Westmont Magazine Educator, Businessman Join Board

Edward Birch, who retired as executive vice president of Westmont in 2001, and Roy Goble ’81 have joined the college’s board of trustees.

Birch came to campus in 1994 after serving for more than 17 years as vice chancellor at UC Santa Barbara. At Westmont, he strengthened the college’s advancement and external relations programs and re-invigorated the Westmont Foundation board of directors.

After receiving his Ph.D. from Michigan State University, Birch served as vice president and associate professor at Ohio Wesleyan University before moving to Santa Barbara. He and his wife, Sue, have two daughters and three grand-children.

Birch has belonged to numerous boards of national educational associations as well as many community organizations, including the United Way of Santa Barbara County, the Cancer Center of Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara Chamber of Commerce, Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital and Santa Barbara Bank and Trust.

Goble joins the board to represent the Westmont Parents Council. He and his wife, D’Aun ’81, serve as co-chairs of the council. The couple owns Goble Properties, which invests in retail shopping centers and office buildings as well as a hotel in Maui.

The Gobles founded the Christian Environmental Association (now Target Earth International) 17 years ago and have been involved in its activities. Their daughter, Rachel ’05, is majoring in economics and business at Westmont.