BERKELEY – Burl Toler Jr., a linebacker for the Golden Bears in the mid-1970s who has gone on to a long career as an architect and project manager, is the recipient of the 2018 Glenn Seaborg Award. The official presentation will take place during a ceremony when Cal hosts UCLA on Saturday, Oct. 13 at California Memorial Stadium.
 
The honor, named after the former University of California chancellor and 1951 Nobel Prize-winning chemist, is presented annually to a former Cal football player for his career accomplishments who represents the honored Cal principles and traditions of excellence in academics, athletics, leadership and attitude.
 
"One of the most important honors bestowed on a former student-athlete is to receive an award named after Glenn Seaborg, who as Nobel Laureate and Chancellor of this exceptional University understood the importance of balance between family, academics, athletics and professional life, and one's ability to successfully navigate all," Toler said. "I am truly honored and blessed with family and friends and the University of California at Berkeley to share this special award with. I will cherish this award."
 
Toler, the 24th recipient of the award, played for the Bears from 1974-77, serving as team captain as a senior. Cal won a share of the Pac-8 title his sophomore year in 1975 and finished 8-3 in '77. He received second-team All-Pac-8 honors in 1977 as a linebacker and graduated with a degree in architecture in 1978.
 
Toler has a deep connection to Cal and the Bay Area. His father, the late Burl Toler Sr., was an All-American on the legendary 1951 USF football team and later became the first African-American official in the NFL, starting in 1965. Burl Jr. and his wife, Susan Tomayo-Toler, met at Cal as freshmen and together they have five children, including four who were student-athletes at Cal. Son, Burl III was a wide receiver for the Bears as an undergraduate and currently serves as Cal's running backs coach, while son, Cameron, was a member of the football team from 2004-07. Daughters, Pita and Laureina, were both on the track & field team, and Pita is currently on the Cal Athletics Development staff. Daughter, Christianna, is an artist living in New York.
 
Over his career, Toler has worked throughout the Bay Area as a designer and senior project manager. Notable projects he has managed include construction of San Francisco International Terminal, as well as construction of the airport museum and cargo buildings. Additionally, Toler has managed construction at Contra Costa College, UCSF Medical Center and UC Berkeley. He has had the responsibility to manage or assist in the management of well over $1 billion of construction projects in the Bay Area.
 
In addition, Toler has served as a mentor to many young students and student-athletes who have aspirations of entering the architectural or construction professions. His involvement with Cal includes the co-creation of the Career Council board, which was composed of Bay Area professionals who served as mentors to Cal football student-athletes. Toler is also a past president of the Big C Society, as well as the incoming chair of the Glenn Seaborg Board of Directors. He was a member of the Bear Backer Council, too.
 
Outside of UC Berkeley, Toler has served as a member of the Board of Regents at both St. Ignatius College Prep and Bishop O'Dowd High School, been on the CYO Board of Trustees and is a member of the Guardsmen Organization. Toler served as a director on the West County Waste Water District Board, as well as a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity.
 
Established in 1995, the Seaborg Award has been presented to 23 times previously. Past winners are:
 
1995 – Rod Franz
1996 – John Najarian, M.D.
1997 – John Ralston
1998 – Les Richter
1999 – Vic Bottari
2000 – Pete Schabarum
2001 – Ed Bartlett
2002 – Ray Willsey
2003 – Jack Hart
2004 – Bob Karpe
2005 – Harry Agler
2006 – Chris Markey
2007 – George Stathakis
2008 – Nick Veliotes
2009 – John Garamendi
2010 – Pete Domoto
2011 – Dick Erickson
2012 – Thelton Henderson
2013 – Mike White
2014 – Jim Hanifan
2015 – Paul Larson
2016 – Jack Clark
2017 – Ed White