Meet Your Portuguese-American Elected Officials in California: Richard Santos
Santa Clara Valley Water Board Director Richard P. Santos, District 3, is a native of Alviso, California, and he served in Korea with the1st Calvary Armored Division until receiving an honorable U.S. Army Discharge in 1965.
In 1968 he was hired as a San Jose Firefighter, promoted to Fire Engineer, Fire and Arson Inspector and retired with 33 years of Service as a Fire Captain in 2001. During his tenure at the San Jose Fire Department he served as the elected Fire Representative on the San Jose Police/Fire Pension system for 12 years and was a labor representative of the San Jose Firefighters Local 230 union.
Director Santos is currently elected and appointed by the Mayor and San Jose City Council as the Retiree Representative on the San Jose Police/Fire Retirement Pension System. Director Santos has volunteered in the Alviso Community and Santa Clara County for the last 50 years. Director Santos was elected in 2000 to represent District 3 - Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, Alviso community, Milpitas, and Berryessa/Alum Rock communities. Director Santos has served on the Board of Directors as Vice Chair in 2004, 2009, and 2017, and as Chair in 2005, 2010 and 2018. His current term is through December 2020.
He is a proud American of Portuguese ancestry.