Ruben Barrales

Ruben Barrales was Deputy Assistant to the President of the United States and Director, Office of Intergovernmental Affairs. fnb | 1fnb | 2fnb|7

Family

Son of Mexican immigrants from the City of Mexico City D.F., Mexico, he currently resides in San Diego, California, with his wife, Kelly and two children, Ryan and Rachel. He was raised in Redwood City, CA.

Family tragedy

His immigrant father started a roofing company, accumulating several properties and built a good financial foundation fnb | 5. His father was paralyzed from a fall from a roof during a roofing job. This made a tremendous impression on a young Ruben and he left the roofing company and went to work as a Supervisor Tom Nolan.

Education

*Graduated from Nativity Catholic School (grades 1-8) in Menlo Park,California.
*Garfield Charter School [http://www.garfield.rcsd.k12.ca.us/] Supervisor Ruben Barrales was instrumental in getting Garfield's Charter (formerly Garfield Elementary School), and secured funding for the first years.
*Graduated from Junípero Serra High School (San Mateo, California), in 1980.
*BA University of California, Riverside

Political career

*In 1992 he was Elected San Mateo County Supervisor, and became the first elected Latino Supervisor in the county.
*In 1996 he was reelected to the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors.
*In 2001 he was appointed as Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of Intergovermental Affairs in the White House by President George W. Bush

As a county Supervisor he helped curb crime in East Palo Alto by collaborating with Sheriff Don Horsley and other cities in the formation of the Gang Suppression Task Force. This was needed as in 1992 the Federal Bureau of Investigation considered East Palo Alto the Homicide capital of the United States when 42 people were killed [http://www.stanfordalumni.org/news/magazine/1998/janfeb/articles/epa.html] fnb | 5. He also supported the citizens of Redwood City in bringing the Shot Spotter [http://www.shotspotter.com/] to Redwood City to reduce random gun fire [http://www.career-opportunities.net/articles/view/police_officials_and_new_crime_detection_and_prevention_technology] . Redwood City was instrumental in the development of the Gunshot Location System [http://www.shotspotter.com/casestudies/cs_rwcpd.html] dead link|url=http://www.shotspotter.com/casestudies/cs_rwcpd.html|date=May 2008, which was possible through funding by San Mateo County and the major portion by the City of Redwood City. He served a diverse district that had various social needs. He brought about a fire detector awareness campaign to East Palo Alto after a tragic arson fire that killed nine family members [http://www.stanfordalumni.org/news/magazine/1998/janfeb/articles/epa.html] (three generations). He served one and a half terms before moving to the private sector.

Former Democrat

Barrales was first registered as a Democrat before his run for San Mateo County Supervisor. He changed party affiliation and has become one of California's most recognized Latino Government Officials. Democrats often ask if he will come back and he is always given a warm reception when attending events with mainly democratic representation. He remains California's most visible Latino in Washington.

Private sector

* Family Roofing Company
* President and CEO of Joint Venture: Silicon Valley Network in San Jose, California.fnb |3
* President and CEO of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce 12/2006.fnb |7

Campaign for California State Controller

Ruben Barrales was the Republican dream candidate, with the good looks, light complexion, wavy brown hair and big blue eyes fnb | 6. He is an engaging speaker, very accessible, fluent in English and Spanish and can deliver a true story of humble beginnings, hard work, leading to success fnb | 6.

Barrales ran a good campaign but could not unseat California State Controller Kathleen Connell. On election day November 3, 1998, Connell received 4,874,097 votes 61%, Barrales received 2,652,115 votes 33%. Although he lost, the run for California State Controller gained him national attention.

Notation

*Barrales is listed among the 100 most influential Hispanics/Latinos in the United Statesfnb | 4
*Barrales served as a member of the Speaker's Commission on the California Initiative Process.
*Barrales served as Advisor for the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research.
*Barrales served as Vice-Chairman of the California Commission on Local Governance for the 21st Century,
*Barrales served as a member of the California Speaker's Commission on State and Local Government Finance.
*Barrales was recently featured in San Diego Magazine [http://www.sandiegomagazine.com/media/San-Diego-Magazine/June-2008/Soy-Latino/] for his contributions to the strength of the Latino community in San Diego.

Community service

*Founding Member of [http://www.garfield.rcsd.k12.ca.us/] Garfield Charter School, in the [http://rcsd.ca.campusgrid.net/home] Redwood City Elementary School District. Garfield Charter School was one of the first charter schools in California.
*Served as Director of the [http://www.pcrcweb.org/] Peninsula Conflict Resolution Center

References

reflist

*fnb | 1 [http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/02/20010220-1.html] President Bush to Nominate Barrales as Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of OGA
*fnb | 2

The Foreign Policy Of George W. Bush: Values, Strategy And Loyalty, by Alexander Moens,2004, ISBN 0754642747, ISBN 978-0754642749
*fnb | 3 Chasing the Red, White, and Blue: A Journey in Tocqueville's Footsteps Through Contemporary America, by David Cohen, Publisher: Picador;2001 ISBN 0312261543, ISBN 978-0312261542
* Mark Baldassare, California in the New Millennium, "The Changing Social and Political Landscape", UC Berkeley Press, @2000 The Regents of the University of California, ISBN 0-520-23421-9
*fnb | 5 A Future Perfect: The Challenge and Promise of Globalization, by John Micklethwait, Adrian Wooldridge, 2003, ISBN 0812966805
*fnb | 6

Cruel Justice, by Joe Domanick,2005, ISBN 0520246683, ISBN 978-0520246683
*fnb | 7BACK HOME, IN A WAY, FOR EX-SUPE, 12/17/06, San Jose Mercury News