Serving the Appliance &
Electronics Service
Industry Since 1955 |
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Please
Consider |
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BEAR’s New Chief |
The Bureau of
Electronic and Appliance Repair
(BEAR) is now led by Rick Fong,
replacing Laura Zuniga who held
the spot temporarily since Chief
Brian Stigers’ departure. Mr.
Fong brings extensive experience
and a solid background in
working with the Department of
Consumer of Affairs.
Since 1993 he has served in
various capacities, which
included manager of the
department’s Centralized
Mediation Center that works with
both consumer complaints and
industry concerns for multiple
agencies, which included BEAR.
Having a strong nexus of
regulatory knowledge, industry
insight, and the products and
services it oversees, made him a
natural for taking the BEAR
lead.
“My tenure with the Mediation
Center, working the back end of
BEAR, helping consumers and
keeping my attention to what’s
going on in the industry, gave
me a well-rounded perspective,”
relates Chief Fong. “I will
continue pushing to get out of
the office to meet and listen,
to continually better understand
the issues in today’s ever
challenging marketplace.”
Prior to coming to BEAR, Mr.
Fong was the Deputy Chief of the
Bureau of Security and
Investigative Services. A bureau
consisting of licensing alarm
companies, locksmiths, private
investigators and security
guards. A very large licensing
and registration base that
involved extensive background
and screening measures in
protecting the public and
ensuring the licensees or
perspective applicants having a
questionable background did not
compromise public safety.
Mr. Fong had also worked with
the Bureau of Automotive Repair
as an Enforcement Program
Specialist and Industry
Ombudsman.
“I want to use my experience and
background to move BEAR in a
direction of having tighter
controls on who is granted
registration, ensuring consumer
safety… looking to level the
playing field by backing the
industry professional while
protecting the consumer,”
emphasizes Mr. Fong.
Interestingly, prior to state
service, Mr. Fong had a 17-year
career in the rail transit
industry. Which, if you ever get
a chance, ask him about this
fascinating experience of him
working from the front lines to
research and development of rail
technology.
The chief is planning on
attending the upcoming 2009 PSOC
conference this year, so make
sure you take the time to shake
his hand and get to know this
very personable leader.
Bureau Contact: Dale Chessey
(916) 574-2069 or by e-mail at
dale_chessey@dca.ca.gov
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