Bluffs north of Cayucos - a newly formed State Park
	The dramatic growth of the Land Conservancy’s programs in land protection and habitat restoration.
	Cayucos Land Conservancy
	The historic effort to permanently conserve 82,000 acres of the incomparable Hearst Ranch.

On two occasions, Bruce has been honored to accept the SLO County Environmental Achievement Award on behalf of organizations he has worked with: In 2003, he was Board President when the Land Conservancy was recognized for its conservation and restoration efforts. In 2005, Hearst Ranch Conservation NOW was honored for its contributions to the Hearst Ranch conservation project.

The common thread in all these activities has been the drive to bring diverse groups of people together to solve sometimes contentious problems. Bruce’s ability to lead discussions and balance competing interests has produced an impressive record of accomplishment with advisory councils, land trusts, school committees, and advocacy groups.