BARBARA CHRISTIANSEN - North County Staff | Posted: Wednesday, January 4, 2006 11:00 pm
When American Fork's mayor-elect Heber Thompson isn't preparing for his duties in the city, he may be found doing any of a variety of activities.
Like most grandparents, Thompson said much of his life revolved around his family.
"Much of our family life focuses around our eight children and 17 grandchildren," he said.
In addition, he enjoys photography, art, woodworking and music, and is involved translating poetry from French to English.
Thompson has a bachelor's degree in French from BYU, which he received after serving an LDS mission in France. He, with his wife, the former Vicki Durrant, later presided over the France, Paris mission for three years.
While his language experience seems to follow a pattern, his employment and residences do not.
Born in Park City, raised in Salt lake City until he was about 8, Thompson then moved with his family to Richland, Wash., where his father worked on the Hanford Atomic Energy project.
After graduating from BYU, Thompson received an MBA from Stanford with a specialty in marketing. He went to work for General Electric in a marketing training program, in which he lived in Schenectady and Syracuse, N.Y., Phoenix and Los Angeles. He settled in the computer department of GE in Phoenix.
"I have been in the computer business ever since in some phase or another," he said.
He was transferred to another GE facility in San Jose, Calif., and worked with computer program and design for nuclear energy.
Thompson then began working for IBM at its Advanced System Development Laboratory. His work took him to Los Gatos, Calif., Rochester, Minn., and Endicott, N.Y.
His next work experience was for the LDS Church in its Welfare Department, then in the Finance and Records Department.
He returned to that department after his mission presidency. He was Director of Human Resources. The next work experience was for DMBA, the church's insurance arm.
Back in the Welfare Department, he spent a couple of years before retirement, mostly involved with identifying and training of senior missionaries for humanitarian and welfare service assignments.
"Our kids have lived in a lot of different places," he said. "They became flexible and adaptable to different circumstances.
"I think you get a feel for the spirit or soul of the community when you are in different places. You learn how they do things and what their values are. I have found high-principled people with values everywhere."
One example was when he lived in California.
"I served as the chairman of the curriculum committee for the Oak Grove School District in San Jose," he said. "This was in the '70s and there were all sorts of controversial educational approaches. This school district wanted things on a more firm and moral foundation. They asked me to chair this committee. We came up with a nice charter for things to be taught and how to teach them. It was well-received."
He enjoys photography and likes to take digital pictures and enhance them with his computer.
"I enjoy collecting landscapes and pictures of our grandkids," he said.
Thompson has also enjoyed art and music.
"I learned how to play the trumpet and was in the junior high and high school bands and orchestra," he said. "I enjoyed athletics and played mostly football. I was an all conference center and linebacker." He has also played tennis and was ranked at state.
Currently he enjoys playing golf, mostly at Tri City.
He likes to read, especially biographies and autobiographies.
Thompson does woodworking and likes to make furniture.
"I would like to have any citizen of American Fork feel comfortable about talking to me about any concern they have about the city," he said. "I would like to keep people well informed about what is happening in the city and what our goals are. I welcome their information and input."
This story appeared in North County on page A1.