George Leis: Recipient of the 2014 Robert J. Lagomarsino Award
By Marya Barlow
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You wouldnāt expect a busy regional bank executive serving on eight boards to volunteer forālet alone chairāanother one. But after admiring CI from the sidelines, George Leis enthusiastically approached President Richard Rush to offer his help.
āAs a former president at Santa Barbara Bank & Trust and now at Union Bank, I interface with universities all over Southern California,ā Leis said. āI grew very impressed with Dr. Rushās vision and all that heās been able to accomplish. What I see at CI is lightning in a bottle. When I go on campus, the enthusiasm from everyoneāfaculty, students, staff, administratorsāis infectious.ā
As chair of the CI Foundation Board since 2012 and a member since 2009, Leis is spreading the enthusiasm. Under his leadership, the Board has added ardent new advocates, expanded community support, and helped shape the Universityās future.
āCI can fulfill studentsā dreams of being educated to live and work in Ventura County, as well as local businessesā needs for a world-class workforce,ā Leis said. āWe need a viable university in our community so we can create a better life for everyone.ā
Leis emphasizes that canāt happen without donors since state funds arenāt enough to cover corresponding growth in campus housing, instructional space, academic and athletic programs, and other priorities like a childcare facility and a campus and community events center.
āOne of CIās unique advantages is an abundance of land and an entrepreneurial leadership,ā he said. āWe can accomplish a lot through public-private partnership. Thatās one proven way CI has been able to build the campus and also provide ongoing revenue to support continued growth.ā
Leis knows a great deal about revenue and growth. Currently the national sales manager for Union Bankās Private Bank, he previously held roles as president of Union Bankās Central Coast region and president and CEO of Pacific Capital Bancorp, a $7 billion in assets community bank holding company with over 1,000 employees and 47 branches. Heās used his expertise to help charities and universities, including CSU Northridgeās (CSUN) Foundation Board, Union Bank Foundation and the Channel Islands YMCA, to name a few.
The son of a University of California, Los Angeles elevator engineer, Leis gained an early appreciation for college by shadowing his father around campus. A 1981 CSUN graduate, he credits two professors for helping him land a paid internship that led to his first job. As he rose through the banking world, he never forgot the role CSU played in his success.
On Oct. 18, more than 350 people joined to salute Leis at the 15th Annual Presidentās Dinner in Westlake Village. Leis became the 19th recipient of the Robert J. Lagomarsino Award, presented each year to an eminent CI supporter and named for the U.S. congressman and state senator who was a major proponent of the University.
Though Leis considers the award āhumbling,ā thereās one annual event thatās even more fulfilling.
āWhen I attend Commencement and see students who are first in their family to earn a degree and their relatives bursting with pride, thatās when I say, āMission accomplished,āā he said. āThatās when I know weāre delivering on that promise of a better future for Ventura County.ā
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Ā© Fall 2014 / Volume 18 / Number 2