Full Biography for Don Bankhead

Candidate for
Member, City Council; City of Fullerton

Mayor Don Bankhead

Fullerton Mayor James D. "Don" Bankhead was born July 4, 1932, in DeLeon, Texas, and graduated from Valley Mills High School in Valley Mills, Texas. Following high school, Mayor Bankhead enlisted in the Navy, and was assigned to the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Bataan, which saw action in the Korean War.

California became Mayor Bankhead's home in 1954, when he was discharged from the Navy. He worked for awhile in the U.S. Postal Service, General Motors and Union Oil before he was hired by the Fullerton Police Department in February 1957.

After joining the Police Department, Mayor Bankhead quickly began to move up the ranks. He was promoted to Sergeant in 1962, to Lieutenant in 1964, and to Captain in 1978. After his promotion to Captain, he commanded the Uniform Division until 1980, and was then assigned to command the Investigation Division, a position he held until his retirement from the force in September 1988.

While he moved up the ranks, Mayor Bankhead continued his education, earning a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and a master's in public administration, both from California State University, Fullerton.

A Fullerton resident since 1957, Mayor Bankhead was elected to his first four-year City Council term in 1988, and re-elected in 1992. He left the Council briefly in the summer of 1994, and was re-elected to a four-year term in November of that year. He was elected Mayor in December 1997. Previously, he has served as Mayor from 1991-92, and as Mayor Pro Tem in 1990-91, 1993-94, and 1995-97.

Immediately upon his election to office Mayor Bankhead became involved in a variety of committees and commissions, and has served countless hours in behalf of the City of Fullerton.

Mayor Bankhead currently represents the Council on Fullerton's Economic Development Team; the Orange County Sanitation Districts; the Orange County Waste Management Commission; as chairman of both the Resolutions and Issues Committee and the City Selection Committee of the Orange County Division of the League of California Cities; the Public Safety Committee of the League of California Cities; the Orange County representative of the League of California Cities on the transportation, Communication and Public Works Committee; the North Orange County Growth Management Committee for Area No. 1; the North Orange County Leadership Forum; the Fullerton Affordable Housing Committee; as the chairman for the Orange County Harbor, Beaches and Parks Commission; and on a committee of elected officials to continue the feasibility study for "light rail" being conducted by the Orange County Transportation Authority.

Mayor Bankhead has represented the Council as chairman of the Environmental Subcommittee of the El Toro Reuse Committee; on the Orange County Division of the League of California Cities Legislative "Strike Force;" the Board of Directors for the Orange County Fixed Guideway (Rail) Agency; the Public Health and Socio-Economic Task Force of the Air Quality Management District; the Restructuring Super Committee; the Task Force on Growth Management of the Orange County Division of the League of California Cities; the Criminal Justice Super Committee for the Orange County Division of the League of California Cities; the Independent Cities Risk Management Authority; and on the Fullerton Transportation Center Study Selection Panel.

Active in the community, he is a member of the Fullerton Rotary - Main, the Fullerton Elks Lodge, the American Legion, the Fullerton Chamber of Commerce, the California Peace Officers' Association, and the Sunny Hills Church of Christ. He has also been a long-time supporter of youth activities, including local Little League and soccer programs, as well as the PTA and Boy Scouts.

Mayor Bankhead and his wife, Carol, have seven children and one granddaughter.