Man and Woman of the Year
Committed to Community

By Rick Elkins

Commitment is a word Tony Souza Jr. and Jeri Sell live each day as they share their time and talents with the Tulare community, which will honor them on Friday, Jan. 16, as its 2008 Man & Woman of the Year.

Souza, a dairyman, and Sell, vice president and branch manager at Citizens Business Bank in Tulare, have every right to be proud of their accomplishments, say those who know them well.

“When we are in the future — a couple years from now — and we have a beautiful state-of-the art hospital and College of the Sequoias campus, both vital cornerstones for Tulare's growth, we will have Jeri Sell in part to thank,” said Teresa Menezes, former Tulare Hospital Foundation director.

Sell, who is serving her third year as Hospital Foundation chairwoman, was co-chair, along with her sister and best friend Celeste Thomas, of the phone banks for bond measures to expand Tulare District Hospital and to build a College of the Sequoias campus in Tulare. Both were overwhelmingly passed by voters.

Souza's daughter, former Tulare City Councilwoman Brenda Hastings, who now lives in Ohio, describes her father as “a modest leader who selflessly donates his time for the greater good” of the city, county and dairy industry.

His current activities include chairing the Tulare Chamber of Commerce's Dairy Fest and serving on both the Tulare County and the Tulare Joint Union High School District's Agriculture Advisory Committees and the Greater Tulare Foundation board. He is also a World Ag Expo dairy tour leader.

“He engages others, inspiring them to work together for the betterment of the community,” Hastings said.

Riverdale Native

Born in July, 1942 in Riverdale, where he was raised on his family's small dairy, Souza's first job after graduating from Cal-Poly San Luis Obispo was at a Fresno dairy, where he stayed for 12 years and earned a master's degree in animal nutrition.
He moved to Tulare in 1978 to work for Chase Hoffman, with whom he became a partner in 1980. He knew the late Max Corbett from his days at California State University, Fresno, and Larry Dutto, who had taught in Riverdale, and became involved with both the high school district's and COS' agriculture advisory committees and the Dairy Heifer Replacement Program, Souza said.

Wanting to become even more active in the community, he started helping Richard Ortega with the Chamber's Dairy Fest and today chairs the event. He also served on the chamber board of directors for six years and as chairman from 2004-05.
In the past, Souza also has served as president of the Tulare County Dairy Herd Improvement Association, as member and president of the Tulare County fair board, president of the Tulare Methodist Men's Club and member of the Tulare Elks Lodge. He also has served as an FFA booster and 4-H dairy leader.

On the state level, he serves on the executive board of the California Milk Advisory Board, is chairman of the California Dairy Research Foundation and is an alternative member of the California Beef Council and serves on the University of California, Davis,' Veterinary Medicine Training and Research Center Advisory Board.

Souza's contributions were previously acknowledged when he was named Tulare County Fair Parade grand marshal in 1994, Tulare Farmer of the Year in 1992 and Tulare Union FFA Honorary Chapter Farmer in 1988. His family also was named the Tulare County Dairy Family of the Year in 1993.

In addition to their daughter Brenda Hastings, Souza and his wife, Carolyn, who headed up the parenting program in the Tulare high school district for many years, also have a son, Tim, and four grandchildren.

Azores Native

Born in the Azores 54 years ago, Sell remembers clearly her father's words prior to her family's arrival in New York harbor: “When you see that lady, that's the land of opportunity. If you work hard, you can accomplish anything you want.”

Sell was only six years old and spoke no English when her parents, Purifcacao “Katie” and John Gravito, brought their three daughters to America, where their family would eventually grow by two more children.

“My Dad was 40 years old when he came over — he's the hero,” Sell said. “I think the whole key was our parents giving us the support we needed to succeed.”
The family lived four years in Kingsburg before moving to Tulare and the Tipton area, where Sell attended Pixley School from sixth through eighth grade.

She graduated from Tulare Union High School in 1972 and attended COS, where she studied business. She began her banking career as a loan representative with Kaweah Savings and Loan Association in 1974, which later merged with Great American Bank and then Wells Fargo Bank. In 1992, she became a financial services officer for Bank of the West for seven years until she joined Kaweah National Bank as vice president and branch manager. That bank merged with Citizens Business Bank in 2003.

Besides the Tulare Hospital Foundation, her involvements have included the Kiwanis Club of Tulare, where she has served as a board member, co-chair of membership and co-chair of the Farmer of the Year luncheon. In 2001 she was awarded the Distinguished Kiwanian of the Year award.

She has served on the executive board of the Chamber and as its chief financial officer. She also has served on the St. Aloysius School Board and as co-chair of the World Ag Expo accounting department and the Tulare Historical Museum's Taste Treats. She is a member of the Greater Tulare Foundation.

In 2002, Sell and her sister, Celeste, were named the Chamber's Business Persons of the Year. She also served as grand marshal for the Tulare County Fair in 2003.
She said she truly enjoys volunteering in the community.

“It's a thrill and exciting to see if I can do a project,” Sell said. “It's part of my job too.”

Sell credits husband, Rodney, with her ability to undertake community projects. “There are a lot of nights, I come home late, but he's so easy going and helps me out,” she said.

The projects have been successful because the community is “just so gracious” and willing to help with anything worthwhile, she said.

Sell and her husband have an 18-year-old daughter, Ashley, who is attending California State University, Fresno.

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