2018 Distinguished Awards honorees

Distinguished Alumni

Through the years, Distinguished Alumni honorees have made a positive impact on their communities and beyond and continue to inspire current students to succeed.

Distinguished Alumni logo
Distinguished Alumni Awards recognize outstanding El Camino College alumni, honoring them for their contributions to the community.Nomination Form

The El Camino College Foundation is pleased to recognize the accomplishments of our alumni through the Distinguished Alumni program.

Many of our alumni are highly respected in the community and have achieved great success in their careers and lives.

We are honored to acknowledge these individuals and remember the strong educational foundation El Camino College provided them as they embarked on their professional journey.

Call for Nominations

Nominations for induction into the Distinguished Alumni of El Camino College are accepted throughout the year.

Awards are presented every other year and active solicitation of names occurs for several months during the spring of an award year.

How to Nominate

Anyone who wishes to nominate a former student for this award may do so by:

  • Completing a Nomination Form
  • Include any supporting information such as resume, featured publications, certifications, awards received, etc.

Selection Criteria

Potential candidates should meet the following criteria:

  • Ten years must have elapsed since candidates attended El Camino College.
  • Candidates must have a proven track record of achievement in their chosen career, service to the community, or area of endeavor.
  • Candidates should have gained local, state, or national recognition.

Distinguished Alumni and Gratitude Awards Dinner

Event information: Spring 2024 (Additional details coming soon!)

Past Honorees

2022 Distinguished Awards

Karin Baker

Karin Baker

Corporate Social Responsibility, American Honda Motor Co., Inc.

As a Local Corporate Social Responsibility Associate at Honda, Karin is responsible for local corporate social responsibility, associate community engagement, Business Resource Group (BRG) facilitation, and community event coordination. Karin joined American Honda’s Corporate Community Relations team in 1997 and throughout her 24-year career at American Honda, she has had the opportunity to expand her role to work with the local South Bay community, as well as on national and global initiatives.

Ian and Marilyn MacLeod

Ian and Marilyn MacLeod

Entrepreneurs

After attending Morningside High School in the 1950’s, Ian and Marilyn headed to El Camino College. They had the opportunity to start a business in the scrap metal and recycling fields, where they were able to grow the business exponentially over the years. They are regarded by their colleagues and employees as being honest and smart, treating everyone with respect. Ian and Marilyn are revered as kind hearted and generous by all who know them.

Francisco X. Rivera

Francisco X. Rivera

Sports Broadcaster, Fox Sports

Mr. Rivera is a bilingual sportscaster who specializes in soccer, football and baseball. He started his on-air career in 2005 as one of the youngest on-air talents in American television. On June 2013, he became the first Mexican-born broadcaster on the FOX broadcast Network. Rivera is in his 13th year with FOX Deportes, mainly as play-by-play announcer and reporter for Major League Baseball games across the United States. On October 24, 2012, Rivera became the youngest broadcaster to call a World Series game on Spanish television in the United States. He has also served as a host and analyst of their NFL coverage, including Super Bowl XLVIII. On October 30, 2018, Francisco was announced as the new Spanish voice of the Los Angeles Kings on KWKW 1330AM ESPN Deportes Radio.

Kirk Rossberg

Kirk Rossberg

President, Torrance Bakery

Kirk opened Torrance Bakery in 1984. He first opened with a staff of 8, occupying 1200 square feet. The bakery has grown to its current thriving business employing 103 people in 18,000 square feet over 2 locations. Kirk was the Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce President in 2020 and received the Small Business Advocate of the Year from the CA Chamber of Commerce in 2020 for his work on behalf of local businesses. Kirk has also volunteered his time serving on the board of directors of the Salvation Army, Retail Baker’s Association where he served as president, and the South Bay Workforce Investment Board.

 

 

Mary Haag

Manhattan Beach Rotary logo

Northrop Grumman logo

Mary Haag

Individual Gratitude Award

Mary has been a long-time supporter and advocate for El Camino College. Her husband Robert (Bob) Haag worked at El Camino for his entire career beginning in 1958, and after retiring in 1994, ran for office and was the president of the ECCCD Board of Trustees. He was instrumental in the music department, hence the name of the Robert Haag Recital Hall on campus. Mary and Bob spent many years on the ECC campus together. Sadly, Bob passed away in 2005, but Mary has carried on their tradition of loving and supporting El Camino College and our students through multiple named scholarships.

 

Manhattan Beach Rotary

Community Gratitude Award

The Manhattan Beach Rotary has been supporting student scholarships at El Camino since 2008 and has donated close to $100,000. Their scholarship committee selects the students carefully each year. The organization has also provided food and supplies to the Warrior Pantry, and individual members have also donated funds to support the pantry and the President’s Circle program. The partnership has grown over the years, and we are grateful for their support and generosity.

 

 

Northrop Grumman

Corporate Gratitude Award

Over the past 16 years, Northrop Grumman has donated almost $1 million to El Camino College to benefit students and programs, primarily in the area of STEM education including scholarships and support for programs. Northrop Grumman has also had a long partnership with the El Camino Manufacturing program, and has hired ECC students and trained them at classes on campus. Northrop Grumman has been a long time South Bay partner to ECC.

 

 

 

 

  • 2018 Distinguished Alumni and Gratitude Awards Dinner Photo Album
  • 2022 Distinguished Alumni and Gratitude Awards Dinner Photo Album

 

Distinguished Alumni Honor Roll

Daelea Aldrich '97

Barbara Ann Alexander '97

Karin Baker '22

David Benoit '11

Eleanor Bersano '16

Timothy Robert Blevins '97

Donald Brann ‘11

James Brooks '97

Rocky Chavez '18

Fred Claire '97

Rudy deLeon '97

Cindi Demboski '97

Fred Dryer '97

Keith Erickson '97

Dennis Fayze Fandey '97

James Ferreira '97

E. Michael Fincke ‘12

Diane Fitzhugh '97

Monica Fredericks '14

Pat Furey '11

Gary Galiger '97

Don Gilpin '97

Barbara Gleason '97

James Hill '97

Robert Horii '97

Nils Johnson '97

Kathryn Joiner '97

Richard Keelor '97

Dan Keenan '18

Timothy King '97

Sherry Kramer '18

Michael Lacey '12

Jack Ledbetter '97

Russ Lesser '97

Carol Liess '97

Ian and Marilyn MacLeod '22

Dennis Mangers '97

Patricia Martz '97

Harry McKellop '97

Anita McLaughlin '12

William Mealer '97

Candace Messer '12

Cliff Meidl '03

Mark Mercier '97

Chris Montez '12

Philip Montez '97

Michael Montoya '11

George Nakano '16

Carol Neblett '97

Joe Boyd Noble '97

Wayne Overbeck '97

  David Pack '97

Nick Parras '97

Maria Pena '97

Virginia Pfiffner '97

Gregory Rafijah '14

Francisco X. Rivera '22

Gerald Robinson '97

Mary Rooney '97

Kirk Rossberg '22

Edmond Russ '97

James Russell, Jr. '97

Laura Schenasi '16

Ray Southstone '97

Jannette Stewart '97

Ryan Stonebraker '14

Megan Tatu '14

Ian Teague '97

Maxine Thomas '97

Donna Toy-Chen '97

Brian Wilson '18

Cinna Toy-Wohlmuth '11

Carlos Vessels '97

Cheryl Ann Winkler '97

Hope Witkowsky '02

Merrie (Penny) Wood '97

Roy Yanase '97

Beverly Young '97

William Young '16 

 

Gratitude Awards Honor Roll

Frances Ford '18

Mary Haag '22

Manhattan Beach Rotary '22

Edison International '18

Northrop Grumman '22