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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Campanile Foundation Names Five New Board Members
SDSU's Philanthropic Foundation Hopes to Continue Record-Setting Pace

SAN DIEGO, Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2001 - San Diego State University has added five individuals to the board of The Campanile Foundation, including a co-founder of QUALCOMM Inc. and the chief aide to former Gov. Pete Wilson.

The new members of SDSU's philanthropic foundation are Dee Coffman of the QUALCOMM board of directors, Thomas E. Darcy of Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), Ronald H. Kendrick of Union Bank of Southern California and Bob White of California Strategies. SDSU student Malerie McNeill also joins the board.

"It's most gratifying to be able to engage our very successful alumni in the strategic growth of The Campanile Foundation," said Theresa M. Mendoza, foundation CEO and vice president of University Advancement.

The Campanile Foundation is the university's philanthropic foundation for securing and managing private gifts. It helped SDSU set an institutional fund-raising record in 2000-01 with $42.1 million, which included an 89 percent increase over the previous year's dollars for support of academic, faculty and student-oriented programs.

The four executives will serve three-year terms on the board ending in 2004, and the student representative will serve a one-year term. The Campanile Foundation board now has 24 members, led by Chairman Ron L. Fowler, president and CEO of Liquid Investments, Inc. The foundation was instituted two years ago.

"I'm proud to be a member of The Campanile Foundation," said White, a two-time SDSU Alumnus of the Year. "SDSU is a dynamic institution that's making a difference in the community as it educates its students."

Here's a look at the new members:

Dee Coffman earned her B.S. in accounting from SDSU in 1976 and rose in the ranks at the technology firm Linkabit to the position of controller. She then helped co-found QUALCOMM in 1985, where she served as its chief financial officer, vice president and senior vice president. She currently serves as a financial services consultant. Coffman has served as a director of QUALCOMM since 1992. She is active in and an owner of Oregon Diverse Industries LLC, a real-estate investment and development company.

Thomas E. Darcy graduated from SDSU in 1973 with a B.S. in business administration as an accounting major. He practiced public accounting with Price Waterhouse through September 2000. He joined SAIC in October 2000 as executive vice president and chief financial officer. He is currently a member of the SDSU College of Business Administration's board of directors and was recently nominated to receive the college's Distinguished Alumnus award at the 2002 Monty's Award ceremony.

Ronald H. Kendrick is executive vice president and head of all branch-banking operations for Union Bank of Southern California's state branch networks. He received a B.A. in economics and an MBA in finance from SDSU. The SDSU College of Business Administration honored him as its 1984 Distinguished Alumnus of the Year.

Bob White graduated from SDSU in 1965 with a B.A. in journalism/political science. Following his service in the U.S. Coast Guard, White assumed the position of chief of staff for then-state Assemblyman Pete Wilson in 1968. White served as chief of staff for Wilson during his terms as mayor of San Diego, U.S. senator and California governor. Upon leaving state service in 1997, White launched California Strategies, a public affairs consulting firm.

Malerie McNeill is the university affairs coordinator with the SDSU Associated Students and is a member of the Associated Students President's Cabinet. She is an undergraduate student in the College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts.

San Diego State University is the oldest and largest higher education institution in the San Diego region. Since it was founded in 1897, SDSU has grown to offer bachelor's degrees in 78 areas, master's degrees in 61 areas and doctorates in 13. SDSU's more than 33,000 students participate in academic curricula distinguished by direct contact with faculty and an increasing international emphasis that prepares them for a global future. For more information log on to www.sdsu.edu.

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