The Santa Barbara Symphony has appointed three new members to its board of directors.
According to a news release, “These appointments reflect the shared commitment of the Board, professional staff, members of the orchestra, teaching artists and supporters, to deliver on the Symphony’s mission to enrich, educate and engage.”
The new members include Donald T. Foster, the symphony’s principal clarinetist.
Known by many as one of Southern California’s most active musicians, Mr. Foster’s work has been featured on numerous television and motion picture soundtracks.
Mr. Foster became John Williams’ principal clarinetist for the score for “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” and has continued working with him since. He recently received screen credit for his solo work on Maestro Williams’ Oscar-nominated score to “The Book Thief” and is involved with the “Star Wars” franchise.
Mr. Foster received his master’s in music in 1996 at the USC. He lives in downtown Los Angeles and works as a professor of music at Riverside City College.
The second new board member is Vietnam veteran Sam Hedgpeth III.
Mr. Hedgpeth received a bachelor’s in business administration at UCBerkeley and a master’s in business administration at UCLA. He is currently a C-level operating and financial officer in the internet, software, manufacturing, supply chain, retail, and hardware distribution industries with international and complex technology and product transaction experience
Mr. Hedgpeth has been a part of five start-ups, three IPOs and one merger. In addition, from 2002-2004 he was also the former assistant dean of the Jack Baskin School of Engineering at UC Santa Cruz.
The third new board member is Dylan B. Minor.
Dr. Minor is trained in retirement planning, estate investment planning, investment consulting and non-profit investment consulting.
Mr. Minor is a faculty member at USC’s Anderson School of Management. In the past he has been a professor at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University in Chicago and the Harvard Business School in Boston. In addition to being faculty at the Anderson School of Management, Mr. Minor serves as chief strategist and CIO at Omega Financial Group, his wealth management firm.
“At a time when organizations of every kind are facing very real challenges, the Symphony is moving forward rapidly to shift the way it delivers its mission-driven activities. From virtual educational programming to online streaming content, the Symphony is here for our community – right now, when we are needed the most.”
“It gives me great pleasure to welcome these community leaders to the symphony family,” board Chair Janet Garufis said in the press release.


