2009 NFRA Convention

Sam Paredes

Born in Los Angeles to immigrant parents in 1956, Sam is the second of three children.  Sam’s father worked for a scrap metal company and his mother in a paper bag factory.  Both Sam’s parents labored tirelessly to provide for their children, his father at times working two jobs.  The cornerstone of the family’s life was Emmanuel Baptist Church in East Los Angeles.

In spite of the many financial challenges and an environment rampant with drug and gang activity, the Paredes family remained constant in their belief in God and their family.  From his parents, Sam learned the merit of hard work, perseverance, honesty and integrity.

Encouraged by his parents to pursue higher education, Sam attended Pepperdine University on scholarship.  To offset his tuition costs, Sam worked his way through college, holding down as many as three jobs at one time.  While at Pepperdine, he met his future wife, Laurie.  Sam graduated in 1978 with a degree in political science and studied at the Foundation for Economic Education in New York, where his free-market philosophical perspectives were shaped and refined

Laurie, Sam’s wife has worked in the State Capitol since 1980 for conservative legislators and in now a Consultant for Republican Minority Leader Senator Dennis Hollingsworth.

Sam started working with Gun Owners of California in 1980 and after working for a couple of Governor’s and starting his own rifle manufacturing company, in 1998, he returned to serve as Executive Director of GOC and is a member of the Board of Directors of Gun Owners of America and Gun Owner Foundation.

An avid outdoorsman, Sam enjoys precision, tactical, and cowboy action shooting, hunting, fishing, golf, basketball, and travel with his family. He serves as a worship leader in his church, he sang with the Sacramento Symphony Chorus for 8 years, and he now directs an a cappella singing group in the gold country foothills.  He is also a expert in Confrontational Politics.