This story is the part of the continuing Meet Your Neighbor series written by Rio Verde resident Toni Lindenbeger.

The Stegmanns have been enjoying Rio Verde for three decades and purchased their current home in 2005. This is their story.

Tom earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree in structural engineering from Washington University in St. Louis, Mo. He spent six years designing nuclear power plants then made a career change into software and technology where his focus was sales, marketing and business development.

For 16 years, he and his wife, Jan,  resided in San Jose, Calif. where he worked in Silicon Valley. During this time, he worked with several start-up companies with responsibility for sales and marketing, as well as fundraising from venture capitalists. After retirement, Tom continued to work as a consultant serving the software and technology industry.

Jan, a native of Kansas, attended Kansas State University graduating with a bachelor’s degree in medical technology. She started her career as a medical technologist working in hospital clinical laboratories.

As her knowledge grew, so did her career as she advanced to a position in industry with Johnson & Johnson (J&J) where she served as the director of Worldwide Clinical Operations with responsibility for planning and executing clinical research studies. During this time, she directed a management team and employees in multiple locations.

Additionally, she founded and chaired a team encompassing 10 J&J medical device and diagnostics companies with the goal of implementing best practices to increase efficiency and reduce redundancy.

Volunteers extraordinaire, both Tom and Jan give extraordinary amounts of their personal time in support of the community, including both the HOA and Country Club. Most recently, Tom chaired the Capital Implementation Committee responsible for managing Phase I and II of the Community Center renovation projects, bringing them in ahead of schedule and under budget.

Over the years, he has served on other HOA committees working for the betterment of the community. He is a past member of the Board of Directors for the Country Club, serving as the chairperson of both the Marketing and Membership Committees.

Jan was a member of the HOA board for six years serving as both secretary and vice president. Like Tom, she has served on various committees including the Architectural Review Committee, Common Areas Landscaping and Renovation Committee (chairperson) and the Capital Improvements Planning Committee, chairing Phase II of the Rio Verde Community Center remodeling project.

She also participated on the committees that revised the Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions (CC&Rs) and related rules. According to one member of the group, “she played an integral role in developing and revising the governing documents and rules for the community.” In addition, she has been an ad hoc member of several other committees.

Tom and Jan completed a major renovation of their current home in 2005. Their advice to anyone wanting to remodel, especially at this stage in life, is to “do what you want to because this will probably be your forever home.”

The Stegmanns met on a blind date and have been married for 44 years. They enjoy playing golf, and Jan is the past WGA Spring Interclub Captain. They like to travel throughout the world citing Egypt as one of their favorite places followed by Italy and New Zealand.

They are active members of the Community Church of the Verdes where Tom sings in the choir and Jan previously served on the Strategic Planning Committee. They love the community and all the activities it has to offer . . . and we are grateful for their many contributions.