A regional development officer, Wes Oliver shares many of the same hopes held by our Gonzaga benefactors. First, that kids who come to Gonzaga will be able to enjoy the same experiences that he had when he was here as a student and, second, “a National Championship in Basketball would be nice.” Here is what else Wes had to say about his work at Gonzaga:

I came to Gonzaga in 1996 as a College Freshman, after growing up in McMinnville, OR. I graduated in 2000 and moved to San Diego for a few years. Then, I came back to work at GU in 2005. Gonzaga provides a foundation for students to truly understand that our world, near or far, comes down to relating to others.

And relating to others is what I enjoy most about my work. My job is to meet with benefactors in Oregon, San Diego and Orange counties, Nevada, Utah, the greater Chicago Area and Wyoming. I try to help match their philanthropic interests with the needs of our students and the University. I give to Gonzaga because I love this place and the impact it has on my life is impressive. And I believe in putting my money where my mouth is. Essentially, I’m a salesperson, and doing that at Gonzaga lets me sell something I love. When speaking to donors I am candid, direct, and I hope my passion for this place is apparent.

Gonzaga is about people and relationships and so is my life. When I’m not on the road, I play a lot of “noon hoops” (basketball over the lunch hour) and I make my own beer. I love hanging out with my family, golfing, traveling, eating well and drinking good red wine. I’m also addicted to fantasy sports. My incredible, beautiful, hard working, intelligent wife also works at Gonzaga and we have a two-year-old son who amazes me every day. Our family also includes two dogs: labs who are getting old but refuse to act like it.

 

 Monte & Kelly Tareski
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