Candidate for
Member; California State Assembly; District 22; Democratic Party

First elected to the Santa Clara City Council in November of 1996 and re-elected in 2000, Rod Diridon Jr. has already distinguished himself as one of the top policymakers in Silicon Valley. Working in the diverse areas of education, campaign finance reform and public safety, Diridon has been a force for legislative and political change.

In 1997, Diridon co-chaired the successful $145 million Santa Clara school bond measure, providing money to fund new state-of-the-art science buildings and performing arts centers at each city high school.

Diridon also conceived and crafted a groundbreaking reform of campaign finance in city politics. When he was first elected, candidates in Santa Clara could receive unlimited campaign contributions to spend in unspecified amounts. Soon after taking office in 1997, Diridon created and chaired the Santa Clara City Campaign Finance Reform Committee. As chair, he successfully championed the passage of sweeping reforms, a campaign contribution limit of $500 from individual donors and a $25,000 spending limit. This legislation became a model for statewide campaign finance reform.

Diridon has also led the revitalization of downtown Santa Clara and spearheaded the effort to create a park along the San Tomas Creek.

Active in the community, Diridon served on the Board of Directors of the City of Santa Clara Library, the Board of Directors of the local public television station, the Board of Fellows of Santa Clara University and the board of directors of the San Jose Symphony. He is also the founder and President of Opus 21, an organization supporting the arts in Santa Clara County.

Diridon has been honored for his community work by the Silicon Valley Manufacturing Group, the City of San Jose, the San Jose Exchange Club, the Junior Chamber of Commerce, and the Democratic Century Club.

Rod Diridon grew up in Santa Clara and attended local public schools. He worked his way through college as a mechanic, and earned his BA from San Jose State University.

After spending a year in the classroom at Lincoln High School, Diridon embarked on a career in public affairs in the high tech industry, managing 3Com Corporation's global community relations. Diridon, now 32, owns a home in Santa Clara and currently works as an independent consultant.