Board of Trustees

The Board of Trustees is the fiduciary body who conducts the activities and affairs of the University All corporate powers are exercised by or under their direction. Members include:

Officers

Members

Paul Colucci owns and operates a private real estate company focused on investment, management, and development of multi-family and office real estate opportunities in Southern California. His expertise includes experience in acquisitions and dispositions, capital markets, strategic planning, investment analysis, investor relations, and asset management. Previously, he worked with Goldman Sachs, Inc. in the real estate investment-banking group in New York City. At Goldman Sachs, he was involved in over $5 billion of CMBS transactions and his responsibilities included underwriting oversight, rating agency and investor relations, and due diligence coordination. He also worked with Batchelder and Partners, a boutique investment bank focusing on mergers & acquisitions and corporate finance advisory services. He is a San Diego County native and a graduate of USD. Paul and his wife Maureen have two children and attend St. Therese of Carmel Parish in Carmel Valley.

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David House has more than 30 years experience in higher education, first at two major research universities – the University of Southern California in Los Angeles and the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore – where he taught and served in administrative positions. Dr. House moved to Catholic higher education, becoming Vice-President of Academic Affairs at Bellarmine University in 1991. In 1995 Dr. House became President of Saint Joseph’s College of Maine where he was responsible for institutional growth and for strengthening the college’s Catholic identity. Dr. House retired in 2007 and became Executive Director of the Gerald and Henrietta Rauenhorst Foundation, a private, Catholic family foundation. Dr. House is the author of the book Continuing Liberal Education, as well as numerous articles, op-ed pieces, and papers dealing with liberal education, Catholic higher education, and institutional change, and he has appeared on EWTN and numerous Catholic radio stations. He earned his B.A. degree in German and history from California State University, and his M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in German language and literature from the University of Southern California.

Wes Fach BA, JD is a San Diego attorney with over 20 years experience in the pharmaceutical and medical device industries. He has served as Senior Vice President and General Counsel of Sicor Inc., a generic drug manufacturer, and Associate General Counsel of Warner Lambert (now part of Pfizer). He has also served as legal counsel to several medical device and diagnostics companies in the San Diego area. Before moving to San Diego in 1984, Wes practiced law in New York and San Francisco. He received his B.A. in Mathematics from Harvard College in 1972 and his J.D. from Columbia University in 1975. Wes and his wife Vicki have 6 children and a growing number of grandchildren. They attend St. Michael’s Parish in Poway and have been active in numerous marriage and family life ministries at the parish and diocesan level.

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Alan Lane is the president and chief executive officer of Silvergate Bank, a subsidiary of Silvergate Capital Corporation. In addition, Mr. Lane is the president of Silvergate Capital Corporation and is a member of the boards of directors of both companies. Mr. Lane was most recently a senior advisor to Belvedere Capital Partners. He was formerly the President and Chief Operating Officer of Southwest Community Bancorp, Carlsbad, CA. Before that Alan was CEO of Financial Data Solutions, Inc, a recently divested subsidiary of Southwest Community Bancorp. Prior to joining Southwest Community Bancorp, he was President/CEO of Business Bank of California until the bank's sale to Union Bank of California in early 2004. In addition to his financial institution experience, Alan has served as President/CEO or Chief Financial Officer of both manufacturing and retail companies, ranging in size from $10 million to $50 million in annual revenues. Alan is also a member of the Board of Directors of Natural Alternatives International, Inc., a leading formulator and manufacturer of nutritional supplements headquartered in San Marcos, CA. Alan and his wife Debbie live in Temecula, CA, and have five children and a growing number of grandchildren. They attend St Martha's Parish in Murrieta, CA.

Paul Polito is a Principal with Polito Eppich - certified public accountants in Vista, CA. Mr. Polito specializes in business consulting, including accounting and tax planning services, and has experience in mergers, acquisitions and sales of businesses. His clients include closely- held businesses involved in mining, manufacturing, real estate development and agriculture. Shortly after graduation in 1969, from Loyola University, he co-founded a publishing and marketing firm, establishing an international distribution network and sold his interest in 1972. While attending graduate school in accounting, he worked as a marketing director for a start-up cosmetic company. After a stint as a State Board of Equalization Auditor, he spent several years with the national and large local accounting firm. In 1981, he established his own accounting firm, which merged in 1989 with Robert H. Carter & Co., predecessor to Carter, Polito & Muscio, Inc. Paul has written numerous articles on business management and succession planning. He is a member of the Palomar College Foundation and serves as Treasurer and Chairman of its Finance and Investment Committees.

Fr. Cavana Wallace is Pastor of St. Margaret's Parish in Oceanside, CA. He serves at the request of Bishop Robert Brom, Bishop of the Diocese of San Diego.

Dominic Iocco MBA is Provost at John Paul the Great Catholic University. Dominic, along with his parents built a company that was a pioneer in the highly lucrative, and heavily patent protected inkjet cartridge business. Having developed some key intellectual property in the form of trade secrets around a novel cartridge refilling process, they were able to rapidly grow the business supplying inkjet cartridges to the wholesale market. Their company was acquired in 2007 by the world’s largest aftermarket inkjet and toner company. He also orchestrated the rescue of a failed PayPal competitor that had received over $14 million in venture capital. He was able to successfully stabilize and sell the operation.

Derry Connolly PhD is President of John Paul the Great Catholic University. He has a Ph.D. in Applied Mechanics from Cal-Tech; B. Sc. and M. Sc. in Mathematical Science from University College, Cork, Ireland; holds 8 US patents; has 15 years of industrial experience with IBM and Kodak; and 12 years of academic experience with UCSD. Derry and his wife Lidy have 5 children. They attend Good Shepherd Parish, Mira Mesa, CA.

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Trustees Emeriti

Deacon Frank Mercardante (served 2006-2011)
Fr Anthony Saroki (served 2006-2011)
Philippe Dardaine (served 2003-2011)
Sandy Murphy (served 2009-2011) - now Chair of the Board of Regents
John Wakelin (served 2006-2011) - now member of the Board of Regents
Ed Snow (served 2003-2011) - now member of the Board of Regents