DOWNTOWN EL CAJON - Key Persons


Cathy Zeman

Job Titles:
  • Founding Member
  • Treasurer of the Board
Cathy is a founding member that turned the Downtown El Cajon Business Partners back on it's feet. Cathy leads the team that puts on San Diego's hottest summer concert event: The Dinner and A Concert series.

Daryl Priest

Job Titles:
  • President of the Board
With more than 40 years in development, Daryl boasts his greatest achievement are in development of youth programs in the community. Daryl and his wife can regularly be found at a local high school football game or sponsoring aspiring students in agriculture.

Gabriel Marrujo

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Board
After the Marrujo family combined their efforts into creating the hugely successful Downtown Cafe and Por Favor restaurants, Gabe focused his efforts on helping other family run businesses thrive in the community. Gabe can regularly be found advocating the success of the up and coming small businesses in Downtown El Cajon.

Graham Mitchell

Job Titles:
  • El Cajon City Representative
Graham Mitchell has enjoyed over twenty years working for local governments in California. He worked in Monterey Park and Moorpark, where he started his career working in the fields of economic development and redevelopment. In 2003, he was appointed as the city manager of Farmersville and in 2003 was appointed as Lemon Grove's city manager. After twelve transformative years in Lemon Grove, Graham worked as the assistant city manager and city manager for Escondido beginning in 2015. In 2017, Graham joined the City of El Cajon's team as its assistant city manager and was appointed as its city manager in 2018. Graham has overseen the redevelopment of several downtowns, ushered in mixed-use development projects, and is viewed as an innovative and entrepreneurial leader. Graham holds a B.A. in International Relations from Brigham Young University and a MPA from the University of Southern California.

Lee Mench

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Board
Lee has been providing Downtown El Cajon businesses flexible office space solutions, revenue maximization and integrative networking techniques for more than 20 years.

Mark Clifton

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Board
  • Member of the Local Lion 's Club
After growing up in the car business, Mark represents the changing needs of the community. Mark regularly works as a member of the local Lion's Club to champion the progress of both youth and senior programs.

Ron Nevels

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Board
Ron joins the Board as an expert in small business and development within the county. He brings great insight to the growing needs of Downtown El Cajon.

Victor Zeman

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Board
Victor has provided real estate lending to El Cajon's developers and residents for more than 45 years. As a local oriented towards family success, Victor adds a particular fatherly figure to the efforts of Downtown El Cajon.