Candidate for
Governing Board Member; Claremont Unified School District

Bill Wiese is a product of the public school system; hence his strong committment to public education. He was born in Connecticut in 1949 but grew up in East Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he attend kindergarten through high school. He matriculated at Michigan State University in 1967, earning a B. A. there in 1971. He went on at Michigan State to earn an MBA.

He started his career with the world's largest manufacturer of office furniture. Eventually, he left to accept a position as manager and eventually national sales manager of an important competitor. At about this time, he met and married Carol. When IBM decided to market its own brand of business furniture, Bill joined them as Program Manager. Spending several years with IBM, Bill was enticed to become Vice President of Sales and Marketing for a division of Litton Industries and later Gulf+Western.

Shortly thereafter, Bill started his own successful business in his field, selling and servicing office furniture systems to Southern California's largest employers and businesses. During this time Bill moved to Claremont with his wife and then-two-year old son, Jack. In 1992 he sold his interest in the business. He joined a firm in Fontana dealing in trucks and large equipment for transporting goods, where he works today.

Bill and Carol's son, Jack, has attended school his whole life in Claremont and is now in high school here. Carol is a real estate agent associated with Curtis Real Estate in Claremont.

Bill's commitment to his community is manifest in his "leisure activities": Member of the Community Services Commission of the City of Claremont. Member of Claremont's Public Facilities Needs Task Force charged with drafting an assessment and prioritization of facilities needs. Chair of the Sports Committee of the Human Services Commission, allocating facilities and advocating for youth activities.

Bill has been deeply involved in his church, the Claremont United Church of Christ, where he is a Deacon, a member of the Finance Committee, and Chair of the Endowment Trust Committee. He brings his keen grasp of financial matters to benefit his faith community and would hope to be privileged to do the same for Claremont schools.

Bill enjoys sports. As Jack was involved in sports, Bill made a contribution, too. From Little League Board of Directors, to AYSO referee, to swimming announcer and timer, the community has always benefited from Bill's energy and enthusiastic work.

The Wieses are active in the global community as well, having hosted five international students since 1993.

Every afternoon, Bill can be seen out front of his house throwing the tennis ball for his chocolate Labrador Retriever, Nestle. He thinks he is tiring her out; the neighbors know it just builds stamina.