News & Events
Avoca always has something new in the mix. Stay abreast of the latest news and events at Avoca.
March 2010 Avoca wins preferred vendor status with McKesson Pharmaceutical.
Feb 2010 Avoca partners with Computer Sciences Corporation to deliver resources on large data warehousing initiative for Kaiser Permanente.
Jan 2010 Avoca delivers resources to Wells Fargo large data conversion initiative.
12/21/09 Avoca enters into agreement with offshore partner in Argentina offering full suite of development including QA resources as well as Force.com capabilities.
12/17/09 Avoca begins new Endeavour to offer Trizetto training to companies implementing Trizetto Facets.
12/4/09 Avoca focused on new initiative with national Healthcare provider
11/30/09 Avoca is supporting a new SAS initiative with longtime client Blue Shield.
11/17/09 Avoca has a new client E Commerce client and will help to expand their QA team.
8/3/09 "Avoca wins new contract for a world leader bio-technology company."
5/4/09 Avoca consultants lead the charge in configuring and maintaining the main website of leading provider of healthcare benefits.
4/28/09 Avoca places several Lead ETL developers with a large healthcare provider to spear head a Data Integration project.
4/15/09 Avoca wins part of an Enterprise level project aimed at modernizing the entire online world of California's leading healthcare provider.
4/10/09 Avoca expands healthcare portfolio with the addition of a new client in Sacramento. A non-profit focused on providing healthcare resources to low income families, Avoca is proud to assist with the development and expansion of their online database.
September 2008
Avoca Appoints Advisory Board
Avoca is proud to announce our newly appointed advisory board.
Don McGrath
Don McGrath is Chairman of Bank of the West, and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Bank's holding company, BancWest Corporation.
McGrath was elected Chairman of the Board in 2005. Even before becoming CEO of Bank of the West in 1996, McGrath led the bank through a period of dramatic and successful growth including fifteen mergers in less than two decades and the combination with First Hawaiian that created BancWest Corporation. During this time, McGrath was named Vice President and Treasurer of the Bank of the West in 1980, and later became Chief Financial Office. In 1988, he was named Director and Senior Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer. He became President in 1991 and Chief Executive Officer in 1996. He has offices in San Francisco and Honolulu.
Prior to joining Bank of the West in 1975, McGrath worked with Illinois National Bank in marketing and investment positions.
In 2008, McGrath was appointed by President Bush to the President's Advisory Council on Financial Literacy. In 2007, he was named to the Board of Directors of Deluxe Corporation.
McGrath is active in community affairs and serves on other boards including Financial Services Roundtable, the Nature Conservancy of California, Operation HOPE, Inc., Resources Legacy Fund, the Commonwealth Club of California and Dominican University of San Rafael.
McGrath received a BS in Marketing from the University of Illinois and an MBA with honors in Finance from Boston University.
Ewan Macdonald
Ewan Macdonald is the recently retired Chairman and CEO of Del Monte Foods. Born in Glasgow Scotland in 1941, Mr. Macdonald received his MA in Economics at the University of Edinburgh.
Since his retirement in 1993, he has served on several corporate boards. Mr. Macdonald currently serves on advisory boards for Bank of the West, BankWest Corp, Reily Foods of New Orleans Authentic Southern Foods Board, and now the Avoca Advisory Board. Previously Mr. McDonald sat on the boards of C&H Sugar Co, a CitiCorp Venture Capital Enterprise acquired by Dominos Sugar, Zatarains, Inc. acquired by McCormick Spice Co., and Dames and Moore acquired by URS.
Mr. Macdonald began his career in 1966 at Leo Burnett Advertising Agency. During his tenure, Mr. Macdonald was posted in the UK, Spain, South Africa, Portugal and the USA. His work at Leo Burnett gave him experience with many clients in diverse industries.
In 1981, Mr. Macdonald left Leo Burnett and began work at McCann-Erickson Advertising Agency handling Del Monte Foods account in the USA and 22 countries. His involvement with Del Monte Foods led to his hiring at Del Monte in 1985.
From 1985-1987 Mr. Macdonald was the Director of Marketing for the USA, which led to his appointment of President of DMF-USA. In 1989, Mr. Macdonald led a management buyout of the company from RJR. From 1990-1993 he was the CEO of a free standing, highly leveraged and privately owned Del Monte Foods. He was bestowed the title of Chairman in 1993.
Richard Powell
Richard Powell is the recently retired Managing Director of American President Lines. Mr. Powell holds a Bachelors degree in economics from the University of Dublin.
Mr. Powell joined the London office of Arthur Anderson in 1967 as a Chartered Accountant. In 1968, Mr. Powell transferred to Andersen's San Francisco office. Mr. Powell began his 21-year career with American President Airlines in 1975 as a Controller. Subsequently he held various positions with APL including Director of Finance and Administration for Asia and Managing Director for APL Japan.
Mr. Powell retired from APL in 1996. He is married and lives in Marin County, California.