Candidate for
Board Member; Mount Diablo Unified School District

I am a native Californian and was raised attending public elementary, junior high and high schools in the San Francisco Bay Area from 1st through 12th grades. I was the beneficiary of great public school teachers and great opportunities, such as being a member of the varsity basketball team. In addition, I earned an Eagle Scout award with the Boy Scouts of America. My eagle scout project consisted of creating, organizing and overseeing a tutoring program for elementary school students.

After high school graduation, I attended two universities and earned three educational degrees: a bachelor of science degree (finance) from Brigham Young University, a Master of Business Administration Degree from the University of Texas, and a Juris Doctor Degree from Brigham Young University. I also served as a volunteer in the Munich, Germany area for one and one-half years and became proficient speaking the German language at that time.

My wife and I were married in 1984 and we have been blessed with six children--all of whom have attended or are currently attending Mount Diablo USD schools. Our older four children moved on to university work after graduating from high school, each focusing their study in different areas (sociology, engineering, business and chemistry). My oldest two have completed volunteer service for one and one half and two years respectively, my daughter in the Phillipines and my son in Romania. Each learned the native language used among the people they served. Our third child is currently providing volunteer service in areas of Pennsylvania and Delaware for a two year period. I believe all students should learn to succeed in their school work to prepare for life and to volunteer service to others who may not live in the fortunate circumstances which we enjoy.

While earning an MBA at the University of Texas, I worked full time in a controllers group at Burroughs Corporation (now Unisys Corporation) to support our two young children. My responsibilities at Burroughs included financial analysis, preparing and overseeing budgets, credit and collections matters and responsibilities over company resources and equipment. I believe such practical and educational experience in finance and business administration are essential to address current problems facing Mount Diablo USD at the Board level.

After I received my MBA degree, I started and ran a company which received and completed a government research contract performing work in Arizona as one means of earning my way through law school. During summers between law school, I also worked for an attorney here in the Bay Area to earn my way through law school while providing for my family including, by gradation, had increased to three children.

Out of law school, I worked for a sole practicing attorney in San Francisco and then opened my own law office in Walnut Creek. During this period, we resided in Walnut Creek. I then joined the law firm Littler Mendelson in its Walnut Creek office where I have worked for over 16 years. I specialize in employment and labor law and have specific experience in, among other things, negotiating collective bargaining agreements, grievances and charges/complaints before state and federal courts and state and federal agencies. As the Mount Diablo USD currently has important relationships with seven labor groups and as teacher and employee morale seems to be at an all-time low, I believe this experience and background is critical to the solving and correcting District labor problems and improving relationships with labor representatives.

During the 18 years my family and I have resided in Walnut Creek and Concord, I have provided literally thousands of hours of volunteer service in Contra Costa County at my own expense and have contributed significant amounts of money to charitable organizations. My work has included service on school site councils (2 terms), teaching high school age students (4 years), coaching 19 different girls and boys AYSO soccer teams (16 years), serving as institutional leader of a Boy Scout troop and cub scout pack (five years) and as Cub Scoutmaster (less than one year), serving as an adult leader at Liahona Summer Camp for girls (3 years), coaching youth basketball teams (two years), providing basketball training to youth ages 8-11 (3 years), and support of student extracurricular activities including sports, band and choir. Additionally, I administered and directed the distribution of funds, food and goods to those in need in the community on a volunteer basis (5 years) and I have been appointed to, and have served on, two volunteer terms on the Contra Costa Bar Association Judicial Evaluation Committee.