Guy was one of the top scholar athletes ever to play sports at North High, and, graduated with honors in both athletics and academics in 1961. Raised in Oildale and graduating from Beardsley Junior High in 1957, his father, Guy Sr., was a WWII U.S. Army veteran who saw combat while landing on the beaches of Italy and Sicily. During his North High career, Guy excelled in football, basketball, and, baseball. He played three years of varsity football under legendary coach, and, fellow inductee, Turk Eliades. He was All-Valley in both football and basketball as a junior and senior, and, led the SYL in scoring as a senior on the basketball team.
As a pitcher for the Star’s baseball team, he was All-SYL as a junior, but, had to sit out his senior year with a broken arm. He was unaware of the broken arm that had occurred during the football season, yet, he still made All -Valley in both football and basketball that year! In 1961, he won the Sam Lynn Award for the top scholar/athlete in Kern County.
With a high school GPA of 3.97, Guy was awarded a full ride scholarship to Stanford University to play football. While at Stanford, he played under four legendary coaches; Jack “Cactus” Curtis, John Ralston, the “Great” Bill Walsh, and, Mike White. At 190 pounds, Guy played varsity offensive and defensive end from 1961-1964, and, co-captained his team in 1964 along with Dick Ragsdale. His teammates awarded him the “Vern Purcell Award” as the “Most with the least”. Bill Walsh was quoted as saying “Guy Rounsaville was the toughest player I ever coached”.
Guy graduated from Stanford in 1965 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree, and, then attended the Hastings Law School receiving his law degree in 1968. In 1969, he was admitted to the California Bar Association, and, later, went to work for Wells Fargo based in San Francisco. In eight short years, he became the lead attorney for Wells Fargo and remained in that position until 1998 when the bank merged with NorWest Bank Corporation.
During his exceptional career, Guy became an impassioned leader and champion with the worthy cause of providing opportunities for minorities in the workplace; also known as “Workplace Diversity”. Former Speaker of the House for the California State Assembly, and, San Francisco Mayor, Willie Brown, issued a proclamation for “Guy Rounsaville, Jr. Day” on November 19, 1998. Brown’s statement declared “Whereas, Guy Rounsaville’s vision, determination, courage, and commitment to equality of opportunity have formed a transformation of hiring, retention, and advancement practices of law firms and corporate law departments across the most diverse State in the country.”
His accomplishments as an attorney are too many to list here tonight. Although Guy now resides in Hillsborough in the bay area with his wife of 38 years, Lenore, he will always be an ‘08er at heart. He has two grown daughters, Ashley and Lindsey, who are now involved with their own careers.
Welcome home, Guy.