Two New Trustees Named to Board

  The Westmont trustees welcomed two new members to the board who are both parents of Westmont graduates. Peter Thorrington and Bruce Bickel join 29 other members who oversee the operation of the college.

Thorrington is a member of the board of directors for Opportunity International, a Christian-based ministry giving loans to the poorest of the poor around the world. He is the former president and chief operating officer of UTi Worldwide, a global airfreight company. He graduated from the University of Natal, South Africa, and earned his master’s degree from the University of Cape Town. Thorrington and his wife, Monique, grew up in South Africa and live in Palos Verdes Estates.

Thorrington says he will focus on making sure campus facilities are improved for students and that the college remains firmly rooted in Christ.

“It’s important that we maintain and reinforce our belief that Christ is preeminent in all things,” he says.

Bickel is a Seattle-based writer, speaker and executive coach. He also maintains a trust business in Central California and is a partner in a Christian media company. A graduate of the University of Redlands, he earned a law degree from UC Hastings College of the Law. He says he has always been impressed with the combination of Westmont’s passion for the Lord and its strong emphasis on academics.

“I want Westmont to continue its emphasis on searching for truth that is rooted in Christ,” he says. “That expression of God’s truth flourishes in all areas of life: in the sciences, the arts, and the social sciences. In turn, then, Westmont students reflect that expression in their respective disciplines and relationships.”