Full Biography for Michael "Mike" Soffa

Candidate for
Governing Board Member; Ceres Unified School District; Area 2; Unexpired Short Term

I moved from Livermore, where I lived for 17 years, to Ceres, in 1989. I have been active in community affairs for over 30 years. I have a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education from the University of Pittsburgh. I have a Community College Teaching Credential in Business Management in California. I did extensive post-graduate work in Business Managment at John Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland.

I taught High School and coached sports for seven years, before entering management at Bethlehem Steel, where I taught their management trainee course. The course involved purchasing, profit and loss, administration, production, manpower scheduling and budgeting. After over twenty years in the private sector management, I entered the public sector at Deuel Vocational Institute, Department of Corrections, in Tracy, where I supervised the manufacturing of funiture for the State and County agencies, using inmate personnel. At DVI, I completed, and taught, in service training, consisting of present day security methods.

As far as community affairs, I was an active member of the Stanislaus County Central Committee, Delegate to the State Convention from the 26th Assembly District Committee, was a member of the City of Ceres Housing Development, and former candidate for Ceres City Council. I was Junior Commander of VFW, Post 10293, chaplain of American Legion, Post 491, President of the Modesto Chapter, California State Employees Association, retired division, staff promoter for the Retired Public Employees' Association of California, Chapter 25 and member of the Stanislaus County aging committee.

If elected I will vote my conscience in the best interests of the students, and the Ceres School District. I have no ties to any special interest, and I prefer to be elected by the people, not appointed. I believe in self-discipline for students, and advocate vocational and technological training, with emphasis on computers. I believe in stessing "readin' ritin' and 'rithmetic," at the elementary level. I have a great deal of experience in fiscal matters to apply to the money problems of the district. I believe that I have the ability, the experience and the common sense to promote a friendly, businesslike environment on the Board.