Jeff Bill is pictured with his wife, Kristen Marsh. Photo provided by Jeff Bill.By Gina Lee Allen
Neighbors of Canyon Lake Columnist, Canyon Lake Insider
Meet your Canyon Lake neighbor, Jeff Bill. After living throughout various parts of the country due to his illustrious career path, Jeff settled down in Canyon Lake in 2018, a place he frequently visited with a high school friend in the 80s.
Jeff is the youngest of six children. He has two sisters and three brothers, one of which is his twin. He underwent corrective surgeries during his childhood to rebuild his rib cage, which was damaged by his twin brother’s knee while they were in the womb.
Although Jeff’s siblings and parents have all passed away, he remains close to his daughter, who currently lives in New Mexico. He proudly states that she holds a degree in physics from MIT.
Originally from Huntington Beach, Jeff graduated from Marina High School in 1984. He left Huntington Beach to attend Eastern New Mexico University, where he earned an associate’s degree in chemistry and microbiology. While living in New Mexico, Jeff worked for the campus police in 1985, and then with the sheriff’s department in 1986 and 1987.
Jeff then returned to California, settling in Escondido, and entered the reserve police academy. He later accepted a regular position going through another academy for a full-time position with the San Diego Police Department. He served with the San Diego Police Department from 1988 to 1989.
After realizing that police work was not his true calling, Jeff went back to school and focused more on a corporate career, which has taken him throughout North and South America and parts of Europe. He earned a bachelor’s degree in International business management from Cleveland State University.
Jeff has held positions as a vice president and general manager during his career and has led underperforming companies to profitability. Currently still working in the environmental field, Jeff plans to retire in the next five years but would like to continue working part-time as a consultant in his field.
On February 2, 2022, Jeff married Kristen Marsh, a special education teacher who grew up just three blocks from him in Huntington Beach. The two never met until Jeff moved back to California in 2018. The couple had a small, intimate ceremony on a 40′ sailboat, where they were married by their pastor who had been a friend and classmate of Jeff’s since fifth grade.
Jeff has many diverse interests. He rode bareback broncs in the junior rodeo as a young teenager, played beach volleyball tournaments in Manhattan Beach, and participated in circle track and drag strip racing as a young adult.
Jeff coached martial arts from 1985 to 1994 and from 2007-2016. He holds rank in three types of martial arts styles: Shodin Ji Do, Shorin-ryu, and Tae Kwon Do. In 2010 and 2011, Jeff was the state champion of his division in Ohio for Tae Kwon Do sparring.
Jeff is a muscle car enthusiast and owns a collection of cars that includes a 1967 Camaro, a 1968 Firebird, and a 1985 El Camino. He is a member of the Canyon Lake Car Club and enjoys participating in car shows and drag races.
Jeff is actively involved in the Canyon Lake community and serves on the POA Security Advisory Committee and as an alternate on the Facility Planning Committee. He is expanding his volunteer work to include running for the POA Board of Directors. Jeff said he takes “great pride in the Canyon Lake community and is passionate about making it an even better place to live.”
Gina Lee Allen is a Canyon Lake resident and a former business owner and writer for “Berry News.” She currently writes for Yelp as part of its Elite Squad.
