Capacity audience gathers for 2024 alumni awards honoring 10

With a diversity of backgrounds and life pathways, the 10 honored individuals are connected through their roles as alumni of La Sierra University and were honored for their achievements during the 2024 Recognition Banquet and Alumni Awards Ceremony. The festive occasion was among first events that kicked off alumni weekend held April 18 - 21.

A capacity audience filled an elaborately decorated Troesh Conference Center at the Zapara School of Business in celebration of two alumni each, a Rising Star alumnus and an Honored Alumnus, from the College of Arts & Sciences, the H.M.S. Richards Divinity School, the School of Education and the business school. Sacred performances later in the evening were provided by the La Sierra University Chamber Singers under Dr. Ariel Quintana.

Two additional alumni, Dr. John Thomas, dean of the business school, and his wife, Kimberly Borg Thomas were recognized as Alumni of the Year. The couple met during the 1980s while students in the university's business program and were married in La Sierra's historic Matheson Chapel. Their recognition on April 19 brought the audience to their feet in a cheering standing ovation.

John Thomas holds an MBA from La Sierra received in 1988, and Kim Thomas holds a bachelor's in management earned in 1987 and an MBA received in 1994, both from La Sierra. Both the Thomas' children, Jonathan and Natasha, are recent graduates of La Sierra University and are pursuing medical careers.

John 'Johnny' Thomas also holds a Master of Arts and Ph.D. received from Claremont Graduate University as well as a bachelor's in zoology and an MBA in marketing earned respectively from Andhra University and top-ranked Symbiosis business school in India prior to his arrival in California. He has held the business school deanship since 1999 and is the school's Bashir Hasso Professor of Entrepreneurship and Political Economy. Through relationship-building with business and community members and alumni, he progressed the business school's processes and programming to achieve an enrollment high of nearly 500 students; he led fundraising efforts toward the development and construction of the two-story, 60,200-square-foot Zapara School of Business which opened in 2013 and which serves as a striking landmark near the campus entrance.

He secured the university's first endowed chair and has contributed in a transformative manner to enhancing La Sierra's strategic position, including through the raising of funds supporting its programs. As a young faculty member, John mentored the students who founded La Sierra's Students in Free Enterprise chapter, later called Enactus, which focused on entrepreneurial economic and educational empowerment of marginalized communities. He guided successive cohorts of the chapter's leaders as they earned international recognition for La Sierra by winning seven national trophies and two world cups, as well as 21 final-four finalist placements in national competitive events.

A cofounder of NASDAQ-listed Genelux Corporation, Thomas has been a member of its board of directors since 2002. He also serves on the boards of other organizations including Icon Business Bank, ADRA International; the Small Business Development Corporation of Orange County; Loma Linda Broadcasting Network; radio station KSGN; and the TransResearch Consortium, an international think tank. His professional awards include a Zapara Award for teaching excellence, a Leavey Award from the Freedoms Foundation, and a Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce Hero Award for Community Leadership.

Kim Thomas worked as a financial analyst at General Dynamics and the Loma Linda University-Center for Molecular Biology and Gene Therapy and a sales representative for Chemsearch. Through her extensive network she has facilitated multiple ventures, including the establishment of Genelux. Beginning in 1996, she focused on raising her children, empowering and inspiring them toward creating positive impact and achievement. As a believer in and product of Adventist education, Kim has served as a member of the Loma Linda Academy board, as Loma Linda Academy Home and School leader, as co-chair and co-creator of the successful Loma Linda Academy Family Volunteer night benefitting multiple local charities, as a member of the Southeastern California Conference education board, and as a member of the La Sierra University Department of Music advisory council.

"John and Kimberly Thomas exemplify La Sierra University's commitment to excellence and service," said La Sierra University Interim President Richard Osborn in introducing the Thomas', their histories and impacts. Osborn noted that John Thomas was one of the first individuals he met when Osborn arrived last fall to serve as interim president. "I wanted to get his advice and for years he had been arguing for certain things. And I can tell you that the plan that we implemented for the next two years is largely as an outgrowth of your major ideas," Osborn said to Thomas.

"I want to thank you both for your enthusiastic support of this university," Osborn concluded, "when you can trust your own children to this institution, it says a lot about the institution. We want to thank you tonight for being a beacon light for this institution, a beacon light of excellence, a beacon light of innovation, of entrepreneurship, of trusting your kids to this place and Kim for your strong support of everything this institution stands for. What a couple you have been. We're really honored to give both of you this award tonight."

"When I came to this campus following my older brother who was also here at the time, it felt like home," said Kim Thomas in her remarks. "Johnny and I met here. Elsie Acevedo who's here tonight, it's because of her that we met at the bursar's office. This is our home, these are our friends, our family. This what God has blessed is with, lifelong friendships that we have, because of this school, because of this place. …Thank you, all of you for supporting and loving each of us. We are honored to be a part of this institution."

John Thomas noted that his La Sierra journey began in 1986 when Acevedo took a chance and hired him as an assistant student cashier. "The last 35 years we had the opportunity to inspire a generation of Adventist business students to believe that they were among the best."

Thomas noted the impact and inspiration of Adventist philanthropists Tom and Vi Zapara for whom the business building is named and that of his team of faculty and leaders at the school. "We can all be proud of an incredible business school with academic rigor that I could then entrust with my own children."

Thomas recalled his own life story that began in 1958 in Nuzvid, India, and the miraculous intervention of an Adventist missionary doctor from Loma Linda named Elizabeth Hiscox. Her round-the-clock care over three days during his infancy while he struggled with a serious medical condition saved his life. The story of Hiscox's dedication to him influenced Thomas throughout his life and drove home the importance of serving others. "What brings us together is the power of service. She's written in my heart. I owe my life to her. She served 40 years at Nuzvid and my brother and I are here because of people like her. And I promised her that I will serve somewhere," he said.

"It's been a joy to be part of this community," concluded Thomas. "This is home for me."

Awards were also presented by leadership from the three schools and college as follows:

• College of Arts & Sciences, Rising Star, award-winning international concert pianist Jonathan Mamora '17; Honored Alumnus, Dr. Alison Rice '96, chair of the Department of Romance Languages and Literatures at the University of Notre Dame and the Dr. William M. Scholl Professor of French and Francophone Studies.

• H.M.S. Richards Divinity School, Rising Star, Cherise Gardner '07, Associate Pastor, Southern California Conference of Seventh-day Adventists; Honored Alumnus, Leo Ranzolin, Sr. '58, former youth ministries director and vice president for the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.

• Tom & Vi Zapara School of Business, Rising Star, Richard C. Patchett '12,'14', and '15, Director of Finance, real estate strategy and operations, Providence St. Joseph Health; Honored Alumnus, Brett Walls '96, Assistant Vice President for Ambulatory Services, Loma Linda University Children's Hospital.

• School of Education, Rising Star, Heidi Jorgensen '19, Superintendent of Education for the Nevada-Utah Conference of Seventh-day Adventists; Honored Alumnus, Steve Hemenway '02, '04, '12, Riverside City Councilmember Ward 7, La Sierra University Church Director of Finance.