Lancaster Mayor R. Rex Parris has appointed Marvin Kropke as the city’s fourth Deputy Mayor. Kropke’s background and experience were key factors in Mayor Parris’ decision, which primarily centers on enhancing the City’s readiness for expected economic growth over the next 15 years.
“The City of Lancaster and the Antelope Valley region as a whole are known for abundant housing, as well as extraordinary commercial business opportunity. Our open space, affordable land, housing opportunities, business-friendly approach, and progressive stance as a municipality make for tremendous incentives for residents and business-owners who want to set and expand roots here,” Parris said. “Today’s building standards and the requirements the Lancaster City Council have put in place to ensure local sustainability far exceed those of the past. As we broach our next economic boom, it is imperative that we have the foresight and contribution of someone who has specialized in ensuring that the local workforce meets the needs of local economic growth. Transferrable skills and long-term employability are crucial to developing the formidable foundation we desire for our community. I believe wholeheartedly that Marvin Kropke is the ideal person for leading this charge.”
Kropke, a Chicago native, was reared in Pico Rivera. He is a 38-year member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local Union 11, where he has served as the elected principle eight times, in addition to being the union’s business manager and financial secretary since 1997. An electrician by trade, Kropke also serves as the Executive Secretary for the California Association of Electrical Workers. He is co-chairman of Working Californians, as well as a four-year director of the State Compensation Insurance Fund.
Prior to his current designations, Marvin Kropke worked as a lineman for General Telephone & Electronics (GT&E). He was also a member of the Communication Workers of America (CWA Union). While working at the Ford Motor Company assembly plant in Pico Rivera, Marvin was a member of the United Auto Workers Union, as well.
Drafted into the U.S. Army, Kropke achieved the rank of sergeant in the Fourth Infantry Division. He is a recipient of the Purple Heart for wounds received in combat in Viet Nam.
Marvin and his wife of 49 years, Nancy Fulton, currently reside in Brea. Daughters Keri and Jennifer are an educator and lawyer respectively in the local area. The Kropkes have four grandchildren.
