Meet Your Portuguese-American Elected Officials in California: Craig Pedersen
Supervisor Craig Pedersen has Kings County most of his life. He was born in Reno Nevada to parents Robert and Mardell Pedersen while his father attended the University of Nevada Reno on a Football and Track Scholarship. After his father graduated in 1962, he made the decision to forgo a Professional football career and return to Lemoore to join the family farm, unknowingly setting a lifelong path in Agriculture for Supervisor Pedersen.
He attended Armona Elementary, Hanford High School and West Hills College Coalinga and started his formal career (getting paid for work on the farm, as he puts it) in 1982. In 1987 “Pedersen Farms” a business partnership was formed with his father, Robert.
After many years of learning the ins and outs of the Agricultural industry, he started volunteering for industry leadership opportunities and has served as Chairman of the California Cotton Growers Association, California Wheat Commission and the Kings County Farm Bureau. In 1997 he was appointed by Governor Pete Wilson to a four-year term on the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board. He was recognized by his community peers, when they awarded him the Lemoore Chamber of Commerce Agriculturist of the Year in 2002.
Craig Perdersen, as descendent of grandparents form the Azores, is very passionate about the community and the way of life that made him into the person he is today. The desire to better serve the people and the community he calls home, helped him make the decision to run for Kings County Board of Supervisors District 4. He won the election in 2015. He currently serves as Chairman of the Board and as the Kings County representative on the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District.
He is married and has three children (triplets)!