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The Fresno Regional Foundation board of directors, a distinguished group of civic leaders, represents the diverse public interests in the San Joaquin Valley region. As individuals, they give unselfishly of their own time and expertise without compensation. Together, they help to identify emerging issues and ensure that the Foundation’s programs are both effective and accountable.
Involved community leaders
Jeff Jaech brings to the Foundation his many years of experience as a trusts and estates attorney with Fresno’s Baker, Manock & Jensen, PC, where he is also the managing partner. Jeff serves as a member of the executive committee of the California State Bar’s Trusts & Estates Section. He recently completed a 13-year term on the board of Fresno Area Crime Stoppers, including about four years as chair. Jeff is married to Rebecca, and they have two sons and a daughter.
Bill is married to the former Elizabeth S. Tripp. Bill and Betsy have been blessed with four beautiful daughters and eight grandchildren. They agree, “the Central Valley has been a great place to raise a family,” and have always been involved in their faith community and the community at large. Bill graduated from Fresno State University, Fresno and served his country for 30 years in the California Air National Guard/United States Air Force. For the past decade, Bill has served as the development director and the communications director for the Diocese of Fresno. Bill’s goal in serving on the Fresno Regional Foundation board is to promote philanthropy in the Central Valley.
Fausto has worked professionally in the accounting field since graduating from California State University, Fresno in 1990. He became a Certified Public Accountant in 1994 and a shareholder with Price, Paige & Company in 1997. He is a member of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners and currently directs all audit and forensic consulting engagements for Price, Paige & Company. His practice is limited to nonprofit and governmental auditing, and to fraud investigation and litigation support services. In addition, Fausto is an adjunct professor at Fresno Pacific University and teaches the Principles of Auditing course. Fausto's areas of audit expertise include: promises to give for major fundraising campaigns, grant and contract administration/compliance, computer-based financial systems, and internal controls. Fausto is a frequent lecturer to the California Society of CPAs and other professional organizations, business and civic groups on preventative fraud measures, the application of current audit and accounting pronouncements, and the unique audit requirements for federal award programs under the Single Audit Act.
A native, life-time resident of Fresno, Don graduated from CSU Fresno and the Graduate School for Savings and Loans at Indiana University. For more than twenty years he was an executive in the savings and loan industry and was president of Financial Savings from 1985 to 1990. A successful entrepreneur, he is currently vice president of MJ Construction, vice president of Mission Homes, vice president of Adobe Financial Corporation and president of Schafer Associates. Mr. Schafer is a self-avowed philanthropist whose principals of social entrepreneurship reflect not only his business success, but his generosity. His numerous community service activities include volunteer work with CSUF, Economic Development Corporation and the Chamber of Commerce. He and his wife Alice have two children.
Angie has a long and distinguished career in public service. She received an associate's degree in liberal arts from Fresno City College and a B.A. and a M.S.W. from CSU Fresno, where she was also employed from 1971 until her retirement in 2001. She currently serves on the Fresno Zoological Society and Central California Blood Center boards of directors. She has been honored as a Top Professional Woman of the Year, Distinguished Alumnus of the Year, Outstanding Services to the Community by the Attorney General, State of California, and numerous other appointments and recognitions. There are few segments of our community who have not benefited from Angie’s commitment to serving the people of Fresno.
As a civic leader, Mr. Cucuk has served on many boards and contributed his time, talent and treasure to this community. He has been a commissioner of the California Air National Guard and the Selective Service System since 1992. As former president of the Fresno County Farm Bureau, he continues to serve on that board of directors. He has been president or chair of the following organizations: Sanger Lions Club, Sanger Unified School District board of trustees, Fresno County Planning Commission and the Fresno County and City Chamber of Commerce Agriculture Council. Walt has dedicated time to the Fresno District Fair and as a Little League baseball coach. Mr. Cucuk was recently elected to his second term of office on the Fresno Regional Foundation board of directors.
A fourth generation Fresnan, Joan is proud to be carrying on the Guarantee tradition started by her grandfather in 1919. Joan is owner/broker of Guarantee Real Estate and Home Loans, along with her husband and business partner, Paul Gibson. These companies employ over 500 associates and staff in 16 offices, providing real estate services to homeowners throughout the central San Joaquin Valley. Joan was away from Fresno for several years earning a B.A. from Stanford University and an M.A. and M.B.A. from UCLA. She and Paul returned to Fresno to start a family, which now includes three lovely daughters. In addition to her board position with Fresno Regional Foundation, Joan has served as a trustee for St. Agnes Medical Center, a director of the Economic Development Corporation serving Fresno County, trustee emeritus of the Fresno Metropolitan Museum, and she currently serves on the board of the Great Fresno Area Chamber of Commerce.
James learned early in life the value of philanthropy through his father’s example of generosity and concern for others. A lifetime resident of the San Joaquin Valley, James graduated from Clovis High School and CSU Fresno. He has been married to his high school sweetheart Coke for 50 years. They worked hard to raise a family and build a business, the Hallowell Chevrolet Company. Together they dedicated years of service and financial support to many organizations that serve the betterment of the community. As leading philanthropists in our region, Coke and James continue their good works and set a standard for philanthropic giving that inspire others to do likewise.
Judge Hill received a B.S. in business administration, an M.B.A from CSU Fresno and his J.D. degree from University of California, Hastings College of Law. He specialized in civil litigation with McCormick, Barstow, Sheppard, Wayte & Carruth before his appointment to the Municipal Court in 1991 by Governor Deukmejian. This was followed by the appointment to the Superior Court in 1998 by Governor Wilson, and in 2006 Governor Schwarzenegger appointed Judge Hill to the Court of Appeals, Fifth Appellate District. Judge Hill's service includes work with the following: Judicial Council of California, California Facilities Transitional Task Force, California Judicial Education Program, Fresno County Court Facilities Foundation board of directors, California Judge's Association and Hastings College of Law Alumni board of directors.
Founder and president of Horstmann Financial and Insurance Services, Inc., John has an estimable record of community service in Fresno. His extensive volunteer and community work includes service on such boards as the St. Agnes Medical Center, Fresno Metropolitan Museum and the CSUF Foundation. He graduated from CSU, Fresno and later was conferred the Chartered Life Underwriter and Chartered Financial Consultant. John’s wife Lollie is treasurer of the Corporation and his children John H. Horstmann and Katherine Huebert are active in the business and serve as vice presidents. John received the Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser Award in 2005 from the Association of Fundraising Professionals and has been honored by many of his peers with numerous professional accolades.
Chris has a distinguished record of community service, including her years as a board member of Fresno Regional Foundation, where she presided as chairman of the board in 1985. In recognition of her immense contribution to philanthropy, Chris is the first member to be elected as an emeritus board member. She has a lifetime of good works, including: president, Junior League of Fresno; president, San Joaquin Valley Town Hall; board member, Association for Mentally Retarded; board member, United Way of Fresno; president, Holiday Guild, Valley Children’s Hospital. A native of Madera, Chris received both her B.A. and M.A. from Stanford University. She has been married to William Rogers for 52 years and they have two children and three grandchildren.
Ray has been publisher and president of The Fresno Bee since July 2001. Ray grew up in Fresno County and received a bachelor of arts degree from California State University, Fresno, in 1968. He was recognized by the University in 2005 as its outstanding alumnus of the College of Arts and Humanities. Ray began his career as a reporter with The Fresno Bee. He held several positions in the Bee’s newsroom. He assumed business management positions at The Sacramento Bee in 1982, and then returned to The Fresno Bee in 1986 as general manager. In 1993, he was promoted to the company’s corporate office in Sacramento. Ray and his wife, Mary Lou, have two grown daughters who live in Fresno, four grandsons and a granddaughter. Ray serves on the boards of directors of the Fresno Business Council, the Economic Development Corporation of Fresno County and Fresno Regional Foundation. He also serves on the board of governors of the California State University, Fresno Foundation.
Mariam is president and general manager for Valley Public Radio. She was born in Selma, raised in Fresno, and graduated from California State University, Fresno. Mariam began her career writing grants for the Marjoree Mason Center, and in 1980, began her tenure at Valley Public Radio (VPR) where she worked as development director and station manager before she became president and general manager.
Mariam was honored to be invited to join the Foundation’s board of directors. “Never before have I connected with so many interesting and interested individuals. I have watched this foundation for years, and I believe what once was a small quiet community foundation is now ready to become a vital resource for the community. Fresno Regional Foundation, like VPR, is about changing the quality of life. These things appeal to my heart and intellect.”
When Mariam wants to have fun, she enjoys hot-air ballooning, entertaining, gardening and sharing time with her family. Sometimes, you can even see her on the back of her husband’s Harley.
Arthur is a professor of criminology and coordinator of the peace and conflict studies program at CSU Fresno. He received his doctor of jurisprudence at the University of Washington, School of Law and a B.A. from Washington State University. Professor Wint serves on the board of the Fresno Victim Offenders Reconciliation Program (VORP) and is a VORP mediator. In addition has served on the Ethics Committee of the Children’s Hospital Central California and the Fresno County Juvenile Justice Commission. He is currently serving as visiting scholar at the Fresno Pacific University Center for Peacemaking and Conflict Studies. In his commitment to public service, he also served for five years as a Fresno Police Department chaplain.
The second trustee to be elevated to board member emeritus, James follows in the footsteps of his father who was a founding board member of Fresno Regional Foundation. Currently a counsel with Baker, Manock, & Jensen, Attorneys at Law, James received his B.A. at the University of California, Berkeley, an M.B.A. from Stanford University and his J.D. from University of California School of Law. A long-time community activist and philanthropist, James serves on many boards including CSU Fresno Foundation, Fresno Historical Society and Saint Agnes Medical Center Foundation. James served as a captain in the U. S. Army and artillery. He and his wife, Judith, have four children.
Mr. Slater's bio to be available soon.
Ms. Tom's bio to be available soon.
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