Even though the number of non-public-safety city personnel has gone down, there have been no employee strikes or sick-outs, Buhler says with pride. "We've added more police officers the last two years."

Buhler points to a number of successes the council has accomplished in recent years — including downtown planning and keeping Hogle Zoo in the city. "It's about building coalitions. It's not one person."

And the "awe shucks" Buhler says that should he be elected mayor, he'd be glad not to stand out and try to take all the credit.

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E-mail: bbjr@desnews.com

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Dave Buhler bio

• Born July 13, 1957, in Salt Lake City, Utah, grew up in Liberty Park neighborhood

• Married Lori Goaslind, July 7, 1982

• Five children, ages 9-20

Education

• Attended Salt Lake City public schools (Liberty Elementary, Lincoln Junior High) and graduated South High School, 1975

• Graduate, University of Utah, 1983 (B.S. political science, B.S. history)

• Master's degree in public administration, Brigham Young University Marriott School of Management, 1985

Career

• Staff assistant and later director of Constituent Services, Office of Sen. Orrin Hatch (Salt Lake City office) 1979-1984

• Administrative assistant to Gov. Norm Bangerter, 1984-1989

• Executive director, Utah Department of Commerce, 1989-1992

• Vice president, Experior Assessments (formerly National Assessment Institute) 1992-2000

• Associate commissioner for Public Affairs, Utah System of Higher Education, 2000-present

• Taught as an adjunct in the department of political science, University of Utah, 1990-2006

Politics

• Campaign manager, Bangerter re-election, 1988

• Candidate for mayor of Salt Lake City, 1991

• Elected to the Utah State Senate, 1994 (defeated for re-election in 1998), served 1995-1999, representing Salt Lake City/County (District 7)

• Elected to the Salt Lake City Council, 1999 (re-elected in 2003)

• Vice chairman, Salt Lake City Council 2001, chairman 2002, Chair 2006

Community Service

• Salt Lake City Schools Volunteers Board of Directors (1992-1993 approximately)

• Utah Heritage Foundation (1992-1994 approximately)

• Trustee, Sugarhouse Community Council (1992-1995)

• Chair, Governor's Task Force on Workers' Compensation Reform, 1993

• This Is the Place Foundation Board of Trustees, 1997-1999, 2006-present

• Trustee, University of Utah Board of Trustees, 1999-2000

• Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce Board of Governors (ex-officio representing

• Salt Lake City Council) 2000-present

• Advisory Board, College of Social and Behavioral Science, University of Utah, 2003-present

• National Leadership Council, Utah Museum of Fine Arts, 2005-present

• Utah Advisory Board, Trust for Public Lands, 2005-present