The Principals

Dave O. WhiteDAVE O. WHITE
Dave White has been involved in real estate development in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties for more than 35 years. He has been involved in some of the largest and most ambitious development projects in the region.

He began as a real estate broker in Kern County after his 1962 graduation from San Jose State University, before segueing into work for Tenneco, which was then developing southwest Bakersfield. White developed lots for builders for several years, then moved to Ventura County to work for Kaiser Aetna (a partnership between Kaiser Aluminum and Aetna Insurance). For them he was manager of acquisitions and development, and then became general manager of their Ventura operation, which sold agricultural parcels to farmers and investors.

From there, White and a partner bought the farming operation from Kaiser Aetna, called the company Ag Land Services, and began real estate sales, farm management and property acquisition. They bought farm property for their farming operations and other land that had development potential, and began linking up with investors and financial institutions. With his brother Frank, another principal of PDP, he also formed Realty Services the leading agricultural brokerage firm in Ventura County specializing in land and investment properties.

Along the way, White also worked as a consultant for Southern California Edison Co. and Bechtel, on the development of Calabasas Park. He partnered to form the precursor to Plaza Development Partners — Expo Development Company — whose major project was Victoria Estates, an upscale golf course community in northwest Oxnard that is near completion.

White is on the board of directors of the Martin V. Smith Foundation, a charitable fund named for the late Ventura County entrepreneur. He was a 12-year board member of the Ventura County Community Foundation, which also disburses charitable money in Ventura County. White earned his B.A. degree in real estate from San Jose State University. He lives in Ventura. He and Leila, his wife of more than 40 years, have three grown children. In his spare time, he enjoys golf and competes in triathlons.


Armando J. LopezARMANDO J. LOPEZ
A lifelong resident of Oxnard, Armando Lopez had an early interest in community involvement and activism. After graduating from California State University at Northridge with a BA and receiving a Californai Community College teaching credential in ethnic studies, he spent the early part of his career in education, job training and social/human services.

He segued into the business world as a partner in a real estate brokerage, and held top leadership roles at La Playa Cable, Inc. (cable television), and Hopkins Industries (land development), before joining the companies that were predecessors to Plaza Development Partners.

He continues his community involvement as a board member of the Oxnard Downtown Parternship, the Ventura County Fair, the Oxnard Police Foundation and the California State University at Channel Islands, president’s advisory board. He has previously served on the boards of the Elite Theater Company, the Greater Oxnard Economic Development Corporation, the Ventura County Symphony Association, the Oxnard College Foundation, California Lutheran University and the Job Training Policy Council of Ventura County.

Lopez also has consulted with U.S. companies interested in doing business in Mexico. He has been a commissioner with the Commission of the Californias (dealing with geographic, trade, immigration and other issues spanning both Baja California and the state of California), and was a board member of the World Trade Center Association, a board dedicated to promoting opportunities for local companies in world trade.

He served in the U.S. Army 82nd Airborne Division.

He and his wife, Lourdes, live in Oxnard, and have three daughters. In his spare time, he enjoys golfing, watching movies and reading short works of fiction.