JESS KAUFMAN
Candidate for re-election — 2026 Board of Directors
Coco Wood Lakes (Delray Beach, FL)
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About Me
Participation Highlights
Community Involvement and Leadership
Over the past several years, I’ve been proud to serve our Coco Wood Lakes community and to help implement projects that improve our quality of life, enhance property values, and ensure responsible use of association resources. My approach has always focused on transparency, collaboration, and practical problem-solving — principles that guided me through one of our neighborhood’s most significant infrastructure upgrades.
Participation Highlights
Many of you got to know me through my leadership on one of the largest and most impactful infrastructure projects in Coco Wood Lakes’ history — the transition to a modern fiber-optic network for internet and television services.
As chairperson of the Bulk Media Technology Committee (BMTC), I created, organized, and led the committee for three years, culminating in a long-term contract with Bluestream. This agreement not only saves each homeowner approximately $500 per year on average, but also contributed nearly $200,000 to our community’s reserve funds.
The new, state-of-the-art fiber data network is far more reliable and capable of speeds dramatically faster than our decades-old copper coaxial system. The upgraded television service also delivers many new features and capabilities that were unavailable through the prior Comcast service — all at no additional cost to residents.
My Beliefs
Leadership isn’t about titles — it’s about taking action and earning trust
Our community deserves leadership that listens, communicates clearly, and takes action guided by transparency and common sense.
That’s why I launched Coco Wood Lakes’ first major community survey, empowering residents to shape CWL’s technology future. More than 40% of our neighbors participated — their voices directly influenced our choice of new services and vendors. That’s the kind of results collaboration can deliver.
My Guiding Principles
As your Board member, I’m committed to:
- Listening first — because every homeowner deserves a voice in the decisions that affect us all.
- Leading with integrity — grounded in honesty, fairness, and transparency.
- Driving progress — modernizing our community with smart, sustainable improvements.
- Building connection — fostering the spirit of cooperation, respect, and shared purpose that defines Coco Wood Lakes.
The Board’s Mission — and My Focus
- Protecting our finances with responsible, transparent management.
- Investing in our future by maintaining and improving our infrastructure to keep CWL thriving and competitive.
- Upholding standards and values that make our community safe, welcoming, and proud.
- Promoting harmony through respect and open communication among neighbors.
- Ensuring fairness — enforcing bylaws ethically and representing all homeowners equally.
Experience
Community Leadership
I bring a track record of leadership, problem-solving, and results — both on the Coco Wood Lakes Board and beyond.
Over the past two years, I’ve served our community with a focus on transparency and efficiency. Before joining CWL, I was a board member at a large, luxury high-rise condominium in Northern New Jersey, where I led a complex energy efficiency improvement project that continues to save the building over $200,000 every year — a success that reflects both fiscal responsibility and long-term vision.
I also currently serve on the Board of Directors of a multi-million-dollar nonprofit health clinic in Palm Beach County, helping deliver medical and dental care to underserved and uninsured residents across South Florida. This experience reinforces my belief that strong governance and community service go hand in hand.
Entrepreneurship & Innovation
As a lifelong entrepreneur and innovator, I’ve founded and operated many companies across different industries including technology, real estate, construction, finance, and law.
Career highlights include:
- Launching multiple successful technology firms in New York and Philadelphia;
- Developing a consumer electronics product that’s still sold 35 years later;
- Founding a licensed general contracting firm that transformed Baltimore and Northern New Jersey properties through innovative residential conversions.
Each chapter of my career has sharpened the skills I now bring to the Board — strategic thinking, fiscal discipline, and a commitment to results that benefit our entire community.
The lighter side
When I’m not working on community projects or board matters, you’ll probably find me on the Pickleball court — or playing paddleball, squash, tennis, or racquetball. I’ve always believed in staying active and connected through friendly competition.
I’m also a fan of good games — Wizard or Backgammon, anyone? — and spent years training and competing in ballroom and Latin dance, traveling to competitions across the country.
I’ve been fortunate to call more than thirty places home, from Milan, Italy to New York City, and from Dallas to Stanford, California. I’ve lived in three different counties in Northern New Jersey, as well as Philadelphia, Baltimore, and of course, Florida — first in Coconut Creek, then Boca Raton, and now proudly here in Delray Beach.
Each place has taught me something new about people, neighborhoods, and what makes communities thrive — lessons I carry with me as I help guide Coco Wood Lakes forward.
Contact Me
