I was born in Modesto, California on September 29, 1950, and grew up on a dairy farm in the central valley with my mom, dad, two brothers and one sister. I attended New Haven Elementary School and graduated from Manteca High School in 1968. With my mind mostly on sports (football and baseball), and knowing I probably wasn’t quite good enough to play major college baseball, I decided to attend San Joaquin Delta Junior College in Stockton, California. Although I had a great time playing baseball at the junior college level, my experience at Delta helped me to realize that I wanted to continue towards a bachelor’s degree. I graduated from Delta with an Associates of Arts degree in 1970.
1970 was a great year for a number of reasons, most of all because it was also the year I got married to my beautiful wife Lana. We were high school sweethearts. I don’t consider that I was a very smart young man, but very, very lucky because that marriage of two teenagers has lasted 50 years, 5 children, and 18 grandchildren and 1 grandchild on the way.
From Delta I transferred to Brigham Young University where I was invited to walk-on and give baseball a try. Although the baseball didn’t quite work out, my desire to achieve a bachelor’s degree continued. In 1973, I graduated from BYU with a bachelor’s degree majoring in Education and with a minor in Sociology.
Although my parents and my in-laws were supportive of our efforts, I really had to manage the finances for education myself. I worked hauling hay for 4 years, and custodial, groundskeeper, and moving crew at BYU. I even had the great honor to be a Keebler cookie salesman for a short time. I believe working my way through college made me appreciate that degree even more.
Upon graduation I entered the workforce. Unable to work in my chosen field but having a young family to support, I took any job I could find – greens keeper, drapery maker, grocery store clerk. In 1974, I interviewed and was selected to enter a new graduate degree program at BYU in Community Education. Along with the classroom work, I was expected to enter a 9 month internship sponsored by the Mott Foundation of Flint, Michigan. My internship was to work as a part-time counselor for Western Nevada Community College at its Hawthorne, Nevada Instructional Center. During that time I was to develop the Community Schools concept and write my thesis about the experience.
That internship changed by life. In 1975 I received a Master’s degree in Education, with Emphasis in Community Education. At that time I was offered a job jointly working for Mineral County School District and WNCC developing dawn to dusk education and recreation programs utilizing school, county and military base facilities.
In 1977 I was offered a full-time position with WNCC at the Fallon Campus. My first job was as a counselor for a career education program. But after that and over the years I worked as a center coordinator for the Fernley Center, English and math instructor, academic, GED and Veteran’s counselor, and grants coordinator. In 1981 I was promoted to Assistant Dean of the Fallon Campus. In 1993 I was given new responsibilities as the Dean of Off Campus Programs directing other rural centers, the prison program, as well as the Douglas Campus, and the WNCC Nursing Program. In 1999 I served for a brief time as the interim Vice President of Academic Affairs. Also in 1999 I came back to my home campus and became the Dean of the Fallon Campus.
I retired from Western Nevada College in June 2011 after serving as the Dean of the Fallon Campus for 12 years. During those 12 years, much of my work was with business and industry training. I worked very closely with geothermal companies in our area and many of the industries in the Fernley, Yerington, Lovelock, and Hawthorne areas developing education and training programs. Many of those programs were onsite, but many others brought employees to the college campus.
My experience working at the community college for 37 years was very rewarding. I believe, in my own humble way, I was able to leave my mark on higher education in Nevada, and within this community that I love.
In 2011 my wife and I committed all of our effects into a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. We worked as adoption specialists through the LDS Family Services Department in Reno. Our work of educating people about adoption and helping young single women through the emotional process towards adoption extended throughout Northern Nevada.
In 2012 I was approached by Churchill County School District to accept the position of Superintendent of Schools. I agreed to the challenge for one school year, dedicating myself to budget management, easing the tense and emotional atmosphere, and hiring a new superintendent. At the conclusion of the 2012-2013 school year, I believe we were able to accomplish our goals.
One of the reasons I only agreed to one year as superintendent was because I wanted to run for an elected office. So 2013 was a very busy year as it became my first year as a County Commissioner. With my re-election on 2016, I am currently in my 7th year serving the citizens of Churchill County as one of their commissioners. It would be my honor and privilege to continue to serve Churchill County in this capacity.
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