Camarillo, Calif., November 19, 2003 - Six new members have been elected to the Foundation Board at California State University Channel Islands. The new members officially began their term at the annual meeting on Monday, November 10. The twenty-three member Foundation Board will also be led by a newly elected panel of officers.
The mission of the Cal State Channel Islands Foundation Board is to support and encourage the University's strategic agenda and institutional mission. The Foundation is the catalyst and conduit through which gifts and endowment income flow to provide immediate and long-term support of the University. Articles for incorporation for the Foundation Board were filed in August 1996, and the original nine members met for the first time in March 1998.
The six new members of the Foundation Board are:
- Glen Farr, Chartered Life Underwriter and Chartered Financial Consultant at Farr & Associates in Oxnard. Glen Farr has over twenty years of experience in life insurance and employee benefits. His current community affiliations include Community Memorial Hospital (trustee) and Mary Health (advisory board). In the past, he has also been affiliated with the New West Symphony (director), the Harvard/Westlake School (alumni board), the Ventura County Taxpayers Association (director), and the Channel Islands Bank (director).
- Jeffrey C. Hass, Partner in charge of accounting and audit services at Farber & Hass LLP. In addition to his position at Farber & Hass LLP, Jeff Hass is a certified instructor in accounting at University of California, Santa Barbara; California Lutheran University; and the Los Angeles Community College District. He is a member of the AICPA S.E.C. and P.C.P.S. Peer Review divisions, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and the California Society of Accountants. His other community affiliations include the Ventura County Maritime Museum (director); Casa Pacifica (former president); the Ventura County Economic Development Association (former vice president); the Central Coast Area Council, the Boys & Girls Clubs of America (former president); and the Boys & Girls Club of Oxnard (former president).
- William J. Kearney, First Vice President, Investments, Personal Portfolio Manager at Merrill Lynch. Bill Kearney has lived in Ventura County since 1975 when he first began working for Merrill Lynch. His other community affiliations include the Bucknell University Parent's Board (former board member), Casa Pacifica (former president and treasurer, current advisory board member), the Boys & Girls Club of Oxnard (former treasurer, board member, advisory board), the Rubicon Theatre Co. (former president, board member), the Ventura County Taxpayers Association (former president, board member), Community Memorial Hospital (current foundation board member), the Pepperdine Seaver Board of Visitors (current advisory board member), and the Ventura Rotary Club (president elect).
- Ron Polanski, Senior Vice President and Financial Advisor with Morgan Stanley in Thousand Oaks. Ron Polanski has been working in the investment field since 1975. He is the founder of the Alliance for the Arts, the fundraising arm of the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza. His other community affiliations include the Rotary Club of Thousand Oaks (member), the Thousand Oaks Planning Commission (former chairman), the Thousand Oaks Kiwanis Club (former member and president), the YMCA (former board member), Community Conscience (former board member), and the Hospice of the Conejo (former board member).
- Paul Rivera, Assistant Professor of Economics at California State University Channel Islands. Paul Rivera received his B.A. in economics from Texas A&M University, his M.A. in economics from California State University, Long Beach, and his Ph.D. in economics from the University of Southern California. His research addresses issues as diverse as labor migration, rural and household economics, political economy, and international economics. He has augmented his academic training with industry experience in small business finance, marketing, management, and inventory control, as well as participation in several natural resource and international business consulting projects.
- Sarah Toner, student at Cal State Channel Islands. Sarah Toner is majoring in Liberal Studies with a Teaching and Learning Option and was elected Student Body Vice President in the spring of 2003. She plans to graduate in Spring 2004 and enter the Teaching Credential program at Cal State Channel Islands.
One of the founding members, Laura McAvoy has retired from the Foundation Board. Filling her position as treasurer will be Martin Ramirez. The new chair of the Foundation Board will be Mark Lisagor who will take the place of Pat Richards. The new vice chair will be Wayne Davey. Peter Cannon will remain secretary.
“We have been very pleased with the great progress made by the members of the CSUCI Foundation Board,” comments President Richard R. Rush. “I'm confident that the wealth of experience possessed by these new members and their genuine commitment to the mission of the University will enable us to expand our service to students and the community.”
For more information, contact Tanya Gonzales, Director of Development, at 805-437-8894.
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About California State University Channel Islands
CSU Channel Islands(CI) is the only four-year, public university in Ventura County and is known for its interdisciplinary, multicultural and international perspectives, and its emphasis on experiential and service learning. CI’s strong academic programs focus on business, sciences, liberal studies, teaching credentials, and innovative master’s degrees. Students benefit from individual attention, up-to-date technology, and classroom instruction augmented by outstanding faculty research. CI has been designated by the U.S. Department of Education as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and is committed to serving students of all backgrounds from the region and beyond. Connect with and learn more by visiting CI's Social Media.