Toni Raymus just doesn’t build homes.
She is helping build the Manteca community.
A member of the second generation of Manteca’s most prominent family of home builders has an intense list of community involvement that runs the gamut from the Boys & Girls Club and serving on boards such as Doctors Hospital of Manteca, Give Every Child a Chance and the Manteca District Ambulance board to the Goodwill Industries.
Her membership is never just for resume building or to impress. Every group she is on - and has been involved in - Raymus has been an active member serving on committees, selling raffle tickets soliciting funds, and even doing set-up work for fundraisers.
That itself would be enough for her inclusion on the Manteca Convention & Visitors Bureau’s list of Manteca’s Top 10 Women of Distinction that are being honored this Friday during the Women’s Conference. Raymus also has a business background that literally is helping propel the Manteca economy forward that overshadows her community endeavors.
Raymus and her brother Bob are partners in Raymus Homes. They represent 50 percent of the consortium that is being the 1,049-acre Austin Road Business Park that is advancing with the goal of generating 13,000 new jobs as well as up to 3.5 million square feet of general commercial, 8 million square feet of industrial and business park space, 2,358 traditional single family homes, and 1,840 multi-family dwelling units.
Raymus Homes is also preparing to move forward with the 540-home Oleander Estates project west of the Union Road and Woodward Avenue intersection as well as the 140-home Rina’s Grove located north of Sedan Avenue and east of South Manteca Road/South Main Street.
The siblings are also following in their parents footsteps and have made significant contributions to the community such as arranging for HOPE Family Shelter to acquire transitional housing units.
And as far as Raymus is concerned, she wouldn’t have it any other way.
“I love helping the community,” Raymus said, adding she can’t envision living anywhere else but Manteca.
She also thoroughly enjoys working with families buying homes.
Raymus said she doesn’t see herself as building houses as much as homes for people to raise their families. And as such, Raymus listens to feedback from buyers to further fine tune the homes they build.
But when push comes to shove it is neither home building nor community involvement that matters the most to Raymus.
“My daughters (Laurin and Zoe Sephos) and husband Andrew (Sephos) are the first joy of my life,” Raymus said.
Raymus noted that children give you an opportunity to remember the important things and help bring balance to life.
She underscored that by saying she often comes home after a hectic day and one of her daughters will marvel at discovering something that she had long taken for granted.
“It seems mundane to you but it is a wonder to them,” Raymus said. “They help bring out all the meaning to life.”
Among other women being honored on Friday are Patty Reece, Bea Bowlsby, are Dorothy Indelicato, Evelyn Prouty, Rose Albano Risso, Lucille Harris, Sister Ann Venita Britto, and Karen McLaughlin.
Employment
•1997 to present: Raymus Homes. Serves as president overseeing the development of new home projects
•2000 to present: Raymus Realty Group, president, real estate broker
•2004 to present: Raymus Construction: Vice president for home construction company
•1984 to 2004: Raymus Development & Sales, Vice president - oversees the development of new home projects to the finished lot stage, land acquisition, marketing
•1997 to present: Destiny Homes, President, Custom home building company
•1984 to 2004: Ripon Record, Managing Editor
•1982 to 84: Ripon Record, Editor/reporter, office manager
•1980 to 82: Manteca News, general assignment reporter, circulation, accounts receivable
Activities
•2008 to present: St. Anthony’s Parish Finance Committee chairperson
•2006 to 2010: Manteca District Ambulance board member
•2005 to present: SEEDS board member. The organization supports tuition assistance for Catholic schools in the Stockton Diocese. President of group in 2012.
•2005 to present: Give Every Child a Chance advisory board
•2003 to present: Manteca Mural Society board member
•2000 to 2005: Doctors Hospital of Manteca governing board
•1999 to 2008: Founding Board of Director for Service 1st Bank.
•1997 to 2000: St. Anthony’s School Educational Foundation member
•1995 to present: Eberhardt School of Business, University of the Pacific Business Advisory Board.
•1993-97: Ripon Business Improvement District Board of Directors
•1993 to present: Goodwill Industries of San Joaquin Valley Board of Directors
•1992 to present: Manteca Boys and Girls Club Board of Trustees, Chairman
•1986 to present: Building Industry Association of the Delta Board of Directors, 1993 President
•1988 to 2004: Antone E. and Marie F. Raymus Foundation Board of Directors
•1980 to 1992: Manteca Boys and Girls Club board of directors, President 1988-89
•1980 to 1982: Juvenile Justice/Delinquency Prevention Commission of San Joaquin County
•1979 to 1992: Manteca Young Woman of the Year Scholarship Program Chairperson
