Laureate Biographies
Ted Balestreri
Chairman/CEO, the Cannery Row Company
Chairman/CEO & CoFounder, the Sardine Factory
In 1957, Ted and his family moved from Brooklyn, NY to the Monterey Peninsula. A 1958 graduate of Carmel High, he attended Monterey Peninsula College and graduated from Lewis Hotel Management School in Wash., D.C. in 1961. July 1991, he was one of the first to receive the Foodservice Management Professional (FMP) certification from the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF).
He formed a partnership in 1968 and opened the Sardine Factory Restaurant in the Cannery Row area of Monterey. He is Chairman and CEO of the Cannery Row Company, and Chairman/CEO and Co-Founder of the Sardine Factory. Additionally, Pacific Hospitality, incorporated in 1983 and until 2007, held the franchise rights for Wendy's International, covering a tri-county area in Northern California.
Past Pres. of the National Restaurant Association (NRA) (1985-86), California Restaurant Association (1983-84), and Monterey County Hospitality Assoc. (1974-75). Chairman of the NRAEF (1990-91); Chairman of the U.S. Culinary Team Foundation (1989-1992) established by the NRA and American Culinary Federation; 1992-93 Chairman on the Board of the Int’l Gold & Silver Plate Society (IFMA); Chairman of (DiRoNA) Distinguished Restaurants of North America (1992-1994); Honorary Doctorate of Bus. Admin. Degree in Hospitality Mgt. from Johnson and Wales Univ. in 1987.
In 1985, appointed by Gov. Deukmejian to serve as Commissioner on the California Travel and Tourism Commission- served through 2007; member of the World Travel & Tourism Council (July 1997 to present); February 1995, appointed as California delegate to the White House Conference on Travel and Tourism; December 1996 appointed by Gov. Wilson to serve on the California Italian-American Task Force; January 1993, appointed by the Monterey City Council to the Citizens' Advisory Committee for the Economic Element to the City's General Plan and Economic Strategy Plan.
Currently on the Board of Trustees for Robert Louis Stevenson School, Community Hosp. of the Monterey Peninsula, and Panetta Institute of Public Policy; as well the CSU Monterey Bay President’s Council. He is a major contributor to scholarship funds through local and national educational foundations.
The real estate division owns commercial buildings in Monterey and central CA, including shopping centers, offices, retail stores and food and beverage outlets. It also owns the majority of Cannery Row, a renowned tourism area which has luxury hotels, restaurants and numerous retail shops. September 2001, Ted and his partners purchased 3 boutique hotel properties in the Cannery Row area of Monterey, and formed a company, Inns of Cannery Row, d.b.a. Inns of Monterey.
Ted, and his wife Velma, have two sons, Theodore and Vincent.
Dianne F. Harrison, PH. D.
President, California State University, Monterey Bay
Dr. Dianne Harrison assumed the presidency at California State University, Monterey Bay in June 2006.
Dr. Harrison currently serves on the Northern California Public Broadcasting Board of Directors, National Steinbeck Center Board of Directors, MoreHealth Board of Directors, the United Way of Monterey County Board of Directors, the California State University, Board of Trustees’ Statewide Strategic Planning Steering Committee, and the Women’s Commission of the American Council on Education. She is the vice chair of the Committee on International Education and Professional Development Committee of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, and co-chair of the Monterey Bay Educational Consortium (MBEC). She is the recipient of “A Tree of Life Award” from the Parent Institute for Quality Education for her contributions to the education of all children.
During a 30-year career at Florida State University in Tallahassee, she served in various capacities starting as a faculty member, dean of social work, associate vice president for academic affairs, dean of graduate studies and vice president for academic quality and external programs.
She holds a Ph.D. in social work from Washington University in St. Louis and a master’s of social work and a bachelor’s in American Studies, both from the University of Alabama. A prolific researcher and writer, Dr. Harrison has published dozens of articles and two books.
She has served on the boards and committees of over 50 national, state, and local organizations and community projects. Under the auspices of the School of Social Work, she helped to found the nationally known Boys’ Choir of Tallahassee.
Dr. Harrison and her husband John Wujack live on campus. Dr. Harrison has two children, Melissa Montgomery and John Paul Montgomery. She grew up in Mobile, Alabama and Short Hills, New Jersey.
Dianne has spent the last
Sue Jamiesson
Owner, Salinas Toyota
Sue Jamiesson was born in Oklahoma and raised in Salinas. She is a graduate of Salinas High School who began her career in her teens working for her family’s car dealership, Salinas Toyota. Salinas Toyota was founded in 1965 by Sue’s father, Lloyd Appling and her brother Lloyd Appling, Jr. In 1972, Sue became co-owner with her brother, and became sole owner in 1990. Salinas Toyota added the Hyundai line in 1990. Sue is a true pioneer – being one of the first female automobile dealership owners in the U.S. Sue contributes her success and that of her business to her great employees, many of whom have been with the company for more than 30 years.
Sue has served on the Board of Directors for Sun Street Center, The California International Airshow and Toyota’s TDA (Dealer Advertising Association). She is a member of Governor Schwarzenneger’s “Dream Team”. Sue was honored by Ducks Unlimited for starting the first women’s chapter, and was Chairperson for the Salinas Women’s Chapters Fundraising events. Sue started a promotion “Sober Graduation Car Giveaway” and has given away a new car to a local high school graduate for the past ten years. She thought an opportunity to win a new car would be a great incentive to keep the kids safe and sober and at their schools sober graduation party all night. Sue is an avid supporter of local athletic programs and has sponsored numerous youth and adult sports teams. Sue will be honored at a Salinas High School football game on October 2nd for her generous donations and continued support of their athletic programs. She is a sponsor of many family events such as the California Rodeo, California International Airshow and Dia De La Familia (Day of the Family). She was a major contributor to the Harden building project for the Salinas Boys and Girls Club. Sue’s generosity extends beyond financial, she gives from the heart in other ways such as knitting blankets and delivering them to local nursing home residence that do not have families. Her contributions to the community include generous donations to Rancho Cielo Youth Campus, YMCA, Kinship Center, Dorothy’s Place, Franciscan Workers, Sunrise House, Women’ Crisis Center, Planned Parenthood, Red Cross, Salvation Army, Meals on Wheels, American Cancer Society, Red Cross Disaster Fund, American Heart Association, Watsonville Band, North Monterey County Band, American Legion, and the Anti Gang Task Force. Her consideration for others and willingness to give back to the community show in everything she does.
Anne Leach
Partner, Ottone Leach Olsen & Ray
Ms. Leach, a partner with Ottone Leach Olsen & Ray LLP, has 16 years of experience working with family-owned businesses in the agricultural and other sectors. Her practice focuses on succession planning, real estate sales and leases, estate planning, probate and trust administration. A graduate of Salinas High School, Ms. Leach received her B.A. from the University of California at Berkeley in 1990 and her J.D. from the Santa Clara University School of Law in 1993. Ms. Leach began her career at our firm, then known as Abramson Church & Stave LLP, in 1993 and become a partner in the firm in 1997. She was named managing partner in 2004.
Ms. Leach is a fifth-generation Californian whose father’s family immigrated to Monterey County in the 1850s, to pursue cattle ranching. Subsequent generations engaged in pharmacy, dentistry, law and public service. Her mother’s family immigrated to San Benito County in the 1860s and has been primarily engaged in farming in San Benito County and Southern Monterey County. Continuing her family’s tradition of community service, Ms. Leach has served on the boards of the following community organizations: Salinas Rotary (President), Sun Street Centers (President), SPCA of Monterey County (President), Hawley Central California AFS Endowment Fund (President), Bruce Church Educational Foundation (President), Sally Hughes Church Foundation (President), National Steinbeck Center (President) and Public Recreation Unlimited (Secretary). She is also a member of the State Bar of California, Monterey County Bar Association, Monterey County Women Lawyers, California Women for Agriculture, and the Chamber of Commerce, and is a graduate of Leadership Salinas Valley. The Salinas Jaycees named Ms. Leach its Outstanding Young Citizen in 1996. The Salinas Valley Chamber of Commerce honored Ms. Leach with the Athena Award for Business Woman of the Year for 2008. She was also named Rotarian of the Year for the Rotary Club of Salinas in 2009.
Julie Packard
Executive Director, Monterey Bay Aquarium
Julie was born in Los Altos, California and received her bachelors and masters degrees in biology from the University of California at Santa Cruz. Her principal scientific interests focused on marine algal ecology and aquaculture.
Based on her work as a board member of the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, in the late 1970’s Julie helped found the Monterey Bay Aquarium, the nation’s first major public aquarium dedicated to interpreting a single region - the Monterey Bay.
Julie has served as the Aquarium’s Executive Director since its opening and has led the institution through its first 25 years of hosting over 45 million visitors, almost 2 million free school group visitors, and a series of new exhibitions and conservation and science initiatives. Today, the Monterey Bay Aquarium is widely acknowledged as a leader among aquariums worldwide. With a mission to “inspire conservation of the oceans,” it has expanded the public’s world view by bringing new animals to light – from jellies to deep sea animals to the open sea.
The Aquarium has also led its field in inspiring and engaging the public to become involved in ocean conservation, redefining aquariums as a force for conservation. In its 20th year, the Aquarium broke new ground by being the first to exhibit a great white shark, and at the same time launched the Center for the Future of the Oceans, whose goal is to protect the oceans by promoting sound conservation policy.
Grounded in a lifelong passion for conservation and the natural world, Julie is involved with many organizations dedicated to conservation activities. She has served as a trustee of the David and Lucile Packard Foundation for 34 years and has been deeply involved in the foundation’s Conservation and Science Programs. Julie also chairs the board of the Aquarium’s sister institution, the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, a leading institution dedicated to development of new technologies for understanding the deep sea and global ocean systems. She has served on numerous other boards and committees related to conservation, including the California Nature Conservancy and World Wildlife Fund.
She was 1998 recipient of the Audubon Medal for Conservation; of the 2004 Ted Danson Ocean Hero Award from Oceana, a leading ocean conservation organization; was elected in 2009 as a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and was named a California Coastal Hero in 2009 by the California Coastal Commission and Sunset magazine.
Julie was a member of the Pew Oceans Commission, a diverse group of U.S. leaders charged with developing recommendations to improve ocean resource management. She remains actively involved in national efforts to implement these recommendations.
