Candidate for
Member of the State Assembly; District 68; Democratic Party

I, Kenneth K. Arnold, am a native southern Californian and have resided in Orange County over 45 years. I raised my two sons, Christopher, 30, and Matthew, 28, here where they attended the public schools. With my wife, Thanh-Thanh T. Ho, I currently reside and am a homeowner in Fountain Valley.

I have a very successful career as a business information systems analyst, where I am recognized as a real problem solver, a quick learner that can see the larger picture without losing track of the details, and one that quickly gets to the essence of the issue or problem. I have helped many dozens of companies, from some our county's smallest employers to Fortune 100 firms, improve their processes and profitability. During much of my career I personally designed, programmed and/or implemented complex computer software.

I was blessed with high intelligence and with a mother that instilled in me an appreciation for the diversity of knowledge and skills of great artists and thinkers of the renaissance and of the age of enlightenment. That along with the many great teachers and mentors that I have had, my strong curiosity and a life long desire to learn, has left me very knowledgeable in many different fields. I will be able to bring to the Assembly not only my understanding of and knowledge in many branches of science, but perspectives and understanding from studies in economics, history, philosophy, geography, religions, and other fields. All this plus my life experiences, a great amount of compassion balanced by practicality, reason and common sense, I believe will enable me to make very positive contributions to my district and state while serving in the state assembly.

My other interests too, have been diverse and I am or have been an amateur photographer, videographer, marathoner, tri-athlete, gardener, house renovator and painter, numismatist, scuba diver, securities analyst, financial planner, yogi, nutritionist, massage therapist, bowler, chess, volleyball and billiards player, computer builder, carpenter, electrician, hiker, mountain and rock climber, aquarium and terrarium keeper, jogger, cyclist, distance swimmer, trained mediator, silk-screener, landscaper, pressman, cook, and more.

I am not an attorney and am not looking for another career as a politician, but aim to serve this great state and the people of my district through this time of crisis and transition. While I have been politically aware and sometimes involved in the past, I have never been as involved as in this decade. I have been a member and sometime officer of several political clubs and advocacy organizations and have been active in several online forums. In 2006, I was elected to a 2 year term on the State Central Committee of the California Democratic Party.