About Jack

Deeply Rooted and Forward-Thinking for Pleasanton

Jack’s roots run deep in Pleasanton! He grew up near the Fremont-Sunol border and attended Sunol Glen Elementary School, Mission San Jose High School, and then Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, where he graduated Cum Laude with a B.S. in Business Administration.

While in grade school, Jack joined the local Sunol 4-H club and raised animals to sell at the Alameda County Fair. Jack’s efforts and enthusiasm garnered him the Novice Swine Showmanship award in the 1992 Alameda County Fair! During these formative years, Jack learned to love all things outdoors, and his Pleasanton summers were filled with the Fair, the water slides at Shadow Cliffs, and enjoying ice cream downtown on warm summer nights. Growing up here has given Jack not only a profound appreciation for Pleasanton’s traditions (which Jack shares with his own family today) but also a deep understanding of Pleasanton’s unique needs.

Jack chose Pleasanton more than 20 years ago for its community values and support for young families. He and his wife have celebrated many of life’s milestones in this wonderful community, with the celebration of their marriage in 2003 at Ruby Hill, to welcoming a son at Stanford Health Care Tri-Valley Hospital in 2008, and now “celebrating” the dual feelings of pride and anxiety as their son quickly approaches driving age – a rite of passage for any parent!

Service for Pleasanton’s Future

Wishing to give back to the community that has given him so much, Jack began volunteering many years ago. He started out as a City of Pleasanton Parks & Recreation Commissioner (July 2009-April 2014), then as a City of Pleasanton Planning Commissioner (May 2014-December 2020). And on November 3, 2020, Jack was elected to the Pleasanton City Council and served as the immediate past Vice Mayor of Pleasanton (2023).

Jack with his First Grade Teacher Ms. Ward

He has been involved in several community projects and boards and task forces, including the Kottinger Place Task Force, the Parks & Recreation Master Plan Steering Committee, the East Side Specific Plan Task Force, and has served on over 17 council sub-committees, including serving on the Livermore Pleasanton Fire Department JPA, AVA Community Energy JPA (formerly EBCE), and the StopWaste JPA.

An Inclusive, Balanced Approach to Leadership

Jack is a licensed Certified Public Account (CPA), accredited Chartered Global Management

Account (CGMA), and licensed Real Estate Broker. He is the Chief Financial Officer at his family’s commercial real estate & property management firm located in Hayward, which is principally focused on providing property management and leasing services of warehouse and industrial space to small businesses that contribute to the vibrancy, innovation, and taxrevenue base of the communities in which they are located.

As a local small businessman, husband, and father, Jack understands the very real challenges we all face, such as never-ending increases in our cost of living, the need for open space and sustainability, and growing concerns of wasteful government spending of our hard-earned taxpayer dollars. His nearly 15-year voting record demonstrates an advocacy for strategic planning, community input, and budgetary mindfulness to preserve Pleasanton’s unique character while working to improve overall quality of life.

As a CPA, his blend of common-sense business and financial expertise, coupled with his civic dedication, makes him well-suited to lead with respect and professionalism as Pleasanton’s next Mayor.

Your Vote for a Vibrant, Thriving Pleasanton

Join us in championing Jack Balch for Mayor in 2024. Your vote is more than a selection—it's an investment in dedicated leadership that guarantees a much-needed change in direction towards a thriving future for our beloved city.

Let's continue to build a Pleasanton that stands as a beacon of community, sustainability, and progress. With YOUR VOTE AND SUPPORT, let's turn this vision into reality.

Jack’s Service

Boards, Commissions and Committees

Councilmember, City of Pleasanton (November 2020 – Present)
Vice Mayor, City of Pleasanton, CA (2023)
Livermore Pleasanton Fire Department Joint Powers Authority, Member (2021-Present)
Ava Community Energy Joint Powers Authority, formerly East Bay Community Energy (EBCE), Member (2023 - Present)
- Board Chair (Present)
- Executive Committee Chair (2023)
- Board Vice Chair (2023)
Alameda County Waste Management Joint Powers Authority (StopWaste), Member (2021 - Present)
- Energy Council, President (July 2022 – June 2023)
- Energy Council, 1^st Vice President (July 2021 – June 2022)
Alameda County Transportation Commission, Alt. Member (2023 - Present)
Alameda County Liaison Committee, Member (2021 - Present)
City of Pleasanton, Audit Committee, Member (2021 - Present)
Bernal Property Finance Committee, Member (2021 - 2022)
Dublin Liaison Committee, Member (2021 - 2022)
Dublin San Ramon Services District Liaison Committee, Member (2021 - Present)
East Bay Regional Park District Liaison Committee, Member (2021 - Present)
City of Pleasanton, Economic Vitality Committee, Member (2021 - 2022)
Innovation Tri-Valley, Member (2021 - 2023)
City of Pleasanton Waste & Recycling Committee, Member (2022 - Present)
Tri-Valley Transportation Council, Alt. Member (2023 - Present)
City of Pleasanton Parks & Recreation, Commissioner (July 2009 - April 2014)
City of Pleasanton Planning, Commissioner (May 2014 – November 2020)
Kottinger Place Task Force, Alt. then full Member (2012 – February 2014)
Parks & Recreation Master Plan Steering Committee, Member (2012-2014)
East Pleasanton Specific Plan Task Force, Alt, then full Member (2012-2015)

More About Jack!

Hobbies: Hiking, Mountain Biking, Gardening (results known to vary), Camping, Traveling, Fishing (all types, but dry fly the most), and Golf (again, results known to vary).

Most visited parks: Kottinger Community Park, Augustin Bernal Park / Pleasanton Ridge, & Sunol Regional Wilderness.

Favorite meal: This is a 3-way-tie between my wife's Italian wedding soup, my mother-in-law's ricotta gnocchi, or my father's pork ribs cooked on his Traeger BBQ (although we’ve been moving to a Pit Barrel cooker lately)!

City project most proud to be involved with: There are several, but supporting and voting for our Pleasanton Police Department’s award-winning Alternative Response to Mental Health and providing care to those in crisis is an extreme honor. I’m also very proud to have been a part of the Kottinger Gardens project to house income-eligible seniors, the Iron Horse Trail connections in our community, and supporting enhancements to the Marilyn Murphy Kane Trail.

Favorite frozen treat: ANY! Too many good choices in town to pick just one!