Episode Notes

Johnny Khamis is an American politician from San Jose, California and a current member of the San Jose City Council, representing District 10. He is a member of the Republican Party, although city council positions are officially nonpartisan per California law. With his swearing-in on December 31, 2012,[1] he became the first Arab-American to take office for the city of San Jose.[2]

In the 2012 city council election, Khamis got the highest vote total of the six candidates in the June primary[3] and won the November general election 52.6% to 47.4%.[4]

Khamis is a Christian of Palestinian descent.[5] He grew up in San Jose and attended local public schools, graduating from Oak Grove High School. He is a graduate of San Jose State University in Business Management and Communication.[6] He is the CEO and founder of Western Benefit Solutions, a San Jose-based firm that deals in benefit plan consulting.[7]

He is the former regional director of the California Congress of Republicans,[8] the former chair of the Santa Clara County Human Relations Commission,[9] and the former chair of the San Jose Small Business Development Commission.[9]

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