for the County
By Robin Shepherd
Wasserman grew up in the Bay Area , and entered Santa Clara University in 1976 . Despite his high regard for SCU , he wanted to spread his wings , so he transferred to the University of Southern California to pursue a degree in psychology . It was there that he met his future wife , Kim , who was also a psychology major . In 1980 , they graduated together , got married two days later , and went back to Northern California to begin their married life .
Soon after college , Mike went to work with his father , who owned data processing , commercial property management and tax preparation service businesses . During that time , Mike became a certified financial planner and a registered tax preparer . Kim became a real estate broker and also worked as property administrator in the family ’ s businesses .
In the 1990s , Wasserman acquired Collectors Corner , a Los Gatos-based retailer of sports memorabilia . For more than a decade , he operated it on a notfor-profit basis , donating the proceeds to more than 100 organizations providing services to children .
When he wasn ’ t tending to business , Wasserman was coaching various local youth sports teams . He enjoyed seeing his young players develop skills and learn to play well as a team , whether in soccer , baseball or basketball ; but when the time came for his own kids to begin high school , he hung up his whistle .
“ I became a spectator so I could be on hand to root for my daughter ’ s field hockey team and my son ’ s water polo team , and it was worth every minute ,” said Wasserman .
As an active member of the Kiwanis and Rotary Clubs in Los Gatos , Wasserman got inspired to take his public service to the next level . In 2002 , he won a seat on the Los Gatos City Council , where his eight years of service included two terms as Mayor . During that time he became a strong advocate of Community Unity , a grass-roots effort that rallied local educators , law enforcement , government officials , business leaders and community members to embrace community values and collaborative partnerships .
When Wasserman saw that Don Gage was nearing the end of his term on the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors , he saw an opportunity to have an impact on a larger scale . He campaigned throughout Los Gatos , San Jose and South County , and was elected to the Board of Supervisors in 2010 .
The County of Santa Clara spans 1,300 square miles and serves close to two million people in 24 key service areas . Once in office , Wasserman earned a reputation for doing things “ at tennis shoe speed ” and being as comfortable dealing with financial spreadsheets as he was with large committees of diverse stakeholders . As District 1 Supervisor , he keeps a close eye on the South County . In his view , Gilroy and Morgan Hill are each unique in terms of the people , the land , and the businesses .
“ In my experience , the level of energy and volunteerism are awesome . Leadership Morgan Hill and Leadership Gilroy have been connecting people with community arts , youth development , senior services and other programs in a way that inspires them to get involved . And businesses like
Mama Mia ’ s and Book Smart are wonderful community partners .”
“ I ’ ve enjoyed attending Celebrate Morgan Hill , and golf tournament fundraisers , but volunteering at the Gilroy Garlic Festival ? Now that was a blast ,” said Wasserman . “ Everyone has been welcoming .”
Borrowing a page from the playbook of Napa and other wine regions , the County is currently working with the cities of Morgan Hill and Gilroy and other organizations to provide wayfinding signage in support of winery tourism in South County .
Wasserman kicked off the new year and his new role as President of the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors with the annual State of the County address . But before he took to the podium , attendees were challenged with an informal “ County I . Q .” quiz .
“ Overall , people who took the quiz didn ’ t do so well . We need to raise awareness of all the services we provide , how they ’ re funded , and their impact on our public health and safety ,” said Wasserman .
The county library system supports community literacy . The Public Health Department ensures that restaurants follow proper food handling practices . The County provides fire and sheriff services for unincorporated areas . The Weights and Measures Division makes sure that when we buy a gallon of gas at the pump , we get a gallon of gas . When someone dials 911 , a qualified dispatcher answers the call . And the list goes on .
When Santa Clara County qualified for a million dollar grant to tackle
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