Johnny Khamis

{{Short description|American politician}}

File:Johnny Khamis (32901036957) (cropped).jpg

Johnny Khamis is an American politician from San Jose, California and was a member of the San Jose City Council, representing District 10.

Khamis is a Christian of Palestinian descent.{{cite news|url=http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_22359973/san-jose-councilman-johnny-khamis-battles-police-and|title=Herhold: San Jose Councilman Johnny Khamis battles with police and fire union chiefs|last=Herhold|first=Scott|date=January 14, 2013|work=San Jose Mercury News|accessdate= October 25, 2013}} 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.{{cite web|url=http://www.sanjoseca.gov/index.aspx?nid=1244 |title=About Councilmember Johnny Khamis |work=City of San Jose |accessdate=October 25, 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029193249/http://www.sanjoseca.gov/index.aspx?nid=1244 |archivedate= October 29, 2013 }} He is the former CEO and founder of Western Benefit Solutions, a San Jose-based firm that deals in insurance benefit plan consulting.{{Cite web |url=http://www.westernben.com/about.php |title=Western Benefit Solutions |access-date=2013-10-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029190438/http://www.westernben.com/about.php |archive-date=2013-10-29 |url-status=dead }}

He was a member of the Republican Party, until changing his registration to no party preference in protest of the Trump administration family separation policy.{{cite news|last=Thomsen|first=Jacqueline|title=San Jose City Council members leave GOP over Trump treatment of immigrant families|date=June 26, 2018|newspaper=Roll Call|access-date=June 26, 2018|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/394188-san-jose-city-council-members-leave-gop-over-trump-treatment-of/}} City council positions are officially nonpartisan per California law. With his swearing-in on December 31, 2012,[http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_22322973/san-jose-celebrates-its-first-arab-american-councilman San Jose Mercury News], mercurynews.com. Accessed November 4, 2022. he became the first Arab-American to take office for the city of San Jose.[http://www.aaiusa.org/blog/entry/johnny-khamis-sworn-in-as-san-jose-city-council-member/ Arab American Institute] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131009222426/http://www.aaiusa.org/blog/entry/johnny-khamis-sworn-in-as-san-jose-city-council-member/ |date=2013-10-09 }} He is the former regional director of the California Congress of Republicans,{{cite news|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=SJ&s_site=mercurynews&p_multi=SJ&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EFA41F5D2C18E0B&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|title=Ex-Mayor skips debate, irks state GOP group|date=November 4, 2001|work=San Jose Mercury News|accessdate=October 25, 2013}} the former chair of the Santa Clara County Human Relations Commission, and the former chair of the San Jose Small Business Development Commission during his time as a councilmember.{{cite news|url=http://www.mercurynews.com/almaden/ci_20594911?source=pkg|title=Johnny Khamis, San Jose District 10 council candidate|last=Bryant|first=Dale|date=May 10, 2012|work=San Jose Mercury News|accessdate=October 25, 2013}}