KUDOS
Compiled by Kristyn von Rotz
Orange County YMCA board member Don Garcia was named as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. Garcia is president of Pinnacle Financial Group in Irvine. He is on the board of several organizations in the county, including the National Association of Insurance and Investment Advisors for Orange County and the Latino Coalition.
Chapman University President James L. Doti was named Chief Executive Officer of the Year by the Western Region of the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education. Doti, who has been president of the university since 1991 and on the faculty since 1974, was recognized for his ability to create a vision and inspire others, establish a positive image of the university and increase the university stature in the community, according to the council. Chapman alumnus and former board chairman George L. Argyros nominated Doti for the award. Argyros is U.S. ambassador to Spain.
Gary Birch, dean of visual arts at Laguna College of Art & Design, was selected as a member of the Apple Distinguished Educator program for 2003. Birch will join a group of higher education professionals who encourage the growth of educational technology in the classroom. Birch will participate with Apple Computer Inc. as an advocate, advisor and content developer during his association with the program.
Robert Teller, founder and chairman of the board of the Orange County Market Place in Costa Mesa, was chosen to serve as a member of the Small business Administration’s National Advisory Council. He also will serve as regional representative for the council’s executive committee. The National Advisory Council provides opinions on SBA programs and small-business issues.
The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners awarded the State Award for Nurse Practitioner Advocate to Susan Kralick-Goldberg, vice president of cardiovascular services for Hoag Heart and Vascular Institute, the cardiovascular center at Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian in Newport Beach. Goldberg was honored as the sole recipient from California at the academy’s 18th annual national conference held recently in Anaheim.
Santa Ana-based Balboa Dessert Co., a division of Balboa Acquisition LLC, was awarded the 2003 Innovator Award by the California Restaurant Association for creating The Lite Bakery dessert line. The California Restaurant Association grants the award annually to the “best-of-the-best” new products aimed at improving quality in the hospitality industry.
The 10th Annual Mighty Rubber Ducky Derby raised $183,000 for Children’s Bureau of Southern California, a nonprofit organization for the treatment and prevention of child abuse and neglect. More than 3,000 people cheered on 13,000 rubber ducks as they raced around the quarter-mile Lazy River at Wild Rivers Waterpark in Irvine. Local ABC-TV sports anchor Rob Fukuzaki emceed the duck race, which offered a 2003 Mini Cooper as the grand prize. Sponsors included: Wild Rivers Waterpark, William Lyon Homes, Cox Communications, KOCE-TV, OC Family Magazine, Anaheim Disposal, and Balboa Insurance Group.
California State University, Fullerton received the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities’ Outstanding Member Institution Award. Cal State Fullerton received the award at the association’s 17th annual conference earlier this month in Garden Grove. The association is based in San Antonio and represents 350 colleges and universities. Cal State Fullerton is ranked No. 8 by the Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education’s list of the top 100 colleges giving bachelor’s degrees to Hispanics.
Concordia University in Irvine awarded the Faithfulness and Excellence award to Ruth DeNault, president of DeNault’s True Value Hardware. DeNault’s, which was established by Ruth’s husband, Jim, in 1956 in San Clemente, has seven locations in the county. The award was established by the Concordia University Foundation. It honors business leaders who reflect the university’s values of faithfulness and academic and professional excellence, according to Concordia.
St. Joseph Hospital of Orange recognized Joseph Sherry, one of 12 blood donors nationwide and the first from Orange County to be inducted into the national Donor Hall of Fame, which is sponsored by Baxter Health Care Corp. Since 1987, Sherry has donated a record 170 times (an average of 11 times per year). He has given more than 130 pints of blood at St. Joseph Hospital. Sherry possesses a rare blood type that can be used for infants and newborns. He was nominated for the Donor Hall of Fame by St. Joseph Hospital and selected by Baxter.
Santa Ana-based Express Manufacturing Inc., an electronics manufacturing service provider, won the Supplier of the Year award from Cheswick, Pa.-based Tollgrade Communications Inc., a provider of communications test and management equipment. Express Manufacturing was chosen for the award for demonstrating excellence in the areas of quality, customer service, engineering support, cost and flexibility.
