CSUB Foundation elects chair

Foundation welcomes community leaders as directors

By California State University, Bakersfield

September 10^th, 2019

The CSUB Foundation Board of Directors, which recently recorded a banner year in fundraising, has elected retired Kern County Administrative Officer, CSU Bakersfield double alumnus and Alumni Hall of Fame member John Nilon as chair, and welcomes to the board two respected, innovative Valley leaders in the fields of energy and medicine.

Mr. Nilon succeeds longtime CSUB champion and Bakersfield business leader Sheryl Barbich.

“It is a tremendous privilege to lead a board whose directors have demonstrated such passion and commitment to the university,” Mr. Nilon said. “This board has accomplished so much on behalf of students, and we have a long list of distinguished community leaders to thank for starting that momentum. With the board’s continued dedication and with the partnership of President Zelezny, we will work toward our singular mission: to support CSUB students in reaching their full potential, for themselves, their families and the region we call home.”

Bringing their vast expertise to the CSUB Foundation Board are new members Dr. Ravi Patel, founder of the Comprehensive Blood & Cancer Center, and William P. (Billy) Lacobie Jr., vice president of Chevron’s San Joaquin Valley Business Unit.

“We are honored to welcome Dr. Patel and Mr. Lacobie,” Mr. Nilon said. “They represent the highest level of achievement in their respective fields, and we are fortunate they are sharing their insights and wisdom with us. Energy and medicine are two key areas of study at CSUB, and so much of our region’s promise and prosperity depend on the opportunities for our students in those sectors.”

Dr. Ravi Patel is a true visionary in the treatment of cancer patients in Kern County through the Comprehensive Blood & Cancer Center, a state-of-the-art hub for patients seeking cutting-edge clinical trials, compassionate care and key affiliations with other health-care innovators like UCLA and Dignity Health. Dr. Patel opened his Bakersfield practice in 1984 and it eventually evolved into CBCC, the largest freestanding comprehensive cancer center on the West Coast.

“I am thankful for the opportunity to be a part of such a talented and dedicated board,” Dr. Patel said. “Congratulations to Mr. John Nilon for his well-deserved new leadership role. I am excited to work with him and the board to help make a difference in our community through the students and faculty at CSUB. It has also been beautiful to see how President Zelezny continues to inspire students to become great leaders with the education and culture she is creating at CSUB.”