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Show RITA MARIE Elected (URIE) 1973 to ACKER 1975 look at his petite, fashionably dressed young woman, you would think of her as an electrical engineer. But she is. In that field she is a computer specialist and systems programmer, born in in to 1938. She went on 30, high school May Washington D. C. later she Four years Lincoln, Alabama and graduated in 1956. received her Bachelor of Science degree from Auburn University at Auburn, Alabama wi th a major in Math and minors in physics and To never Spanish. job, was with Martin Marietta, where she was associate the for Pershing Ground writing diagnostic programs to Control Computer. From there she moved to the Thiokol Chemical work on the Minuteman Missile. In August Of 1962, she decided to go on her own as a consul tant for business programming on the IBM 1401, but changed her mind about it deciding to let someone else worry about the government reports and taxes. first Her Engineer Later she worked for General Electric and Phillips Petroleum. Then the U of U as in the Science systems programmer Computer Department. she decided try her hand at politics and ran against a in the House of Representatives for the Democrats. Her interests were in children, migrant workers, minorities, prisoners, the poor and the aged. In 1972, longtime Republican to legislator to win seat a She sponsored the ERA; bills to reduce the age of majority to 18 and changes in the Utah Civil Rights Act, to include discrimination on the basis of sex within it area of authority and to extend She was one of coverage to any enterprise regulated by he state. the sponsors of the Landlord-Tenant and served Act as primary two bills sponsor of another and supported two other sponsor of bills in regare to consumer rights. Rita supported bills for the purchase of Indian Cultural Centers in Salt Lake and Blanding, bills to improve migrant worker conditions, low income housing, and fought for improved lliving conditions, etc. for women in prison. programs, In March of 1973 she received the Susa Young Gates the Women's Political Caucus. After the Department acti ve on legislature, of Uni vac, Award she went to work for Special in the computer business again. Products She was State Manpower the Repertory now resides Dance Theatre, and the Planning. Rep. 156 Acker agiven by in Florida with her husband John. |
