Candidate for
Member, City Council; City of Costa Mesa

My Costa Mesa roots: I lived in Costa Mesa from birth in1953 to1984 when I married my wife, Marilyn. We purchased a mobile home in Newport Beach and lived there until February 2002 when we bought a house in Costa Mesa. Consequently, I have lived in Costa Mesa a total of 34 years. We have two children, Christina and Thomas, both of whom attend Costa Mesa (Jr.) High School. My parents moved to Costa Mesa in 1949 from Santa Ana to "live in the country". My mother still lives in the house that my father built with help from friends. Both of my parents' families have a long history in Orange County, with my father's side having bought three lots in Santa Ana about a hundred years ago, one lot of which is still in the family. My great aunt and uncle, Mr. and Mrs. Leroy Chamness, on my father's side, were co owners of the Costa Mesa Bird and Game Farm in the early 1920's. On my wife's side, her great grand parents, Mr. and Mrs. August Bendlin, came to Costa Mesa in the early 1920's having bought some land, which August both built on and subdivided. Marilyn's grandmother still lives on one of the lots.

School and Work: I attended schools in both Costa Mesa and Newport Beach graduating from Newport Harbor High School in 1971. I attended Orange Coast College and transferred to California State University, Fullerton, graduating in 1976 with a B.A. in Business Administration. After graduating, I worked several years for computer manufacturers in various accounting capacities. While doing temp work in 1983, I fell into banking and have been in the accounting end of that field since, currently holding the position of AVP/Accounting Manager at a local bank.