A Message from President Morishita: Inside East Bay, November 2019
- November 1, 2019
Cal State East Bay has a legacy of excellence. Whether it is our current students, faculty, staff or alumni, I am always proud of the work we do to make our communities and the world a better place. During Pioneer Weekend, we celebrated the accomplishments of our East Bay alumni in several events.
At our recent Distinguished Alumni Awards Gala, we recognized the following exceptional Pioneers for their excellence as visionaries, change agents and leaders: Sarah Toyloy, Karen Oliver, Ken Kahrs and James Hannan. Each of them has made significant contributions to their communities as well as their profession and are examples of the important work we are doing here at Cal State East Bay.
Sara Toyloy is the president and new therapies and chief regulatory officer at Elixir Medical Corporation, where she successfully achieved approval from the FDA in record time for one of their life saving medical devices. Karen Oliver is the CEO and founder of her public relations agency Karen Oliver and Associates and has spent decades using beauty to empower other women. Ken Kahrs rose through the ranks at Universal Studios to serve as the vice president of human resources and under his leadership, transformed diversity and equity through hiring and training while expanding important parental leave and child-care benefits. James Hannan, a CEO and executive vice president of Koch Industries, not only leads several large companies but is also working to ensure Atlanta police and the community work together to create a safer city. I encourage all of you to read more about their achievements in .
As part of Forever Pioneer Weekend, the Athletics department held its annual Hall of Fame banquet. Founded in 1985, the Athletics Hall of Fame recognizes Pioneers who have demonstrated outstanding athletic, academic or post-graduate achievements and have made significant contributions to the university and the East Bay community. Inductees to the Hall of Fame this year included Kenny Bayless (Men’s Track and Field), Danielle Stines (Softball), Debby De Angelis (former Athletic Director) and the 1988 Women’s Soccer Team. Congratulations to these new outstanding individuals on their induction to the Hall of Fame.
During the same weekend, we also hosted a luncheon for students who receive scholarships and the donors who help support them. The event left me inspired and proud of the commitment our university community has made to ensure students have the tools and resources they need to succeed.
Lastly, I hope you were able to attend the annual Staff Recognition Awards Nov. 1. One of my favorite events of the year, we congratulated and celebrated the service of staff members to Cal State East Bay.