Slideshow: L.A. Regents Wine-Tasting Event

Members of the Los Angeles & Ventura County Board of Regents hosted a wine-tasting event in support of Thomas Aquinas College this past Sunday at the College’s Santa Paula, California, campus.

The event began with a Mass in Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity Chapel, offered by College Chaplain Rev. Cornelius Buckley, S.J, with music provided by members of Chrysostomos, a student choral group. From there, nearly 70 Regents and their guests made their way to St. Gladys Plaza for the wine-tasting, organized by Regents Scott Daily, Christy Borchard, and Paul Clark. Various friends of the College donated the wines for the occasion, which included:

• Bottles of Casa Barranca Wine from alumnus vintner Sam Tulberg (’11)
• Wines from Topa Mountain Wintery alumnus vintner Dominic O’Reilly, courtesy of Alex Tombelli (’13)
• Wines from Paso Robles, brought by Regent Paul Clark
• Wines from Rasmussen Vineyards and Winery, brought by Larry Rasmussen of Rasmussen and Associates of Ventura, California, the architectural firm that has designed many of the College’s buildings
• Wines from the family vineyard of Governor Bud Daily

During the reception Scott Daily, chairman of the Los Angeles & Ventura County Board of Regents, welcomed and thanked the assembled, as did President Michael F. McLean, who spoke about the College’s history, mission, and vision. Dr. McLean then led a tour of the College’s next building, the nearly completed St. Cecilia Lecture and Concert Hall. Student Martin Haggard (’17) also spoke, discussing his experience at the College and thanking benefactors for the support that makes his education possible.

At the conclusion of the event, author Patricia Clark Doerner gifted all in attendance with a signed copy of her book The Judge, a biography of her late cousin, President Reagan’s National Security Advisor, California Supreme Court Justice, and longtime friend and benefactor of the College, the Hon. William P. Clark. “We were very grateful for Patricia Clark Doerner providing a book that I highly recommend, a book about a dear friend of Thomas Aquinas College,” said Vice President Paul J. O’Reilly.

“It was quite fitting that Judge Clark’s son Paul helped organize the event, which was delightful,” Dr. O’Reilly continued. “We are especially grateful to Jacob Coke of Bon Appétit, who prepared a perfect pairing of hors d’oeuvres for each of our wines. And the afternoon was made even more perfect by the Irish weather — cloudy and cool.”