Community members and college supporters gathered together on March 4 for the 75th Anniversary Gala / Distinguished Alumni & Gratitude Awards. In addition to launching a year of festivities to celebrate the college's 75th anniversary, the gala celebrated the achievements of four exceptional alumni, along with one area philanthropist, one regional corporate partner, and one community donor. The El Camino College Foundation chairs the selection committee and sponsors the biennial awards ceremony. Proceeds from the gala support El Camino College's South Bay Promise and Warrior Pantry.
El Camino College Distinguished Alumni have furthered their educational and career goals and have shown outstanding achievements in their chosen field in addition to philanthropic and volunteer work. Through the years, honorees have gained local, state, and national recognition for their involvement in the fields of art, medicine, politics, business, and education. This year's honorees include Karin Baker, American Honda Motor Co., Inc.; Marilyn and Ian MacLeod, entrepreneurs; Kirk Rossberg, president, Torrance Bakery; and Francisco X. Rivera, sports broadcaster for Fox Sports.
Karin Baker is part of the Corporate Social Responsibility Local Unit at American Honda Motor Co., Inc. As a Local CSR Associate at Honda, Baker is responsible for local corporate social responsibility, associate community engagement, Business Resource Group (BRG) facilitation, and community event coordination. Baker 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 South Bay community, as well as on national and global initiatives.
Marilyn and Ian MacLeod headed to El Camino College after attending Morningside High School in the 1950s. 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. The MacLeods are revered as kindhearted and generous by all who know them.
Francisco X. 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 U.S. He has also served as a host and analyst of their NFL coverage, including Super Bowl XLVIII. On October 30, 2018, Rivera was announced as the new Spanish voice of the Los Angeles Kings on KWKW 1330AM ESPN Deportes Radio.
Kirk Rossberg opened Torrance Bakery in 1984 with a staff of eight, occupying 1,200 square feet. The bakery has since grown to its current thriving business, employing 103 people in 18,000 square feet in two locations. Rossberg was the Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce president in 2020 and received the Small Business Advocate of the Year award from the California Chamber of Commerce in 2020 for his work on behalf of local businesses. Rossberg has also volunteered his time serving on the board of directors of the Salvation Army, the Retail Baker's Association where he served as president, and the South Bay Workforce Investment Board.
The El Camino College Foundation also honored one area philanthropist, one local corporate partner, and one community supporter with the Gratitude Award. This award recognizes longtime support of El Camino College students to help ensure they have a successful and productive educational experience.
Mary Haag | Individual Mary Haag has been a longtime 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. The Haags 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 scholarships in their name.
Northrop Grumman | Corporate Over the past 16 years, Northrop Grumman has donated nearly $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 College Manufacturing Program, and has hired ECC students and trained them at classes on campus. Northrop Grumman has been a longtime South Bay partner to El Camino.
Manhattan Beach Rotary | Community 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 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.
Gala sponsors include Northrop Grumman, American Honda Motor Co., Inc., Chevron, Skechers, SkyOne Federal Credit Union, SoCalGas, Torrance Refining Company, California State University Dominguez Hills, JPMorgan Chase, Roadium, West Basin Municipal Water District and World Back to Work.