Bob Wasserman

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Bob Wasserman
Mayor of Fremont, California
In office
December 2004 – December 29, 2011
Preceded byGus Morrison
Succeeded byAnu Natarajan (interim until Jan. 30, 2012)
Gus Morrison
Personal details
Born(1934-01-12)January 12, 1934
Gary, Indiana
DiedDecember 29, 2011(2011-12-29) (aged 77)
Fremont, California
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseLinda Wasserman
ChildrenDan and Jill
Alma mater
Profession

Robert "Bob" Wasserman (January 12, 1934 – December 29, 2011) was an American

city councilman.[1]

Biography

Early life

Wasserman was born in

U.S. Army National Guard in 1949 when he was just 16 years old.[3] He falsely told the army recruiter that he was 18 years old at the time of his enlistment.[3] He was honorably discharged in 1952 after serving in the Korean War.[3] Following his discharge, Wasserman joined the California National Guard, where he served as a military police inspector and rose to the rank of sergeant first class.[3]

Wasserman continued his education during the early 1950s.[3] He obtained a bachelor's degree in political science and administration from California State University, Los Angeles.[1] Wasserman also received a master's degree in public administration from the University of Southern California.[1]

Wasserman met his future wife, Linda, while working for the

city hall in 1958 and had two children: Daniel, born in 1963, and Jill, born in 1966.[3]

Career

Wasserman began his career in law enforcement when he joined the Montebello, California, Police Department as a police officer in 1953.[3] He held positions in police departments throughout Southern California during the 1950s, 60s and 70s.[3]

Wasserman moved to

Yorba Linda.[2]

Wasserman was hired as the

U.S. President Ronald Reagan.[3]

Wasserman also served as the Deputy Commissioner of Interpol task force, during the United States involvement in

Bosnia
, and was directly reported to by the contingent commander overseeing operations there.

Wasserman launched a political career in the years prior and was first elected to the Fremont city council in 1992.

East Bay city.[1] By 1999, 750 high tech companies were headquartered in Fremont, including Lam Research, Cirrus Logic and Premisys Communications.[1] Fifteen of top one hundred fastest growing companies in the San Francisco Bay Area were also located in Fremont by the same year.[1] Wasserman and other members of the city government were credited with attracting them to Fremont.[1]

Mayor of Fremont

In 2004, incumbent Mayor

term limited from seeking re-election. Wasserman, a member of the city council, announced his candidacy for mayor. Wasserman won the mayoral election on November 2, 2004, with 26,763 votes, or 52.6 percent of the popular vote, defeating fellow city councilman, Bill Pease.[5] He was inaugurated in December 2004.[1]

He was re-elected to a second, four-year term on November 4, 2008. Wasserman won the 2008 election with 42% of the vote, defeating city councilman Steve Cho, who took 32%, and former Mayor Gus Morrison, who garnered 21%.[6]

Wasserman has been credited with developing a new

Warm Springs District of Fremont, which under construction, as of 2012.[4] Other major projects attributed to Wasserman included the completion of the Pacific Commons shopping center, the Niles Town Plaza, the Aqua Adventure Water Park and the Washington Grade Separation.[3] A new skatepark, which Wasserman supported is also under construction near Fremont Central Park.[3]

In 2005, Wasserman, a Democrat, appointed Republican Dirk Lorenz to the Fremont Planning Commission, despite Lorenz's past opposition to Wasserman's mayoral candidacy.[4]

Wasserman was a strong proponent of moving the

baseball stadium, on February 24, 2009.[4]

Wasserman lobbied to keep the

Tesla Factory, at the plant later in 2010. Tesla now uses a portion of the land at the Tesla Factory to manufacture the Tesla Model S, an electric vehicle sedan.[4]

The mayor helped pass a city council resolution in opposition to

same sex marriage, in 2008.[1]

Final years

Wasserman had been hospitalized for pneumonia in 2005 and 2008.[1] After the 2008 hospitalization, he brought an oxygen tank with him to city council meetings.[1]

Wasserman died of respiratory complications at the age of 77 on December 29, 2011, at Kaiser Hospital in Fremont.[1] He had been in the hospital for the treatment of respiratory problems.[1] He was survived by his wife of 53 years, Linda, and their two children, Jill and Dan.[1] A funeral for the mayor, attended by 1,200 people, was held at the Harbor Light Church in Fremont on January 6, 2012.[3][4] Dignitaries included state Sen. Ellen Corbett, law enforcement officers from throughout the region, mayors, business and political leaders, and the Alameda County Board of Supervisors.[3]

Fremont

Vice Mayor Anu Natarajan became interim Mayor until the city council could name a permanent replacement.[8]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v Dennis, Rob (2011-12-30). "Fremont mayor Bob Wasserman dead at 77". The Argus (Fremont). Retrieved 2012-01-21.
  2. ^ a b c "Robert Wasserman (1934 - 2011)". Inside Bay Area. 2012-01-06. Retrieved 2012-01-21.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Bowers, Wes (2012-01-13). "Funeral for late Fremont Mayor Wasserman draws 1,200 people". Fremont Bulletin. Retrieved 2012-01-21.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Memorial Held For Fremont Mayor Wasserman". KCBS-TV. 2012-01-06. Retrieved 2012-01-21.
  5. ^ Wong, Scott (2004-12-30). "Wasserman defeats Pease in mayor's race". The Argus (Fremont). Retrieved 2012-01-21.
  6. ^ a b Lagos, Marisa (2008-11-06). "Fremont mayor re-elected". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2012-01-21.
  7. ^ Wong, Scott (2006-04-19). "Fremont opens mitt as A's slip from Oakland's hands". Oakland Tribune. Retrieved 2012-01-21.
  8. ^ Tavares, Steven (2011-12-29). "Fremont Mayor Bob Wasserman Dies". East Bay Citizen. Retrieved 2012-01-21.
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