Cheryl Osborn was named Office Depot Businesswoman of the Year at the Success Strategies for Businesswomen conference in Anaheim. Osborn is president and founder of Irvine-based Casco Contractors Inc. Awards are presented to women who demonstrate outstanding leadership within their community and business. The conference was presented by the Women Presidents’ Organization. The group is a nonprofit for women presidents of companies with at least $2 million in annual sales.
The Irvine Valley College Foundation recognized Irvine City Manager Sean Joyce as its Alumnus of the Year. The foundation also presented OC residents Wing Lam, Cecilia Goodman and Carol Tagayun with honorary degrees. Goodman is the incoming chairman of the IVC Foundation. Wing Lam is found of Santa Ana-based Wahoo’s Fish Taco. Carol Tagayun is past chairman of the IVC Foundation.
The Irvine Public Schools Foundation awarded grants to 51 Irvine teachers and counselors at the annual Innovative Teaching and Counseling Awards reception. The grants address budget constraints and lack of funding for cutting-edge equipment and creative teaching projects. Special recognition was given to Innovative Projects of the Year. They were Circle Art: An Exploration of Geometry by Nancy Spencer Nicholas and English Class Blogs by Teresa Ozoa.
Costa Mesa-based L.A. CAD Inc. named Melanie Santer Americas Instructor of the Year for 2006. The award is the highest honor among authorized Autodesk Training Center instructors in the U.S., Canada and Latin America. Santer is an L.A. CAD applications engineer specializing in software training, installation, support and implementation.
Irvine-based Tropitone Furniture Co. received the Seating Group or Series Outdoor award for its new Cabana Club seating collection. The awards competition was sponsored by the International Interior Design Association and Hospitality Design Magazine. The competition recognizes excellence for innovation and aesthetic properties of products designed for the hospitality market.
Cal State Fullerton honored Kathy G. Moore, Jim Powell and Sharnette Underdue with the 2007 Outstanding Staff Employee Award. Moore has spent more than 30 years working within the California State University system including eight years at Cal State Fullerton. Powell joined the university in 1976. Underdue has served on campus for five years and worked as resident director in student housing.
The National Athletic Trainers’ Association inducted Julie Max into its Hall of Fame. All inductees into the Hall of Fame have been certified NATA members for at least 25 years. Max currently is head athletic trainer at California State University, Fullerton, and has worked there for 28 years. She supervises healthcare for 17 intercollegiate athletic teams.
Assemblyman Todd Spitzer honored Adventures in Advertising/Stanley Group as the Small Business of the Year for the 71st District. Curt and Geri Stanley began Adventures in Advertising/Stanley Group in 2000 to assist businesses to grow through strategic branding. Curt Stanley is a 29-year resident of OC and currently serves as the chairman of the South OC Regional Chambers of Commerce.
California Pools Inc. won a Gold, Silver and two Bronze Medals from the OC chapter of the Association of Pool and Spa Professional’s annual awards. An Anaheim Hills pool was awarded the Gold Medal award for Best Infinity Edge Pool. Also, California Pools won Silver and Bronze Medals in the Best Rock Pool in OC and Unique Water Feature categories.
Financial professionals Marc DiDomenico, Robert Duffy and Sean O’Keefe with AXA Advisors LLC in Irvine earned a Certificate in Retirement Planning from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. They are three of only 400 financial professionals nationwide to complete the program and were awarded the title of Retirement Planning Specialist by AXA Advisors. The course consisted of 50 hours spread over one week.
Eleven OC community association managers earned the California Association of Community Managers’ Certified Community Manager designation. They are Amber Korody, Kristen Boren, Shelley Fisher, Denice Griffith, Timothy Guesman, Mary Carolyn Lee, Natalie Uribe, Sandi Montez, Daniel Chesworth, Ann Nguyen and Michael Voorhees. The association grants the designation to professionals who have completed an in-depth educational curriculum program and fulfilled a minimum requirement of work experience in the field of community association management.
Santiago Street Lofts in Santa Ana was awarded the Compass Blueprint Award of Achievement for Livability by the Southern California Association of Governments. Also, The Lofts also won the PCBC’s Gold Nugget Grand Award for Best Live/Work Project and the Gold Nugget Merit Award for Best Infill, Redevelopment or Rehab Site Plan.
Lake Forest Curves Fitness Club earned a Shining Star club designation from Curves International Inc. The recognition is given to clubs that meet standards in their business practices, service quality and adherence to Curves methods. Clubs applying for Shining Star status must complete a lengthy checklist. Status is granted after documentation is approved by corporate.
