Manmeet “Mani” Grewal became the newest member of the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors Dec. 2 when he was sworn into office to replace the late Tom Berryhill. He becomes the first Sikh American to serve on a Board of Supervisors in California.
Grewal, 41, was appointed on Nov. 21 by Gov. Gavin Newsom to fill out Berryhill’s unexpired term in District 4 seat. The term expires in January 2023.
The oath was administered by Judge Sonny Sandhu. Board Chairwoman welcomed Grewal to the post and called him a “dedicated public servant to our community for a long time.” She noted her disappointment that she would only be able to serve one meeting together as she is leaving the board next month.
Judge Sandhu called Grewal “clearly the right person to help lead this county which is facing so many trying issues.”
Grewal was born and raised in Modesto. He attended Modesto Junior College, and earned an Associate Degree in Accounting and a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. He also completed the Management Program at the University of Pacific’s Eberhardt School of Business. He and wife, Dr. Jas Grewal owns Smile Shine Dental in Patterson and they are raising four children.
Grewal, a Democrat, has been president of Grewal Re Holdings LLC since 2010.
Mani Grewal has served as a member of the Modesto City Council since 2015. He has served as a member of the Modesto Planning Commission, Stanislaus Council of Governments Policy Board, California State University of Stanislaus Foundation Board, the Stanislaus County Interfaith Council, and the Memorial Hospital Foundation.
Part of District 4 reaches down below the Tuolumne River to take in a sliver of “no man’s land” and Ceres bounded by the area north of Hatch Road and east of Central Avenue as well as the River Oaks Golf Course and the homes around it and Parks Road north of Hatch Road.
Berryhill, who was born in Ceres in 1953 and graduated from Ceres High School, died Aug. 29. He had served as a county supervisor since Jan. 9, 2019. Berryhill, a farmer and small business owner, also previously represented the 25th Assembly District from 2006 to 2010 and the 8th Senate District from 2010 to 2018.
Other significant changes are coming to the Board in January in light of two retirements. The vacancies are being filled by winners of the Nov. 3 election. Board Chairwoman Kristin Olsen is stepping down and will be replaced by Matthew “Buck” Condit, 51, a native of Ceres now living in Riverbank. Jim DeMartini is leaving his District 5 seat, which will be filled by Channce Condit, currently midway into his four-year seat on the Ceres City Council. Buck Condit, the son of former Modesto Lt. Burl Condit, is a first cousin of Channce Condit’s dad.
Buck Condit defeated Bill Zoslocki in a 25,925 to 18,187 vote tally, or 58.77 percent to 41.23 percent.
Channce A. Condit defeated attorney Tom Hallinan of Ceres in a 18,616 to 12,409 vote outcome, or 60 percent to 40 percent.
The vacancy on the Ceres City Council left by the pending resignation of Channce Condit will be filled by a council appointment.
Other members of the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors are Vito Chiesa of Hughson, who represents District 2; and Terry Withrow of Modesto who represents District 3.
