A look at people, companies and institutions receiving awards, accolades, grants and other honors
McLarand Vasquez Emsiek & Partners in Irvine was honored with five Gold Nugget Merit Awards recognizing its architecture work on three projects: Bluwater Crossing, an apartment and retail development in San Diego; The Park at Irvine Spectrum, a 1,456-apartment project; and the Uptown Apartments, an apartment and retail development in Oakland.
Eve Kornyei and Harriet Sandhu of Girls Incorporated of Orange County received the nonprofit’s Bravo award. Kornyei and Sandhu were recognized for their work with Girls Inc. Guild, which has raised $314,533 for the group.
The Pacific Amphitheatre was named the highest grossing venue in the nation for its size by industry magazine Venues. The concert theater’s 2010 season during the summer’s OC Fair saw nine of 24 concerts sell out and 75% of seats available for purchase sold for the season.
Golden State Water Co. was honored by the Cypress Chamber of Commerce for its 40-year membership. The utility has been a member and supporter of all chamber events, programs and community development.
Andy Larkin and Christina Rodrigues of Merit Property Management in Aliso Viejo, a provider of community association and rental management services, were given Vision Awards from the California Association of Community Managers. Larkin was recognized in the physical management category. Rodrigues was recognized in the creative solutions and problem solving category.
Callahan & Blaine Managing Partner Daniel Callahan and Ed Susolik, head of the insurance department at the Santa Ana law firm, made the OC Top 50 and the Southern California Top 100 Super Lawyer lists.
Alzheimer’s Family Services Center in Huntington Beach received a National Health Information Award from the Health Information Resource Center of Illinois. The award was given to recognize the nonprofit’s consumer health information programs and materials.
Cathy Green, mayor of Huntington Beach, Wolfgang Knabe, Fullerton Fire Department chief, and Joe Polisar, Garden Grove Police Department chief, were recognized at the Annual Spurgeon Luncheon. The award recognizes exceptional leadership, community support and contributions to Exploring, a national program for career education.
Charles Tozzer, an Irvine dentist, received the Orange County Heart & Soul Award, created by Laguna Hills-based O’Connor Mortuary to honor philanthropic efforts. Tozzer founded Dental Care for Children, a nonprofit group that provides free dental care for disadvantaged children.
Community College Week, a national publication for two-year college professionals, ranked Santa Ana College as 18th among 100 two-year schools for minority students. The 95-year-old college is one of six California community colleges in the top 20 nationwide and the only local community college among the top-ranking.
