Orange County, CA - July 9 - A true testament to a public servant's character is their willingness to stay firm on their values despite pressure from outside sources ultimately making a positive, long-lasting impact on their community.

The Lincoln Club of Orange County is proud to announce our first honoree for the Lincoln Club Impact Award who exemplifies these traits in effective, meaningful leadership: Placentia City Councilmember Rhonda Shader.

Councilmember Shader led a revolutionary move when she spearheaded the effort to create Placentia's own fire department despite unrelenting political retaliation and pressure from unions. Among other tactics used against Councilmember Shader and her fellow pro-independence colleagues following this groundbreaking move, union representatives were reported to have said they "would never get elected to another office again as long as I'm living and breathing."

Despite the opposition's persistence, Councilmember Shader succeeded in establishing Placentia's Fire and Life Safety Department. By declaring independence from their Orange County Fire Authority contract, the city took a crucial step in strengthening local control and now has the capacity to save over $2 million annually.

Serving on Placentia City Council since 2016, Councilmember Shader has made a genuine difference in the safety and stability of Orange County families. For these reasons and many more, we warmly welcome Councilmember Shader as the first recipient of the Lincoln Club Impact Award.