The News Tribune's David Zeeck among featured speakers at Commencement ceremony
Posted: May 26, 2015
President and publisher Zeeck will join faculty and student speakers at this year’s ceremony
TACOMA, Wash. –The News Tribune’s president and publisher David Zeeck will deliver the keynote address at Bates Technical College’s commencement exercise, held in the exhibition hall of the Tacoma Dome on Thursday, May 28 at 6 p.m.
Zeeck, publisher and president since 2008, was executive editor of the TNT for 14 years. He came to Tacoma in 1994, after 20 years at The Kansas City Star as a reporter and editor. At The Star, he was an editor on projects that won Pulitzer Prize awards for local and national reporting.
Zeeck is active in the community, serving on various boards, councils and committees, including the executive committee of the Economic Development Board for Tacoma-Pierce County, and boards of the Pacific Northwest Newspapers Association and Allied Daily Newspapers of Washington. He received an MBA from Rockhurst University in Kansas City and a bachelor’s of journalism degree from the University of Missouri.
In addition to Zeeck, Diesel and Heavy Equipment Mechanic graduate Diana Hoffmann and academic instructor Alan Tiger and will speak at the ceremony.
Hoffmann, a FedEx Freight fleet mechanic, is the spouse of an Army chemical corps member. After the family moved to five states within six years, Hoffmann knew she needed a career that would support the family’s mobile lifestyle. Learning of the diesel program from her husband, she enrolled and landed the FedEx Freight position during her final quarter. The pregnant mother of two looks forward to remaining with the company during future military-related transfers.
Retiring Human Relations instructor Tiger said he relies on humor and focused stories to make communication concepts interesting and relevant to students. Tiger, who holds a master’s degree in communication studies from the University of Oregon, has taught courses at the university, Green River Community College, and, for the past 21 years, at Bates.
Annually, more than 800 students complete their education at Bates and leave to begin careers throughout the year. On Thursday evening, approximately 300 graduates will return to celebrate their educational achievements and participate in the ceremony.
To learn more about the commencement ceremony, visit www.bates.ctc.edu/Commencement, or call 253.680.7000.
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