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Guide to the Rod Diridon Papers
MSS-1995-03-02
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Title: Rod Diridon papers
Dates: 1967-1994
Collection number: MSS-1995-03-02
Creator:
Diridon, Rod, 1939-
Collection Size:
62 boxes
59 linear feet
Repository:
San Jose State University. Library.
San Jose, California 95192-0028
Abstract: This collection documents 20 years of Rod Diridon’s public service. Diridon served six terms as the chairperson of both the
Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors and the Santa Clara Transit Board. Diridon is best known as the “father” of modern
transit service in Santa Clara County. The collection includes correspondence, memoranda, speeches, reports, plans, ordinances,
project files, campaign materials, photographs, and plaques.
Physical location: Vault 1, Range 21A
Languages: Languages represented in the collection:
English
The collection is open for research.
Copyright has not been assigned to the San Jose State University Library Special Collections & Archives. All requests for
permission to publish or quote manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Director of Special Collections. Permission
for publication is given on behalf of the Special Collections & Archives as the owner of the physical items and is not intended
to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the reader.
Copyright restrictions also apply to digital representations of the original materials. Use of digital files from or derived
from these collections is restricted to research and educational purposes.
Rod Diridon Papers, MSS-1995-03-02, San Jose State University Library Special Collections and Archives.
Donated to the San Jose State University library by Rod Diridon in 1995.
Rodney John Diridon was born in Dunsmuir, California in 1939 to Claude and Rhoda
Diridon. Diridon Sr. graduated from Dunsmuir Joint Union High School in 1957. From
1956 through 1963, he worked for the Southern Pacific Railroad while completing a BS
in Accounting and Finance and his MS in Business Administration from San Jose State
University. From 1963 to 1967 he served in the U.S. Navy as a Fleet Officer and
Combat Duty Officer in Vietnam. He married Mary Ann Fudge on July 4, 1964 and raised
two children, Rodney Jr. born September 10 1969, and Mary Margaret, born September
14, 1971. In June 10, 2001 he married Dr. Gloria Duffy.
In 1969, Diridon founded the Diridon Research Corporation, later renamed Decision
Research Institute (DRI) in 1972. DRI conducted market research, needs assessment
surveys and legislative consulting throughout the United States. This company was
sold in 1976.
Diridon became the youngest person ever elected to the Saratoga City Council in
1972. He held this position until 1975. He went on to served six terms in office as
chairperson of both the
Santa Clara County Board of
Supervisors
and the
Santa Clara Transit District Board from 1979,
1982, 1986, 1990, 1991 and 1994.
From 1973 to 1995, Diridon led the development of
Santa
Clara County Transportation Agency
and the
CalTrain
Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board
. He also chaired the
Peninsular Transportation Alternatives Project,
Guadalupe, Tasman, Fremont/South Bay and Vasona Rail Corridor Boards, the
San Jose Station Reconstruction Board
and the successful 1976 and 1992
Measure “A” Sales Tax Campaigns as well as the 1980, 1984, 1988, and 1992
transportation master plan elections.He was also the only person to chair all
three of the Bay Area’s Regional Agencies:
Association
of Bay Area Governments, Bay Area Air Quality Management District
and
Metropolitan Transportation
Commission.
From 1978 to 1979, he presided over the development of the
Nation’s first Integrated
Environmental Management
Plan
and
Regional Transportation Master Plan.
At present he holds the position of
Chair of the
National Research Council’s Transit Cooperative Research Project Policy Committee.
Diridon has received published recognition and numerous awards for his
contributions and has served on numerous organizations committed to community
service at the national, state, regional and local levels. He has been most
involved with transportation, the environment, arts and human rights fund-raising
and advocacy.
Rod Diridon gave 20-year of public service to the
Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors (4th District). During his long career, he contributed to various transportation related boards, committees and institutions.
The papers document this service and consist of administrative files including correspondence, speeches, conference reports,
manuals, budgets, campaign materials, photographs, newspaper clippings and memorabilia.
This collection is arranged in 6 series. I. Biographical files, 1967-1994. II. Public relations, 1971-1994. III. Administrative
files, 1975-1994. IV. Subject files, 1973-1994, V. Transportation files, 1972-1994. VI. Miscellaneous files, 1971-1994.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection
in the library's online public access catalog.
Diridon, Rod, 1939- – Archives
Santa Clara County (Calif.) – Board of Supervisors
Santa Clara County (Calif.) – Politics and government – Sources
Urban Transportation (Calif.)-San Francisco Bay Area-Finance
Urban Transportation (Calif.)-Santa Clara County-Planning
Transportation – California – Santa Clara County – Planning – Sources
Local transit – California – Santa Clara County – Sources
Supervisors (Local government) – California – Santa Clara County – Archives