Bill Coburn

Right after high school, I went to several community colleges, but didn't even complete a year's worth of credits, I don't think. Citrus, PCC, East LA, and Saddleback. I worked in the restaurant business until 1993. I also spent a little over a year managing the El Toro Leo's Stereo, back in the days when cell phones came with over the shoulder carry bags.

In '87 or '88, I met my wife Katie, and we were married in 1991. In 1993 our son Keelan was born. We have just the one son.

In '91, I started working at my father-in-law's Structural Engineering office in Newport Beach. I was the operations manager there until 1998, when I started my own business, then called Side by Slide, doing PowerPoint shows for weddings, anniversaries, funerals, etc. That evolved over the years into The Coburn Group, which does marketing, public relations, and consulting work, including web design and PowerPoint. Baumann Engineering is still one of my top clients. I also do a news website, called www.SierraMadreNews.net and a restaurant website, www.SanGabrielValleyMenus.com. My latest venture allows you to buy gift certificates for a variety of SGV and Inland Empire restaurants and retail locations from the website, www.RestaurantGiftCerts.info

In 1995, I moved back to the San Gabriel Valley, to a home in Sierra Madre. Since I left Orange County, I've had a couple jobs, teaching computer at Creative Arts Group, tending bar at Posse's Sports Bar, and for a couple years as Associate Editor for San Gabriel Valley Weekly newspaper.

I have also had weekly columns in some of the local newspapers over the years. In addition to those columns, I've had feature articles/photos published, and currently have work published regularly in the Mountain Views Observer and occasionally in the Weeklys. I've also had photos or articles published in Concrete International Magazine, Tall Buildings Journal, Automated Builder Magazine, THE Magazine, Concrete Today Magazine, California Gardener Magazine, Arroyo Magazine.

My business's website is http://www.thecoburngroup.com/

I currently sit on the Board of Directors of the Sierra Madre Chamber of Commerce, serving as President (as of 1/30/09), and am on the committee that organizes the Sierra Madre Wine and Jazz Walk to benefit City of Hope, chairing the publicity committee. UPDATE 9/09 - Resigned as president of the Chamber, but was hired as Executive Director of the Chamber in 4/09.