Meet Arizona Senior Academy Board Member Loran Dake
By Leslie Evans
“Coming to Academy Village was one of the best decisions I’ve made”, said ASA board member Loran Dake. He grew up under northern California redwoods in Eureka California where branches and trunks intertwined with fog that blocked out the sun’s rays. After graduating in 1972 from Sacramento State, he realized what he wanted out of life—a simple sunny small-town routine without having to commute.
He moved to Grand Junction, Colorado which was a perfect fit. A bicycle was all he needed to commute to work and home for lunch. He found his “Norman Rockwell” lifestyle.
As a registered service center for the state and federal government, Grand Junction had its economic ups and downs in uranium coal oil shale and oil and gas. With the local county he worked in zoning, long range planning and organizing citizen committees. In his time in Grand Junction, he developed and managed commercial real estate and worked for a group of drilling contractors, which led to another ‘best’ life decision in finding his wife Linda. They have been together for 40 years.
Along the way, Loran became part-owner in a retail establishment locksmith/lawnmower repair shop. turning a sleepy shop into a moneymaker. He then ventured into a new product line of clear acrylic stair treads for high end homes. The clear stairwells became a popular feature in Aspen, Vail, Snowmass and Telluride.
Loran began his HOA knowledge in 2006. He left the plastics business to work full time in HOA management. It was a good run until as a post-polio survivor; he began to lose the use of his legs. It was time to move to a ‘no winter’ climate.
Once Loran moved to Galileo Lane in Academy Village, it was natural for him to volunteer with the HOA serving as HOA president during covid. Currently he is serving on the ASA board of Directors as well as the ASA Finance Committee.
Welcome back to the ASA Board, Loran!