From 1982 to 2014, law enforcement officer Randy Pentis served with the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office. He held a variety of positions throughout his career and retired as chief of police for the contract city of Thousand Oaks, California. In charge of managing a police department with a $26 million budget and 120 staff members, Randy Pentis won the 2014 Man of the Year award from the Westlake and Thousand Oaks Chamber of Commerce.

To raise money for various children’s and medical charities, Randy Pentis participates in marathons and ultramarathons around the world with the grassroots nonprofit Cops Running for Charity. He and the five other current and former officers of the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office who make up the group pay all of their own travel expenses and race entry fees so that all donations go directly to the causes they support. Including a recently completed a marathon in Antarctica, Mr. Pentis and the members of Cops Running for Charity have run in demanding endurance events on all seven continents and have raised more than $250,000 to aid such organizations as Big Brothers Big Sisters, JDRF, the ALS Association, and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.

After receiving a bachelor of science in sociology from Utah State University, Randy Pentis later earned a master of public administration from California State University, Northridge. He continues to serve the local community as a board member of Play Conejo, the volunteer and charitable support division of the Conejo Recreation and Park District.