Humboldt County, CA November 3, 1998 General
Smart Voter

Full Biography for John Cumming

Candidate for
Council Member; City of Eureka; Ward 5

[photo]

This information is provided by the candidate

  • Personal

23 year resident of Eureka area and homeowner for past 10 years in City of Eureka. Married to Nancy Pennekamp Cumming, who is employed by College of the Redwoods and serves on the Board of Planned Parenthood. One son Noble Cumming, age 20, who currently works and attends college in southern California. John and Nancy are active members of Christ Episcopal Church. John is an avid soccer player in the Humboldt Adult Soccer League as well as a former sponsor, coach, and legal advisor for the Humboldt Youth Soccer League.

  • Professional

Civil attorney in private practice in Eureka since 1979, emphasizing representation of workers, unions, and small businesses with employment problems. In 1980's represented thousands of timber industry workers with claims against the federal government under the Redwood Employee Protection Program, in one case preserving over $40 million in benefits while saving the government $2 million in administrative costs. Notable successes also representing commercial fishermen, public safety officers, and the homeless. Prior experience as Directing Attorney of Northcoast Legal Services in Crescent City and staff attorney at Redwood Legal Assistance and California Indian Legal Services in Eureka.

Part-time instructor of American Government at College of the Redwoods since 1997.

Weekly political commentator on KVIQ-TV, 1997-98 (on hiatus during Eureka City Council campaign). Weekly commentary on former KFLI-AM radio in 1991-92. Columnist for The Recorder and The Daily Journal (regional and statewide legal newspapers), 1985-1990.

  • Leadership

Elected member of Board of Governors of State Bar of California (representing 19 counties of northern California), 1985-88; Vice President of State Bar, 1987-88. Elected member of Board of Directors of California Young Lawyers Association, 1982-86; President (statewide), 1984-85. Member of Conference of Delegates of State Bar of California, 1980-88. Member of Judicial Nominees Evaluation Commission of State Bar of California, 1989. Founding member of Californians for Legal Aid, 1995 to present.

Member of Vestry (governing board) of Christ Episcopal Church, 1992-95; Clerk (corporate secretary), 1993-95. Delegate to Diocesan Convention, 1992-98. Vice Chancellor of Episcopal Diocese of Northern California, 1994-98. Member of Social Ethics and Witness Commission of Diocese of Northern California, 1994-98.

Commissioner (member of governing board) of Humboldt County Housing Authority, 1983-86. Member of Board of Directors of Humboldt Open Door Clinic, 1979-86. Member and Secretary of founding board of Redwood Community Action Agency, 1980. Member of advisory committee that established Area 1 Agency on Aging, 1979-80. Member of Board of Directors of Humboldt Halfway House, Inc., 1978-81; Secretary, 1978-79; President, 1979-81.

Member of Humboldt County Democratic Central Committee, 1980-85 and 1988-95; Secretary, 1980-85 and 1988-90; Chair, 1990-94. Chair of 1st Assembly District Committee of California Democratic Party, 1991-95. Member of Central Committee and Executive Board of California Democratic Party, 1989-94; Regional Director's Award, 1994. Candidate for State Assembly in 1996, finishing 3rd of 5 in Democratic primary (top vote-getter of any party in Eureka and Humboldt County).

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Created from information supplied by the candidate: October 30, 1998 08:48
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