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.

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.

62 boxes 59 linear feet

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.