On December 1, 2021, the Golden Gate Area Council will host the 16th Annual Distinguished Citizen Dinner at the Blackhawk Country Club in Danville, Calif. The event will feature keynote speaker Distinguished Eagle Scout Rear Admiral Thomas Cropper, and master of ceremonies Distinguished Eagle Scout Rick Pickering. The honoree for the dinner will be Fremont Bank with Mike Burton, Young and Burton, Inc. serving as the event chair.
The Distinguished Citizen Dinner has been established as a premier fundraising event. The Distinguished Citizen Award is a “lifetime achievement award” presented to our leading citizens. The Fremont Bank defines the spirit of a distinguished citizen by supporting Scouting and our community for several decades. The Fremont Bank makes our community a better place to live and work.
The Golden Gate Area Council serves 12,000 boys and girls in Alameda, Contra Costa, Lake, Napa, San Francisco, and Solano Counties.
Scouting still does what it did when it was founded 111 years ago: it builds character and values; teaches leadership skills, citizenship, and respect. It encourages self-reliance and problem solving…all, in ways that are still fun and attractive to kids.
For additional information please contact
Frank Yoke
(925) 674-6154
[email protected]
About Rear Admiral Thomas Cropper
Thomas A. Cropper is the 14th president of California State University Maritime Academy, one of the 23 campuses in the California State University system. He began his presidency on July 1, 2012 after a 31-year career in the United States Navy.
President Cropper is a graduate of Iowa State University with a degree in engineering operations and received his commission from the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps program in 1981. He was designated a naval aviator in 1982, followed by operational assignments with three aircraft carrier-based jet squadrons. He went on to serve as the commanding officer of an F/A-18 squadron and as commander of the air wing aboard USS NIMITZ. Prior to his arrival at Cal Maritime, he directed education and at-sea training for Navy ships and aviation squadrons deploying to the western Pacific and the Middle East. Throughout his Navy career, he enjoyed a number of challenging shore assignments including attendance at the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School, service in the Office of Secretary of Defense William Cohen, and as the Navy Federal Executive Fellow at the Brookings Institution. President Cropper graduated with distinction from the U.S. Naval War College earning a master’s degree in National Security and Strategic Studies. He holds additional master’s degrees from the University of Tennessee (Aviation Systems) and the Catholic University of America (World Politics). He is the recipient of the Michael Ripley Award as Naval Test Pilot School Instructor of the Year, and was also selected as the U.S. Atlantic Fleet Pilot of the Year. His military awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Meritorious Service Medal, and various service and campaign awards.
President Cropper has shepherded the academy through a period of change and renewal. A key element of his efforts has been to integrate our academy with the broader maritime profession, the California State University system, and the Solano County and City of Vallejo communities. He has served on several nonprofit boards including the US Navy League National Board of Directors, the San Francisco Marine Exchange, Vallejo Education Business Alliance, Leadership Vallejo, and California Maritime Academy Foundation. His recent awards include the New Dawn Vallejo Agent of Change award, Chamber of Commerce Spirit of Solano award, International Trade Education Programs Educator of the Year, and the Boy Scouts of America Distinguished Eagle Scout award.
President Cropper resides on the Cal Maritime campus in Vallejo, California. His two daughters attended CSU campuses and his son is a Class of 2012 alumnus of California State University Maritime Academy.
About Rick Pickering
Chief Executive Officer of the California Exposition & State Fair in Sacramento, CA, which hosts more than 3,000,000 patrons each year. He is a national Distinguished Eagle Scout, served as President of the San Francisco Bay Area Council, and holds many prestigious Scouting awards. In addition to being a Hall of Fame Member in the Western Fairs Association, he is a sought-after speaker on Community & Government Relations, and he has Chaired seven separate industry Boards. He is a Trustee at William Jessup University, an Ordained Elder, and is involved in benevolent activities around the world. He holds a Master’s Degree from the University of Southern California, and a Bachelor’s Degree from Biola University. He and Dawn have been happily married for 39 years and all three of their sons are also Eagle Scouts.
About Fremont Bank
Fremont Bank is the only locally-owned, family-owned bank in the Bay Area. We’re in the business of empowering financial well-being, whether you’re opening a first savings account or building a complex portfolio of investments and loans. With 21 branches across the region and robust digital banking experiences, we proudly provide top-notch service alongside our retail and commercial bank, mortgage lending, and wealth management products and services.
Founded by Morris Hyman in 1964, Fremont Bank is an award-winning philanthropic business and consistently ranks in Bay Area News Group’s “Top Bay Area Workplaces.” Our community reputation is hard earned, and we’ve stayed committed to the long-term prosperity of the communities we serve. We take supporting our clients and our community to heart, and we’re so glad to be here with you. Mr. Hyman was a consistent advocate of the Boy Scouts, and we continue to support this great organization in his honor.
Past Chairmen and Honorees Chairman
| Year | Chairman | Honoree |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Stephen D. Bechtel, Jr, Chairman, Retired Bechtel Group, Inc. | Richard N. Goldman, President Richard & Rhoda Goldman Foundation |
| 2006 | Alan M. Dachs, President & CEO Fremont Group | The Honorable George P. Shultz Former US Secretary of State |
| 2007 | David J. O’Reilly, Chairman Chevron Corporation | Stephen D. Bechtel, Jr. |
| 2008 | T. Gary Rogers, Chairman & CEO Dryers Ice Cream | William F. “Rick” Cronk, President Dryers Ice Cream |
| 2009 | Ronald M. Sabraw, Judge Alameda County Superior Court | Chuck Smith, President & CEO AT&T West |
| 2010 | Riley P. Bechtel, Chairman Bechtel Group, Inc. | Alan M. Dachs, President & CEO Fremont Group |
| 2011 | Andrew J. Ball, President Webcor Builders | Conrad Hewitt, Chief Accountant Securities and Exchange Commission |
| 2012 | Richard S. Kopf, Managing Director Fremont Group | The Honorable Howard Leach Former Ambassador to France |
| 2013 | David O’Reilly, Chairman Chevron Corporation | The Honorable Dr. Robert Gates Former Secretary of Defense |
| 2014 | Alan Hyman, Chairman Fremont Bank | Dr. Robert Ballard International Explorer |
| 2015 | Keith Baranowski, Vice President SAP | Randall L. Stephenson, Chairman AT&T, Inc. |
| 2016 | Mario Alioto, Exec. Vice President San Francisco Giants | Lloyd Dean, President & CEO Dignity Health |
| 2017 | William Y. Tauscher, Exec. Chairman Blackhawk Network Holdings | Robert Edwards, Director Target, Talentsky and Blackhawk Network Holdings |
| 2018 | John Verdoia, Senior Vice President Bank of San Francisco | Chris Meany, Managing Partner Wilson Meany |
| 2019 | J. Robert Coleman BSA Foundation | Roger Carter, Managing Partner Sepio Capital, LLC |
| 2020 | The event was not held due to COVID-19 |
About Distinguished Eagle Scout Award
The Distinguished Eagle Scout Award (DESA) was established in 1969 to acknowledge Eagle Scouts who have received extraordinary national-level recognition, fame, or demonstrated eminence within their field, and have a strong record of voluntary service to their community. It is NESA’s highest honor.
