I'm in Northern California, work in the wine industry and have a variety of interests along the historical side: Luther Burbank, Francis Drake, railroads, etc.

I'm also part of the Sonoma County Radio Amateurs with license AD6YB.

I became a Certified Tourism Advisor under the Sonoma County Tourism team. Then, after a decade of the CTA program, it was replaced with the Accredited Hospitalty Professional certification: I earned that, too. If you're in the area and want to learn more about our local history and tourism, consider my Hospitality 50 (HOSP 50) class at Santa Rosa Junior College.

We're also active square dancers with the Circle 'n Squares.

I have been a licensed Emergency Medical Technician since 1980 (with brief lapses between renewals). My current certification expires in 2024.

I'm also active with the Stewards of the Coast and Redwoods, the group that helps Armstrong Redwoods State Park and the other coastal parks. In late 2014, I was elected president of the board of this group. In 2016, misconduct by State Parks staff led me to cut all affiliations with all State Park-related entities: State Parks has continued to stonewall this issue (as of 4/2019).MikeVdP (talk) 20:07, 2 April 2019 (UTC)

I worked high-tech for 20 years and in the wine industry for 15 years. Now semi-retired, I bring my skills in Adaptive Planning to a number of selected companies in their Adaptive Planning implementations and improvements.

Among my memberships are the following:

• Sonoma County Radio Amateurs (Treasurer, Board Member, Secretary various years 2000 to 2023)
• Drake Navigators Guild (President 2024-2025)
• Western Sonoma County Historical Society
• Petaluma Museum
• Healdsburg Museum
• Windsor Museum
• Sonoma County Historical Society Draft:Sonoma County Historical Society (Board Member ca. 2016-2018, Treasurer 2018-2925)
• Historical Society of Santa Rosa
• Pacific Coast Air Museum
• American Radio Relay League
• Santa Rosa Amateur Emergency Communications Service (AECS)
• Sonoma County Amateur Communications Service (ACS)
• Santa Rosa Amateur Radio Emergency Services (ARES)
• Sebastopol Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)

I welcome suggestions for the pages on which I've worked and support Wikipedia in maintaining high standards. It's clear that Wikipedia needs to present the core views clearly. My standard is that if a high school student checks Wikipedia, he should get good, standard, well-documented information.

I wish you would reveal that you are the son of long-time President of the Drake Navigators Guild, Ed Von der Porten, and that you are now the President of Guild.Ggitzen (talk) 16:21, 3 July 2015 (UTC) Actually, I am a long-time member of the Guild and have participated in archaeological excavations and other work related to this since the 1960s. I am not, and never have been, an officer of the Guild.MikeVdP (talk) 23:46, 19 August 2015 (UTC) In 2017, I was nominated and elected a member of the Board of the DNG. In 2018 I was elected Vice President.MikeVdP (talk) 20:07, 2 April 2019 (UTC)

This user has publicly declared that he has a conflict of interest regarding the Wikipedia article Sonoma County Historical Society.

This user has publicly declared that he has a conflict of interest regarding the Wikipedia article Sonoma County Historical Society list of landmarks.

Note that my affiliation with the SCHS has been listed for many years.