Our Team

Byron brings over 30 years of investment experience managing portfolios for affluent families, charitable foundations and corporate pension plans. Byron and his wife, Lisa, launched West Oak Capital in 2003. Byron serves as Portfolio Manager, Chief Investment Officer and Chief Compliance Officer for the firm.

Prior to founding West Oak Capital, Byron served as Senior Vice President and Portfolio Manager for U.S. Trust Company. During his nine-year tenure, Byron served as Co-Head of the Beverly Hills office, Director of Equity Investments, head of the west coast research department, Chairman of the weekly asset management meetings and Member of the executive Management Committee.

Prior to U.S. Trust Company, Byron spent seven years with Dimensional Fund Advisors as Regional Director, Vice President and Portfolio Manager. His responsibilities included directing the firm’s trading desk and serving as the senior Portfolio Manager responsible for investing domestic equity portfolios.

Byron earned a bachelor’s degree in Economics from UCLA in 1983 and his MBA from Harvard Business School in 1987. He completed the Chartered Financial Analyst designation in 1995. Byron is a member of the CFA Institute, and CFA Society of Idaho. He has been quoted in several business publications, including the Wall Street Journal, Fox Business News, Bloomberg, Washington Post, Barron’s, Pensions & Investments and Pacific Coast Business Times.

Byron was a prior board member of the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA). He served from 2020 to 2023 as Assistant Treasurer and Chairman of the Finance Committee, and a member of the Executive Committee and Membership Committee. Byron earned a third degree black belt in Kenpo karate and served as a volunteer instructor at the American Academy of Self Defense. Whenever there is some free time, Byron enjoys taking his Harley Davidson for soothing rides in our local mountains or riding dual-sport bikes along the many beautiful trails in Idaho.

Jerry brings over 35 years of investment experience managing portfolios for affluent families and charitable foundations. He joined West Oak Capital as a Portfolio Manager in 2006.

Prior to joining West Oak Capital, Jerry had a productive twenty-seven year tenure at City National Bank, where he served as Senior Vice President and Chief Investment Officer, followed by six years as Senior Vice President and Portfolio Manager for U.S. Trust Company. During his career, Jerry has served on several committees responsible for managing asset management and trust administration within financial services organizations, including the Trust Investment Committee, Trust Administration Committee and Profit Sharing Committees of City National Bank.

Jerry earned his Bachelor of Science and Masters of Science degrees in Business Administration from California State University, Northridge. He completed his Chartered Financial Analyst designation in 1979. Jerry is a member of the CFA Institute and CFA Society of Los Angeles. He has been quoted in numerous print articles and radio programs on a variety of investment-related topics, as well as a panelist at the CNBC Investment Conference at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

Jerry is a former Adjunct Assistant Professor for the Los Angeles Community College District and has taught several courses in business and finance since 1976. He also serves as a volunteer Vice President and Trustee for The Community Foundation for Oak Park.

For relaxation, Jerry enjoys trout fishing in the Eastern Sierra.

Tony G. Somoza has over 35 years of investment experience managing portfolios for affluent families, charitable foundations, pensions and government agencies. Prior to joining West Oak Capital in 2016, Tony served as senior investment strategist at Comerica Bank and, previously, Santa Barbara Bank & Trust. At Comerica, Tony was the senior portfolio manager for their Wealth & Institutional Management team for the western region.

Tony’s experience includes investment-related positions at U.S. Trust Company, Bank of America and Chase Manhattan Bank. During his career, he has served as equity director, managed a taxable bond common trust fund and served on various investment and administrative committees.

Tony earned his bachelor’s degree from California State University, Fullerton and completed the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) program in 1986. Tony is a member of the CFA Institute and CFA Society of Los Angeles.

Tony spends his free time coaching his granddaughter’s softball team and playing an occasional round of golf. He and his wife enjoy travel, and Tony enjoys reading books on history and science.

Lisa brings over 30 years experience in marketing, administration and graphic design. She co-founded West Oak Capital with her husband, Byron, in 2003 and serves as head of office administration for the firm. She designs and produces our marketing literature, oversees technical systems, as well as taking care of the payroll, benefits and finance activities of the company.

Prior to forming West Oak Capital, Lisa served as Marketing Coordinator for Dimensional Fund Advisors, Technical Administrator for Professional Healthcare Systems and Administrator for Barclays Bank.

Lisa earned her bachelor’s degree at UCLA, where she majored in Sociology.

Lisa devotes her spare time to her passions for cooking, snow skiing, mountain biking and stand-up paddle boarding.

Darin joined West Oak Capital in 2015 and oversees our firm's office administration for our Westlake Village office. He works closely with clients on a wide variety of account administration matters, new account openings and transfers. He takes care of compliance, reporting and oversees proxy voting.

Darin has more than twenty years of experience in the Human Resources profession with with Amgen, YMCA, St. John’s Regional Medical Center and Unisys Corporation. He spent two years in Real Estate appraisal after leaving Amgen and then his passion for baseball led him to an opportunity to own and operate an indoor baseball/softball hitting facility and sporting goods business in the Conejo Valley.

Darin earned his bachelor’s degree from California State University, Chico, with a focus on Sociology and minor in Psychology.

Besides his passion for baseball, and all sports, including annual Spring Training trips to Arizona with his close friends, Darin enjoys spending time with family, traveling and hiking with his wife on the many trails in the local and surrounding mountains. 

Jon is a Portfolio Manager for West Oak Capital in our Eagle, Idaho office. His roles include fundamental research on the economy and individual stocks, as well as trading in equities and fixed income.  

Jon received his Bachelor of Liberal Arts and Sciences in Economics, History, and Rhetoric Writing Studies in 2018 from San Diego State University.

Jon is a talented musician, and he serves as a volunteer at the California Art Club as a Board Member and Treasurer. 

Idaho is a great fit for Jon, as he enjoys fishing, snowboarding and riding his motorcycles in the scenic open areas that are just outside the door of our Eagle office. 

Rebecca brings over 20 years of experience in business administration and accounting services. Prior to joining West Oak Capital in 2017, she worked as the Office Manager for the Moorpark Unified School District.

Rebecca earned her Associates Degree in Health Administration from the University of Phoenix.

Rebecca enjoys spending time with her family, watching NFL games, attending her children’s athletic events, karaoke with her daughters, listening to live music and attending concerts and cruising with her husband on their Honda Gold Wing motorcycle.

Marcia brings over 25 years experience in office administration. She rejoined West Oak Capital in 2021 when she and her husband relocated to Idaho. Marcia perviously worked with us in Westlake Village from 2008 to 2015, before moving to Colorado.

Marcia graduated from Ocean View High School in Huntington Beach, California, and attended Golden West Community College.

Marcia enjoys spending time with her husband and dogs.  She enjoys anything related to horses, and she is a skilled Western style rider, focusing on cow horses.