Board of Directors

Ted Vallas	Founder, Chairman of the Board Ted Vallas has been a businessman and entrepreneur in North County San Diego for over 60 years. He has developed and managed over 40 businesses ranging from the construction of golf courses around the world to building and running resorts. Ted was the co-founder and President of General Design and Instrumentation Company (Scanivalve), a wind tunnel and instrumentation company. In the 1970’s, Ted formed a regional airline called Air Resorts which ran for 17 years. They operated out of Lindbergh Airport serving Burbank, Phoenix, Tucson and other point-to-point destinations. Ted also provided charter service as well as support to a number of government programs. During this time, he formed the Super 580 Aircraft Company, which was created to reconfigure and increase the seating capacity of the Convair 580. Ted holds a B.A. degree from Balboa University and an MBA from Cal Western University.
John Selvaggio	President, CEO, Board Member John Selvaggio began his airline career in the American Airlines Finance organization, attaining the position of Chief Accounting Officer (Assistant Controller - Corporate Accounting) at the age of 26. After spending 13 years in Finance, he moved into Airport Operations, Sales and Marketing, and then headed up the Strategic Planning organization, crafting the successful business plans that created several hubs, AA’s expansion into International markets, the merger with AirCal (and subsequent integration), and the creation of American Eagle. He spent six years as President of California-based Wings West (American Eagle), before joining post-bankruptcy Midway Airlines as President and CEO, where he created the bankruptcy-emergence business plan that moved the company from Chicago to Raleigh Durham in 1995. After selling Midway to a group of local investors in 1997, John joined US Airways where he managed the regional operations of ten carriers. Delta Airlines recruited John in 1999 for the role of Senior VP – Airport Customer Services, where he was responsible for creating Delta’s industry-leading airport technology, including the development of the check-in kiosks and the flat screen monitors at the gates, as well as a host of behind-the-scenes technologies. His most recognized and important accomplishment was as Founder, President and CEO of Song Airlines, Delta’s highly acclaimed low cost, high tech subsidiary that introduced several new concepts in Customer Service. After retiring early due to the Delta bankruptcy, Delta re-hired him in 2007 to be President and CEO of Comair, in order to re-build employee morale and operational performance. During his entire airline career, he has developed a reputation for taking innovative approaches to tackle the most challenging projects and completing them in record time, and under budget.
Steve Tracas	COO, Board Member Steve Tracas has extensive background within the travel industry, most recently as President and Chief Executive Officer of Vacation.com – North America’s Largest Vacation Selling Network – with member locations throughout the United States and Canada. Vacation.com, based in Alexandria, Virginia was owned by Amadeus, a travel technology company, with Steve reporting to their global headquarters in Madrid, Spain. Steve has experience in distribution, electronic commerce, online sales and aviation. Prior to Vacation.com, Steve served as President of Orbitz for Business, based in Chicago. Steve was responsible for overseeing all aspects of the business including strategy, business development, technology, marketing and sales. In 2004, Orbitz for Business received the Chicago Sun-Times Innovation Award. Before joining Orbitz, Steve served as Vice President for US Airways from 1997-2004 based in Crystal City, Virginia. While at US Airways, Steve led a team that developed usairways.com which was recognized by eMarketer and NPD New Media Services as the #1 airline Web site. Steve was also responsible for corporate and travel agency sales, airline distribution, electronic commerce and global Cargo operations. Previously, Steve held a number of leadership positions during his 19-year career with AMR Corporation including positions at American Airlines and the Sabre Group. He joined AMR in 1978 and held positions in San Francisco, Austin, Seattle, Los Angeles and Dallas, progressing to Managing Director Passenger Sales for American Airlines covering the Western United States. Steve also served as Managing Director for the Sabre Group from 1990 until 1995, responsible for travel agency technology sales and training within the Western United States and later oversaw Sabre’s National Account agency program. Steve holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautical Technology from Arizona State University in Tempe. His wife Stevi and their two daughters reside in Carlsbad, California.
Tom Morrow	Board Member Thomas Morrow, Ph.D., has more than 40 years in the communications field as an award winning writer and editor, as well as a newspaper publisher and noted publicist for a number of corporations, including the historic Hotel Del Coronado. Tom was business editor of the daily Blade-Citizen and later daily columnist for the North County Times. For five years he taught advertising and public relations as an adjunct faculty member at Mira Costa College in Oceanside, CA. A published author of seven books to his credit, presently Morrow is chairman of the San Diego Telecom Commission. He holds degrees from Columbia Pacific University, Phoenix College and Arizona State University.
Fernando Iriarte Woodside	Board Member Fernando Iriarte Woodside is CEO of Sui Generis Entertainment Group and a member of the Board of Directors for Grupo Formula. Both of these Mexican corporations are doing business in the United States. Woodside is a bilingual marketing specialist creating and developing successful advertising campaigns for international brands such as PepsiCo, LG, Nextel, ING, and Ford Motor Company in Mexico. As part of Grupo Formula, a prestigious Mexican radio and television group currently expanding into the Hispanic market in the United States, he provides research counsel, behavior and marketing strategies and production expertise to enrich Formula’s content and sales growth. A Rancho Santa Fe resident, one of Woodside’s latest projects is forming a joint venture with AmeriSciences and NASA to launch a program for consumers in Latin America and the Hispanic market in the United States that is introducing nutraceutical products designed and made for astronauts. Woodside is an avid aviation and racing enthusiast. He is a four-time Formula Cars National Champion in Mexico. He also is the world’s record holder for distance paragliding with a motor, as well as having more than 1,100 skydives to his credit. He is licensed as a pilot for fixed-wing aircraft and is in the process of attaining a private helicopter license.
Lloyd Prosser	Board Member Lloyd is a retired Marine Lieutenant Colonel having served in combat during the Vietnam War. After 23 years of active duty he has worked in the water and wastewater industry first as a water agency staff member and then as a management consultant. He is a 1968 graduate of San Diego State University and resides in Oceanside, CA.
John Todd	Board Member John is a Southern California native and settled in Oceanside following a 34 year career of various command and staff positions with the U.S. Marines. His last tour of duty was as the Chief of Staff of MCB Camp Pendleton where he became involved in community organizations and events. John joined the Southern California Edison Company where he was the Manager of Site Security for the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station and retired in February 2011. Upon retirement from the Marines, John participated on several non-profit boards and civic groups. He is a former Board Secretary for the North County Economic Development Council (now the San Diego North EDC) and former appointee to the San Diego Regional Housing Task Force. John was appointed to the County’s Blue Ribbon Commission to evaluate the San Diego Chapter of the Red Cross following the Alpine Fire. He has served on both the Oceanside Housing and Planning Commissions and he is currently serving on the Rehabilitation Loan Review Committee and the Treasurer’s Investment Oversight Committee. In January 2011, he was appointed to the County’s Board of the San Diego Capital Asset and Leasing Corporation. John is currently the Treasurer on the Board of Directors for the Ivey Ranch Park Association providing childcare for disabled and abled bodied children. He is also a Board member and past chair of the Oceanside Charitable Foundation. John is a graduate of George Mason University and he and his wife have two sons and four grandchildren.
Victor E. Ramirez	Corporate Secretary and Counsel, Board Member Victor E. Ramirez is a retired California Superior Court Judge who served as a judge in San Diego County for twenty-three years during which he received numerous Judicial Honors and awards for his public service. Before his appointment to and following his retirement from the bench, Victor has been active in San Diego County taking part in many different business roles including Founder and organizing Chairman of the Board of Directors of Hidden Valley National Bank, a publicly traded corporation, President of the Marine-Iraq Legal Defense Fund, and member of the Board of Directors for other corporations. Since July 2011, Victor has served as in-house counsel and corporate secretary for California Pacific Airlines.