Sam Pedroza, a community leader who served three terms on the Claremont City Council, was selected to receive the 2022 Distinguished Alumni Award.
A lifelong resident of the San Gabriel Valley, Pedroza attended Citrus College in the late 1980s before embarking on a career in public affairs. Currently, he is the assistant city manager for the City of Industry and serves on the Foothill Transit and the San Gabriel Valley Economic Partnership boards.
The eldest of three, Pedroza grew up in Bassett, an unincorporated community near La Puente and City of Industry. His father was a drop hammer operator and his mother worked for an electronics company. In his youth, Pedroza enjoyed riding his bike, exploring the neighborhood and eating at Chris's Burgers in La Puente. One of his favorite memories is going on vacation to visit family in Ensenada, Baja California.
In 1986, Pedroza graduated from Bassett High School. He then attended Rio Hondo College, Mt. San Antonio College and Citrus College. While at Citrus, he enjoyed spending time at the student center and taking a writing class, where he said he began to focus on current events and politics.
In 1990, he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Public Administration from San Diego State University. Four years later, he received a Master of Arts in Urban Planning from the University of California, Los Angeles. While in college, Pedroza also interned in the Washington D.C. office of former U.S. Rep. Esteban E. Torres. He also was an intern for former Los Angeles City Councilwoman Gloria Molina.
Over the next few decades, Pedroza worked in public affairs for the Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District, San Gabriel Basin Water Quality Authority and Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts. While employed at these agencies, he developed and taught an online course in water politics at Citrus College.
In 2007, he won a seat on the Claremont City Council. Over the course of his three terms, Pedroza twice served as mayor, as well as on the boards of several organizations, including the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments and Southern California Association of Governments.
One of his proudest accomplishments was serving on the Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority, where he worked with other cities along the light-rail extension route to complete phase 2A, which included a stop at Citrus College.
In his current role in the City of Industry, Pedroza is responsible for the development and implementation of the city's communication strategy and objectives. He also oversees special projects, including the city's historical Workman and Temple Family Homestead Museum.
He and his wife, Julie, live in Claremont and have two grown sons, Zachary and Nicholas. Zachary recently earned a certificate of achievement from Citrus College's recording arts program.
Mr. Pedroza's story was originally featured in the program for the 106th Citrus College Commencement.