Westmont Magazine Birch to Retire

When Edward Birch came to Westmont in 1993, he promised to serve as executive vice president for five years. Graciously, he extended that time to work on crucial projects such as the capital campaign and marketing. But he has decided to retire in June.

“What a blessing he has been to Westmont,” says President David Winter. “He is a superb administrator, so able to solve problems and work with people. His integrity is unquestioned, and he is enormously productive and commands the respect and affection of all those with whom he works. His understanding of and support for Westmont’s mission is exceptional, and he has been an excellent representative of the college. I hope he will continue to assist us in some capacity.”

During his time at Westmont, he has made significant contributions in the areas of financial viability, technology, fund raising, external relations and marketing.

During Birch’s long and distinguished career as vice chancellor at UC Santa Barbara, he became highly regarded for his service to the university and the larger community. Last fall, the Santa Barbara News-Press honored him with one of its prestigious Lifetime Achievement awards.