Candidate says he has what it takes to help Westlake Village

Michael Edelstein

A candidate for Westlake Village City Council is ready, he said, for the job.

On Tues., Nov. 4, Westlake Village voters will decide the fate of two open seats. One of the candidates is Michael Edelstein.

In 1998, Edelstein and his wife, Julianne Newsome–Edelstein, moved to Westlake Village.

"I’ve never lived in a place as wonderful as Westlake Village," Edelstein said. "The longer I’m here, the more I love it." His passion for Westlake Village is what led him to he run for city council. "It is a citizen’s duty to serve in their community," he said.

Born and raised in Brooklyn, N.Y, Edelstein learned the meaning of hard work at age 11 when he began helping his father, a teamster, with his moving business.

At 19, Edelstein graduated from Brooklyn College and went to medical school at New York University. After graduating in 1962, Edelstein moved to Los Angeles to begin an internship at Los Angeles General County Hospital as a radiologist.

By the early 90s Edelstein had become an associate professor of radiology at UCLA, teaching at various training hospitals.

A self-described innovator with a passion for learning, Edelstein entered Pepperdine University’s Graziadio School of Business in 1986 and graduated as the top student in his class of ’88, earning an MBA.

In 1992, Edelstein was involved in a serious accident when a car hit him while he was riding a bicycle. He suffered severe injuries to his back and neck. Edelstein later returned to the radiologist’s room, but discovered the injuries were hampering his ability to work. The physical pain coupled with his disillusionment with HMOs influenced Edelstein to switch careers.

"I missed people," Edelstein said. "I wanted to have a direct effect on people’s well being." Edelstein made the decision to switch careers and enter into the field of financial advising.

Edelstein is currently a financial advisor at Crowell Weedon and Co. in Westlake Village, specializing in financial, investment, retirement and estate planning.

He gives advice on bonds, stocks and mutual funds for his clients.

In addition to Edelstein’s educational and professional accomplishments, he’s served on a variety of boards over the years, such as the board of directors of the Valley Interfaith Council, the Pepperdine University Alumni Association and the Graziadio School of Business Management Visitors. He’s also a mentor at the Graziadio School of Business and has built a reputation for helping students with his open door policy.

Katerina Yevmenkina, a Russian student at Pepperdine, is one of the students Edelstein has mentored.

"He is a great person and friend, and is always there for me and also many of my friends," Yevmenkina said. She added that many of Edelstein’s students are invited to his home for the holidays.

Edelstein is involved in many Westlake Village programs, such as the Disaster Relief Team, the group that oversees community grants for public service and the Westlake Village Foundation.

"I see Westlake Village as a jewel, I want to polish it not change it," Edelstein said. "The primary focus of my platform is to maintain open space for the citizenry to enjoy, but also for the animals to enjoy."

When asked if he thinks Westlake Village has any weakness, Edelstein said the city needs more cultural and recreational activities. "We need more events like the Shakespeare production we had at city hall," he said. "It is being addressed."

Edelstein wants to take advantage of the beautiful night sky seen in Westlake by providing an area designated for star gazing with a public telescope at one of the highest points in the city.

Edelstein might be a poet and romanticist, but he also believes in fiscal conservatism. Elected officials, he said, must spend the public’s money wisely. Putting tax dollars into problems rarely works, he said.

Edelstein plans to spend the next several weeks walking as many precincts as he can, getting to know residents and listening to their concerns, he said.