Pleasanton has a way with people. Jill Collins, an architect for Fee and Munson, has been living in Pleasanton for nine months now and is "really enjoying it." For now, Jill is the only architect at the new Fee and Munson office in Hacienda Business Park and this makes for a fairly busy schedule.

In addition to her architectural duties, she's been doing some public relations and marketing for the firm and designing the space planning schemes for perspective tenants at the Park. The firm is constantly growing, so Jill doesn't expect to be the only architect on staff here for too long.

When Jill and her husband, Oliver (who also has an architectural background), first moved to Pleasanton she wasn't working. They looked at numerous places around the Bay Area, but soon decided that Pleasanton had the best to offer. Says Jill of her decision, "Coming from Salem, Oregon, the Bay Area is really different. There are vast opportunities going on here in which to become involved."

A graduate of the University of Oregon, Jill received her Bachelors' degree in Architecture in 1981. Her education took five years of training, and was very time consuming. However, architecture has always been her career objective because it is the perfect outlet for her creative, artistic, and analytical skills.

Jill is also very active. "I work out a lot and play tennis. I also do aerobic exercises in my 'spare' time. Pleasanton provides such sports and leisure diversification, it is ideal for me. I like being able to go snow skiing or water skiing, so I appreciate Pleasanton's central location; the beach, the mountains as well as access to all the other popular California attractions such as San Francisco, Carmel, and the wine country."

"The very best thing about Pleasanton," according to Jill, "is its old-fashioned charm. I love Main Street and the older sections in Pleasanton." Jill feels Hacienda Business Park can become part of Pleasanton's charm. "I think that small-town atmosphere will always be a part of Pleasanton," says Jill. "Just look at what's happened in the last few decades here and yet it has still managed to retain that charm. It's so convenient being able to live and work in one community - the best of both worlds."

To see a reproduction of the original article and edition of Pleasanton Pathways, visit: March 19, 1984 Pathways.