As my life took many turns, I organized with others to provide education, services and care for those impacted by the AIDS Pandemic, I worked hard to save our downtown from the wrecking ball on the Historic Preservation Alliance and fought for a plan that would value and bring life back to our historic core and then followed up with the formation of the Downtown Community Council to bring a voice where there was many yearned to be heard. I renovated several homes and built my own to compliment and showcase our eclectic and unique neighborhood. My partner and I opened Villa Tasca, to expand the offerings of downtown. Afterward, we opened Bella Sopani retail stores and then went on to open Villa Tasca Gardens.
My love of design, vision and creating led me to starting HE Landscape company 28 years ago and now employ almost 50 people. I participated on the 1999 Visioning committee, Chaired the Chamber of Commerce, the Tourism Bureau, the Social Justice fund, Aids Partnership and recently was President of Ventura Rotary where service above self is truly realized. I served on Parks and Recreation Commission, helped to create the Community Park and beautify Memorial Park as well as worked on educating others on our natural environment, and the delicate balance we live in. With my understanding and appreciation for the value of Art and Culture I bought and renovated the historic building that soon became Rubicon Theatre, and helped form the Ventura music festival and the Ventura Botanical Gardens. While humbled to be Citizen of the Year, celebrated by the LA Times as person to watch in 1999 for Ventura County, and named Ventura’s Renaissance man in 2005; nothing gives me greater pleasure than to know that I have helped to make Ventura an even better place by encouraging Venturans to believe in themselves.
