Orange County United Way has honored several local companies for their philanthropic work in an ongoing campaign to improve the lives of the underserved across the county.
The top honoree was the Automobile Club of Southern California, which earned the ‘Dimensions in Giving’ award. The honor recognizes a corporate partner for making the most significant community impact through dollars raised, employee volunteer services and other key contributions.
Other awardees included:
–UPS: Leaders Society Award, for having the greatest number of donors contributing $1,000 to $9,999 annually (130 donors).
–Ernst & Young: Tocqueville Society Award, for having the greatest number of donors contributing $10,000 or more annually (21 donors).
–Nationwide, Fluor and KPMG: United4OC Award, honoring corporate partners that embody an overall spirit of giving through contributions of time, leadership and resources.
–Edwards LIfesciences, Johnson & Johnson, and Pacific Life Insurance Co.: FACE2024 Award, given to corporate partners that are among the strongest United Way supporters, offering their time, talents and treasure in many ways, including representation on the organization’s board, campaign cabinet, affinity groups, volunteer projects and sponsorships.
People on the move
David Lugo is the new chief operations officer for MOMS Orange County, a Santa Ana-based nonprofit that helps at-risk mothers and their families have healthy babies. Lugo comes to MOMS Orange County from ExplorOcean/Ocean Quest in Newport Beach where he served as the COO for five years. Lugo also led his team as the secretary of the investment committee for ExplorOcean, where he provided recommendations on fund allocations for an $8 million investment portfolio.
Apriem Advisors has hired Christopher Whitaker as a financial planner and Alan Ahmatovic as a portfolio administrator. Both are based in Apriem’s Irvine headquarters. Earlier this summer, Apriem opened new offices in San Diego and Torrance.
Burns & McDonnell in Brea has named Jason Weller to its principal group, a senior level of leadership achieved by less than 4 percent of the firm’s employees. Weller manages operations for the firm’s transmission and distribution group in Southern California. He joined Burns & McDonnell in 2002, working as design engineer on high-voltage transmission lines and, later, as a department manager.
Robert Marusi has been appointed director of sales and marketing at The Resort at Pelican Hill in Newport Beach. Marusi will oversee leisure travel sales, group meetings and extended stay sales. Before joining Pelican Hill, Marusi headed sales and marketing for the Fairmont Hamilton Princess in Bermuda. His hospitality career began in restaurant food and beverage operations, including serving as restaurant director for the opening of the Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel.
The Costa Mesa office of D.A. Davidson, an employee-owned financial services firm, is expanding its consumer investment banking practice with the addition of nine investment bankers. Joe Schimmelpfennig, Jeff Ng and Eric Rindahl have come aboard as managing directors, and Dan Friedman has joined as a director. In addition, five other investment bankers are joining the D.A. Davidson consumer team. The combined consumer practice at D.A. Davidson will have 30 professionals within investment banking and capital markets.
Lauren Graham has joined ZWO Branding and Marketing in Laguna Beach as public relations coordinator.
On board
Dan Jacobson of Tustin has been appointed to the California Board of Accountancy by the speaker of the California Assembly. Jacobson has practiced civil litigation law in California since 1988. He has served on the Board of Governors of the California Insurance Guarantee Association and as a temporary judge for the Orange County Superior Court. He also is an adjunct professor of Law at Pacific West College of Law.
New ventures
The St. Louis-based engineering firm Emerson has opened a Branson regional office, training facility and laboratory in Yorba Linda. The 5,300-square-foot facility, located in an industrial park just east of the city and north of the 91, is equipped with Branson ultrasonic, spin, and thermal welders for plastics. With a staff of two service technicians, the lab can provide ultrasonic weld tooling, product service, acceptance testing, sample part runoffs and other customized services. The Yorba Linda office is the second Branson regional office opened by Emerson in 2017. Another regional office opened in Fremont earlier this year.
CircusTrix OC has opened at 25222 El Paseo Road in Mission Viejo. The indoor jumping park includes the usual indoor trampoline zones, plus an “aerial ninja obstacle course,” foam pits, and an extreme trampoline wall. The facility hosts birthday parties and open jump for customers. Jump rates run $17 per hour or $13 per hour for kids age 6 and under.
Milestones
M.C. Sungaila, a partner at Haynes and Boone Costa Mesa office, has been recognized by the Orange County Women Lawyers Association as Attorney of the Year. In a statement, the firm said the award recognized Sungaila’s lifelong dedication to representing and securing important rights for women and girls both nationally and internationally.
Franchise owner Judy Brady in Newport Beach has earned the at Assisting Hands Home Care 2017 Franchisee of the Year. Brady also was awarded the Best Customer Service Award and Caregiver of the Year Award for the Southwest Region by Assisting Hands Home Care’s national office.
Coming up
A jobs fair for veterans seeking work will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 3 in Oceanside. RecruitMilitary, which is hosting the free event, helps military veterans and military spouses connect with employers.Veterans, transitioning military personnel, National Guard members, Reserve members and military spouses are welcome to attend. Address: Pacific Views Event Center, 202850 San Jacinto Road, Oceanside.
The Status Update briefs are compiled from press releases by news clerk Karen Levin and edited by Business Editor Samantha Gowen. Submit items to sgowen@scng.com. High-resolution images also can be submitted. Allow at least one week for publication. Items are edited for length and clarity.
