MY BIO
(MORE THAN YOU’LL EVER WANT TO KNOW ABOUT ME)
Some of the many jobs I did between my freshman year in high school and becoming a member of the bar were, baling hay and slurrying roads for two summers, often in 100 degree heat; working first as a laborer and then a framing carpenter for eight years, often in the rain, heat and cold; working on the factory floor for one year packaging glass bottles and another year putting the basic plumbing into toilets; selling furniture in a retail store for three years; selling vineyard wire (by the mile) and construction products (by the ton) for four years to farmers and construction companies in the San Fernando and San Joaquin valleys. Suffice to say, my education was on the job, as well as in school.
From 1982-1987 – through the depths of the savings and loan crisis – I worked as an attorney for the California League of Savings Institutions (CLSI), the largest such trade association (as well as being a significant financial services lobbying group) in the United States. While there I developed a multilayered understanding of the nuances, complexities and difficulties facing Congressmembers and regulatory officials during major crises.
In 1984 Anna Brice Williams, a native of Australia, and I married and in 1989 we had our only child, our wonderful son, Lucas From 1987-1992 I worked in the financial services industry as an attorney, mortgage lending executive and regulatory officer. From 1992-1996 I was President and CEO of a small bank in Irvine
In 1996 we sold the bank to a large national bank and Anna, Lucas and I took a brief vacation in Australia. Unfortunately, Anna was diagnosed there with her first terrible bout with cancer – we stayed in Australia that year. In 1997,
we returned to the United States and from then through 2011, I served, at the behest of federal banking regulators on the boards of two separate troubled banks. I also served as a consulting attorney both to various start-up financial services companies and again with the CLSI. During this time I also began a 16 year tenure as a Board member and then Chairman of the Board of United Labor Bank, the largest and most successful trade labor union owned bank in the western United States. In late 2001, I was hired as the General Counsel of an H&R Block subsidiary dealing with mortgage lending and in 2008, I was retained by H&R Block to help resolve the many difficulties facing that subsidiary arising from the world financial crisis. In fourteen years, through intense work and commitment, our team managed that challenging situation to a successful resolution.
In 2016, Anna’s cancer returned and we spent her final year in deep commitment – the most difficult and meaningful year of our life together.
In 2021, in the midst of the Covid lockdowns, my son Lucas met and married my wonderful daughter-in-law Anita in Australia. My two granddaughters (so far!) have arrived in the two years since.
I retired in early 2023.
In general, I am in very good health (please join me in the Running is for the Birds 10k at Bolsa Chica State Beach on April 6!)
I have many good (and thoughtful and challenging!) friends. I spend leisure time golfing (badly), hiking (slowly) and reading (passionately). I very much want to help address the many critical issues facing our nation for the benefit of you, me, our children and our grandchildren. I hope you will join me.