New Members Join Trustees & Regents Boards
By Erin Hallissy
Saint Mary's College welcomed two new trustees and seven new regents for the 2009–10 year with decades of dedication to the College.
TRUSTEES
Brother William Mann became the 13th president of Saint Mary's University of Minnesota (Winona) on June 1, 2008.
Brother William spent almost 30 years traveling as a leader in the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, and as a guiding force in the evolution of the global Lasallian educational network.
He joined the De La Salle Christian Brothers in 1965 and taught English and religion before directing Christian Brother formation for the Long Island–New England Province and USA/Toronto Region. From 1990 to 1996 he was International Secretary of Formation in Rome.
As vicar general from 2000 to 2007, Brother William was the second-highest officer of the international Catholic teaching order that comprises 5,300 Christian Brothers, working with 73,000 lay educators to operate 930 schools and universities serving 900,000 students in 82 countries.
De La Salle University, Manila, has conferred on Brother William the degree of doctor of humanities, honoris causa, for his outstanding contribution as a Lasallian administrator and educator.
Brother William is a noted scholar and writer on the life and teachings of John Baptist de La Salle.
Brother Stanislaus "Stan" M. Sobczyk, the College's interim vice president of advancement from 2005 to 2008, is now the president of the School of Applied Theology Sabbatical Program in Oakland, which is part of the Graduate Theological Union.
In 1999, he was the 20th president of Christian Brothers University in Memphis, Tenn. Prior to that, he was a professor of education and assistant to the president at Saint Mary's from 1994 to 1998 and professor and coordinator of Catholic Education and Outreach Programs for the School of Education from 1990 to 1993.
Brother Stan, who became a De La Salle Christian Brother in 1963, has taught students from elementary school through doctoral level.
In 2000, he was knighted by the Knights of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem.
He loves Italy and ceramics and is an excellent cook.
REGENTS
Dan Baradat '72 was born in Tulare in California's Central Valley and attended the College of Sequoias in Visalia for one year. After receiving a Cal State scholarship, he transferred to Saint Mary's. He graduated from the University of San Francisco Law School in 1975 and since then has practiced civil litigation.
Baradat is a fellow of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, the American Board of Trial Advocates, the International Society of Barristers (board of governors) and American College of Trial Lawyers. He has lectured for numerous organizations, including Continuing Education of the Bar, UCSF continuing medical education, the California Conference of Arson Investigators, the Association of Operating Room Nurses of Fresno and many others.
Rena L. Fischer '99 has held positions in finance and operations for KPMG LLP in San Francisco, PayPal Inc. in Palo Alto, eBay Inc. in San Jose, eBay International A.G. in Berne, Switzerland, and most recently, as director of operations for Clarium Capital Management, a global macro-hedge fund with offices in San Francisco, New York and Geneva, Switzerland.
Fischer serves on the leadership board for St. Francis High School, an all-girls college preparatory academy in Sacramento. She is also an executive team member for the Selamta Family Project, a community modeling project for creating sustainable families in Addis Abba, Ethiopia.
"I am excited to serve on the board of trustees and to demonstrate my commitment to the trustees, the president and the College," she says.
Silvio Garaventa, Jr., like his father and grandfather before him, has been involved in all phases of Garaventa Enterprises, and in 1998, he became CEO of the company. He is on the board of directors of the Napa Recycling & Garbage Service and the Silvio and Mary Garaventa Family Foundation. He is also secretary of the California Refuse Recycling Council.
Garaventa is the founder and president of the Concord Youth Sport Foundation, a venture with Concord, Cal State, East Bay (Concord Campus) and Concord Youth Sports Foundation to develop a youth sports facility in Concord.
Garaventa graduated from Saint Mary's High School in 1967 and the University of Portland in 1971.
"Our family has been committed to Saint Mary's for many years. My parents, Sil and Mary, both served as regents. Saint Mary's provides a wonderful education to its students, and I want to help to continue that tradition."
Paul Hurst '63 entered Saint Mary's in 1959 as a member of the Centennial Class of 1963. After his sophomore year, he entered the Christian Brothers Novitiate at Mont La Salle contemplating a vocation. He decided not to pursue this vocation and attended a state college before returning to SMC for his senior year. He says the College prepared him for the business world and provided a foundation of moral and ethical standards for the rest of his life. Two of his daughters, Carrie '99 and Kristin '05, are also alumnae.
"My college experiences at Saint Mary's, as well as forging lifelong friendships with fellow students and Brothers, especially Brother Michael Quinn and Brother Jerome West, have significantly impacted my life," he says.
Hurst joined a major real estate developer in Los Angeles in 1971 to establish a property management company for their multi-family building ventures throughout California. Seven years later, he and his business partner purchased the entity and established an independent real estate management and investment company. They are still managing investments as general partners.
Ellen Kruger '84 owns Kruger & Company, Inc., a real estate firm specializing in residential and commercial properties in San Rafael. She previously was southwest regional sales manager of GCX Corporation, a leader in medical instrument and IT mounting solutions.
Kruger is a dedicated member and past president of the Godmothers of St. Vincent's School for Boys in San Rafael. The Godmothers support the work of the special education school in Marin County for boys (K-12) who have been victims of abuse and neglect.
Kruger and her husband, John, (SMC Class of '83) live in San Rafael with their three children.
"I'm very honored and humbled to serve as the newest alumni regent and look forward to the challenges and the opportunities."
Peter McAndrews practices financial institutions law, concentrating on regulatory, mergers and acquisitions and the new bank organizational process. He also advises clients on corporate, securities, real estate and major loan matters.
He lives in Marina del Rey with his wife, Alicia, (another lawyer) and has two adult sons. Peter struggles with golf, travels, cooks, drinks good wine and continues a lifelong obsession (finally rewarded) with Gael basketball.
"Saint Mary's is in my blood," McAndrews says. "My dad, Bob, was valedictorian of the first class to go through four years in Moraga. He took my brother Mike (Class of '68) and me to Gael basketball games when were in elementary school. There was never any question where we would go to SMC. Being a regent gives me a better opportunity to help maintain what's best about the College and adapt to the realities of the current environment."
Brian Driscoll '95 is the president and CEO of Shamrock Office Solutions, a Dublin-based authorized dealer of Ricoh and HP digital copiers, fax machines, printers and scanners. Driscoll was on the men's basketball team from 1991-1995, and was team captain in his junior and senior seasons. He is a corporate sponsor, and his company hosts the annual Shamrock Office Solutions Classic in men's basketball every December in McKeon Pavilion.
Driscoll is married to Tricia (Lovi) '95 and they live in Danville with their three children, Clare, 9, Luke, 7, and Patrick, 1. Driscoll is the director of CYO boys basketball at St. Isidore's in Danville.
"It is a tremendous honor to me to be named to the board of regents," he says. "I welcome the great opportunity to be even more involved in the College's direction and success."