Alumni Advocates of the Year

John Lazar
California State University, Stanislaus

John Lazar, mayor of Turlock, California, since 2006, has served as an ambassador for CSU Stanislaus throughout the community and has helped the university accomplish a number of initiatives, particularly in terms of building a stronger partnership between the City of Turlock and CSU Stanislaus. Lazar served on the Turlock City Council from 1992-2006, and held the position of vice mayor in 2000, 2005 and 2006. He also served as a city representative to the Stanislaus County Local Agency Formation Commission from 2000-2006 and was the agency’s chairman in 2003. He was appointed by the Turlock City Council to serve on the Stanislaus County Council of Governments from 1999-2000.

In 2000, former California Governor Gray Davis appointed Lazar as local government representative to the California State Mandates Commission. His term ended in 2005. Previously, he was employed from 1979-1982 by former Congressman Tony Coelho and also had worked as a legislative assistant in Sacramento to former State Assembly Members Gary Condit and Jack O’Connell.

Lazar graduated from CSU Stanislaus in 1981 and is a real estate broker for Coldwell Banker Endsley and Associates of Turlock.