Full Biography for Don Gibson

Candidate for
Council Member; City of Redwood City

My business experiences, education, and 38 years of living and working in the communities of Redwood City, San Carlos, and San Mateo makes me an ideal candidate for the office of City Council.

Running a city government is similar to running a business. Both involve budgets, employee relations, payroll, purchasing, banking, customer relations, customer service, meeting deadlines, and vendor relations. Dealing with all of these situations in my own businesses since I was 17 has given me the kind of knowledge only a business owner receives. Our City Council members do not manage the day to day business of the city, however, having first hand knowledge of how business works and how things are done is invaluable when making decisions involving city government. In my current business venture, I have taken a small investment and in five years created a successful company that employs over 25 people. I believe that this is a testimony to my business aptitude.

Our city government is made up of ever changing issues currently including changing Farmhill Blvd. into two lanes, the levels in Redwood Shores, bringing consumers back to downtown, and installing stop signs and traffic lights around the city. Each item needs to be considered with the community's interests in mind. In my experience I have learned to look for win-win situations and consider all opinions surrounding an issue when looking for resolutions. The key to the final answer always comes from what is best for the community.

Growing up in Redwood City, attending Clifford Elementary, McKinley Middle, I came to know and love the community. Over the years I have been a counselor for junior high kids, coach /coaching soccer for AYSO, and served on several advisory boards. Diverse vocational choices placed me in the positions of union member, shop steward, apartment manager, renter, and business owner. Each decision allowed interaction and insight to the opinions and ideas of the community