California State University, Fullerton President Milton A. Gordon received the Alfredo G. de los Santos Jr. Distinguished Lead-ership in Higher Ed-ucation Award, the highest honor from the American Asso-ciation of Hispanics in Higher Educa-tion. Gordon serves as chairman of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities Governing Board. The award was presented at the Costa Mesa Hilton during the organization’s annual conference.
Robert Wade, director of legislation for the California Landscape Contractors Association, received a Leadership Award for his political involvement in outdoor water conservation and immigration reform. Wade is the owner of Wade Landscape Inc. in Newport Beach.
Melzer Deckert & Ruder Architects Inc. of Irvine was honored by Golf Inc. magazine in the annual Gold Clubhouse of the Year competition for its design of De Bell Gold Clubhouse in Burbank. The project was awarded the Best Clubhouse of the Year Runner-Up award. The firm also designed the Mission Viejo Country Club and the Outdoor Education Center at Irvine Regional Park.
Boys & Girls Club of Laguna Beach named Rachel Kenney, Jenna Recuparo and Diana Necula as Youths of the Year at the club’s awards ceremony held at Laguna Beach High School. Althea Usher was awarded the Bronze Presidents Volunteer Award. Parent of the Year Awards went to Missie Durant and Irene Rojas.
Aliso Viejo Police Services Crime Prevention specialist Margo Beauchamp was honored with an American Legion Law and Order Award. She received a medal of merit during a presentation by the American Legion Post 862. Beauchamp coordinates the Neighborhood Watch program in Aliso Viejo and conducts bicycle safety rodeos for students. She also works with the city’s planning and engineering departments to help design safe environments as part of the crime prevention through environmental design program.
James McDonald Jr., managing partner of Fisher & Phillips LLP in Irvine, was named a 2010 Southern California Super Lawyer by Law & Politics magazine. His practice involves litigation of employment disputes through jury trials, bench trials and arbitrations with emphasis on wrongful termination, employment discrimination and unfair competition matters.
Echo Media Group, a public relations and social media agency in Lake Forest, received six MarCom Awards from the Association of Marketing & Communications Professionals, including platinum awards for Bertazzoni, a 127-year old Italian kitchen appliance manufacturer, and Donate Games, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting orphan disease research through the donation and resale of used video games.
California State University, Fullerton, chair and professor of biological science, Robert Koch, received the Andreoli faculty service award, the highest faculty honor given by the California State University Program for education in research and biotechnology. Koch founded the program for applied biotechnology studies, a four-campus consortium offering a professional science master’s degree, and Cal State Fullerton’s Center for Applied Biotechnology Studies.
Judge Claudia Silbar was named judicial officer of the year by the Southern California Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers for her contributions to the field of family law. Prior to joining the Orange County District Attorney’s office, she was an assistant attorney for the U.S. Attorneys’ Office.
Irvine’s Lynnette Baum, president of the Southern California Writers Association, received the Person of Letters award from the La Jolla Writers Conference.
Volunteer Center Orange County honored Disneyland Resort with the “Giving is Living Award” at its 34th Annual Spirit of Volunteerism Awards at the Disneyland Hotel. The award recognized Disneyland for its leadership in promoting the value of family volunteerism.
The Orange County Employee’s United Way Campaign Awards Ceremony recognized the achievement of County of Orange agencies and employees as the largest employee givers through Orange County United Way. During the past 30 years of partnership, $25 million has been raised.
