DSF: Tell us about yourself and your family.
AG: I grew up in Redlands, CA. Currently, I reside in Valencia, CA, which is about 30 miles north of Los Angeles, with my wife Laura, and our two sons, Blake who is 3 1/2, and Brady who is 2.
DSF: What was your major while you attended Arizona State?
AG: I was a political science major. I always had an interest in local government, and actually wanted to be a city manager. After graduating from Arizona State, I went to USC to get my master’s degree in Public Administration, and that’s where I got my first taste of communications and government relations work. I’ve been in the field ever since.
DSF: Tell us about your undergraduate experience in the Beta Psi Chapter.
AG: Beta Psi was critical in my experience as a newcomer to Arizona State. On a campus with 55,000 students, you could easily get lost. Having an immediate connection to 120 individuals who knew the good professors, the good counselors, places to buy books, eat, and much more, made the experience much more enjoyable for me. It was really critical to my college experience.
DSF: Tell us about your leadership experience in the Beta Psi Chapter.
AG: I served as the rush chairman for three years, having developed a specialty in recruiting. While I was there, rush really changed from just a Fall and Spring event to a year-round necessity. I had to develop a marketing plan for the Fraternity, and I really saw the process of recruitment evolve to closer to what it is today, which is vastly different from when I started in 1987.
DSF: As a member of the Delta Sigma Phi Foundation’s Board of Trustees, what role
have you been playing, and what made you want to serve in this way?
AG: I owe a lot to Delta Sigma Phi, and am doing what I can as a volunteer in an effort to find and develop new members of the Foundation Board to help the Fraternity meet its goals. I realize the importance of giving back when someone is in a financial position to do so, and feel strongly that I can use my personal contacts to help in the Foundation’s efforts. Sometimes we forget how much it takes to run a National Fraternity.
DSF: In the last year, you spoke to the attendees of the Brotherhood Retreat held in
California. What was that experience like?
AG: It was a great experience for me both personally and professionally. Hearing the challenges that these guys are facing, as well as the great things they’re doing brought back great memories of being in college. I find it gratifying being able to share the lessons I learned using my experiences as case studies for them to think about. It was a great experience.
DSF: Tell us about your career thus far, and your current position with Kaiser
Permanente.
AG: For the previous six years prior to working at Kaiser Permanente, I was the Public Relations Manager for Six Flags Magic Mountain in Los Angeles, CA. I was responsible for media relations, community relations, and government relations for the 360-acre theme park. I was the main spokesperson for the park, and did all on-camera interviews. In my current position, those are almost my exact responsibilities, except I am doing them for a healthcare company instead of a theme park. Kaiser Permanente is very unique in that it is an integrated health plan, meaning every bit of care you receive is all under the same roof, being done by all Kaiser Permanente doctors. I do internal and external communications for the Southern California Region – from San Diego in the south to Fresno in the north.
DSF: Tell us about a typical day for you.
AG: Any given day I could handle media inquiries, plan and develop strategic communications initiatives, attend a community event in order to maintain effective external relationships, and work with different agencies within the company. Currently I am working with the Los Angeles Mayor’s office on a free swimming program for low income residents, sponsored by Kaiser Permanente.
DSF: What are your goals for the future?
AG: I am going to stay in communications, hopefully becoming a director or a vice president for a large company. I am interested in sports and entertainment, so perhaps at a company that features those types of products and services. In communications, it’s important that you believe in the product or service you’re working with, because if you don’t believe in it, you won’t be a credible communicator.
DSF: What was one thing you learned the Fraternity that you have utilized the most during your post-graduate days?
AG: I learned how to build relationships with everyone, something you must take advantage of while in college. I had the ability to meet people from different races, religions, and backgrounds, and that has helped me in my career. In working in a large organization, I have had to fall back on those experiences to realize that my beliefs are not always the same as everyone else’s.
DSF: Who has had the greatest impact on you throughout your life?
AG: My father. I was able to see while growing up the impact he made simply through relationship building. He made me realize that humor, and treating people fairly were good ways to do business, and that you can be the smartest person in the world, but if you can’t get along with people, it doesn’t matter. He taught me to make life fun everyday.
DSF: What advice would you give to undergraduates to make them successful?
AG: Think outside the box while in school, and reach out to people who aren’t like you. Get out of your comfort zone and try new things. Try to think about what you want to get out of your undergraduate experience, and make it happen.
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