Hospice of Santa Barbara has named Tom Sturgess to its Board of Directors. Sturgess brings leadership experience and business acumen to the position.
He achieved honors at California State University, a masters in business administration at Harvard Business School, then went to Ernst and Young as a CPA and consultant for its national headquarters.
He served as an acting platoon leader with the U.S. Marines in Vietnam as well as a fire apparatus engineer for the California Division of Forestry.
Prior to his immigration to New Zealand in 1996, Sturgess was a founder of Wingate Partners and held chairman and CEO positions at United Stationers Inc., Redman Industries Inc., and RBP Holdings Inc.
He was also president of the distribution division of Swift Independent Corp, the second largest U.S. meat processor at the time, as well as executive chairman of A&R Whitcoulls Group Holdings Pty Limited, Australasia’s largest book retailer.
Sturgess currently serves as executive chairman and co-owner of Blue Star Print Holdings, New Zealand’s largest commercial print conglomerate, and executive chairman of the Tiri Group, a New Zealand-based manufacturing company.
He serves as a Board Member for the Golden Bay Community Trust, Mercury Capital Ltd Private Equity Fund, High Health Alliance and Direct Relief International.
“I am honored to serve on Hospice of Santa Barbara’s Board of Directors,” Sturgess said. “Hospice of Santa Barbara is a tremendous resource, for those experiencing grief at any stage of life, and for our entire community to navigate together through the challenges of community loss.”
“We welcome Tom Sturgess and the experience he brings in so many important areas including his corporate leadership, his tour of service for our country, his global perspective and compassion for people working together to make organizations successful at any scale,” said David Selberg, Hospice of Santa Barbara CEO.
For more information about Hospice of Santa Barbara, including volunteer opportunities, call 563-8820 or visit www.hospiceofsantabarbara.org.
— Caitlin Trude for Hospice of Santa Barbara.