A former U.S. deputy secretary of agriculture, his philanthropic wife and a renowned storyteller will serve as parade marshals for Picnic Day at UC Davis on Saturday, April 12.

Richard and Evelyne Rominger of Winters and John Boe, an English department lecturer, will be the ceremonial leaders as more than 75 parade entries begin to move through the campus and downtown Davis at 9 a.m.

The 17-student Picnic Day Board of Directors chose the three as marshals for their contributions to UC Davis and beyond. “Looking at their accomplishments combined with their contributions and connections to UC Davis made them perfect people to represent the diversity that underlines this year’s Picnic Day theme,” said Keri Groh, student chair of the event.

The Romingers, who met as members of the UC Davis Cal Aggie Marching Band in1947, have had a long association with UC Davis.

Richard Rominger served as deputy Secretary of Agriculture during the Clinton administration and continues to act as a liaison between universities and the agricultural industry.

Evelyne Rominger, whose father graduated from UC Davis in 1913, has only missed two Picnic Day events in her life. She has been involved in community activities ranging from the PTA to the Mental Health Association. She was chair of the California Conference for Comprehensive Health Planning and served on the Commission of the Californias.

At UC Davis since 1981, John Boe is director of the Campus Writing Center. He teaches writing courses, children’s literature and Shakespeare and received an Excellence in Teaching Award from UC Davis in 1991. Boe also has released the recording The Bongo Poet and Other Stories About Music, with the Steve Slagle Trio. On Picnic Day, he will tell stories at the event’s Multicultural Children’s Faire.

Picnic Day 2003 will feature more than 50 exhibits, six stages for entertainment, demonstrations, animal events and sports contests. For details, see http://picnicday.ucdavis.edu/2003/.