Tom Passanisi, a University of San Francisco graduate and retired vice president of AIG Insurance, was recently elected as president of the Kiwanis Club of La Cañada. The newly elected president was born and raised in San Francisco and lived and worked in New York for many years before settling in La Cañada Flintridge in 1990. He earned a BS in history from the USF and is active in its Alumni Association. His installation as president of the Noon Kiwanis Club will take place at Oakmont Country Club on Sept. 25.

At the urging and sponsorship of longtime Kiwanis member and friend Al Restivo, Passanisi joined the Kiwanis Club of La Cañada family in September 2009. He immediately was an active member assuming greater roles of responsibility. He has been chairperson for the Travel Adventure Series since 2010; vice president and program chair 2011-12 and president-elect and inter-club chair 2012-13.

In recognition of his early work as a new member, on Sept. 28, 2011 Bill Watts, past president of the Kiwanis Club of La Cañada, presented Passanisi with the Rookie of the Year award.

Passanisi’s work and professional career have been a diverse and interesting journey. In his early career, he was a Parks and Recreation director and supervisor in San Francisco and Davis. He had worked in retail sales for Sears, Roebuck and Company in San Francisco and Sony Style on Madison Avenue in New York City.

After playing college football at USF, Passanisi was a semi-professional football player for the Orange County Ramblers in Southern California, part of the now defunct Continental Football League.

Passanisi and his wife Dulce have been married for 38 years. They moved with their family in 1990 from Rockaway Boro, New Jersey to La Cañada Flintridge.  They now reside in Tujunga.

The Passanisis have two adult children: Sebastian, a graduate of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo who lives and works in Cayucos, and Mercedes, a civil engineer who is a graduate of UCLA. She lives in Redondo Beach and works in Torrance.

Since retiring from AIG Global Marine and Energy, Passanisi’s  life has been filled with volunteerism and giving back to the community. Aside from the Kiwanis Club of La Cañada family, he is a member of the Southern California Alumni Council of USF; board member of the Woodrose Homeowners Association; pastoral council member, Skidettes ministry member, and Eucharistic minister of St. Bede Roman Catholic Church; Eucharistic minister of Our Lady of Angels Cathedral; past central council member of the Italian Catholic Federation; past second vice president of the Italian Catholic Federation Los Angeles District; past president Italian Catholic Federation St. Bede Roman Catholic Church, Branch No. 374.

Tickets for the Sept. 25 installation dinner can be obtained from Mary Gant at
(818) 790-9901.