Hugh E. Crooks Jr. was the first child born to Hugh E Crooks and Vivian Crooks in Chicago Illinois. His parents had met at during a USO dance in Scott’s Field, Illinois, at the end of World War II when his father was a Corporal in the U.S. Army Air Corps. After being discharged and returning to Chicago, his father eventually enrolled in the Chicago Baptist Institute and became an ordained Minister. In this environment, Hugh would learn many lessons from his father concerning the meaning of “God and Country”. Being raised as a “PK” (Preacher’s Kid) gave Hugh a unique opportunity to learn such things as how meetings are conducted (always according to Robert’s Rules and Order), that veterans should be revered, and family is always important.

The family moved to Los Angeles, California, where they settled into Northeast Los Angeles (El Sereno) and Hugh went to Woodrow Wilson High School where he had a major of College Prep-Math. During his time at Wilson he participated 3 years in the newly formed JROTC unit attaining the rank of Cadet Captain. His Company won city-wide awards, and he also lettered in Football. After High School, Hugh enrolled into East Los Angeles College, left school after a couple of years and was drafted into the US Army.

He was sent to Fort Ord, California in 1967 where he learned that using the right motivational techniques can change anyone’s behavior, a lesson that would stay with him for the rest of his life. After graduation, he was assigned to Fort Polk, Louisiana (Tigerland), for Advanced Individual Training to be an Infantryman. After graduation Hugh was transferred to the 9th Infantry Division. He was assigned to the 3rd of the 39th Regiment, Company A, which was located in an abandoned French Fort in the Mekong Delta of the Republic of Vietnam. He served as Rifleman, Machine gunner, Radio Operator (RTO) and Squad Leader. As a Squad leader he learned many valuable lessons such as supervising subordinates in the field during less than admirable conditions, and the real meaning of comradeship and loyalty. After spending 13 months in Vietnam, he was sent back to Oakland, California and discharged.

Hugh immediately started working with Los Angeles County as a Booking Clerk in the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, after 2 years he was promoted to be an Officer of the Los Angeles County Safety Police. He was then promoted to the rank of Sergeant, and worked his way to a promotion of Division Chief. This is where he gained the managerial experience that would serve him later. At that time, there were five (5) different Divisions of Safety Police within the County of Los Angeles and each of their Chiefs came together to form the Executive Committee for the Los Angeles Safety Police. Hugh became the Chairman and Senior Chief on the Committee, and was responsible for the creation of their own Police Academy program through Rio Hondo College, where he was on the Executive Committee of the Police Academy. Hugh helped to create an environment of added professionalism which met the Police Officer Standards and Training’s (POST) criteria. During his tenure as Chief he also initiated a Reserve Unit and when his Division was consolidated he advanced to the position of Head of Administrative and Facilities Services at the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History.

At the Museum of Natural History he was responsible for personnel and the majority of the operational units within the museum, such as security, maintenance, photography, and custodial. In 2000 Hugh transferred to the Los Angeles County Department of Register-Recorder/County Clerk where he was placed in Employee Relations and finally as Operations Manager of the Department’s Human Resources Division, which he held when he retired from Los Angeles County in March 2005 after 38 years of Service.

It was during his employment with Los Angeles County that Hugh utilized every opportunity to resume and advance his education. He received an Associates of Arts Degree from East Los Angeles College, and a Bachelor’s Degree from California State University at Dominguez Hills.

Hugh’s greatest supporter is his wife Yoko and together they have two sons, the youngest is on active duty with the U.S. Navy; two daughters, one is a graduate of California State University at Fullerton, and the other is a Doctor of Clinical Psychology; and eight grandchildren.