Compiled by Roberta Boginis
Twelve sales associates and four sales teams were recognized for their professionalism and customer service at Irvine Community Development Co.’s sales awards ceremony. Sharon Dunn and Gail Ringwald each received A Special Award of Excellence. Dunn is sales associate at Richmond American Homes’ Vicara in Quail Hill. Ringwald is a sales associate at Laing Luxury Homes’ Nautilus in Crystal Cove. They both had perfect marks in all phases of new home sales. Irvine Community Development is part of Newport Beach’s The Irvine Company.
Shea Homes, part of Walnut-based J.F. Shea Co., received a merit award in the 2005 Gold Nugget Competition. The award was given for the company’s Costa Azul neighborhood at Pacific Ridge in Newport Coast, for best single-family detached home of 3,601 to 4,000 square feet.
Irvine-based KTGY Group Inc., Architecture and Planning earned gold and silver awards during the National Association of Home Builders’ International Builders’ Show. The company’s Sienna project in Arizona received a Regional Award and Gold Award for best single family detached home, $250,000 to $400,000. Its Oak Commons project in Gilroy was awarded Silver for the best single detached home, 1,501 to 1,800 square feet. And KTGY’s Gardens at Sierra and Dorado Senior Apartments received best of seniors housing awards.
Cypress-based Taisei Construction Corp., part of Japan’s Taisei Corp., won the 2005 Gold Nugget Award in the category of best specialty project for the Auberge Resort’s Calistoga Ranch in Napa Valley.
William O’Hare, administrative partner in the Costa Mesa office of Snell & Wilmer LLP, was named Legal Eagle by Franchise Times magazine. The distinction is given to 101 attorneys across the nation with specialties in franchising and is voted on by fellow legal peers. Snell & Wilmer also was named top Orange County law firm for midlevel associate attorneys by American Lawyer magazine.
Sinan Kanatsiz, a former student of Santa Ana College and Chapman University, was presented with the California Community College Distinguished Alumni Award for 2005. Kanatsiz is founder and chief executive of Kanatsiz Communications Inc., or K-Comm, a public relations and marketing agency in San Clemente.
California Rural Legal Assistance Inc. recognized three local people for their equal rights work: Jess J. Araujo, attorney for the Mexican Consulate in Santa Ana; Ramon Diaz, San Juan Capistrano resident and community activist; and Manuel N. Gomez, vice chancellor of student affairs at University of California, Irvine. They received Lifetime Achievement Awards at the group’s third annual community service awards event.
Thelma Edwards, recruiter at BANK-temps/BancForce Staffing in Irvine, received the Celebrating Leadership Award for 2005 from Financial Women International, formerly the National Association of Bank Women.
Linda Martinelli, owner of Proforma Graphic PrintSource in Brea, was named a finalist for the 2005 Stevie Awards for Women Entrepreneurs in the category of best entrepreneur,service businesses (up to 100 employees). The Stevie awards is an international competition that recognizes the accomplishments of women executives.
The Home Builders Council of Southern California named Nic-ole Huttenhoff, public relations director at RBF Consulting, as Volunteer of the Year. The council is the educational arm of the Building Industry As-sociation of Southern California.
The Manchester Who’s Who Registry of Executives and Professionals inducted Shana L. O’Connors, software manager at homebuilder Capital Pacific Holdings Inc. in Newport Beach, into its publication. The registry recognizes professionals and offers executives networking opportunities.
Concordia University presented David Holder of venture capital firm H3D Ventures in Santa Ana and Earl Nellesen of Earl’s Plumbing Inc. in Fullerton with the Faithfulness & Excellence Award.
State Sen. Dick Ackerman received a Legislator of the Year award given by the League of California Cities.
The Orange County Business Council honored four businesses that have positively impacted the county. Santa Ana-based First American Title Co., a unit of First American Corp., received the economic development award. The work force development award was given to Chapman University in Orange. The chairman’s award went to Walt Disney Co.’s Disneyland Resort; and the Segerstrom Lifetime Achievement award was given to the Orange County Register.
Anaheim’s Quality Telemessaging Services Inc. won the 2005 Bronze Medal of Excellence for the second consecutive year from the Association of TeleServices International. The company also recently won the Ethics in America Award through the Leatherby Foundation at Chapman University and the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce’s Small Business of the Year award.
