Full Biography for Mary Rickman-Taylor

Candidate for
City Treasurer, Short Term; City of Coalinga

Early years & education

I was born and raised in southern California and after working my way through college working for the City of Huntington Beach Recreation Department (Aquatics/Life Guard) and as an student/instructor in the Physics Department at Long Beach State (CSULB). I went to work for the US Navy at the Pacific Missile Test Center, Point Mugu as a physicist. While employed by the Navy, I won a scholarship to continue my education and took a Masters degree in Management from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey. I interned with the County Executive's office of Ventura county as part of my degree requirements. While working for the Navy I was Range Project Manager for the Cruise Missile (Tomahawk) and other projects. I left civil service and worked for Litton Industries and later Computer Sciences Corporation as a Department Manager/Senior Computer Scientist where I designed, implemented, and maintained accounting systems for the Navy at Port Hueneme and Point Mugu directing a team of 14 programmers and analysts.

Career change

I made a career change after 17 years working in the defense industry, and moved to the San Francisco Bay area. I worked for a book publisher, and after a year and a half, went into business for myself as a business consultant and graphic designer. I also began teaching part-time at College of Marin, a suburban community college in Kentfield. Consulting contratcts took me to the Sacramento area, where I lived while consulting to Sierra Community College district, and taught at American River College in the Los Rios district.

Move to Coalinga

I moved to Coalinga in 1989 with my family, employed by West Hills College district until February 1998. I continued my private consulting business, doing work for the California Community Colleges Chancellor's office, and serving on the Community College Board of Governor's Commission on Innovation Management Task Force. I started the newspaper in 1993 and began covering local politics and local news. In 1994 I successfully ran for the office of city treasurer, and served two years. During that time I took training offered by the California Municipal Treasurers' Association and the State Comptroller's office as well as attended League of Califorinia Cities training and meetings. I left office in 1996. I paid my own way to the California League of Cities training sessions on municipal finance in fall 1997 when I was no longer an elected official to continue with my education on municipal investment and finance.

Personal

I am married to Randy Taylor of Coalinga, and have two grown children, Jeremy, 24, of Illinois, and Miranda, 21, of Arizona. Miranda is married to Tim Jones, formerly of Coalinga and they have two children. I have four grown step-children, Jason, 28, and Jenny, 26, of Nevada, Liberty, 24, of Fresno, and Justin, 18 of Texas, and one step-daughter, Karen of Texas.

My leisure time interests include reading and sailing either at Pine Flat or on the Central Coast.