Santa Clara County Appoints New COO

Santa Clara County, CA -- A new chief operating officer has been appointed for Santa Clara County, county officials announced.

Miguel Marquez, a San Jose resident with more than 20 years of legal experience, began serving Monday in the position to oversee the county's financial and administrative functions.

"I am incredibly excited to begin this next chapter in my public service journey," Marquez said in a statement. "I look forward to working closely with County Executive Jeff Smith in service to the residents of Santa Clara County."

Prior to his appointment, Marquez was appointed to judicial office in 2012 by Gov. Jerry Brown as an associate justice for the California Court of Appeal, according to county officials.

Prior to that, Marquez served as County Counsel for Santa Clara County, where he oversaw a staff of 124 employees, including 61 attorneys and a budget of approximately $30 million.

Additionally, Marquez also served as the general counsel for the San Francisco Unified School District, where he managed a multi-million dollar budget and was responsible for all of the district's legal matters.

Before that, Marquez was a deputy city attorney in San Francisco, where he provided legal services to the city's Department of Elections and the Ethics Commission. Marquez also served for five years as a deputy county counsel for San Mateo County, county officials said.

"Miguel is a true public servant who has dedicated most of his career to serving the community. His legal and financial experience have prepared him well for his new role as Chief Operating Officer," County Executive Jeffrey Smith said in a statement. "I have no doubt that Miguel will provide guidance that is informed, trustworthy and dedicated to public service in our community."

Marquez earned a law degree from University of California at Berkeley's School of Law, as well as a master's in public policy from Harvard University and a bachelor's degree in public policy from Stanford University,
according to county officials.

--Bay City News. Image from Santa Clara County