Kim Ruiz Beck, chairman of the board of Ruiz Foods Products, and Dennis Parnagian, president of Fowler Packing Co., have been elected to the board of governors of the California State University, Fresno State Foundation.

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The foundation aims to advance the university’s strategic objectives by encouraging philanthropy, inspiring leadership and promoting fiscal accountability. A 33-member board of community leaders and business experts oversee the foundation’s activities relating to sponsored research grants and contracts, acceptance of gifts and donations and oversight of investments.

Ruiz Beck grew up working for the Dinuba-owned family business, Ruiz Foods Products, which was owned by her father, Fred. She joined the firms full-time after graduating from Fresno State in 1988 with a degree in marketing.

Ruiz Beck’s community engagement includes education (Ruiz 4 Kids) and health care (Valley Children Hospital Foundation), among others. Ruiz 4 Kids raised $382,000 for scholarships last year, much of which goes to help Fresno State students.

Parnagian also works in the family business, Fowler Packing Co., started by his father Sam in 1950. He currently handles administrative responsibilities for the company, which is one of the largest growers, packers and shippers in the fresh produce business, handling over 7 million boxes of stone fruit and table grapes, and 15 million boxes of citrus per year.

Parnagian is a graduate of the University of San Francisco and has served as a member of several boards, currently serving on Fresno State’s President’s Commission on the Future of Agriculture, and the Jordan College’s Institute for Food and Agriculture advisory board.