Lottie Valles, mother of the late Dr. Alfred Valles, speaks at the Fresno Compact luncheon Thursday in Fresno. She's being comforted by Dalpinder Sandhu, M.D., F.A.C.C., president of The Heart Group. Photo by Gabriel Dillard

Fresno’s education and business community gathered Thursday to celebrate the best of what happens when both sectors come together to help kids.

The Fresno Compact hosted its 27^th Business-Education Shareholders’ Luncheon at the Lynda and Stewart Resnick Student Union at Fresno State, recognizing nine businesses and an educational leader who are finding ways to empower young students with on-the-job experience and life guidance.

The top 9 businesses were nominated by various Fresno County schools for their voluntary efforts on and off campus. One of them went to an organization to highlight a life-saving colleague who had a heart for education.

The memory of Dr. Alfred Valles with the Heart Group Cardiovascular Associates, Inc. lit the room as his mother and associates discussed the impact the late cardiologist had not just on patients, but also students he took under his wing.

Valles began participating in the Fresno County Superintendent of Schools Fresno ROP/CTE Career Tech Expo in 2014, bringing a cow heart to dissect in front of hundreds of students. Valles wanted to extend that experience to the hands of students, which blossomed into a partnership with The Heart Group enabling thousands of local high school students interested in health-related careers to take part in dissections.

Valles graduated from Kerman High School, then went on to Fresno State, where he decided to enter medicine after visiting a family member in the hospital.

A medical scholarship sent him to Wisconsin then the Mayo Clinic, then back home, where Dr. John Telles hired him to work for The Heart Group.

His colleagues remembered the enthusiasm he would bring to his talks with students.

Valles and his wife Selina, a Realtor with London Properties, were killed in an auto accident in their Tesla in North Fresno on Oct. 13, 2023.

Lottie Valles was in attendance to accept the award on behalf of her son. She said there was a place in his heart devoted to education.

“He just wanted to teach, and was just happy to be with a group of young people trying to instill in them they can do great things with their future,” Valles said.

All Exclusive Custom Landscapes
Owners Javier and Jenny Cisneros have supported Webster Elementary School in Central Fresno for four years, including more than $3,000 in cash donations to support student field trips, pinata candy, decorations and more, including free landscaping services.

Brown Legal Group
Partners Nathan and Lucy Brown have helped fund athletic programs at Kastner Intermediate School in Clovis for the past two years, in addition to supporting programs including campus beautification and a Trunk or Treat event this past October that drew more than 1,000 attendees.

Gayle O’Bannon, DVM
Gayle O’Bannon has cared for Sanger High School students and their livestock animals for more than 24 years as the campus veterinarian. She offers students hands-on experiences such as ride-alongs, partnership for agri-science fairs and participation at the Big Fresno Fair.

Guido’s Martial Arts Academy
Shihan Guido, owner of Guido’s Martial Arts Academy in Clovis, has been a partner with Reagan Elementary School since 2019. He has raised thousands of dollars for the Reagan Parent Teacher Club, pledging 100% of the $69 raised for every student who signs up for a five-week trial program at his studio. He also runs a free anti-bullying, anti-drug assembly, stressing conflict resolution and living a healthy lifestyle.

Harris Ranch Resort
Harris Ranch Resort in Coalinga partnered with the Center for Advanced Research and Technology (CART) in Clovis for a marketing program that involved more than 150 students in a number of activities including redesigning a website, improving user flow and menu options for an app, conducting market research and more.

JD Food
JD Food in Fresno has partnered with the Central High School agriculture department for the last eight years, offering field trips to their facility and on-campus demonstration of wholesale and retail pork cut fabrication using a pig raised on the school farm. Students also receive leadership development, event training and mentoring.

Roger Rocka’s Dinner Theater
For more than 15 years, Roger Rocka’s Dinner Theater has partnered with Fresno County Superintendent of Schools for adult students with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities to clean up the dinner space before performances. The work is flexible, allowing school staff time to practice skills at a rate optimal for learning. Students and staff receive two tables to dinner and a show to be recognized for their work.

Nelson’s Ace Hardware
The family-owned retailer in Selma and Kingsburg has for the past six years worked with Fresno County’s Adult Transition Program to host students in their stores, practicing skills including stocking shelves, displaying inventory, customer service and other tasks. Their shifts are two hours, two days a week through the regular school year. Mike Nelson, third-generation owner of Nelson’s Ace Hardware stores, said his stores have never looked so good and he is inspired by how the ATP staff work with their students.

Dr. Harold Haak Award
A man who has devoted 13 years to expanding the Valley Regional Occupational Programs (VROP) from 2,300 to 9,200 students was recognized at the 2024 Dr. Harold Haak Award Winner. Fabrizio Lofaro, a native of Rome, Italy, has been VROP superintendent for the past six years. The program offers a wide variety of courses for kids to get hands-on training for careers including agriculture, animal science, construction management, firefighting, flight science and more.

The award is named for Dr. Harold Haak, the first executive director of the Fresno Compact and former president of Fresno State and Fresno Pacific University. The Fresno Compact was founded 34 years ago as a coalition of business and community leaders and the area’s school systems to improve student outcomes.