Frank Stiefel, an award-winning television commercial producer has been elected president of the Santa Monica College Foundation Board of Directors, succeeding Graham Pope. His term begins July 1.
The other officers elected with Stiefel are Disney executive Whitney Green, vice president; Patricia H. Summers, a human resources and financial executive currently on sabbatical, secretary; and SMC Executive Vice President of Business & Administration Tom Donner, treasurer.
The SMC Foundation is the private fundraising arm of the college. With assets of more than $10 million, the foundation raised an all-time record $5.5 million in donations in 2002-03, presented a record $600,000 this year in scholarships to 900 students and has raised more than half of a $15.7 million capital campaign for a proposed 500-seat theatre at the college’s Madison campus located at 11th Street and Santa Monica Boulevard.
Stiefel, executive producer of Radical Media, has won several of the advertising and commercial production industry’s top awards, including Gold Lions at the Cannes Film Festival and Clios.
For 17 years he was president and executive producer of Stiefel & Company in Santa Monica, which produced more than 1,500 commercials since it was founded in 1986. In 2002, the company was acquired by Radical Media, which has offices in New York, Los Angeles, Sydney, London, Paris and Berlin.
Stiefel has produced three short subject films, which have been honored at a wide range of festivals, including Sundance, Toronto, Telluride and the American Film Festival.
Stiefel has been active in the Association of Independent Commercial Producers, serving in several capacities, including national chairperson.
In 1998, he was appointed to the SMC Foundation Board of Directors. He also teaches an SMC class called “The Commercial.”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on June 24, 2003. Read the original PDF.