SMILE Award presented to Richard Borevitz by San Marcos City Council

Richard Borevitz, a cornerstone of the San Marcos community, was honored with the San Marcos Inspiration, Leadership, and Excellence (SMILE) Award at the City Council meeting on Tuesday, September 10, 2024. Councilmember Maria Nunez proudly presented the award, recognizing Richard's unwavering dedication to recognizing the equal worth and dignity of all people, his outstanding contributions to advancing local agriculture, fostering sustainable practices, and profound life-long impact enriching the region.

Richard was born in San Diego and attended Palomar College after graduating from Vista High School. He continued to earn his degree in Political Science at UC Berkley and spent 2.5 years in Los Angeles working as a public health advisor before leaving for South America where he served with the United States Agency for International Development and the Peace Corps. From South America, Richard boarded a freighter and spent another year traveling across Europe which culminated with several months working in a kibbutz in Israel. Even after his extensive travels around the world, Richard returned to San Marcos, making it his permanent home.

"Richard is one of our most trusted and revered luminaries," said Councilmember Nunez, who nominated Borevitz for the award. From his knowledge of local history, to becoming an entrepreneur and business owner, and all of his work at Palomar College, Richard has brought tremendous value to San Marcos over the years.

When Richard was a boy, his father bought a 120-acre farm in Bonsall and even though Richard had studied to be a social analyst he never outgrew his agricultural roots. Shortly after returning to California after college, he was hired to help develop and manage the 1,240-acre Fairbanks Ranch in Rancho Santa Fe. By 1970, Richard designed his first drip irrigation hill and by 1978 he launched his own company, Agricultural Irrigation Systems, Inc. Richard's company has helped local farmers irrigate crops for the last 40 years.

In 1978, Richard and Mary Borevitz, the love of his life, purchased a 7-acre orange grove near Palomar College. In 1985, they purchased an additional 20-acres in Twin Oaks Valley, and from 1984 to 2000, the family owned and operated Gourmet Gardens, and a seed distributor for over 30 years. They cleared the land, constructed the irrigation and sewer systems, and designed and built a commercial barn as a center of operations. Their family grew and sold specialty vegetables there for 16 years, with their two girls working in the farm stand and their son doing the tractor work and producing the vegetables with Richard.

Richard has always valued knowledge and education. In the mid 1990's, he returned to Palomar College to help maintain and promote the arboretum. He's spent years serving at Palomar College as a member of the President's Associates, the Board of Directors, the Palomar College Foundation, Friends of Palomar College Arboretum, and a member of the Proposition M Independent Citizens' Oversight Committee. Richard was recognized as the Palomar College Foundation Alumni of the year in 2018 for his extraordinary service to the College and community.

To this day, the Borevitz' still live on their 7-acre orange grove where they cultivate organic oranges.

Richard continues to be our greatest champion for our collective well-being and continues to be relentless and uncompromising in his willingness to take a stand for what is right. Richard is revered by his family and countless individuals from all walks of life. Prominent local leaders have been inspired and influenced by Richard, including many San Marcos leaders.

Because of Richard's unique significance and contributions to shaping our San Marcos community, it seems fitting that this vibrant individual be memorialized by receiving our SMILE Award. "As we face insurmountable challenges, like our housing crisis, climate change, and water shortages, this recognition of Richard shows us to lead by example and inspires us to act," concluded Nunez.

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