Tarrant County College District Board

Trustees serve six-year terms and are unpaid.

District 2

Name: Conrad C. Heede

Age: 66

City: Bedford

Occupation: President of three real estate companies and a commercial realtor

Online: heedecampaign.org

Background: Bachelor's and master's in chemistry, Holy Cross College; completed Ph.D. in chemistry, University of Arizona; MBA, Northeastern University; additional courses at Texas Christian University, the University of Texas at Arlington, TCC and George Washington University; over 35 years of substantial involvement in civic and community service in Tarrant County; extensive business and management experience.

About the candidate: He stands for high quality education that is readily available to all qualified Tarrant County college students at reasonable cost; lowest possible tax rate consistent with above belief; conservative fiscal responsibility in all aspects of TCC business; continued and expanded educational partnerships with civic and business groups; expanded student scholarship opportunities.

Name: Joe K. Hudson

Age: 62

City: Bedford

Occupation: Business analyst

Online: www.jhudson.net

Background: Member of HEB Chamber of Commerce board of directors; served two terms as Arkansas state representative; member of communications committee, National Conference of State Legislatures; member Irving Rotary Club; Paul Harris Fellow; and college instructor

About the candidate: He said he will utilize his experience as a former legislator and as a community leader to ensure that Tarrant County College continues to be a gateway to the American dream for prospective students -- not a financial drain for the taxpayers of Tarrant County. "We should go back to our mission of 'providing a quality education at an affordable price.'"

District 3

Name: Jerry Pikulinski

Age: 69

City: Arlington

Occupation: Retired federal economist

Online: www.pikulinski-tcc-trustee.org

Background: Price and employment economist, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; manpower proposal consultant to Fort Worth; senior organizational planning specialist for international airport projects, Jeddah, KSA; management information system project development control manager, General Dynamics; manpower planning director, North Central Texas Council of Governments. Graduate work, University of Michigan; MBA, industrial relations, University of Detroit; lecturer in management policy, management process theory and management-labor relations, University of Texas at Arlington, 1980s and 1990s.

About the candidate: Wants to find downsized alternative to the project currently being built, work for reduced tuition and involve the community in the planning process. Pikulinski is a member of the Great Southwest Rotary Club and Arlington Republican Club and is president of National Active and Retired Federal Employees Arlington chapter 1201.

Name: Kristin Vandergriff

Age: 51

Occupation: Civic leader and volunteer in Arlington for 22 years

Online: none

Background: Serves on the Arlington Sport Facilities Board, Arlington Tomorrow Foundation and the Levitt Pavilion. She volunteered extensively at Lamar High School while her three children attended; held leadership positions with the Women's Shelter and Junior League and received a PTA Life Member Award.

About the candidate: She was elected to TCC board of trustees in 2002. She strongly supports TCC's plan to use gas revenue for student assistance. She will ensure that the Northeast campus, serving Euless, and the Southeast campus, serving Arlington, continue to receive funding for student growth, academics and capital improvements. She supports leaving the tax rate, which hasn't increased in six years, at the same rate.