Friends and colleagues paid tribute to President Donald Gerth and his wife Beverly Gerth on Friday for their 45 years of service to the CSU system.

The night included a formal dinner in the Union Ballroom with an array of speakers, a slideshow documenting Gerth’s life, a musical tribute and dancing as the evening came to a close.

“I really am very grateful for all of the people here tonight,” said Gerth.

CSUS Community Advisory Board member Stan Atkinson chaired the tribute to Don and Beverly Gerth.

Gerth will be retired “technically perhaps, but not in a practical sense,” Atkinson said.

VP of Administration Edward Del Biaggio presented Beverly Gerth with a cherry tree bronze plaque with a commemorative inscription dedicated to her.

A cherry tree will be planted on a site of her choice on campus.Chancellor Charles Reed was one of the speakers that remarked on the contributions and achievements of Gerth.

“Don Gerth is truly one of a kind,” Reed said. “He is a scholar and he is a gentleman. The other presidents of CSUs envy Don Gerth’s energy.”

Senator Michael Machado and Assemblyman Dave Cox presented a resolution that commemorated Gerth’s 45 years in the CSU system.

Cox jokingly vowed to “do my very best to see there is a state budget before you (Gerth) get out of office.”

Sacramento County Board of Supervisors members Roger Dickinson and Muriel Johnson also presented the Gerths with a resolution.

“Once you know the Gerths, you are involved,” Johnson said.City council members Steve Cohn and Lauren Hammond presented a resolution on behalf of Sacramento Mayor Heather Fargo and former mayor and faculty member Joe Serna.

Former University Provost Jolene Koester, the CSU Northridge President, also spoke about Gerth.

“Don Gerth’s legacy for each and every one of us…is to ensure the people’s university stays the people’s university,” Koester said. Koester told a story in which Gerth rushed to the hospital to confer a dying student with a degree.

“Don behaved as a leader, a president, a teacher and, simply, a fine man,” Koester said.

Koester’s story induced a standing ovation for Gerth.

“President Gerth was and is the faculty president,” said Faculty Senate President Bob Buckley. “She (Beverly) has been the first lady of Sac State for 19 years.”

Current ASI President Eric Guerra joked about his and Gerth’s similar short heights.

“What you lack in height you gain in knowledge and accomplishment,” Guerra said.

Guerra recognized various students in the audience as the “fruits of his (Gerth’s) labor.”

ASI President-elect Peter Ucovich and Executive VP Julio Velazquez were among those recognized.

Gerth was presented with $2,000 from the CSUS Business Advisory Committee for his and his wife’s endowment fund for the CSUS Center for California Studies.

CSUS Community Advisory Board member Curtis Sproul presented a painting of Gerth.President Don Gerth made his final remarks at the end of the evening.

When you can have a career that you can be passionate about, then you are very lucky, Gerth said.

Gerth’s plans for the future include writing, lecturing and advising the current administration in Washington on higher education.

“I never use the R word…retirement,” Gerth said. “I do plan to stay in the community.”

Gerth gave credit to his wife, as well.

“We (Bev and I) come as a team,” Gerth said.

Gerth called for Sac State to strive to be the best in the country and deemed it to be a reasonable goal to achieve.

“We (Sac State) are well on our way,” Gerth said.

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