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ranchandcoast.com 76 APRIL 2025 RANCH & COAST MAGAZINE Anne Evans "She was a model of leadership and volunteerism" Anne Ledford Evans contributed mightily to the world around her, whether that community was her family, her circle of friends, a charitable or business organization, the San Diego region, the State of California, or our nation. She was a model of leadership and volunteerism, a pioneering businesswoman, and a respected tourism and civic leader. At 16, Anne graduated from Point Loma High School and attended Pomona College. She then moved to San Francisco to work for Macy's as an assistant manager. She met her future husband, William D. "Bill" Evans, while in college. After Bill completed his service in the United States Marine Corps and United States Navy, they reconnected and were married in 1954. In those early years, the Mission Bay that people know today was a vision few could have imagined in the 1950s. Before becoming the nation's largest "aquatic playground," it was then a squalid marsh. When the City of San Diego offered several parcels up for bid, Anne and Bill were awarded the first long-term lease on Mission Bay for the land that would eventually become the Bahia Resort Hotel. Starting with just 52 rooms, the Bahia is the longest-standing lessee of the City of San Diego. Anne and Bill created the Catamaran Resort Hotel and Spa in 1959 and developed numerous other commercial properties community leader & tourism industry icon in Southern California. During most of those years, Anne was primarily a homemaker, raising five children and providing volunteer services to numerous charitable organizations and political activities. She chaired the Charity Ball benefitting Rady Children's Hospital and numerous political fundraisers, most notably for Pete Wilson, spanning over his entire career. She was active in Republican politics, especially in support of Governor and later President Ronald Reagan, serving as Co-Chair for the 1984 Reagan-Bush Committee for San Diego County and serving as a delegate to the 1984 Republican National Convention. Following Bill's devastating sudden passing in 1984, many encouraged Anne to leave Evans Hotels behind, but she was determined to carry on and honor his vision of the important role tourism could play in San Diego's economic development. Anne worked tirelessly to market San Diego and Mission Bay because growing occupancy meant more hours for employees; she provided medical benefits before it was common, including the earliest domestic partner benefits; and she encouraged diversity in the workforce. Under Anne's leadership, Evans Hotels embarked on a multi-year plan to redevelop the family's hotel properties and expand its hospitality products, beginning with the construction of a reproduction Mississippi-style sternwheeler in 1985, which was christened the William D. Evans in honor of her late husband. In 1995, the Evans family acquired a property on the Torrey Pines Golf Course in La Jolla that became The Lodge at Torrey Pines. Following an extensive redevelopment in 2002, the resort achieved a AAA Five-Diamond ranking in its opening year and has maintained it for the last 22 years. In addition to building and running her business, Anne was one of the first women to serve on a variety of distinguished boards. August 17, 1932 – February 12, 2025