IRVINE, CA (September 13, 2023)—Community and business leaders gathered at Orange County Business Council’s second annual First Responders Dinner on September 12th in Anaheim. The event recognized first responder honorees who protect and serve the businesses, residents and visitors of Orange County. Their commitment and service makes it possible for Orange County to be an economic leader in the state.
2024 honoree organizations and their stories include:
- Automobile Club of Southern California and Bitetto Towing—Vice President of Automotive Services Nannalee Haywood and Senior Trainer Scott Swann of Automobile Club of Southern California, as well as Bitetto Towing Service Technician Andrew Hernandez
- Falck—Operations Managers Jeremy Ruga and Matthew Spencer
- Fullerton Police Department—Police Officer George Peterson
- Newport Beach Police Department—Police Officer Lina You and Detective Beau Rains
- Orange County District Attorney’s Office—TARGET/GANGS, Organized Crime Unit, and Public Affairs Unit
- Orange County Fire Authority—Fire Captain Richard Ventura, Fire Apparatus Engineer Andrew Strebel, and Firefigher/Paramedics Zachary Richardson and Alan Yturralde.
- Placentia Fire and Life Safety—Fire Captain Joshua Martin, Fire Engineer Samuel Listoe, and Firefighter Mark Aguirre
- University of California, Irvine Police Department—Police Officer Orng Liev
Former NBCLA, Orange County Bureau Chief Vikki Vargas announced the honoree awards and stories. A moment of silence also recognized first responders who lost their lives in the line of duty. They included:
- Rob Culp, Fire Captain, Orange County Fire Authority, last assigned to Fire Station 27, Irvine
- Alexander Rodish, Equipment Operator II, Caltrans
The evening concluded with a cyber-security presentation by a cybercrimes investigator of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.
Sponsors included title sponsor UCI Health, and gold sponsors Chevron, Falck, Hoag, MemorialCare, and Providence.
About Orange County Business Council
For nearly 30 years, Orange County Business Council (OCBC) has been representing and promoting the region’s business community together with government and academia to enhance the economic development of Orange County, California. The Council’s core initiatives include advocating for adequate investment in regional and statewide infrastructure, education development that leads to a competitive workforce, advocating for a range of housing, and developing pro-business solutions that lead to economic growth of the nation’s sixth most populous county. Member organizations include businesses and local organizations representing a diverse cross section of industries including biomedical, construction, education, financial services, health care, manufacturing, municipalities, nonprofit, real estate, technology, tourism, transportation, real estate and utilities. For more information, visit ocbc.org.
Media Contact:
Lizz Mishreki, APR
Vice President of Communications
Orange County Business Council
[email protected]
