Senator Pridemore is a native of Vancouver and attended Evergreen and Vancouver public schools. He graduated from Fort Vancouver High School with high honors in 1979 and earned his bachelors degree in Political Science from the University of Washington.
Senator Pridemore is an active duty veteran of the United States Army, serving in the military intelligence field from 1983 to 1987. He was highly decorated for peacetime, earning the Army Commendation Medal, 1st Oak Leaf Cluster, 3rd Oak Leaf Cluster, and the Army Achievement Medal. In 1986, he was named Sergeant of the Year at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey.
Elected office
In 2004, Senator Pridemore was elected to the Washington State Senate to represent the 49th legislative district as a Democrat. Prior to being elected to the Senate, he served as Clark County Commissioner from 1998-2004. Currently, Senator Pridemore serves on the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee, Economic & Revenue Forecast Council, and chairs the Select Committee on Pension Policy. Prior to being elected Clark County Commissioner, Senator Pridemore served as finance manager and analyst for the county's departments of Public Works and Community Development. From 1990 to 1992, he was firm administrator for the 19th largest certified public accounting firm in Los Angeles.
Recent Awards and Recognition
Pridemore is a recipient of the 2008 Fuse "Sizzle" Award "for courageous and principled leadership based on the progressive values that make our country great." Fuse, a Washington-based online advocacy group, recognized Senator Pridemore for his central role in the passage of the Working Families Tax Credit, as well as for his dedication to conservation issues.[1]
Other honors include:
Recipient of the Clark County Developmental Disabilities Advisory Board's Dennis Campbell Outstanding Service Award; October 2007
Honored by the Washington School Nutrition Association for strengthening Washington's school breakfast programs in the 2006 legislative session
2006 Washington Conservation Voters Legislator of the Year
Clark County Youth House Community Inspiration Award, May 2006