Comedian, pizza exec to address grads
By Jill Gosche, jgosche@advertiser-tribune.comArticle Photos
Heidelberg College has selected Brian Regan, who has appeared on late-night stages with David Letterman and Conan O’Brien, as its commencement speaker May 11. Tiffin University is to welcome Terry Collins, chairman of Papa Murphy’s board of directors, May 3.
John Bing, professor of political science at Heidelberg, said Regan has an eye for finding humor in dilemmas average people face.
“What he does is help people see the humor in a lot of everyday situations, particularly the problems that are faced by ordinary people in extraordinary times,” he said. “He (has) a very effective comic voice to help people better understand and live with the contradictions and problems of contemporary life.”
Bing said Regan was known as “Rip” in college and was best known for a cartoon strip he wrote for the student newspaper called “Stick Man.”
Bing said Regan came to Heidelberg from Florida to play football and always had a sense of humor. Regan discovered he enjoyed making people laugh while taking a course in the theater department, he said.
Bing said Regan quit school his senior year to work in small venues and clubs doing stand-up comedy.
“He wasn’t that good at first,” he said. “He kept at it.”
Regan finished his degree in 1997, according to the college.
“He always wanted to graduate from Heidelberg, and we were able to arrange for him to come back and do the courses that he was missing by independent arrangement a few years ago,” Bing said.
Kathy Venema, Heidelberg’s director of alumni relations, said she thinks Regan will be able to relate well to the audience.
“We had talked about him for a couple of years, to bring back a successful alumnus that would have an appeal as a speaker to the graduating students and their families, and so this year it worked out for him to come,” she said.
TU is welcoming Collins, who lives with his wife, Rose, in Petaluma, Calif. According to information from the college, Restaurants and Institutions Magazine selected Papa Murphy’s as “Best Pizza Chain in America” in 2003 and every year since then.
Marion described Collins as a “local boy made good.” Marion said he grew up in Fremont and now has the fifth-largest pizza chain in the United States, with more than 1,000 locations in 30 states.
“Given the strength of our school of business and the high percentage of students who graduate in business, we always like to have a successful entrepreneur or successful business leader as a speaker from time to time,” he said.
Marion said Collins built an impressive business through taking risks, working hard and being organized, and he hopes graduates take away a message they can do the same thing. If they work hard and apply themselves, they can succeed in America, he said.
“We thought that given his local connections, having grown up close by, he would be a good role model for our students, especially those who might be interested in creating their own businesses at some point in their career,” he said.
On the Web:
Brian Regan:
www.BrianRegan.com
Papa Murphy’s:
www.papamurphys.com
