Leadership gifts add sparkle to Green and Gold Gala

Among the highlights of Sacramento State’s inaugural Green and Gold last Thursday was the announcement of several major gifts totaling more than $3 million dollars to support the University.

Many of the donors followed the lead of the night’s honorees, Alex and Faye Spanos, who last year contributed $10 million to the University’s signature Recreation, Wellness, Events Center and Stadium project. The gifts included:

• $1.3 million from alumnus and Sacramento State tennis coach Bill Campbell and his wife Margie toward construction of a new field house on the south end of the stadium and renovation of the tennis courts.
• McCarthy Building Company has committed to help construct the field house, which is still in the planning stages but is expected to include work-out facilities, locker rooms, conference areas and coaches’ office.

Additional gifts touched on other campus priorities related to the University’s ambitious Destination 2010 initiative to transform the campus into a premier metropolitan university and a destination campus for the West. The gifts included:

• $1.2 million from Follett Higher Education Group toward construction of a new Hornet Bookstore.
• $650,000 from local coffee providers Java City for construction of a coffee house in the University Library and renovation of a campus eatery.
• $200,000 from local restaurateurs the Fat Family for capital improvements to a campus food court.

In addition to the gifts announcement, the sold-out Gala marked the debut of a new video detailing the priorities of the Destination 2010 initiative. The evening also included numerous acknowledgements of the generosity of Sacramento State donors, with special thanks to Alex and Faye Spanos who received a video tribute and other tokens of appreciation.

As befitting an event held in California’s capital, political leaders from all levels of government were well-represented. The event’s honorary co-chairs were Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and First Lady Maria Shriver. The Green and Gold Honorary Committee included:

United States Senators Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein

U.S. Representatives John Doolittle, Wally Herger, Dan Lungren, Doris Matsui and Mike Thompson

California State Senators Dave Cox, Mike Machado and Deborah Ortiz

California State Assemblymembers Mervyn Dymally, Noreen Evans, Dave Jones, Tim Leslie, Lloyd Levine, Alan Nakanishi, Roger Niello, George Plescia and Lois Wolk

Sacramento Mayor Heather Fargo and Sacramento City Councilmembers Steve Cohn, Robert King Fong, Lauren Hammond, Kevin McCarty, Bonnie Pannell, Ray Tretheway and Robbie Waters

Sacramento City Manager Robert Thomas

Sacramento Chief of Police Albert Najera

Sacramento County Supervisors Illa Collin, Roger Dickinson, Roberta MacGlashan, Don Nottoli and Susan Peters

Sacramento County Sheriff Lou Blanas

Sacramento County District Attorney Jan Scully

Sacramento County Assessor Kenneth D. Stieger

Placer County Supervisors Ted Gaines, Jim Holmes, Bruce Kranz, Bill Santucci and Robert Weygandt

Mayors Christopher Cabaldon, West Sacramento; Ken Cooley, Rancho Cordova; Gina Garbolino, Roseville; Daniel Briggs, Elk Grove, Darryl Clare, Galt; Tom Cosgrove, Lincoln; and Alice Dowdin, Auburn

Jacki Cottingim, Superintendent, Woodland Joint Unified School District

Steve Farrar, Superintendent, Natomas Unified School District

John Gesek, former NFL Player

David Gordon, Superintendent, Sacramento County Office of Education

Michael Gualco, Downey, Brand Attorneys

David Hosley, President and General Manager of KVIE

William H. Lee, Publisher, Sacramento Observer

Randy E. Paragary, Owner, Paragary Restaurants

Frank Porter, Superintendent, Rio Linda School District

Raul Rodriguez, President, San Joaquin Delta College

Sylvia Ruiz, President, Sacramento County Board of Education

Darrell Steinberg, former California State Assemblyman

Scott Syphax, President and CEO, Nehemiah Corporation

Fred and Nancy Teichert, the Teichert Foundation

Angelo Tsakopoulos, Chairman, AKT Development

Roger J. Valine, President and CEO, Vision Service Plan

Carla Vasquez., Founder and President, CV Logistics

The Gala was a financial boost to the University in its own right. The first-time event more than paid for itself by bringing in well more than $100,000 from individuals and corporate sponsors. Twenty-seven sponsors contributed $2,500 to more than $10,000. Those sponsors included:

Premier sponsors

Capital Public Radio
Comcast
Sacramento Magazines Corporation
The Family of Alex and Faye Spanos
Angelo and Sofia Tsakopoulos and Family

Green and Gold sponsors

Placer Ranch
Teichert, Inc.
TMCS, Inc.

Event sponsors
Airco Mechanical, Inc./Unger Construction
CH2M Hill
CPS Human Resource Services
CV Logistics
Judith D’Amico and Cecil Wetsel
Eppie’s Great Race Foundation
Java City, Macias, Gini & Co., LLP
McClatchy Insurance Agency
Mumm Napa
Nehemiah Corporation of America
Osaki Design
Pepsi Bottling Company
Placer County Office of Economic Development
Sacramento Region Sports Education Foundation
SKK Developments and JAS Developments, Inc.,
Steltzner Vineyards
Sysco Food Services of Sacramento
USAA
Vision Service Plan