With a groundswell of support from every part of the West Valley­Mission Community College District, the 68-year-old Saratoga resident is being honored on Jan. 27 for his commitment to improving education and his community. At a special dedication ceremony, the college district's board of trustees will commemorate a yet-to-be-built campus technology building at West Valley College as The M.E. Fox Center.

"I understand that the building's in the heart of the campus," Fox says, jokingly. "And all the young girls will hang out there because they're foxes."

On a more serious note, Fox said he was shocked and overwhelmed by the news and extremely appreciative of the recognition, especially since there's never been a building named after anyone on the campus. Joe Samuels, West Valley's vice president of instruction, says the designation couldn't be more fitting.

"Mike has done so much for our college and our community. He's been just an instrumental person on our Advancement Foundation board for many years, and has been there not only for our college but for Mission College," Samuels says. "It seems so right for me that our first building that has been constructed since 1968 bears his name. I can't think of a better person because he truly is someone who has dedicated his time, his energy and his money to this college.

"Now a lot of people give money to colleges, but he gives his time and his energy."

Fox's wife of 45 years, Mary Ellen, says she, too, approves of the building's name.

"I like it because it's my initials, too," she says. "I'm kidding. I had nothing to do with it. I'm thrilled for him. He's had a lot of awards, but nothing quite so spectacular. This is sort of the capping of his career."

Fox is the chairman and founder of M.E. Fox & Company Inc., a family-owned and operated beverage distribution company, located in San Jose. Mike and Mary Ellen have lived in Saratoga since 1965, and their three sons have taken over running the company. Mike Fox Jr. serves as president, Dennis Fox directs operations and Terence Fox is in sales. The couple has six children and 15 grandchildren, who all live in the Bay Area.

Government officials, community college administrators and local residents all said Fox is deserving of having his name associated with the new building, even though he was modest about the tribute.

"I don't know how they ever came up with my name," Fox says. "It's certainly an honor, but as for how fitting it is, I can think of so many other individuals that should be recognized and honored. I've been very visible in the things I've done. But there have been thousands of people behind me that have enabled me to do those things. So many people in our community go completely unrecognized."

Fox is credited with making countless contributions to Silicon Valley nonprofit organizations. He was the chairman of United Way in Santa Clara and saved it from closure. He was also chairman of the Santa Clara University Board of Regents and the San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce. He has a long list of committees, boards and organizations on which he's served and often founded.

"Make sure you say I'm a member of San Jose Rotary," Fox chimed in. "I'm wearing the pin."

Fox proudly showed off the Rotary pin on his lapel. He's been involved with the group for about the past 10 years.

Fox is a well-respected philanthropist and community leader who could have retreated into his gated estate in Saratoga and enjoyed his success, says Ruth Carlson, the college district's public affairs director. Instead, Fox donated his money, resources and energy to enhance the quality of life for the people of the Silicon Valley. He also doesn't mind talking the time out of his day to talk with West Valley College students about his years as a marathon runner or about his past problems with alcoholism and abuse. Fox tells students he hasn't had an alcoholic drink in 27 years.

"In my 31 years in public education, I've never known someone to give so much to education and to his community," says Stan Arterberry, chancellor of the West Valley­Mission Community College District.

Tom McEnery, former mayor of San Jose, says Fox has supported all the normal philanthropic ventures, but he's also gone above and beyond. McEnery describes Fox as a person who has been courageous in taking on issues, when many civic leaders would shy away from controversy. While Fox is comfortable being in the background, he isn't afraid to go one step further.

"When I was mayor, he was always there, willing to give his time and effort," McEnery says. He adds that Fox was willing to put himself out there and take criticism, and explains that Fox has a very strong instinct for right and wrong.

"Mike Fox is most deserving of this award because he doesn't really want it or need it," McEnery says. "He and his family have spent most of their lives in this valley working for other good causes and good people."

Arterberry said the college district's staff and board members can recommend campus buildings be named after prominent members of the community who have donated their time or money to the community college system. When trustee Jeff Schwartz nominated Fox for the building's title, it was firmly backed by the rest of the board.

"Mike seems to support causes that are good for his community," Arterberry says. "I can't tell you if he's a Democrat, a Republican, an Independent or a Libertarian, but his heart is to give to his community."

Arterberry says it also speaks of Fox's character that his sons are now following in their father's footsteps by carrying on his tradition of public service. Schwartz said Fox is a clear-cut leader of the area in terms of his charitable work and deserves to be honored. The dedication ceremony is expected to be packed with politicians, educators and community members who have all been touched in one way or another by Fox.

"Mike is a very unusual guy. He's extremely down to earth and unassuming," Schwartz says. "You can't find anybody in the South Bay who has a bad word to say about him or who doesn't recognize how generous he's been over the years."

Fred Chow, West Valley College's dean of information technology and services, says plans for what the new technology center building will house are still being developed. The building will be used for instruction, but not by any one department. Chow describes the building as a one-story structure that will blend in with the rest of the campus, and serve as a gathering place for students, faculty and staff.

"We don't know what technology is going to be like many years from now, so the technology is going to flexible," Chow says. "We'd like to design the space to be flexible, so we adapt as things change."

Phil Hartley, president of West Valley College, says it makes sense for a building at the heart of the campus to be named after a person who has been at the heart of so many good causes.

"Mike has taught his family from when they were young that they were to work hard and be successful in life, but they were to give back to the community," Hartley says. "The entire family is very community involved and supportive, and the thing that is most impressive is that this is a lifetime of support."

Fox formed the Advancement Foundation for the West Valley­Mission Community College District in 1997, serving as president. He's credited with not only developing private and public corporate partnerships between businesses like Cisco Systems, Applied Materials, Inc., Hewlett-Packard and the community college district, but also raising nearly $11 million for the foundation.

"The advancement foundation's purpose is to raise funds, resources and awareness for the colleges out in the community and to help cover the costs of things not covered by traditional funding sources—namely the state," says Cynthia Schelcher, dean of advancement.

When he first became involved with the foundation, Fox admitted he didn't know much about community colleges. Today, he says he's amazed and has much respect for the number of courses they offer, and how accessible and often affordable they are for many people. There are 106 community colleges in the state, Schelcher said. And whether someone attends West Valley College for two years and they move on to a four-year institution, or whether they just take a refresher course to brush up on their skills, Fox is a big believer in the system.

"I really learned the efficacy of the community college and what it does for the people educationally, economically and with their growth and maturity. I think the future of this is so great because college costs are escalating so much, and so many people are not going to be able to go to college," Fox says. "This might be the only higher education that some people get, and we have to do more to serve them better through the community college system."

Arterberry recognizes Fox's commitment to healthcare and his concern with the growing need for professionals in the medical field. Fox has chaired the Regional Health Occupations Consortium at Mission College in Santa Clara.

"Where are we going to get the doctors and the nurses and all the personnel? From places like West Valley­Mission," Fox says. "When your life is at stake, you want to have people who are there, and we're going to come to that point where we're not going to have doctors or nurses. The 4 1/2-minute response time on an ambulance is meaningless because when they get you to the hospital there won't be anyone at the hospital to take care of you. It's really life-threatening."

Fox is looking to community colleges to train medical professionals and to certify people who have medical training or careers in other countries who come to this country.

While a variation of Parkinson's Disease has slowed Fox down slightly over the past two years, he's looking forward to the building dedication ceremony. The agenda for the evening will be a surprise to him.

"It was the ultimate accolade that this community college could do to recognize a man who has done so much to recognize the quality of education for our students," Schelcher says. "He really has made a difference in the lives as well as the caliber of our students. That's unique."

And so is Mike Fox Sr.

The West Valley­Mission Community College District Board of Trustees will honor Fox on Jan. 27 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in the theater on the West Valley College campus, 14000 Fruitvale Ave., Saratoga. Champagne and hors d'oeuvres will be served. To attend the event, which is open to the community, call 408.741.2164.