Well-Deserved
Orange County’s top philanthropists, business leaders and others were honored at the 31st Annual National Philanthropy Day Orange County Awards Luncheon on Nov. 17 at City National Grove of Anaheim.
The event was attended by more than 800 guests and hosted by the Association of Fundraising Professionals’ Orange County chapter.
C.J. Segerstrom & Sons Managing Partner Sandy Segerstrom Daniels was the event’s honorary chairperson.
More than 100 businesses and individuals were nominated for awards. The 2016 National Philanthropy Day Orange County Outstanding Honorees included The Bascom Group LLC, Outstanding Small Corporation or Business; Fluidmaster Inc., Outstanding Mid-Sized Business; and Pacific Life Insurance Co., Outstanding Large Corporation.
Strong Foundation
The KidWorks Foundation for Success Luncheon was held on Nov. 17 at the Doubletree Hotel in Santa Ana. The event raised a record $650,000 to help fund the nonprofit group’s after-school education and leadership development programs. It was the largest sum raised since the luncheon’s inception in 2007 and represents about 65% of KidWorks’ after-school program budget.
The event featured Jackie Slater, a former Rams offensive tackle with the Rams of the National Football League, as keynote speaker. Toyota Financial Services President and Chief Executive Mike Groff was the 2016 Foundation for Success Luncheon honoree and recipient of the inaugural Dan Donahue Leadership Award.
Presenting Sponsors included Toyota Financial Services, America Career College and West Coast University. The Foundation Sponsor was Bank of America Merrill Lynch, and the Diamond Sponsor was Donahue Schriber.
Trailblazers Scouted Out
The Seventh Annual Celebrate Leadership event was held on Nov. 4 at Island Hotel in Newport Beach. More than 260 community and business leaders came together to recognize seven outstanding local female leaders.
The occasion netted more than $225,000 for Girl Scouts of Orange County.
Celebrate Leadership was chaired by Shannon Kennedy, president of U.S. Markets-Southwest for BNY Mellon Wealth Management, and Ashleigh Aitken, counsel at Aitken Aitken Cohn.
The Celebrate Leadership Honorees were Ellen S. Bancroft, office managing partner of the Orange County office of law firm Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP; Karen Caplan, president and chief executive of Frieda’s Specialty Produce; Jackie Caplan Wiggins, vice president and chief operating officer of Frieda’s Specialty Produce; Lucy Dunn, president and chief executive of the Orange County Business Council; Mary “Muff” Tennyson, chief executive and founder of StashAll LLC; Socorro Vasquez, community volunteer and philanthropist; and Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks, president and chief executive of Earth Friendly Products.
Event sponsors included BNY Mellon Wealth Management, Earth Friendly Products, Frieda’s Specialty Produce, Aitken Aitken Cohn, KPMG LLP, PAAMCO, Ralphs Grocery Co., Southern California Edison, and Teacher Created Materials Publishing.
True Spirit of Giving
More than 350 guests gathered on Nov. 12 at Balboa Bay Resort to support the Oglala Lakota of Pine Ridge, S.D. The first annual True Sioux Hope Gala was a culturally immersive event that celebrated the spirit of the great Sioux Nation while raising funds to provide critical programs and aid to the people of Pine Ridge, which the True Sioux Hope organization says is the poorest place in the United States. The event raised $450,000.
Organizer Twila True, president of True Investments LLC and chief executive and founder of True Sioux Hope, was raised on the Pine Ridge Reservation. The event co-chairperson was Orange County philanthropist Donna Pickup.
Guests enjoyed a cocktail reception, live music, traditional Sioux dances, a Native American artisan market, silent and live auctions, an opportunity drawing, and speeches by True, Bryan Brewer, former Tribal President, and Bryan Brayboy, ASU special advisor to the president of American Indian Initiative.
Sponsorships for the gala included South Coast Plaza, Pacific Hospitality Group, Rutan & Tucker LLP, Silvergate Bank and FBR Capital Markets.
Bits & Pieces
Golden State Foods donated $2,400, or $100 for each pink tie worn to work by members of its team, to Susan G. Komen. Twenty-four team members, including Chairman and Chief Executive Mark Wetterau; Chief Operating Officer Neil Cracknell; and Chief Financial Officer Bill Sanderson took part. … Last month 75 Wienerschitzel employees participated in the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network Annual PurpleStride event in honor of late company founder John Galardi, contributing to the nearly $300,000 raised at the annual event.
