Mike Scanlon — community servant

As chair and board member of the all-volunteer Sequoia Awards, Mike helped raise more than $1.5 million toward scholarships for high school seniors who have served our community with outstanding community service. There are so many stories to tell of youth, whether from backgrounds of incredible need or tremendous privilege, who have served seniors, the needy, the disabled, the environment and their fellow youth. Mike has acknowledged them, their families and their teachers for their ever so many contributions with scholarships aimed to help them on their way to college, but also designed to continue to inspire them to continuing volunteer service. “Mike worked tirelessly, always with a smile and infectious enthusiasm”, according to Dennis McBride, a Sequoia Awards board member and trustee of the Redwood City Elementary School District.

As chair and a longtime board member of the Service League of San Mateo County, Mike helped lead an organization that serves those who are not popular but whose needs affect the entire community. The Service League helps rebuild the lives of county jail inmates, former inmates and their families by providing humanitarian, educational, substance abuse, recovery, spiritual and personal growth services. According to board Chair and Redwood City Councilwoman Alicia Aguirre, “Mike not only displayed his powerful intellect and leadership skills, but an incredible optimism to his volunteer work with the Service League. You know he really cares.”

Mike promoted sustainable, improved heart health for our community as chair of American Heart Association’s San Mateo County Heart Walk. He took on an extraordinary role as chair of the Board of the United Way of the Bay Area — one of the leading nonprofits in the Bay Area whose vision is to cut poverty in half in the Bay Area. With a theme of enabling people to strengthen our community by investing in one another, United Way Bay Area collaborates with hundreds of nonprofits, individuals, foundations, corporations and labor groups with a variety of programs and efforts. According to United Way CEO Susan Wilson, a term that really defines Mike is “love.”

Mike Scanlon is a community servant who serves individuals and an entire community with enthusiasm, optimism, vision, compassion and passion. He leaves a tremendous legacy and we, in San Mateo County and the entire Bay Area owe him a significant debt of gratitude. Thank you Mike.

Rosanne Foust is the president and CEO of the San Mateo County Economic Development Association and Jim Hartnett is the general manager for SamTrans, the executive director of Caltrain and the executive director of the San Mateo County Transportation Authority.