Alexander "Sandy" Treadwell had an illustrious career in New York State as a Republican County activist and close associate and friend of three-term Gov. George Pataki. He also spent six years as the Secretary of State of New York, one of Pataki's key cabinet members. He is also a  "Never Trumper" who fears America's authoritarian turn during the past four years.

He was born in England, where his father was a general officer in the British Army and where his parents met during World War II. Treadwell is the grandson of a founding executive of General Electric, and a graduate of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He split his time between Manhattan and upstate New York's rural Essex County where his family farmed. After college he went into journalism, figuring if he couldn't become a sports hero like Mickey Mantle, he could write about them. He met his wife while working at Sports Illustrated, covering college football among other sports. Although a Republican, Treadwell was inspired to get into politics by the example of John F. Kennedy and the idealism of civic service. 

Treadwell is also steady contributor to the New Yorker magazine's cartoon caption contest, which he won several years from amid more than 6,000 selections; he has also been one of three finalists another time, a nearly unprecedented feat. Treadwell, known as an inclusive moderate, made friends across the political aisle as he worked his way through the state party jobs such as county chairman and joined Pataki on the GOP's platform committee. After moving to Ojai 10 years ago, his wife prompted him to find something to do, so at age 70, he took a charcoal drawing class with well-regarded local artist Dan Shultz, where he discovered a previously unknown talent as a portraitist. He has exhibited widely and is available for private commissions at https://www.sandytreadwell.com/

A few other links to learn more about this fascinating Ojai resident ...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Treadwell

https://www.nytimes.com/2001/03/10/nyregion/nice-guy-tough-gop-job-new-state-chairman-takes-challenge-uniting-party-stride.html

We did not get around to talking about Chester A. Arthur's correspondence with Julia Sand, the UNC v. Duke rivalry or Lake Champlain's Champy monster.