Hello. My name is Mike Rich and I have lived in beautiful Alameda for nine years. My wife and I have a five year old daughter, so quality of life issues are important to us, as they are to many Alamedans. I am running for City Council because I think that Alamedans want more meaningful input into City decisions that impact us all, and I am confident I can help in that regard. If you've been following the campaign you know that mine is based on ideas for improving our quality of life here, offering creative suggestions to build consensus on important issues that affect Alameda. As a City Council member I will act the same way, by bringing people together around ideas for improving our quality of life. I am a CSU graduate with twenty years experience in local and regional government. I am also presently on the Alameda Civil Service Board, which enables me to stay current with the issues facing the city. I am qualified and ready to bring my knowledge and experience to bear on important issues. Finally, I have refused to take any campaign contributions from real estate developers; I think that's important for credibility. I welcome your vote. My recent decision to run for City Council in Alameda, California, marks a lifetime of following politics. I believe my experience and creativity can make a positive difference on the quality of life here in the town where I live, Alameda. BIOGRAPHY Mike Rich was born in Glendale, California in 1962, and has lived in California his whole life. Mike's father was a firefighter-paramedic and his mother was a school secretary. As a teenager his parents moved to the San Francisco Bay Area and he attended San Leandro High School. In his youth Mike took an interest in music and continues to enjoy music as a hobby. He later attended college at night while working full-time, and graduated with honors from Cal State Hayward, earning a bachelors degree in Liberal Studies, with a minor in creative writing. Mike has worked most of his adult life in the field of labor relations and human resources; he is currently the personnel director of a large public agency located in the Bay Area. For the last nine years Mike has lived in Alameda, CA, with his wife; they have a daughter in Kindergarten.