Newhall Land today announced that James “Jim” C. Bizzelle will join its management team as Senior Vice President, Community Development, with forward planning and entitlement responsibilities for Valencia and Newhall Ranch. Bizzelle replaces Steve Zimmer, who retired earlier this year. Zimmer will remain as a consultant to the Company.

Bizzelle, former Vice President of Community Development for Pardee Homes’s Los Angeles and Ventura counties division, has more than 20 years of experience in key aspects of land entitlement, project management, strategic planning, community relations, and cost accounting.

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“We are delighted to have Jim join our Newhall Land team,” said Greg McWilliams, President, Newhall Land. “His leadership in the industry is impressive, and we know he will bring his passion for excellence to our community planning efforts.”

“Valencia’s masterplan is extremely innovative and I look forward to working on it and its next phase, Newhall Ranch. This is an exciting opportunity to help provide major employment, great services and diverse homes for future generations while preserving significant portions of this spectacular land in dedicated open space,” said Bizzelle.

Jim has been a Santa Clarita resident since 1985 and is actively involved in many local civic and charitable organizations. He is a current or past member of the boards of director or has been a volunteer for such organizations as the Santa Clarita Chamber of Commerce, the Boys & Girls Club of the Santa Clarita Valley Foundation, Boy Scouts of America/West Los Angeles council, the Santa Clarita Valley Committee on Aging (Senior Center), the Child and Family Center of Santa Clarita and Home Aid of America/Los Angeles & Ventura Chapter.  Jim is a past president of the Building Industry Association of Los Angeles/Ventura counties and was named Volunteer of the Year for the chapter in 2000.

Valencia is a thriving community of business owners and homeowners alike that offers a way of life that is simply unmatched elsewhere. It’s 15,000 acres is home to over 60,000 jobs, 20,000 homes, 30 miles of paths called paseos, a dynamic regional shopping mall, award winning schools and abundant parks and open space.

Newhall Land’s next master planned community is Newhall Ranch, a 12,000-acre continuation of Valencia and approved for 60,000 additional jobs, 20,000 homes, and ten square miles of open space (more than 50 percent of its total area).