John started his service to Del Mar during the Covid pandemic, joining the Traffic and Parking Advisory Committee. He was appointed by the Del Mar City Council to the Planning Commission in July 2023, where he served until taking his City Council seat in December 2024.
John and his family initially relocated to the San Diego area in 1999, settling in Carmel Valley. Upon his retirement from corporate life in 2015, he and his wife Lacey purchased a home in Del Mar, and he spent the next several years volunteering for groups focused on mentoring and growing local initiatives including the Chairmen’s RoundTable, Social Venture Partners and a research project for Feeding San Diego.
John is a seasoned veteran of the corporate world having held senior leadership positions with such major global corporations as Alibaba Group, Ford Motor Company, Gateway and The Walt Disney Company. His responsibilities have run the gamut from corporate communications and internal positioning to government, legal and regulatory affairs. He began his career as a newspaper reporter writing for publications that included the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and the Detroit Free Press. He has also served as a product litigation attorney for Ford Motor Company. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Communications from the University of Michigan and a J.D. (Summa Cum Laude) from Michigan State University. He is admitted to practice law in California and Michigan.
He enjoys, but does not excel at, golf, as well as twice weekly yoga and workout sessions. And you may run into him, Lacey and their new rescue puppy Freddie on the beach or around downtown.
John welcomes communication with all residents and can be reached at jspelich@delmar.ca.us