REAL ESTATE

On May 9 Tesoro Viejo, a new master-planned community in Central California’s Madera County, was honored by the San Joaquin Valley Blueprint Awards. The community was honored with the Award of Excellence in the mixed-use category for sustainable development projects. The awards program, in partnership with the Community and Regional Planning Center at Fresno State and sponsored by American Planning Association California – Central Section, recognizes outstanding achievements and practices in the built environment. This is the second award the community has received for its sustainability.  In 2016 it was honored with the Outstanding Planning Award in Innovation in Green Community Planning by the American Planning Association’s California Central for its efforts to create and maintain a vibrant and healthy community.

Royal Charter Mortgage announced that Steve Morgan was the top producing loan officer for March.

London Properties announced that Sophie Pang was employee of the month for March. The top listing team for March was the Larissa Sherman Tiffany Wilson team, followed by the Niki Upton Team. Top sales team went to the Sarabian Team, with the Donna Pride Team as the runner up. Individual top sales went to Joe Sciarrone. Individual top listings went to Lorna Lopez.

EDUCATION

Dr. Gregory Kriehn, professor of electrical and computer engineering, was selected for Fresno State’s 2019 Provost’s Award for Excellence in Teaching, announced Dr. Robert Harper, Fresno State’s interim provost and vice president for Academic Affairs. The Provost’s Awards also honored the following faculty: Dr. Emma Hughes, professor of criminology — Faculty Service Award; Steven Church, professor of English, and Dr. Youngwook Kim, professor of electrical and computer engineering — Research, Scholarship and Creative Accomplishment Award; Dr. Wei Wu, associate professor of construction management — Innovation Award; and Lisa Anderson, Department of Anthropology — Outstanding Lecturer Award.

NONPROFITS

Visalia-based ImagineU Children’s Museum announced Misty DeFlitch (P) has joined ImagineU Children’s Museum in the newly created position of fund development manager. DeFlitch’s emphasis will be on providing strategic leadership and excellent customer service, developing systems to efficiently and effectively support the museum’s non-profit mission, fundraising and building community and individual support for the museum’s growth. Prior to joining ImagineU, DeFlitch was national sales manager for Ruth’s Hospitality Group in Winter Park, Florida, where she developed and implemented strategic plans for private dining and catering growth on a corporate-wide scale. She holds 15 years of hospitality experience across marketing, fundraising and leadership roles and has driven her passion for connection, innovation and story telling.

The board of directors of San Francisco-based Young Community Developers (YCD) announced the appointment of Dion-Jay Brookter as executive director. Brookter assumes the top leadership position at YCD, a community-based service provider of education, training, and employment placement services to residents of underserved communities throughout San Francisco. He previously held a management position with Fresno Career Development Institute.

HEALTH CARE

Saint Agnes Care is pleased to welcome William L. Carveth, MD, FACS, FASCRS. Dr. Carveth specializes in colon and rectal surgery and advanced robotic colon surgery. He comes to Saint Agnes Care from a private practice in Fresno where he has cared for patients for the past 30 years. Dr. Carveth completed a fellowship in colon and rectal surgery at William Beaumont Hospital in Michigan. He completed residency training in colon and rectal surgery at Oakland University in Michigan and a general surgery residency at the University of California San Francisco-Fresno. He earned his medical degree from the University of Nebraska. He is also a retired United States Air Force Flight Surgeon.

ENVIRONMENT

Dan Pope, the special projects manager for Westlands Water District, announced that he is retiring from the District on Sept. 6. Pope will begin an extended medical leave in mid-May, and the recovery period is expected to be approximately six weeks. Pope became an employee of the District in March 2014, as its chief operating officer. Prior to his work at Westlands, Pope served as the general manager of the Tri-Dam Project and Tri-Dam Power Authority, general manager of Merced Irrigation District, and worked for 26 years in various positions at Pacific Gas & Electric, beginning as a field engineer at the Helms Pumped Storage Project.

SMALL BUSINESS

ALPHAEON Corporation announced that its board of directors has named Marc Forth as president and CEO of its newly established, wholly owned subsidiary, AEON Biopharma, Inc. AEON Biopharma was established to independently pursue the rapidly growing, multi-billion-dollar, therapeutic toxin market. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from California State University, Fresno, CA and a Graduate Marketing Certification from Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX.

MEDIA

Fresno County Farm Bureau (FCFB) recently held its 25th annual Journalism Awards. This year’s award winners were recognized at FCFB’s second annual “Bounty of Fresno County” event at Wolf Lakes Park in Sanger.

Over 25 entries were received from publications, websites, radio and television stations. The criteria for the awards were: thorough and objective coverage of issues, given time and space limitations; educational element for the agriculture industry or the consumer; and portraying the personal stories of those who make up the food and agriculture industry, making issues relevant to consumers and Valley residents.

Award winners are:

Audio

Patrick Cavanaugh, California Ag Today Radio, “Temperance Flat Dam denied full funding,” March 9, 2018

Farm Trade Print

Vicky Boyd, Cotton Farming Magazine, “A bird’s eye-view of cotton,” September 1, 2018

General Print

Robert Rodriguez, The Fresno Bee, “Will adding a sour kick get millennials to eat raisins?,” August 19, 2018

Video

Alexan Balekian, KSEE24, “Is the gas tax putting California’s most valuable resource in jeopardy?,” February 19, 2019