Peter Mehas

A native of Fresno, Mehas received his bachelor's degree from California State University, Fresno in 1962, his master's degree from UCLA in 1967, and his doctorate in education from the University of Southern California in 1979. He was an All American, All Conference center at Fresno City College and played on Fresno State’s undefeated 1961 Mercy Bowl team. Mehas began his professional career as an instructor at Fresno’s Roosevelt High School in 1963. He later joined the Clovis Unified School District where he worked his way up from assistant principal at Clovis High (1968-69) to principal 1969-75) to assistant superintendent (1975-78) and to associate superintendent (1978-87). From 1984 to 1987, Mehas established and served as the legislative advocate in Sacramento and Washington, D.C. for the State Center Community College District, Fresno County, and Modoc County Offices of Education and a consortium of 36 school districts throughout Central California. In June 1990, Dr. Mehas was elected Fresno County Superintendent of Schools and was easily re-elected for a second term in 1994. In 1998 and 2002 he ran unopposed for his third and fourth terms. In all four elections, he had the unanimous endorsement of the Democratic and Republican legislators from the Fresno area. Mehas and his wife, Demi, have two daughters, Alethea and Andreanna.