> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.smdp.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# Hail to the ‘Chief’: Donner recognized
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/hail-to-the-chief-donner-recognized/
- Published: 2005-11-08T16:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T08:07:43.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Business, Santa Monica, #archive-import

*COMMUNITY BRIEFS*

*By Daily Press staff*

Santa Monica College Interim President Dr. Thomas J. Donner has been selected as the recipient of the 2005 Walter Robie Award for “Outstanding Chief Business Officer” by a state organization.

The award was given by the Association of Chief Business Officials, which represents chief financial officers at community colleges throughout California.

The award comes less than a year after Donner received the “National Outstanding Chief Business Officer of the Year Award” from the Community College Business Officers Organization. CCBO represents business operations of community colleges in the U.S. and Canada.

Donner has been serving as interim president since January, but most of his 29-year tenure at the college has been as chief business officer. He also served as interim president of SMC from October 1994 to July 1995.

Donner chartered the college’s fiscal plan through the aftermath of Proposition 13 tax reform and helped develop a strong international student recruitment program to supplement state funding, school officials said.

He formed and led a creative team to tackle the rebuilding of permanent facilities damaged by the 1994 Northridge earthquake, laying the groundwork for Federal Emergency Management Agency funding of the science, library and business buildings, and other reconstruction projects.

He also negotiated the establishment of satellite sites for the college at Santa Monica Airport and several other locations throughout Santa Monica.

Donner received a bachelor of science in finance and his MBA from California State University, Long Beach. He holds a Juris Doctorate degree from Southwestern University and is an active member of the California State Bar. Town Hall meeting to cover airport issues

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/55/9f/559f9abc-8372-4a2e-8c2d-27386da4e363/content/images/2026/10/110805-07_01.jpg)

section of the pier has already been completed. (Photo: Photo courtesy This)

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on November 8, 2005.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/110805.pdf?ref=smdp.com)