Compiled by Talene Yotnotsian
Five people were honored at the annual Coastline Community College Foundation Visionary of the Year Awards event last month. Those honored: Martin Diedrich, founder of Irvine-based Diedrich Coffee Inc. and founder and owner of K & #233;an Coffee in Newport Beach; Marcia Manker, chief executive of Orange Coast Memorial Medical Center; Darioush Khaledi, chief executive of K.V. Mart Co. and owner of the Darioush Winery; Fiza Shah, founder of Developments in Literacy; and Kristine Thalman, chief executive of the OC chapter of the Building Industry Association.
James D. Woods, chairman emeritus and former chief executive of Baker Hughes Inc., received an honorary doctorate of humane letters for his work as a business leader and philanthropist. Woods is the fourth California State University, Fullerton, graduate and second business administration graduate to be recognized with the honor.
Dennis D. O’Neil was named Citizen of the Year from the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce and the city of Newport Beach. The award is presented to those who represent admirable qualities, respect among friends, neighbors and associates. O’Neil, a member of the chamber, served as its chairman in 1994 and was a former Newport Beach mayor.
Raphael Sonenshein, professor of political science at Cal State Fullerton, received the Carol Barnes Excellence in Teaching Award for 2005-06. Sonenshein is the first recipient of the award, which will become an annual honor given to a faculty member. Sonenshein’s expertise is on American government, urban government, campaigns and elections, racial and minority politics and California and Los Angeles politics.
Kim Allen, Coast Community College District’s director of fiscal affairs, was honored as the 2006 District-site Manager of the Year. Allen oversees the district’s fiscal affairs department and is responsible for its budget, payroll, purchasing and accounting and its three colleges: Coastline Community College, Golden West College and Orange Coast College.
Laguna Beach-based Jordan Property Group honored Laguna Beach’s David and Mary Young at its second annual fund-raiser for “Fields of Life,Outreach to Africa.” The Youngs played a key role in the development of the architectural and artistic identity of the city, including as founders of the Laguna Beach College of Art and Design and longtime members of the board for the Festival of the Arts’ Pageant of the Masters.
KOCE-TV’s Real Orange local news program received the Salvation Army’s Spirit of the Army award. KOCE received one of four awards given. The awards are presented to outstanding citizens or groups that donate exceptional talent, time or money to the community. KOCE was recognized for news coverage.
Five members of the Latino community were honored at the National Latina Business Women of Orange County’s second annual Honoring Latinas in Business Awards. The honorees are Martha Montoya of Los Kitos as Latina Entrepreneur of the Year; Pamela Pimental of the Moms Club as Latina Executive of the Year; Addy Perez-Mau of Heaven Sent Jewelry as Emerging Latina of the Year; and as Members of the Year: Francisca Gonzalez-Baxa of the Law Offices of Francisca Gonzalez-Baxa and Johnny Vallejo of Vallejo Financial.
Al Zelinka, principal community planner at Irvine’s RBF Consulting’s Urban Design Studio, was the co-recipient of the 2006 American Institute of Certified Planners President’s Award for establishing the New Partners for Smart Growth conferences.
Garden Grove’s Cable Channel 3 won the award for Overall Excellence in Government Programming at the States of California and Nevada Chapter of the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors Star Awards. The cable channel also won second place in the Talk Show and Public Service categories for its work on segments “Working Wardrobes” and “50 Years of Hometown Pride” respectively, for cities with populations less than 400,000. Channel 3 won the third place award for Best Training for its work on the segment, “Training in the 21st century, Forensics.”
