Mission
The Mission of the Monrovia Public Library Foundation is to raise funds to supplement public funding of the Library in order to ensure our Library can serve as an indispensable source of information, educational, cultural and technical opportunities in a user friendly state of the art facility.
Story of Formation of MPLF
By the middle of the first decade of the 2000s, the City of Monrovia had been working for a decade to obtain state funding for a new library building. Monrovia had long outgrown its existing building, dedicated in 1957. It became clear the state would not provide the funding. Monrovia residents placed a bond measure on the ballot to fund their library The campaign unified the city around its library, and a construction bond measure passed by a stunning majority. The previous year, a group of Monrovia leaders formed a new entity, the Monrovia Public Library Foundation. The civically-committed Hoffman family, owners of the family-run Sierra Automotive, made a generous donation of stock to provide the Foundation’s initial funding. Peter Hoffman, President of Sierra Automotive, remains on the Board of the Foundation. Rob Hammond, who was then the Mayor of Monrovia, was the Foundation’s first President.
Board Members and their favorite books
Mary Ann Lutz
President
Mary Ann Lutz was first elected as Mayor of the City of Monrovia in 2009 and re-elected in 2011 and 2013. Prior to her election as Mayor she served as a City Council Member from 2003-2009. She holds several key city, regional, and federal leadership roles. Mary Ann is Past Chair of the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board (2003-2012).
Giving back to the community is a large part of Mary Ann’s life philosophy. In addition to her work with MPLF, Mary Ann serves as President of the Foothill Unity Center, board member of the Boys and Girls Club of the Foothills, member and Past President of Monrovia Rotary Club, and District Chair (2013-2015), Boys Scouts Lucky Baldwin District.
Mary Ann attended Boise State University. She is the owner of Lutz & Company, Inc., a court reporting consulting firm in Monrovia. Mary Ann and her husband Corey have lived in Monrovia for more than thirty years and feel blessed to have found this wonderful community.
"The imagination of Ray Bradbury and this book lifted me as a young teen out of myself and into another world that broadened my scope of possibilities."
John Wayne Carlson
Vice President
John Wayne Carlson is Chief Operating Officer of the United States Hospitality Group headquartered in Pasadena. Previously John worked with Dunkin’ Brands, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf and Yogurtland Franchising Inc.
John serves as Vice President of the City of Monrovia Library Foundation and is Board Member of the City of Monrovia Library Board.
John holds a B.A. in History from the University of California, Los Angeles and is married with a young daughter. He has been a Monrovian since birth.
Peter Hoffman
Board Member
Peter Hoffman is the President of Sierra Autocars, Inc., a family-owned group of automobile dealerships that includes Sierra Honda, Sierra Chevrolet, Sierra Subaru of Monrovia, Sierra Acura of Alhambra, Sierra Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, and Sierra Fiat. He has over 25 years’ experience in the retail automobile business.
Born and raised in Pasadena and Sierra Madre, Peter now resides in Monrovia. He holds a B.S. from the University of Notre Dame, an M.S. in engineering from UCLA and a J.D. from UCLA.
Peter is deeply involved in the communities his dealerships serve. He is active in the Kiwanis Club of Monrovia and served as a former trustee of La Salle High School, former director and president of the Monrovia Chamber of Commerce, former director of Santa Anita Family Services and former chairman of the Monrovia High School YES Business and Industry Council. The Sierra dealerships are also involved in and supportive of many community groups in the San Gabriel Valley.
Peter is married to Toni Hoffman and has two adult children, Brian and Leah.
Janet Wall
Secretary/Treasurer
Janet Wall is retired and serves on the Monrovia Public Library Board as well as the Monrovia Public Library Foundation Board. She is President of Quota International of Monrovia-Duarte. Janet volunteers with Foothill Unity Center where she is currently Co-Chair of the Back to School Committee and serves on the Strategic Planning Committee. Janet is enjoying her community involvement in Monrovia where she has lived for 28 years.
Prior to her retirement, Janet was Senior Vice President at XP Systems, a division of Fiserv, Inc., Director of Administration for the Resolution Trust Corporation Western Regional Office, Vice President at First Interstate Bank and Vice President at Security Pacific National Bank.
Janet loves to travel including safaris to Africa and cruises throughout the world.
Janet loves The Elephant Whisperer because it is a heartwarming, sad and often funny story of how one person really can make a difference in the world.