Rod Diridon, Sr.
| Rod Diridon, Sr. | |
|---|---|
| Born |
February 8, 1939 Yreka, California |
| Residence | Santa Clara, California |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | San Jose State University |
| Occupation | retired elected official, non-profit leader |
| Known for | Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, California High-Speed Rail Authority |
| Spouse(s) | Dr. Gloria C. Duffy |
Rod Diridon, Sr. is a former member of the Saratoga City Council, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, and the California High-Speed Rail Authority Board.
Diridon is an Italian-American who was first elected as the youngest-ever member of the Saratoga City Council in 1972.[1] He was elected to the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors in 1974, served as a member of the Board from 1975-1995, and served six times as its chair.[2][3] In 2000, Diridon was appointed to the California High Speed Rail Authority by Governor Gray Davis, and was then re-appointed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Diridon Chaired the Authority Board, and served two years beyond the eight-year limit for the Board, stepping down in 2010.[4] In 1976, he chaired the campaign for the first successful half-cent sales tax for a transit district in California, and subsequently came to be known as "the father of modern transit service," in Silicon Valley. He is now the emeritus executive director of the Mineta Transportation Institute.[5]
San Jose's Diridon Station was renamed for Rod Diridon at the time of its 1994 restoration.[6]
In 1980, he was the Democratic candidate for California's 12th State Senate district.
References
- ↑ Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, "Congratulatory Proclamation" (June 1st, 2002 - retrieved on September 12th, 2011).
- ↑ Santa Cruz Sentinel, "High-speed rail holds economic, environmental promise," by Rod Diridon, Sr. (October 12th, 2008 - retrieved on September 12th, 2011).
- ↑ Join California, "Rod Diridon" (retrieved on September 12th, 2011).
- ↑ San Jose Mercury News, "Longtime San Jose transportation leader Rod Diridon Sr. leaves high speed rail authority board," by Tracy Seipel (December 31st, 2010 - retrieved on September 12th, 2011).
- ↑ Mineta Transportation Institute, "Faculty" (retrieved on September 12th, 2011).
- ↑ San Jose Mercury News, "BART backers pop open champagne, celebrate vision for San Jose's Grand Central Station," by Gary Richards (November 21st, 2008 - retrieved on September 12th, 2011).