Chair's Message

I have had the honor of serving on the boards of many wonderful nonprofit organizations over the years. But, I must admit, there was something special about returning to my alma mater as the inaugural chair of the CSULB 49er Foundation. The creation of a philanthropic foundation was the most significant step the university could take to strengthen its fundraising capacity, and it has been gratifying to see this growth firsthand. Along the way, I have been impressed and inspired by the unflagging dedication of my fellow board members. They have worked diligently to maximize private giving to the university and to manage donated resources for the benefit of the entire Beach family. I am proud to highlight some of those accomplishments:

  • Selection of an Outsourced Chief Investment Officer, Graystone Consulting (part of Morgan Stanley), to provide day-to-day management of our investment portfolio.
  • Creation of a more efficient and effective process for distributing scholarship funds through Beach Scholarships, the campus’s new scholarship-management system.
  • Adoption of a Socially Responsible Investment Policy which encourages investment in well-managed corporations providing beneficial goods and services that align with the university’s values of diversity, sustainability, and innovation.
  • Record Endowment Growth, from $44 million in June 2012 to$77 million in June 2018.

As I prepare to relinquish my chairmanship, I do so with the knowledge that our stakeholders are in the best possible hands: our very capable, very experienced board is wholeheartedly committed to expanding the university’s base of private support and to providing wise oversight of our investments and fundraising policies and procedures. The future is bright, indeed!

Sincerely,

Beverly O’Neill ’52, ’57
Board Chair
(2012-2018)