From Deseret News archives:
Demo Becker boasts a wealth of experience
But mayoral candidate lacks name recognition
First in a seven-part series
A lawyer, planner, former park ranger and now Democratic leader of the Utah House Ralph Becker believes he brings a wealth of experience to the Salt Lake City mayor's race.
Becker has now turned his attention to politics nearly full-time, selling his successful planning and consulting firm, Bear West, to another planning firm last year.
"Politics is taking a lot of my time," says the 55-year-old Becker, who is a divorced father of two adult sons and grandfather to a teenage granddaughter.
Becker has always juggled a number of pursuits, both professionally and personally.
Longtime friend Brad Barber says Becker "is a true outdoorsman he hikes, hunts with a bow and arrow, skis; he's a horseman and river-runner."
On their many back-country treks, Becker is in charge of the "groober" taking care of personal bodily wastes at the camp site, Barber says, adding he doesn't know whether that stems from Becker's years in the Legislature or a willingness to do just about anything.
Becker was immersed in politics as a boy. He was born and raised in Washington, D.C., where his father was an activist attorney who for years was the legal counsel for the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
"We were always discussing politics around the dinner table," Becker says. "It was assumed that, at some point, you would provide some public service."
Becker came to Utah to visit an older brother who had relocated here and fell in love with the Mountain West's landscape and outdoor activities.
"I worked for a number of summers at the Grand Canyon National Park, starting out emptying garbage cans," he recalls. Over the years, he worked his way up to become a ranger after being on a firefighting crew. He thought he'd go to work in the national park system, dealing with environmental law, and he did legal volunteer work for the parks department during law school.
His first job out of college was with Bonneville Associates, a firm that would become notorious years later when it went bankrupt and pulled at then-Salt Lake Mayor Deedee Corradini, a Bonneville boss who had hired Becker. He says he left Bonneville Associates "before the crash."
Comments
- Soccer MVPs know how to win 1:56 a.m.
- Alta's Ohai is Ms. Soccer 2009 1:56 a.m.
- High school soccer: Past MVPs 1:37 a.m.
- Senators want food tax restored 1:27 a.m.
- Utah women lag in higher education 1:16 a.m.
- Hatch empathizes with Muslims 1:14 a.m.
- Matheson gets no thanks from GOP 1:13 a.m.
- Mitchell seeks to block witnesses 1:12 a.m.
- Party insiders may take on Bennett 1:11 a.m.
- Input sought on nondiscrimination 1:11 a.m.
- TCU showdown has big implications
- Seniors helped BYU regroup
- Lambert surprisingly tops news
- Hope for single moms
- Bystanders framed for child porn
- Korver and Miles to be evaluated
- Soccer MVPs know how to win
- Utah Jazz Extra: Whose hot/not
- Matheson gets no thanks from GOP
- Newhouse Hotel, an explosive end
- House passes health care bill
228 - TCU showdown has big implications
183 - Lobo suspended
182 - Cougars crush hapless Cowboys
154 - Utah Jazz fall apart against Kings
131 - TCU 4th in AP poll; U. 16th, Y. 22nd
118 - Thousands protest health bill
114 - RSL rallies to advance
103 - No 'backlash' for pioneers, gays analogy
97 - Utes pound winless Lobos
89
Meghan McCain, the daughter of former presidential candidate John...
Why do so many people live so close to refineries in Utah and elsewhere?
Sounds like a good option if you can't or won't switch to AT&T for the...
I worked with and around Bill Sederburg for 5 years while he was at...
hand. He needs to work on his moves to the basket and rebounding. Lateral...
play Fez or Koufos tonight. He went with a smaller line up and Boozer, Okur...
I've met Bennett before and he is a nice man. He also knows the Constitution...
That's never been a secret. Everyone will pay for it except those that don't...
I agree with NonMormon. I am active LDS, and I enjoy Ash's articles, and I...
I kept saying don't resign Milsap, especially after Portland offered that...
BYU is the slowest team that has ever been in the top 25. Utah will put up a...
i think u have the cowboys ranked too low! at least an A- LOL nice work!



You can be the first to comment on this story.