Dennis & Cece Townsend
Dennis Townsend was born and raised in Porterville as was his wife, Cece. The couple, married in 1982, met at Monache High School in 1977 and have been together ever since. After much prayer, honest counsel and consideration they decided in 2018 it was time for Dennis to take another step in public service by asking the voters of Tulare County’s 5th District to allow him to be their voice in the county.
Dennis is a local architect and owner of Townsend Architectural Group in Porterville. After graduating from Monache High School and obtaining his Associate of Arts degree in Architecture from the College of the Sequoias in 1981, he followed by graduating Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Architecture from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. His 5th year of architectural studies was completed in Florence, Italy. After graduating, Dennis & Cece chose to return to Porterville to live near both of their families. Dennis worked as an Architectural Intern and Architect for Wayne F. Harris and Associates, Inc. and R.L. Schafer and Associates, Inc. He worked for Hobbs Architectural Group before opening Townsend Architectural Group in 2001. Over the years working and living in Porterville and Springville, Townsend has been and remains involved in many community service and volunteer organizations. He is a past president of the Sierra Sunrise Rotary Club and current youth service director. As president, he received the International President’s award and is a multiple Paul Harris fellow.
Townsend is a graduate of Leadership Porterville and has since served as a sponsor and mentor. Working with local schools, he served as a business advisory board member for Porterville College and served as a guest lecturer for past 5th District Supervisor Jim Maples. He later took over two of Maple’s classes as adjunct faculty when he was elected as Supervisor. At the high school level Townsend served on several trade advisor boards within the Porterville Unified School District (PUSD) prior to the initiation of the first Pathway program at Harmony Magnet Academy (HMA). He has served for several years on the advisory board for Harmony Magnet Academy and provided mentoring, guest lecturing, critiques, mock interviews, and internships for the Academy of Engineering students. Habitat for Humanity “Building Hope in Porterville,” is another cause Townsend has been committed to for several years. Donating new home plans for two families and serving as the volunteer coordinator, he has seen many success stories in Porterville over the past several years. In 2012 he and the committee each received the U.S. President’s service award for efforts with Habitat for Humanity.
Since its inception about 10 years ago Townsend has served on the Man Alive planning board selecting and coordinating keynote speakers and local pastors teaching breakout sessions for the annual men’s event. He also serves as an Elder at Lighthouse Chapel where he and his wife are a part of the worship team and teach a weekly in-home Bible study. Townsend currently serves as President of the Sierra View Foundation, an organization formed to raise funds and advocate for Sierra View Medical Center (SVMC). The foundation contributes about $50,000 per year to Sierra View Medical Center from proceeds raised through the Sierra View Foundation Gala, golf tournaments, and individual donors. Townsend is a past Porterville Chamber of Commerce board member and currently serves on the Governmental Affairs Committee. He is also a member of the Springville Chamber of Commerce and was honored by that organization as “Man of the Year,” in 2009.
Townsend was appointed to the Tulare County Association of Governments (TCAG) about 5 years ago and is currently serving in his second term. Tulare County Association of Governments is composed of the Supervisors from all 5 districts and the Mayor or Council member from every incorporated city in the county. Townsend cites his experience on the board as one of three “at-large” members for piquing his interest in serving as Supervisor.
Since before his campaign kickoff in 2018, Townsend has been particularly focused on water concerns for agriculture, development and individual property owners with the advent of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). Acknowledging the current and upcoming challenges, Townsend wants to see individual property rights preserved, stakeholder voices being heard and an increased focus on storage and use of surface water for irrigation and recharge. Agricultural interests must be protected as the backbone of the valley’s economy and a major provider of food for the U.S. and the world. Hand-in-hand with Ag concerns is the need to encourage and incentivize new development, business and industry. The county needs to continue to invite, encourage, and assist job-creating and economy-boosting entities to live, work, and grow in our communities. District 5 is comprised of much of the foothill and mountain areas including Sequoia National Forrest and the Giant Sequoia National Monument. The county continues its advocacy for forest access and better hands-on management to improve the health of this great resource.
Partnering with incorporated cities and other counties, Townsend believes we can present a more influential voice to state and federal representatives and agencies with regard to local issues. Townsend is very supportive of the work of the Tulare County Sheriff’s Department and believes in prioritizing support for law enforcement and fire protection to continue the excellent service we currently receive from these departments. Townsend is honored to be a member of Sheriff Boudreaux’s Sheriff’s Personal Outreach Team (S.P.O.T.) where he has been privileged to interact with many of the leadership teams in the department.
Dennis is a local architect and owner of Townsend Architectural Group in Porterville. After graduating from Monache High School and obtaining his Associate of Arts degree in Architecture from the College of the Sequoias in 1981, he followed by graduating Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Architecture from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. His 5th year of architectural studies was completed in Florence, Italy. After graduating, Dennis & Cece chose to return to Porterville to live near both of their families. Dennis worked as an Architectural Intern and Architect for Wayne F. Harris and Associates, Inc. and R.L. Schafer and Associates, Inc. He worked for Hobbs Architectural Group before opening Townsend Architectural Group in 2001. Over the years working and living in Porterville and Springville, Townsend has been and remains involved in many community service and volunteer organizations. He is a past president of the Sierra Sunrise Rotary Club and current youth service director. As president, he received the International President’s award and is a multiple Paul Harris fellow.
Townsend is a graduate of Leadership Porterville and has since served as a sponsor and mentor. Working with local schools, he served as a business advisory board member for Porterville College and served as a guest lecturer for past 5th District Supervisor Jim Maples. He later took over two of Maple’s classes as adjunct faculty when he was elected as Supervisor. At the high school level Townsend served on several trade advisor boards within the Porterville Unified School District (PUSD) prior to the initiation of the first Pathway program at Harmony Magnet Academy (HMA). He has served for several years on the advisory board for Harmony Magnet Academy and provided mentoring, guest lecturing, critiques, mock interviews, and internships for the Academy of Engineering students. Habitat for Humanity “Building Hope in Porterville,” is another cause Townsend has been committed to for several years. Donating new home plans for two families and serving as the volunteer coordinator, he has seen many success stories in Porterville over the past several years. In 2012 he and the committee each received the U.S. President’s service award for efforts with Habitat for Humanity.
Since its inception about 10 years ago Townsend has served on the Man Alive planning board selecting and coordinating keynote speakers and local pastors teaching breakout sessions for the annual men’s event. He also serves as an Elder at Lighthouse Chapel where he and his wife are a part of the worship team and teach a weekly in-home Bible study. Townsend currently serves as President of the Sierra View Foundation, an organization formed to raise funds and advocate for Sierra View Medical Center (SVMC). The foundation contributes about $50,000 per year to Sierra View Medical Center from proceeds raised through the Sierra View Foundation Gala, golf tournaments, and individual donors. Townsend is a past Porterville Chamber of Commerce board member and currently serves on the Governmental Affairs Committee. He is also a member of the Springville Chamber of Commerce and was honored by that organization as “Man of the Year,” in 2009.
Townsend was appointed to the Tulare County Association of Governments (TCAG) about 5 years ago and is currently serving in his second term. Tulare County Association of Governments is composed of the Supervisors from all 5 districts and the Mayor or Council member from every incorporated city in the county. Townsend cites his experience on the board as one of three “at-large” members for piquing his interest in serving as Supervisor.
Since before his campaign kickoff in 2018, Townsend has been particularly focused on water concerns for agriculture, development and individual property owners with the advent of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). Acknowledging the current and upcoming challenges, Townsend wants to see individual property rights preserved, stakeholder voices being heard and an increased focus on storage and use of surface water for irrigation and recharge. Agricultural interests must be protected as the backbone of the valley’s economy and a major provider of food for the U.S. and the world. Hand-in-hand with Ag concerns is the need to encourage and incentivize new development, business and industry. The county needs to continue to invite, encourage, and assist job-creating and economy-boosting entities to live, work, and grow in our communities. District 5 is comprised of much of the foothill and mountain areas including Sequoia National Forrest and the Giant Sequoia National Monument. The county continues its advocacy for forest access and better hands-on management to improve the health of this great resource.
Partnering with incorporated cities and other counties, Townsend believes we can present a more influential voice to state and federal representatives and agencies with regard to local issues. Townsend is very supportive of the work of the Tulare County Sheriff’s Department and believes in prioritizing support for law enforcement and fire protection to continue the excellent service we currently receive from these departments. Townsend is honored to be a member of Sheriff Boudreaux’s Sheriff’s Personal Outreach Team (S.P.O.T.) where he has been privileged to interact with many of the leadership teams in the department.