This Bill Ostrem isn’t me
June 15th, 2007,There’s another Bill Ostrem out there. He’s Bill Ostrem of California, a successful developer, and vastly more wealthy than I, I expect. Among his projects are the very large planned communities, EastLake, near San Diego, and Yokohl Ranch, near Visalia. I’d like to visit and learn more some time.
Reading about his projects and having lived in California myself from 2002 to 2004, I know that development in the Golden State makes developoment in the Midwest look like child’s play. They build big and fast out west. I remember when Elk Grove, a suburb of Sacramento, added something like four elementary schools in one year, probably around 2003.
I believe Mr. Ostrem may be descended from some Ostrems who settled in Illinois, most likely Norwegians like my Ostrem ancestors. I’ll try to find out more.
June 17th, 2007 at 3:33 pm
This is he other Bill Ostrem. I live in the San Diego area and as you said I am the developer of the EastLake and Yokohl ranch projects. I have been n California for 19 years and prior to that in work in Dallas. Prior to going to Dallas I was in school at the Unversity of Oklahoma and you are correct, I am from Illinois. I grew up outside of Chicago in a northwest suburb called Mount Prospect. One of my PR firms found your message and forwarded it onto me.
How did you find me?
June 19th, 2007 at 8:28 am
Whoa, the ‘other’ Bill Ostrem showed up! Very cool.
June 20th, 2007 at 4:35 pm
Very interesting, Bill!
June 20th, 2007 at 10:57 pm
Dear Bill Ostrem,
This is the Bill Ostrem of this blog. I’m glad you found out about this post and responded. I’m sorry to take so long to respond in return.
I found out about you via a web search, I believe. But I also went and looked in my files and found a letter from your father, John, dated August 31, 1996. I think he had learned about me through a web site I had. We exchanged emails, I think, then spoke on the phone, and he sent me a letter with some of your Ostrem genealogy. His genealogy information goes back to generations in Norway and goes down to you and your sister.
My own career has involved getting a Ph.D. in English from Princeton University, teaching for two years at the Univ. of Minnesota, then working in the field of educational assessment. I worked for Educational Testing Service in Princeton, NJ, for four years and now do freelance work for them and also take care of our 3 year old daughter. My wife teaches math at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn., where we live.
I hope to see your developments in California some day. I have an interest in urban design. We lived in Davis, CA, for two years and loved the Golden State. If you find yourself in Minnesota, do look us up. My parents, Ron and Leslie Ostrem, live in Plymouth, Minnesota.
By the way, my wife grew up in Oklahoma and her brother is an alum of OU.
Warm regards,
Bill
August 13th, 2007 at 10:21 am
[...] I recently “met” my namesake, Bill Ostrem, online a few weeks ago and was fortunate to be able to exchange some emails with him. I maintain a Google alert for my name and was notified of this nice profile of Bill in the San Diego Union-Tribune newspaper. Bill appears to be willing to go the extra mile and pay extra costs to create better communities. [...]