Westmont Magazine An Experienced Trustee

As a respected and experienced financial adviser, David Spainhour gets many invitations to serve on boards. He is well-known in Santa Barbara, where he has pursued a 32-year career with Santa Barbara Bank & Trust. Now chairman of the board, he was formerly president and CEO.

His expertise and willingness to serve make him an ideal Westmont trustee, and he joined the board in 1991.

David first learned about the College years ago when he encountered faculty and staff at the bank and at church. “The Westmont people I met were outstanding, and many became good friends,” he says.

“I was particularly impressed with David Winter. When he first became president, he invited a group of business people to tell him their perceptions of the College, and he listened sincerely.

“I’m proud to be associated with Westmont,” he adds. “There is such a high level of respect and regard for the College in the community. I never hear anything negative — Westmont has a great reputation.”

David chairs the finance committee of the board, is a member of the personnel committee, serves ex-officio on the Westmont Foundation, and gets involved in development projects. He is particularly concerned about two major fund-raising goals: completing the campus and building the endowment.

“Because Westmont is relatively young, it lacks the endowment it needs to compete with comparable institutions — although it competes remarkably well given its limited resources,” David notes. “But it’s too dependent on tuition, and a larger endowment is needed to provide an alternative source of revenue.

“In addition, the campus lacks the amenities needed in a modern educational plant,” he continues. “We have three students living in a room and inadequate classroom space for a number of disciplines. It’s essential to complete the campus infrastructure to maintain the outstanding national reputation David Winter has helped the College achieve. It’s so important to have a Christian liberal arts college with a superior academic standing.”

According to David, Westmont is well managed. “The College has done an excellent job of careful financial management. As a trustee, I feel very confident that funds are used wisely to accomplish a great deal despite the limited resources.”

A present member of the United Way board and past chair of its campaign, David also heads the drive for a new Salvation Army hospitality house. A vice president of the Channel City Club, he sits on the Board of Benevo-lence for the Covenant Church.

He and his wife, Carolyn, raised their two children in Santa Barbara and enjoy their two grandchildren. They belong to Montecito Covenant Church.

“David has served on many boards, and I have felt especially included in activities at Westmont,” Carolyn states. “The College has taken us in as a couple, and I get excited about the school and what it is doing. I really enjoy the time I have spent on campus and the people I have met there. Westmont has really enriched our lives.”