Business, community leaders honored by College of Business Administration

Stockton developer Fritz Grupe, Turlock businessman Matt Swanson, Turlock veterinarian and community leader Dr. Rob Santos, and MedicAlert Foundation International President and CEO Dr. Martin Kabat were among those who received special awards at the May 15 California State University, Stanislaus College of Business Administration’s (CBA) Recognition and Awards Banquet.

 

Grupe, CEO and Chairman of the Grupe Company, received the Outstanding Business Leader Award as one of nine community and business leaders to be recognized during the annual program.

 

Santos, a member of the Turlock Irrigation District Board of Directors and Chatom School Board of Trustees in addition to his veterinary practice, received the Outstanding Community Leader Award.

 

Kabat, who has brought extensive financial, academic, and technological experience gained at the international level in both the private and public sector, was honored with the Outstanding Special Recognition Award.

 

Grupe founded his company, now one of the largest privately held real estate companies in the country, in 1966 and has expanded it over the years to include single-family home construction, commercial developments, and management of apartment and condominium projects.

 

Grupe’s company has demonstrated extraordinary, groundbreaking sensitivity to environmental concerns, creating environments throughout the country in which nature and people can flourish together.

 

Grupe is active in the San Joaquin Valley community, serving as Co-Chair of the California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley. He founded the San Joaquin County Business Council, served on President George W. Bush’s special commission on regulatory barriers to affordable housing, is Past President of the Urban Land Institute, former Chapter Chair and National University Chairman for the Young Presidents organization, and Past President of the Stockton Chamber of Commerce and Board of Realtors. Grupe served on the Advisory Board of the Center for Real Estate and Urban Economics at UC Berkeley, was a regent for the University of the Pacific and is a member of the UC Merced Foundation Board of Trustees.   

 

In addition to serving as leader of the Swanson family’s feed and supply firm established in 1971, Matt Swanson is also President of Pet Extreme, CEO of Boot Barn in Turlock, and an owner/partner in Brownstone, Gold Rush Ventures, Prospector, Virtus Nutrition, Protégé Music, and Western Ranch Plaza. He has been a strong supporter of the University as President of the CSU Stanislaus Foundation Board.

 

 

Santos has also been highly active in community activities as a Past President of the Turlock Downtown Association, Turlock Historical Society, and Northern San Joaquin Valley Veterinary Medical Association, and Co-Chair of the Turlock Centennial Committee. He has also been heavily involved with the Carnegie Arts Foundation, Turlock Rotary, Turlock Masonic Lodge, and Turlock Exchange Club. Santos established a Vet Club for local children who are interested in animals and does numerous speaking engagements with a variety of animals as props. He and his family live on a 30-acre ranch called Einstein Acres that runs completely on solar power.

 

Kabat, a member of the CSU Stanislaus President’s Council, has demonstrated a strong commitment to advance the role of MedicAlert as a nationally recognized charity that contributes significantly to helping people obtain better quality health care.

 

Other award recipients were: