This week’s edition is bookended by a pair of notable charitable endeavors, a cover feature on Deidre Pujols and her family’s efforts to combat human trafficking, among other causes, and a Leader Board from Squar Milner’s Deborah Harrington on the rich tradition of the Boy Scouts in OC, much of it running along Jamboree Road.
There’s plenty more coverage in the 96-page Philanthropy special supplement that accompanies this week’s edition, which gives a glimpse into the numerous ways OC’s business community and charities have partnered together.
It wouldn’t be too hard to double the size of the supplement; for every Albert and Deidre Pujols and their work with the Strike Out Slavery campaign, there’s a Steve and Stacy Jones, who in mid-August hosted more than 400 people at their Coto de Caza home for their annual Hot Summer Nights fundraising event.
This year’s edition raised close to $600,000 for Vera’s Sanctuary/The Teen Project; the sanctuary is the only licensed residential site in OC dedicated to victims of human trafficking.
It “offers young women a tranquil and safe place to heal from trauma and abuse,” Steve Jones, CEO of Santa Ana’s Allied Universal, told the Business Journal.
Allied is the country’s largest private security company, with revenue in the $7.3 billion range.
“Our hearts have been deeply touched by such a special project that is right here in our community,” said Jones, whose company last week snapped up a smaller firm out of Michigan, Midstate Security, whose software and remote services are expected to boost Allied’s growing push into tech-based security.
Commercial real estate exec Barry Saywitz is known for the elaborate bashes he’s thrown at his Belcourt home in Newport Beach in prior years to raise funds for autism awareness.
This summer’s edition was a more intimate “friend-raiser” honoring Easterseals and its 100th anniversary, and creating awareness for Easterseals’ new Autism Therapy and Disability Services Center in Irvine.
Attendees included the Angels Chairman Dennis Kuhl, Assemblyman and former Irvine Mayor Steve Choi; Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris and Costa Mesa Mayor Katrina Foley, alongside the Insider and our Shelly Ascher.
Wine tasting was provided by The Good Wine Club; oenophiles should check out our Christopher Trela’s executive dining column on page 18 for more upcoming events.
Prior Saywitz events have been big gatherings for UCLA sports fans and former athletes. Not this year, perhaps the Bruin alum and Saywitz Co. founder had an inkling about the team’s upcoming football season, which started with a thud on Thursday against Cincinnati.
Henry and Susan Samueli’s collection of stadiums has expanded outside OC.
The Ducks owners and noted OC philanthropists operate, but don’t own, the Honda Center in Anaheim; now their Anaheim Arena Management is taking over operations of San Diego’s Pechanga Arena, near Sea World.
The nearly 13,000-seat venue is used by the San Diego Gulls, an affiliate of the Ducks.
