CSUDH Athletics Taps into Area Businesses at Inaugural Luncheon
Twenty businesses treated to informative and fun-filled April 7 event
April 11, 2006

CSUDH Athletics Director Patrick Guillen addresses area businesses at the Inaugural Athletics Luncheon, with photo of “CSUDH Athletics: On Our Way Up” as backdrop

CSUDH men’s basketball head coach Damaine Powell (far left) chats with area businesses about the benefits of partnering with Toros Athletics

CSUDH Marketing & Promotions Coordinator Alonzo Green (left) discusses sponsorship packages with Oscar Favela and an associate from Contractors’ Warehouse, just one of the 20 businesses to attend the event

CSUDH Vice President of Student Affairs Dr. Boice Bowman welcomes the businesses to the luncheon

A display table showcasing Toros Athletics uniforms and media guides

L-R: CSUDH President James E. Lyons, Sr., CSUDH Athletics Director Patrick Guillen, South Bay Daily Breeze National Account Manager Deb Ruiz, CSUDH Vice President of Student Affairs Boice Bowman, DoubleTree General Manager Eric Roiko.

Carson, CA -- Twenty businesses from the Carson and surrounding areas attended the Cal State Dominguez Hills Athletics Inaugural Business Luncheon last Friday in an effort geared towards partnering Toros Athletics with businesses surrounding the CSUDH campus.

“Today's luncheon was an excellent opportunity for us to acquaint the local business community with our outstanding Athletics Program and the value it brings to the lives of our student-athletes, the University and the community at large,” begins Boice Bowman, CSUDH Vice President of Student Affairs. “Their on-going support for our program is an excellent investment that will continue to pay dividends both now and for years to come.”

Hosted by new Toros Athletics corporate sponsor the DoubleTree Hotel, Carson Civic Plaza, the businesses, members of CSUDH Athletics, along with Dr. Bowman and CSUDH President James E. Lyons, Sr. were treated to lunch, speeches and presentations on CSUDH Athletics, highlighting both the athletic and academic successes of its student-athletes and the benefits all businesses would garner as partners of CSUDH Athletics.

Current Toros men’s soccer goalkeeper Kyle Polak, former men’s soccer player and current Toro assistant coach Sean Lockhart and former women’s basketball player Trimeka Jackson shared their stories with the contingent, and were followed by Deb Ruiz, the National Account Manager for the South Bay Daily Breeze, and Eric Roiko, the General Manager for the DoubleTree, two current partners of Toros Athletics.

“I was very pleased with the turnout of our local business community today,” begins Patrick Guillen, CSUDH Athletics Director. “We will continue to become a more consistent presence to our area business partners as we strive to be the ‘communiversity’ for the South Bay and create mutually beneficial partnerships.

“We cannot continue to be one of the top level NCAA collegiate programs without their help, and it is their investment that is the key ingredient to the development and future success of our student-athletes as they graduate and become productive members of our society.”

Amongst the current and hopeful future partners attending the luncheon included: BTX Air Express, Busy Lady Fitness Center, Carson Chamber of Commerce, Civic Travel, Commerce West Bank, Contractors' Warehouse, Daily Breeze, DoubleTree Hotel, El-Com System Solutions, Island Wireless, Myers-Stevens & Toohey, New Century Properties and Investments, Inc., Pinnacle Financial Corporation, RD Tax Services, Sam's Club, Trusperity Acquisition Corporation, Venturi Staffing, Subway, Watson Land Company and Wells Fargo Home Mortgage.

For additional information on our luncheon and sponsorship opportunities, contact CSUDH Athletics Coordinator of Special Projects Deann Schlobohm at 310.243.2586 and/or CSUDH Athletics Marketing and Promotions Coordinator Alonzo Green at 310.243.3523.