In a community teeming with accomplished men working at the top of their fields, choosing just a few to highlight presents a considerable feat. These local legends represent the best of men, known by many for their positive impact and varied contributions that make our lives brighter and our world a little better than they found it.
Al Adam, Thousand Oaks City Councilmember
“What keeps me going every day is the strong desire to get things accomplished…to make Thousand Oaks a great place to live and have long-term sustainability,” says Al Adam, a Thousand Oaks City Councilmember who was the City’s Mayor in 2015 and 2020. He is also a Managing Director of Investments for Wells Fargo Advisors and is focused on economic development and the preservation of our environment.
Al is currently a member and two-time Chair of the Ventura Council of Governments, General Assembly of the Southern California Association of Governments, Association of Ventura County Cities, and a former member of the Economic Development Collaborative for Ventura County. He has served on numerous City committees including Finance/Audit, Campus Master Plan, Economic Development, Visioning 2064 Economy, Downtown Core Masterplan, Auto Mall, Cultural Arts Review, Theatres Fund Budget Review, Thousand Oaks Plan to Assist School Sites, Ventura County Regional Energy Alliance Liaison, and the T.O. Boulevard Specific Plan Committee.
Al and his wife, Marilyn, have been married for three decades and have twin daughters, Erica and Allison.
Greatest Accomplishment(s): Number one is my family: my wife and two daughters, who are 22 years old and just graduated from UCSB and out on their own. I’m also pretty proud that I was elected to the City Council three times and served as Mayor twice.
Volunteer/Charitable Activities: Over the years, I was on the board for the YMCA. I’m a member of the Alliance for the Arts, and a founding member for that organization—the arts are very important in our community.
Words of Wisdom: Success is really just an accumulation of little victories every day and perseverance. Being committed to what you’re doing and believing in something all adds up over time. The way I got started in civic life was volunteering, which teaches you how to work with other people to accomplish a goal.
Favorite Song: “If I Can Dream” by Elvis—it’s got a great message—and his song “Memories.” Both of these songs are beautifully written with a very good message about life.
Best $100 You’ve Ever Spent: Taking my wife out on our first date—we had a blind date at Charlie Browns in Thousand Oaks.
Best Kept Secret: I love music—I can play guitar and I love to sing. I used to be a weekend warrior car racing. And I love animals.
Vision: Getting things accomplished in the City of Thousand Oaks. I’d love to see our little downtown come to life and we’re really working hard on that. I want to see my girls be successful in life; they both have jobs now and they’re getting launched. And I want to see my wife and I enjoy our lives together at this particular stage in life.
Future Goals: To lead a happy, productive life and be a member of the community that’s been so good to me all these years. I came to Thousand Oaks in 1977 and here I am 44 years later still plugging away.
R&R: Play a little golf now and then. My wife and I are movie buffs, we like to travel and we’re big sports fans. I like to watch “Jeopardy”…and I like to work out four to five times a week because staying fit is important to me.
Bill Ayub, Ventura County Sheriff
“I am inspired by helping others,” says William “Bill” Ayub. As the 20th elected sheriff of Ventura County, his diverse and extensive law enforcement experience ranges from assignments in patrol, custody, SWAT, academy instructor, investigations and administration.
Bill joined the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office in 1996 after serving as a police officer in North Las Vegas, and Port Hueneme. He completed his training at the Ventura County Criminal Justice Training Center in 1990, earning top honors in marksmanship, physical fitness and personal traits.
Bill has been married to his wife, Stacey, for nearly three decades, and they have three adult children.
Greatest Accomplishment(s): Raising three beautiful children into caring, giving and responsible adults.
Volunteer/Charitable Activities: I volunteered for many years coaching and serving on the board of directors for a little league. I was the president of a nonprofit organization that supported our police canines for 10 years. Currently, I serve on the Executive Council for the Southern California Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics and the Board of Directors for Casa Pacifica.
Words of Wisdom: Never forget where you came from, always give back and embrace lifelong learning. Find work that you love and always look for ways to improve your business process and refine your work product. If you are not continuously learning, leading and innovating, you are falling behind.
Favorite Book: It Worked for Me: In Life and Leadership by Colin Powell. I have long admired Colin Powell’s personal and professional qualities and achievements. The pearls of wisdom he shares in this book really resonate with me and translate into many of the challenges I face in my public safety career.
Best $100 You’ve Ever Spent: Most definitely the second date with my future wife. A nice dinner, bowling and a movie. Things were just a little cheaper back in 1990 and I think I even had a few dollars to spare.
Inspiration: Helping others. I receive my greatest joy and satisfaction through volunteerism and doing things to help others be successful. In my office, I keep a framed quotation of Mahatma Gandhi, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” Each time I read it I get a burst of motivation to continue my career of service.
Vision: Please do not tell my children, as I do not want to pressure and unduly influence them. I am anxious to spoil some grandchildren.
Future Goals: To continue serving and giving back to our community as the county’s sheriff and through volunteerism. We have a very challenging period to overcome in the public safety profession and my goal is to ensure that your Sheriff’s Office not only meets the challenge but emerges more competent, capable and resilient. Our community also has many needs that can be filled through volunteerism, and I intend to help bridge some of those gaps.
R&R: Running, bicycling, hiking, exploring, traveling, and spending time with family.
Dr. César Morales, Ventura County Superintendent of Schools
“It is important to listen to students who are the primary beneficiaries of our school system,” says Dr. César Morales, who was appointed as Ventura County Superintendent of Schools by the Ventura County Board of Education on March 29, becoming the first Latino and first person of color to hold the office since it was created in 1873. Prior to his appointment, Dr. Morales served as the Deputy Superintendent of the Ventura County Office of Education—VCOE. Over the past year, he has played an instrumental role in helping school districts respond to the pandemic and in securing timely vaccinations for educators.
Dr. Morales came to VCOE in 2019 as Associate Superintendent of Student Services. Before that, he served for nearly six years as the Superintendent of the Oxnard School District. He has held leadership roles in the Lawndale and Lennox School Districts in Los Angeles County and also has experience as a middle and high school teacher.
As County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Morales now leads VCOE, an agency that employs more than 700 people and provides teacher training and administrative support services to all of Ventura County’s 20 school districts. VCOE also operates schools for students with special needs and at-risk students and provides career education for students countywide.
As he begins his tenure as County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Morales will focus on meeting the needs of Ventura County’s students, school employees and school districts in the post-pandemic era. He is also committed to addressing diversity, equity and inclusion issues in local schools.
Greatest Accomplishment(s): Being a dad to my 6-year-old, Valentina.
Volunteer/Charitable Activities: I mentor educators and school leaders and am involved in a wide variety of school functions.
Words of Wisdom: Nurture relationships and stay focused on your priorities.
Favorite Book: The Giving Tree because it has a beautiful theme of unconditional love for your child.
Best $100 You’ve Ever Spent: Taking my parents out to dinner with my first paycheck as a teacher.
Best Kept Secret: I was interested in becoming a priest at one time.
Inspiration: Public service, having the opportunity to make a difference in students’ lives and inspiring others to use their talents for the benefit of our community.
Vision: Turning any spot into a dance floor when I hear a good song.
Future Goals: It is important to listen to students who are the primary beneficiaries of our school system. I want to create platforms and venues for students to develop their ideas and have their voices heard. Additionally, I would like to create deep partnerships with every school district in Ventura County to better understand how to meet their needs.
R & R: I like to golf, dance, barbecue, read a good book and go camping in my RV anywhere up the California Coast.
Dr. M. Asif Taqi, Founder, Vascular Neurology of Southern California
“In my experience, kindness improves performance—it trickles to the whole team—and in medicine, teamwork makes the dream work,” says Dr. M. Asif Taqi, a triple board-certified interventional and stroke neurologist with a background in vascular neurology, critical care neurology and neuroendovascular surgery. He founded Vascular Neurology of Southern California in hopes of helping his community by providing industry-leading treatment options, education and unwavering support to patients and their families.
Greatest Accomplishment(s): My overall greatest accomplishment, without a doubt, is that I am a proud father of three wonderful children and two puppies. Professionally, I was awarded 40 Under Forty by the Conejo Chamber for my contributions to stroke care. I am a member of the Board of Trustees at Los Robles Regional Medical Center. I also have served as Principal Investigator on more than 20 clinical research trials in an effort to improve neurological health care.
Volunteer/Charitable Activities: Currently, I am a member of the American Heart Association Western Regional Task Force, which is developing guidelines for management and treatment for stroke and heart attack. I have also served the Coachella Valley by raising stroke awareness and lead the Ventura County Emergency Medical Services system to create changes in stroke care while in the field.
Words of Wisdom: The Three A’s of Success: Ability, Availability, Affability
Ability refers to being excellent in your practice. This means being thorough, educated and skilled. As a physician, I constantly learn new information, develop my technique and dedicate energy into research. Availability is imperative; I strive to be transparent and accessible to patients, their families and my colleagues. Maintaining adequate communication improves the patient experience and, often, outcome. Affability is the quality of being kind, respectful and easygoing with all individuals you encounter.
Favorite Book: The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield. I’ve read this novel a few times, and with each read, I’ve discovered something new and profound. My biggest takeaway is how to manage conflict in relationships—these lessons have influenced my professional and personal experiences.
Best $100 You’ve Ever Spent: At the beginning of the pandemic, I bought a Hoverboard for my kids. I thought it’d be just for them, but I loved it too. We have spent countless hours riding around our home and neighborhood. 10/10 recommend. Word of caution—helmets required!
Best Kept Secret: I’ve got a wicked three-pointer.
Inspiration: Myself in 10 years.
Vision: I am thrilled to be starting a residency program at Los Robles Regional Medical Center. It has been a goal of mine to educate and prepare the next generation of neurologists and neuroscientists.
Future Goals: I hope to continue paving the way for younger physicians in the field of stroke and neurology. And, of course, I plan to continue to strive every day to be an exceptional dad.
R&R: In my free time, I enjoy spending quality time with my kids, family and friends. Recreationally, I love to work out, travel and golf.