IRVINE : Real Estate Broker to Join School Board

A commercial real estate broker who has served on a variety of committees in the Irvine Unified School District was appointed to the district board this week.

Stephen McArthur, 44, will serve the 10 months remaining on the term of Greg Smith, who resigned last year to take a seat on the Irvine City Council.

McArthur will be sworn into office at the Feb. 1 school board meeting.

McArthur, a resident of the city’s Northwood area, has served on the school district’s budget task force, the budget committee, the superintendent’s curriculum council and the communications task force. He has two children who attend district schools.

“I like the fact that Steve has had a consistent interest in the school district for a long time,” said board member Margie Wakeham. “He’s not like anyone else on the board, but I think he will be a team player.”

The board selected McArthur on Tuesday night from among 11 candidates.

“It was not an easy decision,” Wakeham said. “All 11 candidates were wonderful people who took a long time to think about the issues.”