The Pasadena Tournament of Roses® and their community partners – the Pasadena Community Coalition, the Armenian Community Coalition, the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) and the Organization of Chinese Americans-Greater Los Angeles (OCA-GLA) – hosted an open house in honor of Gerald Freeny, the first African-American president of the Tournament of Roses. Over 400 community members attended the event to recognize Freeny and learn more about the 2019 Tournament of Roses.
“I am honored to be a part of this community,” Freeny said. “And I’m so humbled to have the opportunity to serve as president of the Tournament of Roses. As we continue to evolve as an organization, I look forward to promoting volunteerism, diversity and community support.”
Freeny is providing leadership for the 130th Rose Parade and the Rose Bowl Game® on Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2019.
Freeny has been a volunteer member of the Tournament of Roses Association since 1988. In addition to his many years of service in the Tournament of Roses, his community involvement has included the Pasadena Police Foundation Board, Pasadena Police Citizens Academy, Pasadena Rose Bowl Aquatics Board, University Club, Pasadena YMCA Board, Black Support Group at Cal State LA, Urban League Board of Governors, United Way Fundraising Committee, Toast Masters, Pasadena NAACP, and being president of the San Gabriel chapter of NOBLE (National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives). Freeny has been on the Advisory Board of the Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation since 2016, and is also a member of Legacy’s Museum Committee.
He attended Pasadena Christian School and John Muir High School in Pasadena, and received a bachelor’s degree in business administration and finance from California State University, Los Angeles. Freeny is a member of both the Kappa Alpha Psi and Gamma Zeta Boulé of Sigma Pi Phi fraternities and First Historic Lutheran Church.
Freeny resides in Altadena with his wife, Trina, and their daughter, Erica.
Martin Gordon, Chair of the Pasadena Community Coalition was one of the many volunteers who spearheaded the open house to honor Freeny.
