Compiled by Johanne Chou
The National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors named Larry Lambert the 68th recipient of the John Newton Russell Memorial Award. He is chairman and owner of Los Alamitos-based LBL Insurance Services Inc. The award recognizes service to the life insurance and financial advising industries.
Nancy Chase and Nancy Cheng received the 2008 Citizen of the Year award from the Irvine Chamber of Commerce. Chase was recognized for volunteering for numerous organizations, including Meals on Wheels and Families Forward. Cheng was recognized for her involvement in senior services and cultural awareness programs. Ellen Wright, a relationship manager for BTA Advisory Group, was named 2008 Member of the Year.
Major League Baseball and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim named Justin Cooper of Buena Park, Daniel Hamer of Trabuco Canyon and Christine Shively of Newport Beach finalists in the “All-Stars Among Us” campaign. The campaign recognizes individuals who serve the local community. Cooper has raised $30,000 for March of Dimes and $15,000 for Children’s Hospital of Orange County. Hamer has collected 250,000 pairs of shoes for the homeless during the past 20 years. Shively crochets cancer caps through her organization Knots of Love, and she has sent them to 20,000 people in North America.
Russ Parker received the Sheila Field Living Life Large Award from Leukemia & Lymphoma Society at the chapter’s Man/Woman of the Year dinner. Parker has raised $165,000 for cancer research.
The Afterschool Alliance and the California Afterschool Network honored Randy Barth, the founder and chief executive of Think Together, for his support of afterschool programs at the Breakfast of Champions at Washington D.C.
The city of Mission Viejo received an award from the International Making Cities Livable organization for its expansion of the Norman P. Murray Community and Senior Center. The city updated the 19-year-old center with the latest audio and video equipment, among other site improvements.
Sheryne Liang of Tustin, Bob Bender of Newport Coast, Darlene Hamilton of Costa Mesa and Christy Stoeckel of Costa Mesa were honored as Big Brother and Big Sisters of the Year by Big Brothers Big Sisters of OC.
United Way of America honored Wells Fargo & Co. with two Summit Awards as part of its Spirit of America Awards program. Wells Fargo was recognized for its outstanding commitment to Community Impact and Community Volunteerism. Last year, Wells Fargo donated $102.1 million in grants and team members volunteered 787,772 hours throughout the country.
The 7th Annual American Business Awards named Future Ads the fastest-growing company of the year, Sheldon Razin of Quality Systems Inc. chairman of the year, Specialized Marketing Services Inc.’s Vu Executive Kit best design of the year and Trinet Internet Solutions Inc. automotive/transport equipment Web site of the year for its Rare Parts Web site.
At Tustin Chamber of Commerce’s Business of the Year Awards’ chamber gala, CR & R won for large business, Extreme Boot Camp Tustin Ranch won for small business and Barr Homes Real Estate won for rookie.
San Juan Capistrano Mayor Mark Nielsen honored Chris Dollar with the Mayor’s Educator of the Year award and Hilary Vansell with the Youth of the Year award. The awards are given annually to individuals who have made a difference in San Juan Capistrano. Dollar teaches advanced placement government, world history, U.S. history and economics at Capistrano Valley High School. Vansell works with the National Charity League and CHOC.
University of California, Irvine’s Claire Trevor School of the Arts awarded Chelsea De Jesus and Solia Martinez-Jacobs honors in stage management,its highest undergraduate achievement. De Jesus is interning as a production assistant for “Paradise Lost” at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and plans to work in stage management or arts administration. Martinez-Jacobs hopes to become a stage manager for the Berkeley Repertory Theatre.
