Tourney hits $400,000 mark in scholarships Tourney hits $400,000 mark in scholarships (July 29, 2005)

by Jeb Bing

T he 35th annual George A. Spiliotopoulos Invitational Tournament (GASIT) will be played next Friday, a fitting memorial to one of Pleasanton's most energetic and popular downtown businessmen. The GASIT, started by Spiliotopoulos and close friends who shared his community spirit and volunteer efforts, has become a Pleasanton tradition that Spiliotopoulos would tell us is what Pleasanton is all about. Spiliotopoulos, himself, liked to talk about how this community helped him. Born in Greece in 1940, he came to Pleasanton as a 12-year-old to live with his uncle, who owned the Cheese Factory at 830 Main Street, which for years manufacturered, aged, distributed and sold cheese. Spiliotopoulos could not speak a word of English, yet his family and school friends quickly taught him the language. He graduated from Amador Valley High and then Cal Poly, where he was named outstanding dairy student of the year.

Returning to Pleasanton, Spiliotopoulos went to work at the cheese factory, became its manager when his uncle died and the owner in 1976 when his aunt passed away. He served on the 1964 General Plan citizens' committee and in 1968, at the age of 28, was elected to the City Council. There he worked with others to rezone agricultural land the new I-580 and I-680 interstates for a regional commercial center that became Stoneridge Mall. He also served on the Alameda County Planning Commission.

Besides public service, Spiliotopoulos also focused on charities and the nonprofits, especially on the small population of elderly residents in Pleasanton who had little public assistance, and on high school seniors he knew as customers and employees at his cheese factory who had the aptitude and eagerness to go to college, but whose parents could not afford the tuition. So in 1970, with the help of close friends, he organized the GASIT, holding it at the financially struggling Sunol Golf & Country Club to help its owner, another close friend, attract more golfers. The tournaments have been played there ever since that first GASIT in 1971. Each year, as contributions from sponsors and the golfers increased, GASIT has earmarked more money to high school students.

Then tragedy struck Dec. 7, 1985 when Spiliotopoulos, who was just 45, was hit by a car while crossing Main Street from the Pleasanton Hotel to his cheese factory. He died three days later. His close friends and GASIT board members, including Brad Hirst, Frank Capilla, Tony Marciano, Ben Fernandez, Dee Wilson, Ralph Ramero, Mark Sweeney and Steve Jensen, recommitted the nonprofit to raising money solely for needs-based scholarships for graduating seniors at Amador Valley, Foothill and Village High Schools. Next Friday night, when board members Derek Kvistad and Hirst award the organization's 2005 scholarships totaling $8,000 over the next four years to each of 15 students, GASIT will have distributed more than $400,000 in scholarships since it started in 1971. That makes it the largest and longest-running scholarship program in Pleasanton.

Much of the money that funds the scholarship program comes from primary sponsors. This year Dreyers Grand Ice Cream, Fremont Bank, Mt. Diablo National Bank and the Rose Hotel each contributed $10,000 to the GASIT. The other primary sponsors are Ken Petersen and his LP2A engineering firm and Design Electric of Pleasanton, which each gave $5,000. Clearly, George A. Spiliotopoulos, remembered for his generosity, would be pleased.

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