Candidate for
Council Member; City of Palo Alto

I grew up in Baghdad, Iraq. I come from a family that considers education a high priority since Mom was a high school English teacher and Dad was a medical doctor who passed away when I was very young. I went to a Jesuit school -  the teachers were Jesuit Fathers from Massachusetts -  and that was where I learned English. I used to spend time in the school library reading about the United States. In 1977, after graduating from college, I came to California and the Bay Area in order to study Semiconductor Technology.  California looked very familiar when I arrived here, simply because I had read so much about it and watched so many movies. It just felt like home and I decided to make it my home. I have lived within a 5-mile radius of Palo Alto since I arrived in the Bay Area. I started my career in high technology as an engineer, working in the semiconductor industry for 10 years, during which I worked in the leading Italian semiconductor company for about 2 years in Milan, and Singapore. I then worked for another 13 years at Cadence Design Systems which develops engineering software that is used in the design of semiconductors. I managed a group of 12 engineers who supported the worldwide sales organization. I then developed, and managed a product line that is widely used in the design process of new technologies, I developed the strategic marketing plans for the roll out and distribution of this product. During my early days in engineering I began investing in real estate and now, as a Real Estate Investment Advisor, real estate is my second career, as a real estate investor all my investments are outside of Santa Clara county. I obtained my BSEE degree from the University of Baghdad, Iraq in 1976. I then attended Santa Clara University for MSEE courses. My wife of 26 years, Sandra, is a Girl Scout Leader and a school volunteer. Prior to this she was a software engineer and worked in several high technology companies in the Silicon Valley. Our daughter Nicole is 10 years old and attends one of the Palo Alto Public schools. Sandra and I have been residents of Palo Alto since 1986. We both volunteer in our daughter's school to raise funds, I was a member of the Nixon Elementary Auction Committee in 2004 and 2005, I helped in the classroom in reading and math, and supported all other school activities. I am the Vice President and Webmaster of my neighborhood association, designing and implementing the neighborhood website (http://www.pahna.org), as I have designed and implemented this website. I have been very concerned with all the new housing developments taking place. The closure of Ricky's Hyatt and the construction of significant multi family housing was a major sales tax loss to the city, then the Alma development project got into the picture. I finally decided to run for city council this summer when the current city council voted to reduce funding for Fire Station 8. I attended city council meetings and spoke to the council about the consequences of a fire in the park. The decision for limited funding of Fire Station 8 was later rescinded and the station received full funding for the summer months. Being an engineer, I was taught to think logically, and being a real estate investor I think of the community. The combination of the two will allow me to make the right decisions for Palo Alto.