Santa Barbara Symphony Appoints Three New Board Members

The Santa Barbara Symphony has announced the appointment of three new members to its Board of Directors. Donald Foster, Principal Clarinet of the Santa Barbara Symphony and Chair of the Orchestra Committee, and Santa Barbara patrons of the performing arts and seasoned business executives Sam Hedgpeth and Dylan Minor. These appointments reflect the shared commitment of the Board, professional staff, members of the orchestra, teaching artists and supporters, to deliver on the Symphony's mission to enrich, educate and engage.

"It gives me great pleasure to welcome these community leaders to the Symphony family," stated Chair of the Board, Janet Garufis. "At a time when organizations of every kind are facing very real challenges, the Symphony is moving forward rapidly to shift the way it delivers its mission-driven activities. From virtual educational programming to online streaming content, the Symphony is here for our community - right now, when we are needed the most."

Donald T. Foster

Donald Foster is one of Southern California's most active musicians. He is Principal Clarinet of the Pasadena Symphony and Second Clarinet of the Los Angeles Opera Orchestra, and will soon finish his 23rd season as the Santa Barbara Symphony's Principal Clarinetist. A frequent studio musician, Donald has been featured on numerous soundtracks for motion pictures and television.

He became John Williams' Principal Clarinetist in Los Angeles when he was asked to perform on Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull and has been working for him ever since. He recently received screen credit for his solo work on Maestro Williams' Oscar-nominated score to The Book Thief and is currently working on the latest installment of the Star Wars franchise. Donald graduated from the University of Southern California, receiving his Master of Music degree in 1996 while in the studios of Yehuda Gilad and Michele Zukovsky. Donald serves as Professor of Music at Riverside City College and lives in Downtown Los Angeles.

Sam Hedgpeth III

Sam Hedgpeth is a C-level operating and financial officer in the internet, software, manufacturing, supply chain, retail and hardware distribution industries with international and complex technology and product transaction experience. His portfolio includes five start-ups, three IPOs and one merger. He has a B.S. in Business Administration from University of California, Berkeley and an MBA from University of California at Los Angeles. He was the Assistant Dean of the Jack Baskin School of Engineering at University of California Santa Cruz from 2002-2004. Sam is married with two grown children, enjoys cycling, has completed 50+ units in Automotive Technology, and is a Vietnam Veteran.

Dylan B. Minor, PhD

Dylan was introduced to the financial services industry in 1990 through his father. Since then Dylan has been helping individual, corporate, and non-profit clients with their wealth management needs. He is professionally trained in retirement planning, estate investment planning, investment consulting, and non-profit investment consulting. As Chief Strategist and CIO at Omega, Dylan has the role of overseeing the management of client assets and financial strategies. He works closely with Omega's advisors to help create client financial strategies based on clients' own unique needs and goals.

As an applied economist, Dylan works at staying on the cutting edge of modern wealth and financial management. Dylan has held professorships at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University in Chicago and the Harvard Business School in Boston. He currently is faculty at the Anderson School of Management (UCLA). Dylan, his wife Caroline, daughter Julia, and black Labrador Zorro first made their way to Santa Barbara in 1995. Dylan and Caroline can be found doing anything from tennis to tea, to enjoying theatre, music and art.

For more information on the Santa Barbara Symphony and its programs, visit thesymphony.org.

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