On one hand, the man who soon will be president of the Utah Senate is a typical tax attorney: detail-oriented, deliberate and almost annoyingly methodical.

Then there's his alter ego: A licensed paramedic, avid rock climber and member of the Utah County Search and Rescue squad.

"I'm one of those secret-life Walter Mittys, but instead of daydreaming, I actually do it," said Valentine, 55.

That philosophy of "doing" has taken him a long way, from a Southern California rock-star wannabe to school at Brigham Young University, where he earned dual degrees in economics and accounting.

After a brief stint in the workaday world, Valentine returned to BYU for a law degree and settled down in Orem. He and his wife, Karen, have six children. They also have a German shepherd that they've trained for search and rescue missions - including one last December to find the bodies of three snowboarders trapped by an avalanche near Sundance.

"A lot of people look at me and think I'm a quiet, thoughtful person," said Valentine. "I am, but I'm a lot of other things."

That's a quality he's taken to the state Legislature, where he has nearly 16 years of experience to back up his selection last week as Senate president.

Valentine pledges to be open and build consensus, but at the same time, guarded and thoughtful. "I'm a plodder," he says.

And that will be his strength, say friends and colleagues.

During his path to president, Valentine has earned a reputation as a "down to business" strategist, an academic and a "nice guy." While they may disagree on issues, Republicans and Democrats are hard-pressed to criticize his conduct - even when speaking in private.

"John is very bright," said Ralph Becker, the newly elected leader of the House minority party. "He's very strategic and he's very thorough in the way he goes about his political work."

Outgoing Senate Majority Leader Mike Waddoups says the same, despite losing to Valentine in the race for the Senate's top job.

"I guess if you were to look at a downside, one of the things that's both a plus and a minus is that he's an attorney," said Waddoups, a realtor and property manager who had been next in line for president. "He's a trial attorney by profession and that tends to train one to be good at debate. At the same time, it tends to make one a little more combative and perhaps even rubs people the wrong way over things people don't think matter."

As a member of the Constitutional Revision Commission, Transportation Planning Task Force, Executive Appropriations - and a litany of other committees - Valentine is a notorious nitpicker, focusing on individual words and meaning within legislation and the correct procedure for passage of bills.

That experience will come to play during the next legislative session, where strong interests - including education, transportation and business - will compete for funds in an already tight budget.

Utah County boosters have been cheering Valentine's selection.

With the election of Provo Rep. Jeff Alexander as House Majority Leader and Utah County Commissioner Gary Herbert's win as lieutenant governor, the county is sure to have increased clout on Capitol Hill.

That may mean money directed toward expansion of Interstate 15 in Utah County and to Utah Valley State College, where Valentine has taught.

"There's going to be a movement out there to raise registration fees, to raise the gas fees, and he's going to have to weigh that against the pressure of 'no more taxes, no more taxes,' " Waddoups said.

Valentine admits to feeling the pressure.

"A president of the Senate needs to look at the whole need of the state," Valentine said. "Yes, he's got concerns of his district - you'd be untruthful if you said otherwise - but you've got to balance the needs of your district with the needs of the state."

Top on his agenda: Funding roads and buildings, providing adequate compensation for state employees and schoolteachers, and stimulating job growth.

But there is no tax hike on his to-do list.

"I think I want to start first with re-prioritization of our state budgets, and second to have the size of the pie grow before I even start talking about tax increases," said Valentine.

But with a more moderate Senate leadership team, a new governor and highly fractured House, there may be some interesting dynamics at play during this next legislative session.

"It's the newness of everything that's going to be the challenge," said Valentine. "Both bodies are going to be reorganized, the executive branch is going to be brand new. We have kind of a chance to be pioneers in a way."

Some senators have speculated about the yet-to-be-determined relationships among Gov.-elect Jon Huntsman Jr., Valentine and Speaker-elect Greg Curtis of Sandy. As the more mellow personality, Valentine may become the deal maker of the trio.

Gene Davis, one of eight Democrats in the 29-member Senate, expects more harmony between Curtis and Valentine, and thus, between the House and the Senate.

"I don't think there's going to be the division that I have sensed between the past leadership," he said. "Both gentlemen, when push comes to shove, they're leaders and they listen to the people around them. They formulate where they're going and I think they will lead that way."

nwarburton@sltrib.com

John Valentine, Senate presidentAge: 55

Notable facts:

l This soft-spoken lawmaker and tax attorney is often at the center of budget and tax debates on Capitol Hill. He is expected to bring new political clout to Utah County, where he lives and works.

l Valentine has been singled out as an aspiring leader for years, serving the past two years as Majority Whip, the No. 3 post.

l The Southern California transplant to Orem is a member of the Utah County Sheriff's Search and Rescue team.