Lincoln Club Board of Directors

Michael Der Manouel, Jr. is a 20 year volunteer veteran of California Politics.  First Elected as Fresno County GOP Chairman in 1993, he subsequently served the California Republican Party as Vice Chairman Central from 1995-99, Treasurer from 1999-2001 and presently serves as co founder and Chairman of the Lincoln Club of Fresno County (www.fresnolincolnclub.org) . 

Mike has a daily commentary on Newstalk 580, KMJ, which you can listen to here.

He is married to the former Melissa LeBlanc, and with two children Grant, and Evie, has an active schedule as President of the Der Manouel Insurance Group, family fun outside boards of directors and of course, political commentary.

Personal Background

Born in Southern California Moved to Fresno in 1987.  Resident of  Sanger, CA

USC BS in Business Finance 86  Married Hillary two Children Bryn 10 and Talie 76

 President and Co-Founder of Paper Pulp & Film a converter of Printing and Industrial papers with over 60 employees.

 Purchased 100,000 square foot building using Cen Cal Business Finance 504 Loan Program in 1995 and then used the 504 program again in 1998 to purchase the adjoining building to our Maple Ave headquarters.  I was so impressed by the ease and efficiency when buying our 1^st building that I joined the Cen Cal board in 1996.

President Cen Cal Business Finance 1997 – Current.  Loan Portfolio of over $85,000,000

Board Member Big Brother Big Sisters 300 Club Dinner 2003-Current

President of the Fresno Downtown Club 1999 & 2000

Chairmen Fresno Ag Round Table 1997 & 1998

Political Background

 Republican Nominee US Congress 1992  Lost by less than 1000 votes while being outspent $1,6000,000 to $250,000.

George Radanovich Fresno County Political Chairman/ Consultant 1994

Devin Nunes Fresno County Political Chairmen/ Consultant 2002

Political Director Fresno County Lincoln Club 2003 - Current

Political Consultant Measure T Let’s Go Madera County & Cal Minor for Sheriff

Peter N. Kapetan is a partner in the Kapetan Brothers Law Firm.  His areas of emphasis are personal injury and civil rights litigation.  He was a deputy district attorney with the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office from 1989-1992.  Mr. Kapetan graduated second in his class from McGeorge School of Law in 1988.  He graduated from California State University Fresno in 1984 with a B.A.  in political science.  He is a life-long Republican, having attended President Nixon’s first Inauguration at the age of nine.  Mr. Kapetan is married and has two young boys.

Karen is a managing partner in Gar Tootelian, Inc., an agricultural chemical/fertilizer retailer located in Reedley. The company's 28 pest control advisors serve more than 1,300 growers in the Central San Joaquin Valley. Established in 1949 by Karen's father, Gar Tootelian, Inc. is ranked by CropLife Magazine as the 52^nd largest independent Ag retailer in the nation.

In her management position, Karen uses every opportunity to advocate for the family farmer. The company's advertisements heard daily on KMJ-580 AM raise awareness of the importance of Valley farmers, from addressing the needs for a reliable water supply to buying locally grown products.

Karen also oversees the Gar & Esther Tootelian Charitable Foundation to support the future of agriculture through college scholarships. Since its inception in 2003, the Foundation has provided more than $250,000 in educational funding through endowments and scholarships at California State University Fresno, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, College of the Sequoias, Reedley College and many other programs.

Karen was the recipient of the 2011 Common Threads Award presented by the Ag One Foundation, the Jordan College of Agriculture Science at CSU Fresno and the California Ag Leadership Foundation for her philanthropy and contribution to Agriculture.