2022 Leadership Award Nominees

Nominee: Joe Britton, Regional Public Affairs Manager - SDGE

How has the nominee gone above and beyond in their professional position?
Joe is always open to helping others and supporting our local business community. He is the co-chair of the Economic Development & Advisory Council. He has graciously held this position for multiple terms. Joe enthusiastically researches public policies as they are being developed in Sacramento and helps lead discussion and education so our Chamber and community can take action when needed to address poor legislation that would hurt business. ("job killers") He has an admirable work/life balance keeping his family first, yet staying so active in the community. He is always willing to go beyond expectations and raise the bar for others even if it means working late on a weekend evening!

How has the nominee been engaged in their community?
Joe's job centers around public affairs, so is very engaged in the community. He does not stop his voluntarism there and is a big supporter of our local businesses! He is actively organizing a trip to Sacramento to better support our business interests at the capitol.

Nominee: Teresa Campbell, President & CEO - San Diego County Credit Union (SDCCU)

How has the nominee gone above and beyond in their professional position?
SDCCU’s impressive blend of products and services are leading the way for overall credit union success. Under Campbell’s leadership, through a continued focus on delivering exceptional customer service combined with the hard work and dedication of SDCCU’s great team, SDCCU® has maintained its stance as an industry leader and achieved continued growth and success. In the 11 years that Campbell has served as CEO and President, SDCCU has more than doubled its membership from 204,000 in August 2010 to over 427,000 now. Along with doubling in membership, SDCCU’s assets have followed suit, growing from $5 billion in August 2010 to $10.9 billion. The past two years have been especially difficult for many, however, the credit union’s long-term planning, coupled with its strong capital position under Campbell’s leadership helped SDCCU manage through the COVID-19 pandemic. Assets grew over 25 percent from $8.5 billion at the end of 2019, and while SDCCU was impacted by elevated unemployment in our local communities, our net worth ratio remains outstanding at 14.44 percent. This is well above the 7 percent minimum capital level for “well capitalized credit unions” established by the National Credit Union Administration. It is also indicative of our fiscal strength and ability to weather difficult storms due to Campbell’s leadership and commitment to engage in prudent practices to ensure that SDCCU remains a healthy and well-capitalized credit union.

In 2020, SDCCU was once again acknowledged with a Crystal Performance Award by the Raddon Financial Group. The award recognizes credit unions that achieve a top ranking based on the Raddon Performance Index™, a balanced scorecard measurement of growth, income, efficiency and margin management. SDCCU’s guiding principle that “people come first and profits second” remained at the forefront in navigating SDCCU’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. SDCCU enhanced sanitization practices, and enhanced online and mobile banking services so our members can easily access their credit union accounts remotely. Our commitment to putting people first was also apparent as SDCCU extended relief to members at the onset of the pandemic. Loan payment relief included a 90-day deferral option on consumer loans, including: auto, credit card and real estate. Business and commercial real estate loan deferment was also offered to those members in need. During the pandemic, SDCCU deferred thousands of loans totaling more than $1.3 billion in balances. Improving the communities where we live and work continues to be a main focus, and we do so with our ongoing financial wellness education efforts for our members, corporate partners and the community. As the pandemic prohibited our ability to host seminars in-person, we mobilized quickly to deliver financial wellness webinars that viewers could attend from the comfort and safety of their own homes.

In 2021 as the pandemic surged on, we continued to provide the needed information to members of the community and hosted more than 160 community presentations to over 3,750 attendees. To date in 2022, SDCCU has hosted more than 50 community presentations to nearly 1,100 attendees. A cornerstone of Campbell’s dynamic leadership is an unwavering focus on continually raising the bar, resulting in exponential growth for SDCCU and impacting the overall credit union movement. Her approach to leadership materializes into an execution that leverages all resources to maximize results and awareness of the SDCCU brand and has greatly contributed to SDCCU’s growth and success, which includes: propelling SDCCU’s position to a top credit union in the nation and; being voted BEST Credit Union for the 22nd consecutive year and for the twelfth year in a row: BEST Financial Planning and BEST Mortgage Home Loan Provider and BEST Auto Loan Provider and BEST Place to Work for the eighth year in The San Diego Union-Tribune Readers Poll.

How has the nominee been engaged in their community?
SDCCU’s extraordinary involvement in the community is a direct reflection of Campbell’s dedication to making a difference, which led to SDCCU being named a Live Well San Diego Public Health Champion by the County of San Diego and Outstanding Philanthropic Business/Corporation by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, San Diego Chapter. As president and CEO, Campbell is actively engaged and participates in many of the community initiatives, including the annual San Diego LGBT Pride Celebration and SDCCU Holiday Bowl. SDCCU was also honored with a state-level 2021 Dora Maxwell Social Responsibility Community Service Award in the Credit Union National Association’s (CUNA) Awards for our 2020 Stuff the Bus Campaign. The award is presented to credit unions that demonstrate outstanding social responsibility projects within the community. SDCCU also received a Gold Stevie Award in the Communications/PR Campaign of the Year – Corporate Responsibility category for our 2021 Stuff the Bus Campaign. Since 2014, Campbell has served on the Board of Directors of the National Credit Union Foundation, whose vision is to be a catalyst to improve people’s financial lives through credit unions.

With an unwavering passion for this purpose, she led the implementation of a program at SDCCU to help bridge the education gap so that kids can gain the skills they need for a successful financial future. SDCCU partners annually with the San Diego County Office of Education and the County of San Diego in support of Live Well San Diego to give teachers the opportunity to win the complete SDCCU Biz Kid$ Program to teach students about money and business. In 2020, SDCCU moved Biz Kid$ to a virtual event to allow students to enjoy the program while distance learning and to allow both parents and educators a bit of a reprieve. Campbell serves on the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation, CU Advisory Committee. She served two years, 2018 to 2020 on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Credit Union Advisory Council. She served as the 2012 and 2013 Board Chair of the California Credit Union League and has since continued her service to the League by serving as a Board and Committee Member. Campbell also currently serves as the Board Chair of the National Credit Union Foundation.

Nominee: Dr. Ross Colt, Medical Director - Gary and Mary West PACE

How has the nominee gone above and beyond in their professional position?
Dr. Ross Colt has managed the complex medical needs of a vulnerable community of North County seniors who are participants of the Gary & Mary West Program for All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) program through a global pandemic. Not only has Dr. Colt continued to guide participants safely and with care and compassion through an unprecedented time; he has also gone above and beyond, thinking innovatively to establish remote medical services whenever possible to ensure the health and safety of program participants.

One example of this is Gary & Mary West PACE’s recent partnership with DocGo, a leading provider of mobile medical services. Recognizing the health risks that can occur when participants visit hospitals and emergency rooms for non-emergency care, Dr. Colt jumped at the opportunity to offer West PACE participants this new option to receive healthcare services in the comfort of their homes through DocGo. Dr. Colt’s quick action throughout the partnership, even in just a handful of months, has already taken the place of hundreds of clinic visits, ensuring the safety and well-being of hundreds of West PACE participants.

Additionally, in the last year, the number of West PACE participants has nearly doubled. Dr. Colt’s humble yet strong leadership style, to which he credits his military background and heart for service, has empowered his team to meet the needs of both new and existing participants, delivering the platinum-level of compassionate care West PACE participants and their families know and love. Dr. Colt’s colleagues describe him as someone who won’t ask them to do something he isn’t willing to do himself.

Dr. Colt is inspired by West PACE participants and their families every day. He recently oversaw medical care for a patient who was approaching end-of-life, and he commented on what a privilege it was that the West PACE team was able to surround the participant with the right combination of staff, care and resources, so that she could pass away in comfort, at home with her loved ones.

How has the nominee been engaged in their community?
Outside of Dr. Colt’s role as medical director of Gary & Mary West PACE where he touches the lives of hundreds of elderly North County residents and their families each month, he is also very active in the community. For over three years, Dr. Colt has worked closely with benevolent organizations in North County like the Backyard Produce Project to divert hundreds of pounds of surplus fruit from the waste bin and into the hands of community members.

Additionally, as a decorated U.S. Army veteran who served multiple combat tours in Iraq, Dr. Colt is passionate about helping active-duty service members, veterans and their families. He has volunteered with Wreaths Across America acting as a sentry, standing beside military gravesites in full uniform as families visited and remembered their loved ones. Dr. Colt also enjoys his roles within the Health Advisory Council and the Military Affairs Council of the North San Diego Business Chamber because they allow him to play a continuous and active role in lifting up the needs of local military and veterans. Dr. Colt also leads a bible study group and is active in his church community. Dr. Colt lives in Rancho Bernardo with his wife and two teenage children.

Nominee: Megan Comer, Funeral Director - Alhiser-Comer Mortuary

How has the nominee gone above and beyond in their professional position?
A third-generation Funeral Director, Megan took on the role of Mortuary Manager at Alhiser-Comer Mortuary – Escondido’s oldest continually operating business open since 1897 - in 2013. In 2021 Megan was one of four Funeral Directors from across the nation to be featured in American Funeral Director Magazine highlighting her response to the COVID-19 Pandemic, she initiated renovations to Alhiser-Comer Mortuary to better serve families, was a 2021 finalist in the San Diego Business Journal’s Top 40 Business Leaders Under 40, and featured as a Woman of Distinction in the April 2022 San Diego Woman Magazine. Alhiser-Comer Mortuary has a legacy of funeral service tradition and excellence, and Megan continues the spirit of that tradition today.

How has the nominee been engaged in their community?
A San Diego County native, Megan’s compassion and infectious energy naturally radiate into her community. In 2021, Megan joined the Corporate Board of Directors for Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater San Diego and in a short time has jumped in with exceptional enthusiasm and support for Boys & Girls Clubs projects and programs including volunteering her time at the You Go Girl Track Meet, sponsoring youth to participate in Club programs, and most recently becoming a Champion Partner for Boys & Girls Club’s Signature Event, An Evening of Changing Lives. With Megan at the helm, Alhiser-Comer Mortuary also became a corporate sponsor of Palomar Medical Center, dedicating a room to the new hospital that is designated as a place for families to see their loved ones once they’ve passed.

Nominee: Tyler Evans, President - So-Cal Business Brokers

How has the nominee gone above and beyond in their professional position?
Generous with their time and assisting business owners even when there is nothing to gain.

How has the nominee been engaged in their community?
Multiple business groups, volunteering and supporting local businesses

Nominee: Kathryn Fox, Senior Counsel - Buchalter

How has the nominee gone above and beyond in their professional position?
Katie is an excellent leader who engages with her team and clients with passion and empathy. She is able to be an outstanding leader in her role while also juggling two young kids at home and finds a way to balance family and work at the same time.

How has the nominee been engaged in their community?
She serves her community by acting as the Secretary and Board Member for the San Diego County Bar Foundation. She also serves as a member of the Emerging Leaders Advisory Council for the North San Diego Business Chamber as Co-Chair. She has also provided pro bono legal services for the Guardianship Clinic at the San Diego Volunteer Lawyer Program.

Nominee: Chelsey Frate, Financial Advisor Associate - Torrey Pines Wealth Management at UBS Financial Services, Inc.

How has the nominee gone above and beyond in their professional position?
She is engaged in what is going on in the world on a high level and a granular basis in order to provide real world advice to her clients. She compassion for her clients and their financial futures is evident in the way that she discuses the current economic landscape.

How has the nominee been engaged in their community?
Chelsey has been a fabulous leader on the Emerging Leaders Advisory Council. She attends networking events throughout the community, and makes real, personal connections with those who are lucky enough to meet her.

Nominee: David Hallisey, Chief Communications Officer - Petco

How has the nominee gone above and beyond in their professional position?
David is an outstanding communications professional always leads with integrity first, exceptional situational judgment and a keen ability to turn challenges into opportunities. He's endlessly supportive of his team and never misses an opportunity to recognize great work, empower others to make decisions, or test new ideas and ways of working. In the past 2+ years alone, he’s helped lead Petco and his team through the biggest communications challenges a company can face: a global pandemic and an IPO.

In the early days of the pandemic, he was instrumental in solidifying Petco’s designation as an essential retailer, ensured we always put the safety of our partners, guests and communities at the center of every communication touchpoint, and helped turn a simple hashtag into a resounding and lasting internal rallying cry that kept our 27,000 partners #PetcoSTRONG through every new challenge that came with Covid-19. With the pandemic still in full swing, his tireless leadership helped lead the company to a strong IPO and he delivered outstanding media coverage and internal engagement despite the ongoing challenging environment and already crowded news landscape. These are just some examples of the “above and beyond” type of work that led David to earn his recent promotion to Chief Communications Officer reporting directly to our CEO.

How has the nominee been engaged in their community?
In his nearly 9 years with Petco, Dave has been deeply engaged in local and national animal welfare community through the work of Petco Love, which supports and invests millions into the lifesaving work of thousands of local rescue and adoption groups across the country. He's also been a champion for the company’s broader support of the San Diego community through our partnership and work with the San Diego Padres, and he’s spent the past few years supporting North County San Diego business through his role on the Chamber board of directors.

Nominee: Diane Hansen, President and CEO - Palomar Health

How has the nominee gone above and beyond in their professional position?
Palomar Health began in 1933 with two compassionate women, who left their jobs to establish a hospital to serve the needs of a small farming community. Using their own money, they purchased an old egg and poultry plant to build a 13-bed hospital. From that grassroots, community-led effort, Palomar Health has grown to become the largest public healthcare district in California and one of the seven largest in the United States. Palomar serves communities in an 800-square-mile area, with a trauma center that covers more than 2,200 square miles.

A hospital CEO position is one of the most complex and demanding jobs that exists. Not only are you responsible for running a large, integrated business; you are responsible for the lives of a community. It takes a person with the right level of knowledge, strength, determination and compassion to run a hospital system. When Diane Hansen stepped into the CEO seat of Palomar Health in 2017, the healthcare district was hanging on by a thread, contemplating mergers, and in “immediate jeopardy” of losing important certifications. Diane knew it would take being bold, brave and swift to get Palomar Health back on the road to success. Diane has moved mountains at Palomar health in a short 4 years. She’s taken on challenges, worked through a global pandemic and tackled situations that most leaders never have to face. In the same entrepreneurial spirit of the hospital's founders, today, under Diane's leadership, Palomar Health has repositioned itself from its humble beginnings to become the preeminent healthcare delivery system in North San Diego County. With passion, positivity, adaptability, leadership, and ambition coursing through her veins, Diane maintains a steadfast focus on the greater needs of the community to ensure the public healthcare district will be around for generations to come.

How has the nominee been engaged in their community?
The mission of Palomar Health is to heal, comfort, and promote health in the communities we serve, and Diane holds this mission true to heart when it comes to community activism and involvement. Diane's vision extends beyond the walls of our hospitals on a daily basis. When the pandemic hit hospitals across the nation like never before and images of patients being treated on gymnasium floors starting popping up on national news, Diane took swift and creative action. Through Diane's active involvement with government agencies, Palomar Medical Center was chosen to become a Federal Medical Station. Within a matter of weeks and by using empty shell space within the hospital, Diane creatively constructed a "hospital within a hospital", adding 250 beds to our region's capacity. Palomar was designated one of only a few surge sites ready to handle any unexpected capacity issues faced by hospitals in the State of California. Her work didn't stop there. The pandemic presented unique challenges for people who were homebound. She quickly shifted and didn't skip a beat when faced with treating COVID19 homebound patients. Diane provided the necessary resources to ensure all community members had access to care, while keeping employees safe with PPE and resources. Within days of when vaccines became available, Diane opened what she called a "triple threat against COVID19", the first of its kind drive through testing, treatment, and vaccine clinic operating in Palomar's parking garage. Beyond pandemic innovation, Diane has prioritized victims of abuse in our communities. Palomar's forensic health services provides free medical care for all victims of abuse throughout the entire County of San Diego (3.5M people). This spring, Palomar is opening the doors of One Safe Place, a first of its kind facility to provide medical and psychological treatment to victims of violence. No matter the challenge, Diane always finds a path to yes!

As a public healthcare district, the benefits of Palomar Health extend well beyond the walls of our facilities to improve the health and lives of our community, which is over 500,000 strong and uniquely diverse. Perseverance and resilience are Diane's superpowers and the community has benefitted greatly from Diane's inspiring vision for the future of healthcare. Diane's bold vision and swift action has dramatically increased access to quality healthcare with the opening of several new services that were not previously available in the district, several include:
- Palomar Health Crisis Stabilization Unit-this 16-chair facility opened in 2020 in response to the behavioral health crisis in the community
- Palomar Health Rehabilitation Institute-this 52-bed facility opened in 2021 and is the only one of its kind in the region to provide specialized care to patients who have experienced the debilitating effects of a severe injury or illness
- Palomar Health Recovery Center-opened in late 2020 to provide outpatient services to people who are struggling with addition to alcohol or drugs
- Expanded Emergency Room Capacity-Palomar operates one of the busiest emergency rooms in the county. In 2018, a new bay was developed to serve an additional 50 patients each day
- Medical Group Foundation-recognizing the need for more coordinated healthcare, Diane was able to negotiate an agreement with the top two affiliated medical groups to join forces and become the largest physician network group in the region.

Many entrepreneurs are excellent thinkers and innovators yet lack a “doing” ingredient in their mentality. In these cases ideas and viable opportunities count for nothing. Diane uniquely pairs an entrepreneurial spirit with a doing mindset that propels her to get what was planned done, and finish what she started.

How has the nominee gone above and beyond in their professional position?
During her tenure, Diane Hansen has turned around the finances of the district while simultaneously upgrading the patient experience. She is leading the organization to new heights, positioning Palomar Health as the preeminent healthcare system in the region.

How has the nominee been engaged in their community?
Diane Hansen has emphasized the healthcare needs of the community are the responsibility of the district and that a fiscally healthy healthcare system ensures the community's needs will be met now and into the future. She leads a team that is increasingly engaged in the community and has made it a key component of the district mission.

Nominee: Kari Mahaffey, Global Vice President - Oracle

How has the nominee gone above and beyond in their professional position?
Kari is an ongoing advocate who partners with customers on their digital transformation journeys. She sponsors customers in several industries through steerco participation, executive governance and strategic customer vision alignment. She is involved in the National Diversity Council, a guest lecturer in the MBA program at Mihaylo College of Business at Cal State Fullerton, a mentor in Oracle’s leadership program and was an ambassador for USC Annenberg’s graduate program as well as a mentor for the Women in Business at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN. Kari holds a dual Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication and Marketing from the University of St Thomas and is an M.A. in Communication Management from the Annenberg School at USC in Los Angeles. Kari actively mentors female leadership team at Oracle, SAP and Workday as well as an active mentor globally in Oracle for several high performance individuals.

How has the nominee been engaged in their community?
Kari is actively engaged with inspiring and mentoring women in the community. She has led others through advocating for women throughout her career. Here are some of her latest speaking engagements: San Diego Women’s Week, guest speaker Oracle Woman's Leadership Group, guest speaker & mentor Women in Business, Univ. of St. Thomas, guest speaker Mgmt. of Info in the Corp environment, Miyalo Business school, lecturer Driving Transformation after Go-Live w/KPMG, guest speaker SAP Global Employee Speaker Series, guest speaker

Nominee: Alanna Markey, Vice President/General Manager - InnoVision Marketing Group

How has the nominee gone above and beyond in their professional position?
Alanna started at InnoVision back in 2013 as an intern. She has quickly risen over the years as a leader in InnoVision, and someone everyone can turn to for anything they might need, whether it's work related or personal; Alanna always has a listening ear and an empathetic heart. She's is a rock in the company culture and brand, and we're all so thankful to have her as a part of our team.

How has the nominee been engaged in their community?
Alanna works with Ric to provide a lot of work for our community through our clients, whether it's promoting a smaller business like Unicorn Jewelry in Rancho Bernardo, or helping bring in more revenue to San Diego by working with clients like Valley View Casino or Palomar Health.

Nominee: Sarah McSpadden, President and Chief Executive Officer - The Elizabeth Hospice

How has the nominee gone above and beyond in their professional position?
Sarah McSpadden, RN, MSN, is the President and Chief Executive Officer of The Elizabeth Hospice, the largest nonprofit hospice provider in Southern California. She oversees a team of 250 employees and 260 volunteers who provide medical, emotional and spiritual support to children and adults facing the challenges of an advanced, life-limiting illness and those who are grieving the loss of a loved one. During the rapidly changing Covid-19 environment, Sarah ensured that The Elizabeth Hospice’s practices and protocols were modified to meet the health guidelines established by the Centers for Disease Control and Infection (CDC), World Health Organization (WHO) and local public health agencies.

Through creativity and determination, she ensured that the personal touch that is the cornerstone of hospice remained intact. Care teams stayed connected to their patients, often serving as a bridge between families and their loved ones and helping to reduce their patients’ feelings of isolation and loneliness. Counseling sessions with those who were grieving were conducted via videoconferencing and telephone for children and adults in our community. Under Sarah’s leadership, employees navigated obstacles including physical distancing, supply shortages of personal protective equipment, the need for regular testing, and so much more.

The Elizabeth Hospice overcame many challenges during the pandemic and continued to serve as a trusted resource for hospice care, palliative care and grief support in the North County community. Born and raised in San Diego, McSpadden is thrilled to be in a position where she can impact the lives of people in her hometown community. “My dad’s experience on hospice service led me to dedicate my career to this healthcare field. I strongly believe that every individual deserves to receive compassionate, skilled end-of-life care and that every family deserves to have the resources and support they need to provide their loved one with a positive experience,” said Sarah.

How has the nominee been engaged in their community?
Sarah currently serves on the Board of Directors for the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO), a national network of providers and professionals who care for people affected by serious and life-limiting illnesses. She is NHPCO’s committee chair on the Quality and Standards Committee. She also serves on the Board of the Hospice Advocacy Network and is on the Legislative Affairs and Reimbursement Committees at the California Hospice and Palliative Care Association (CHAPCA). She is a member of the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI) and the Escondido Charitable Foundation.

Nominee: Maggie Meza, San Diego Chapter Director - Blue Star Families

How has the nominee gone above and beyond in their professional position?
Maggie Meza is an amazing asset to our local military and veteran population of San Diego. Not only does she run programming throughout the year, she never says no to supporting individual command functions. She leads from the front with innovative ideas on engagement opportunities that create a cross-sectoral dialogue between military and civilian communities, which can help foster awareness and understanding of military lifestyle challenges. Maggie quickly pivoted her programming during the height of the pandemic to virtual and drive-thru events which ensured that those who were at home still felt that much-needed sense of belonging. In addition, Maggie flawlessly manages and coordinates with other non-profits in the area to bring the best resources to our community.

How has the nominee been engaged in their community?
Maggie welcomed military and Veteran families into their community via Blue Star Welcome Week. This week focuses on honoring active-duty service members, Veterans, and their families who serve and sacrifice alongside them. What is more, it prompts the country to come together in a spirit of welcome for the approximately 600,000 active-duty and transitioning military families who move into new communities each year. Maggie strengthened public and private partnerships. She partnered with several organizations through distributions that provided food, diapers, and resources to families. Through Coffee Connects, Maggie works to bring military spouses together while learning about resources and employment opportunities. Additionally, through interactions with local government officials, Maggie has garnered support for ongoing efforts to empower military and Veteran families in the community. Through in person support and exclusive events, Maggie has provided educational opportunities for military children, helped combat food insecurity for military and veteran families, supported racial equity and inclusion initiatives in the community, and has provided corporate employee engagement opportunities.

Nominee: Fred Nasseri, Business Owner - Unicorn Jewelry & Watch Boutique

How has the nominee gone above and beyond in their professional position?
Fred builds a lasting relationship with everyone he meets in the store, which has continued to fuel the long-term success of Unicorn Jewelry along with a vast number of referrals. In fact, many of these relationships have even led some clients to invite Fred to their wedding because of his impact on their lives.

Fred shares his expertise and amazing work as he showcases his exclusive selection of affordable and timeless jewelry pieces, watches, accessories, and more to the community. Regardless of budget, Fred is always sure to accommodate and find just what the customer is looking for because he knows each person’s story is important and everyone deserves gifts that will be cherished for generations as more than just a material possession. Fred and his family continuously strive to go above and beyond for their clients.

Recently, Fred had a client come into Unicorn Jewelry & Watch Boutique requesting an engagement ring for the next day. This client had found out that day that he only had three months to live and that he would get deployed to Ukraine, with no chance to propose until it was too late. After hearing about this story, Fred immediately got to work with his team all night to craft the perfect ring. The next morning the client came, and all the artisans stood by clapping as Fred showed him the engagement ring. Fred and his family pride themselves on making each jewelry buying experience unique and making the clients feel like they can trust and be part of the process.

How has the nominee been engaged in their community?
Fred Nasseri is the proud and humble co-owner of Unicorn Jewelry & Watch Boutique. His family has owned and operated Unicorn Jewelry for over 40 years, supporting local families as well as the community. Fred and his family prioritize service first at Unicorn Jewelry, offering not only jobs for local San Diegans but also a place where shoppers can feel welcomed. The jewelry industry is filled with fraud, and the family at Unicorn Jewelry has established a tremendous relationship with the Rancho Bernardo and San Diego community because they take the interests of their customers deeply to heart. 90% of Unicorn’s vendors are local to the San Diego area.

Fred continuously provides community leadership, being actively involved in key organizations including Sunrise Rotary, Kiwanis, Shriners International and the Palomar Health Foundation. Fred is also a member of the Susan G. Komen San Diego Advisory Committee.

Nominee: Brandy Nelson, Premier Property Director - Windermere Homes & Estates

How has the nominee gone above and beyond in their professional position?
She has been very helpful and open with her mentoring me and my growth as an agent has multiplied over the year we have been working together.

How has the nominee been engaged in their community?
Yes, she is very big in community service and helping others when they are in need
Nominee: Aubrey Paris, Director of Membership & Merchandising - Rancho Bernardo Inn

How has the nominee gone above and beyond in their professional position?
In 2021, Aubrey won the Leader of the Year award at Rancho Bernardo Inn, which is voted on by all managers across the company. This award embodies JC resorts (parent company) leadership performance standards, displays role model behavior in job knowledge, work ethic, leadership, safety and service standards. Aubrey has always done anything for the team; worked events, created events, upgraded property offerings, etc. She is very involved with all departments as well as Golf Club members. She stays engaged with the community in order to know how to best serve both our employees and guests. Lastly, Aubrey was chosen to be part of our Inngaged Leadership Team, this team is geared towards connected executives with directors and leaders. We choose to develop our outstanding leaders to assist in furthering their careers and helping them support our employees and guests. She has been a model employee for many years and has embodied the Rancho Bernardo Inn spirit as well as grown the business year over year.

How has the nominee been engaged in their community?
I took the community engagement from a bio of hers: I moved to Rancho Bernardo in 2004, purchasing a small home on the 14th hole of the Rancho Bernardo Inn Golf Course. My work in the community started at the RB Presbyterian Church where my son attended preschool and I volunteered weekly. During our 4 years at RBCPC I was a board member for several committees focused on both fundraising and service, primarily benefiting our special needs community. I also had the pleasure of joining two “Moms” groups that resulted in life-long friendships and countless connections. I relocated to Poway in 2010 and simultaneously held roles as PTA Vice President and Midland Educational Foundation President allowing me to represent our school and district at community events. My time in these leadership roles broadened my connections to local businesses and community leaders. Since that time, I’ve held positions on 7 additional community and charity boards and had the honor of working for a short time in local politics for the Vaus Mayoral campaign. I am especially proud of the work I did during my 10 years on the Chelsea’s Light Foundation, working with the King Family, law enforcement and political leaders to enact laws that would be adopted by over 30 states and help keep children safe. Today… my engagement is focused on driving business and representing RBI in our community through work with the RB Rotary and Poway Chamber, where I’ve served in several leadership capacities. The quote “you get what you give” has proven itself many times over and I’m excited for future opportunities to serve our community, planning to reach far beyond the RB/Poway area.

Nominee: Cheri Pope, Dir Urgent Care and Occupational Medicine - Sharp Rees-Stealy

How has the nominee gone above and beyond in their professional position?
Cheri Pope was instrumental in supporting our communities during the height of the pandemic and subsequently of all the surges. She spearheaded our Outside Respiratory Clinics and Indoor Respiratory Clinics for our Urgent Care response during the COVID pandemic to minimize transmission. In addition lead the COVID testing and vaccine clinics (indoor and outdoor). The vaccine clinics also include Evusheld and Flu vaccines. Her contributions directly impacted our ability to care for our patients during the pandemic and ensure other clinical operations were not overwhelmed and negatively impacted. Like all health care workers, she fought in the frontlines of the pandemic and risked her own health to ensure Sharp was there to meet community needs during this public health crisis.

How has the nominee been engaged in their community?
These efforts were heroic because of the significant staffing shortages experienced during the pandemic. She and her leaders often stepped up to provide direct patient care and support when necessary to ensure quality care was provided. Cheri Pope is one of the many unsung heroes of this pandemic working overtime to make sure our communities had access to vaccines, testing resources, and treatment. Ensuring efficient operations in the face of significant challenges in the name of community safety is nothing short of outstanding.

Nominee: Sanjiv Prabhakaran, President & CEO - Bytes, Inc.

How has the nominee gone above and beyond in their professional position?
- He is a very compassionate and forward-thinking President & CEO with a very aggressive vision for the future.
- Despite the challenging years of 2020/21, he continues to maintain strong relations with his clients and strategic partners to increase the company's exposure and public relations.
- He pivoted the company during the tough COVID-19 times by showing companies how to leverage remote operations using software technology. He was a panelist on webinars to educate groups on using web and mobile app technologies.
- Signed several new deals with startup companies and also with an established landscape & janitorial management company to provide technology improvements and custom software applications.
- Launched new web/mobile app systems for several companies that were struggling with the COVID-19 lock downs. These new tools help them run their businesses virtually.
- Delivered a complete re-design for a unique tablet-based workflow application for the military base in Point Loma. This saves them on average about 20-30 hours of manual labor each week in tallying data-entries in Excel sheets, eliminating duplicate entries, and improving efficiencies across all phases of their operations.
- Personally acquired multiple new small to mid-size clients, upgraded systems for two existing clients and established two new offshore partners for website and mobile app development.
- He continues to support challenged individuals by empowering them with skills and employing them at his company whenever feasible.

How has the nominee been engaged in their community?
- His motto is always to be a GIVER first and knows the desired results will eventually follow.
- He has connected many people to potential job opportunities without financial gain and only a desire to help them find a better job.
- He is actively involved as a volunteer with the Economic Advisory Council of North San Diego Business Chamber, where he helps with advocacy for local small business issues and find ways to communicate with the local state & city officials.
- He is very serious about philanthropy and volunteers at BIANCA, a local Autism non-profit group, to support children with learning disabilities and autism. He is also on the Board of BIANCA, where he promotes awareness of autism and explores new advancements in medicine.
- He continues to provide work opportunity to physically challenged individuals. For example, he recently helped to secure a Rotary global grant of USD 38,000 to assist a clinic in India dedicated to help train 25 paraplegics and quadriplegics lead an independent life.

Nominee: Chris Thorne, President - Gary Sinise Foundation

How has the nominee gone above and beyond in their professional position?
Chris Thorne is the leader and President of the Gary Sinise Foundation San Diego Chapter which kicked off this past year in August.

Chris personally leads multiple events across the San Diego community to support defenders, veterans, first responders, their families and those in need.

Over the last year, Chris has driven partnerships and personally led events with the Padres, the San Diego Loyal, the La Jolla Playhouse, the West Coast Hot Sauce Experience, Naval Medical Center, Marine Corps Recruiting Depot, CalFire, San Diego Police, El Cajon Police, San Diego Lifeguards, Veterans Village, San Diego Wild Animal Park, Camp Pendleton, Sycuan Casino, San Diego Realtors, and many wounded veteran smart home turnover events.

Chris’ tireless pursuit of driving the goals of the Gary Sinise Foundation should be commended as he drives thanking, helping and saving the military and first responders in our community who have all given so much.

How has the nominee been engaged in their community?
Chris has quickly driven partnerships across many of our sports teams, military bases and programs, arts and entertainment groups, casinos, police, fire, lifeguards, realtors and many more to accomplish the GSF objectives. He has also raised money from many sources all wanting to contribute to this 501 (c) (3)'s cause.

Nominee: Lindsay Tondee, Associate Director, Quality Assurance - Catalent Pharma Solutions

How has the nominee gone above and beyond in their professional position?
Lindsay is a go getter. She is continually leading the charge to motivate her team to do everything in their power to help our patients get released clinical trial material. Also her unwavering support for the Catalent "Green Team" has been a great boost to company morale. Our "Green Team" continually finds ways to help the environment (e.g. ride sharing, water savings, site clean ups, etc). Lindsay has been a pivotal leader in these efforts, motivating others in the company to participate and care.

How has the nominee been engaged in their community?
Lindsay has been an instrument volunteer. She participates in all of "Catalent Cares" activities, from Food Bank Volunteering, clothing drives, blood drives, UCSD student mentoring, LLS fundraising. Her involvement in our programs to help our neighbors in need is impressive.

Nominee: Andy Vaughn, President/CEO - Alliant International University

How has the nominee gone above and beyond in their professional position?
I am excited and honored to nominate Andy Vaughn, President/CEO of Alliant International University, for 2022 Leadership Award. I believe Andy 's leadership exemplifies the qualities of a great leader because great leaders "walk the walk and talk the talk".

His authentic leadership style and commitment to inclusive excellence creates a culture that values diversity, equity, and inclusion. Under his leadership, Alliant 's values and strategic plan have been formed with inclusive committees representing Alliant 's diverse communities. He empowers us to honor and celebrate our diverse community and encourages us to use our unique differences/qualities as ways to make positive contributions to the community and greater good. His transparency and inclusivity have transformed our university and each member of our staff along with it.

Finally, Andy 's leadership has played a significant role to the success of Alliant University and consistent support of students' success especially during challenging and unprecedented times of Covid-19.

How has the nominee been engaged in their community?
Please see above.

Nominee: Siddhartha Vivek, President & CEO - Junior Achievement of San Diego County

How has the nominee gone above and beyond in their professional position?
Siddhartha Vivek is the CEO and President of Junior Achievement of San Diego County. He is a servant leader, with an unwavering passion for serving San Diego County and finding the opportunity in every obstacle. In the last 18 months at JA San Diego, Sidd has implemented new revenue streams that not only drive sustainable growth for the organization but fill critical gaps in supporting young people’s future success. Sidd has a contagious spirit for collaboration and through new partnerships has expanded the organization’s footprint and reach across the county.

Sidd consistently empowers his team to dream bigger, encourages diversity of thought, and truly lives out the open-door policy. Those who have been lucky enough to work alongside Sidd have described him as inspiring, forward-thinking, and above all else, consistent.

Sidd has transformed the focus, impact, financials, and culture of JA San Diego. JA is projected to finish the 2021-2022 fiscal year with a 60% increase in revenue from the previous year. Even taking pandemic-depressed numbers into account from FY20-21, JA is projecting to finish 34% over budgeted revenue. From FY18-19 to this year (FY21-22 year-end projections), we have increased revenue by 22% ($2.5m vs. $3.1m) while reducing expenses by 4% ($2.34m vs. 2.25m).

Programmatically, Sidd has overseen the adaptation of in-demand programs such as JA BizTown and JA Stock Market Challenge to serve families and young people directly as opposed to the traditional school implantation model. He has additionally supported the development of new programs like JA Fellows to provide “real world” lessons to students from southeast San Diego at Lincoln High School across two semesters. New partnerships with Chula Vista Elementary School District have provided critical financial literacy curriculum to 8000 low-to-moderate income students. In partnership with Poway Unified School District, JA is supporting the opening of Poway to Palomar Middle College High School by bringing industry partners to the classroom and expand opportunities for high school students to earn credits through workforce development and internship opportunities.

How has the nominee been engaged in their community?
Sidd has fearlessly led the JA San Diego team through the obstacles caused by COVID-19. His leadership and determination to provide a solution to students, parents, teachers, and community partners, has resulted in serving over 22,241 students with virtual and in-person learning opportunities. Sidd embodies the values of a great leader, with an innate ability to develop and maintain meaningful relationships that result in empowerment, ultimately leaving people better than he found them.

Sidd additionally sits on the board of several community organizations including the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation Board, NTC Foundation Board in Liberty Station, and the Public Good Projects Board. He has fostered positive relationships with the Prebys Foundation, YMCA, San Diego Foundation, Zabel Foundation, Reality Changers, and many more. These partnerships have resulted in multi-year funding and programmatic impact.

Nominee: Tammy Wahl, Principal, Co-Founder - Denim Is The New Black

How has the nominee gone above and beyond in their professional position?
Tammy has gone above and beyond with her relentless drive to help women over 40 feel and look better about themselves. Aside from her core business of reviewing clothing (and selling), recently Tammy was diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma (skin cancer). As she went through the process of having the surgery and healing, she shared with her customers and followers the process and all preventative measure to take so other women could think about this issue, see their doctors to prevent problems. Because of her authenticity, several women came back to Tammy letting her know if it wasn't for her inspiration, their issues wouldn't have been checked and prevented.

How has the nominee been engaged in their community?
Tammy is a member of the North San Diego Business Chamber, and was recently on the Women's Week Strategy team, helping to put together a flawless Women's Week event. Tammy also volunteers with the San Diego Food Bank.

Nominee: Armed Services YMCA, San Diego, (ASYMCA)

In a brief summary what has the business/organization accomplished in the last year.
In the past year, at the Naval Medical Center, the ASYMCA was able to to support over 9,000 Wounded, Ill, or Injured service members. 44,757 military families received fresh food and produce at semi-monthly food distributions.

What has the business/organization done to empower and inspire their employees or volunteers.
The senior leadership team completed Lean Six Sigma green belt, with one completing black belt. The senior leadership team also completed the Resilience-Building Leadership Professional Trainer (RBLP-T) training and certification process. Their volunteers in 2021 contributed over 5,189 service hours, supporting the San Diego military community.

Describe the community involvement and philanthropic contributions of the business/organization in the last year.
The ASYMCA provides food to the Labor and Delivery ward, for patient and families who may not have a chance to eat at a given hour. The ASYMCA provides clothing and emergency commissary cards for military personnel who are on travel and have the need for support. The ASYMCA purchased 210.00 worth of bus passes to the Social Work Department at Naval Medical Center, for personnel who may be one car families, for access to the care needed.

Nominee: Austin Ribbon Microphones

In a brief summary what has the business/organization accomplished in the last year.
Taken a garage business to worldwide distribution. We use local San Diego machine shops and vendors to manufacture parts and provide labor. Participating in local trade shows, Microphone and electronics workshops at local high-schools and colleges, and engaging the NSD Business Chamber to provide Country of Origin documents.

What has the business/organization done to empower and inspire their employees or volunteers.
My friends and colleagues have volunteered to help me at my DMEMS booth.

Describe the community involvement and philanthropic contributions of the business/organization in the last year.
As a sole-proprietor business that just became full-time in January, 2022, philanthropy has not been an opportunity yet. Post-Pandemic, we are returning to offer student microphone-building workshops at City College and Miramar College. We participated in the Del Mar Electronics and Manufacturing show ("DMEMS"). I have taken my daughter's 8th grade class on a stargazing/camping trip to Agua Caliente County Park... Does that count? 🙂

Nominee: Bytes, Inc.

In a brief summary what has the business/organization accomplished in the last year.
- Despite the challenging years of 2020/21, Bytes continues to maintain strong relations with their clients and strategic partners to increase the company's exposure and public relations.

- Bytes pivoted during the tough COVID-19 times by showing companies how to leverage remote operations using software technology. Bytes officials participated on webinars to educate groups on using web and mobile app technologies.

- Bytes signed several new deals with startup companies and also with an established landscape & janitorial management company to provide technology improvements and custom software applications.

- Launched new web/mobile app systems for several companies that were struggling with the COVID-19 lock downs. These new tools help them run their businesses virtually.

- The nominee started a 12-month project for a local asset management company to completely re-design their 30-year old archaic software system. This will be launched around June 2022.

- Bytes delivered a complete re-design for a unique tablet-based workflow application for the military base in Point Loma. This saves them on average about 20-30 hours of manual labor each week in tallying data-entries in Excel sheets, eliminating duplicate entries, and improving efficiencies across all phases of their operations.

- Bytes also acquired multiple new small to mid-size clients, upgraded systems for two existing clients and established two new offshore partners for website and mobile app development.

- Bytes continues to support challenged individuals by empowering them with skills and employing them at Bytes whenever feasible.

What has the business/organization done to empower and inspire their employees or volunteers.
Bytes encourages all employees to be a philanthropist and volunteer at various local organizations.

Describe the community involvement and philanthropic contributions of the business/organization in the last year.
- Bytes’ employees have connected many people to potential job opportunities without financial gain and only a desire to help them find a better job.

- Bytes’ CEO is an active member of the Economic Advisory Council of North San Diego Business Chamber. Bytes helps with the advocacy for local small business issues and find ways to communicate with the local state & city officials.

- Bytes employees are very serious about philanthropy and volunteers at BIANCA, a local Autism non-profit group, to support children with learning disabilities and autism. Bytes’ CEO is also on the Board of BIANCA, where he promotes awareness of autism and explores new advancements in medicine.

- Bytes continues to provide work opportunity to physically challenged individuals. For example, Bytes’ CEO recently helped to secure a Rotary global grant of USD 38,000 to assist a clinic in India dedicated to training 25 paraplegics and quadriplegics lead an independent life.

Nominee: Catalent Pharma Solutions (San Diego Site)

In a brief summary what has the business/organization accomplished in the last year.
Catalent Pharma Solutions helped 50+ biotech customers formulate, manufacture, and delivered their experiment drugs into clinical trials this year, which are directly helping patients with cancer, parkinson's, covid and other life threatening diseases

What has the business/organization done to empower and inspire their employees or volunteers.
Catalent's first value is always "Patient First". Everything we do (every test tube we use, every machine we use, every report we write) is always about the patient getting the best experimental medicine in the world. This patient first value has empowered and inspired employees to always know that the work they do is for the patient. So if there is a decision between profits and patient, the patient always wins. We continue to ingrain this in employees by having "Patient First" presentations about molecules we are working on that will help patients. We also have actual patients speak to our employees to inspire them.

Describe the community involvement and philanthropic contributions of the business/organization in the last year.
Catalent San Diego has done the following for the community this year:
- Raised over $10,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) through their Light the Night event, and now for their Woman of the Year fundraisers
- Donated $10,000 to Mountain Shadows (a facility for adults with disabilities), and participated in 2 x volunteer events with over 15 employees attending
- Ran a Pajama drive for Leez PJ's for kids (collecting over 100 items from philanthropic employees and visitors)
- Ran a Food and Sundries drive for Interfaith (homeless organization)
- Ran 2 x Blood drives for the Blood Bank (with over 40 employees donating blood)
- Volunteered at 2 x San Diego Food Bank events (44 employees volunteered)
- Supported multiple UCSD, UC San Marcos student events
- Ran a Sundry drive for the Alliance for Africa (helping Afghanistan refugees)
- Volunteered for the North San Diego Business Chambers Women's Week Strategy team (with booth at the event)
- Supported the Girls Scouts with their STEM initiatives for girls
- Supported multiple Green/Earth day events, beach clean-ups

Nominee: Denim Is The New Black

In a brief summary what has the business/organization accomplished in the last year.
This business (in one year from the founding date) has gained a rapid following of 1800+ women. Creating an online 'blog' like this normal does not see profits for several year. In the case of DNB, they immediately were profitable after 6 months. Their website, communication style, presentation, and target market are all very niche (never done before in the industry).

What has the business/organization done to empower and inspire their employees or volunteers.
The authenticity of this business has inspired the 1800+ followers by helping women over 40 feel better and look better. One event that has inspired their followers: Tammy was recently diagnosed with Basal Cell Carcinoma (Skin Cancer). She immediately shared her experience (before/after surgery) with her followers. This inspired many women (and men) to be checked out by their doctors. Several women came back to Tammy saying if it weren't for her article on the website, they would have never been checked (with some women having issues found by their doctors).

Describe the community involvement and philanthropic contributions of the business/organization in the last year.
DNB has been a member of the North San Diego Business Chamber, and Tammy was a member of the Women's Week Strategy Team. Also, Tammy has participated in multiple volunteering opportunities' with the San Diego Food Bank.

Nominee: Gary and Mary West PACE

In a brief summary what has the business/organization accomplished in the last year.
The Gary & Mary West Program for All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) has nearly doubled its participant caseload over the past year. Despite the increase, West PACE has demonstrated a knack for adapting and growing to continue providing the platinum-level of interdisciplinary care West PACE families know and love.

West PACE added more than 25 new employee positions to meet the increasing needs of its new and existing participants. Additionally, 10 new vehicles will be added to the transportation fleet to help get participants to medical appointments and other destinations. In addition to adding staff and resources, the organization has also initiated many partnerships to make this possible, including a recent connection with mobile healthcare provider DocGo to offer remote non-emergency medical care to participants in the comfort of their homes. Since the launch of the partnership in early 2022, hundreds of West PACE participant clinic visits have been performed in their homes thanks to the addition of DocGo medical providers. The result has improved the overall participant experience, ensured the health and safety of participants and helped to keep non-emergency medical care out of emergency rooms.

West PACE has also continued its partnership with the technology platform care.coach, which proved particularly critical for participants experiencing social isolation during lockdowns and quarantines. The partnership with care.coach allows participants to connect with a real person for emotional support, healthcare coaching, telemedicine and more, in real-time.

What has the business/organization done to empower and inspire their employees or volunteers.
The team at West PACE understands firsthand the vital importance of caring for people who care for others, especially when it comes to employees. A group of West PACE employees dubbed the Employee Engagement Committee organized socially-distanced fun activities for the whole team throughout the pandemic that continue today, including bringing in an ice cream truck to the West PACE parking lot, hosting festive holiday parties and holding special events for participants in which staff members could participate by dropping off goodies to participants’ doorsteps. Additionally, to maintain a feeling of connectedness as many worked remotely, weekly all-staff calls were held where employees got to hear inspiring stories of appreciation passed along from participants and their families. We also feature our employees and participants regularly on our social media channels.

Describe the community involvement and philanthropic contributions of the business/organization in the last year.
In the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, West PACE hosted an immunization pod at their San Marcos facility parking lot in partnership with 211 San Diego. Immunizations were provided free of charge by West Health to West PACE participants and other elderly North County residents. More than 2,000 immunizations were administered at the event. West PACE Medical Director Dr. Ross Colt has no doubt it saved lives.

Additionally, over the past two years, West PACE has hosted its annual “Everyday Necessities Drive for North County Seniors.” Many local companies, individuals and groups come together to make the drive possible, including Bryan Devore of Devore Realty Group, Foundation for Senior Care, Foundation for Senior Wellbeing, Qualicare, Rachel Currington, San Diego North Economic Development Council, Uni Care Hospice, Wakeland – The Grove and West Health. The 2021 holiday drive resulted in 300 gift baskets – full of warm clothing accessories like scarves, mittens, gloves and socks; fleece blankets; personal care items like lip balm, hand soap, toothpaste and toothbrushes; holiday decorations; clothing items and more – being delivered to vulnerable North County seniors served by West PACE.

West PACE also introduced a new element to the 2021 “Everyday Necessities Drive for North County Seniors” with its “Adopt-A-Senior” program. Through the program, community members could participate through an online donation. West PACE and community partners used the funds collected to buy items on seniors’ wish lists and to supplement holiday bundles donated through the “Everyday Necessities Drive,” bringing extra holiday cheer to North County seniors with chronic illnesses.

Nominee: Gary Sinise Foundation - San Diego Chapter

Describe the involvement and philanthropic contributions from the nominee in the last year to the military community.
Launching in August 2021, the Gary Sinise Foundation San Diego Chapter is the second of many chapters that will extend the philanthropy of our Founder and Chairman, Gary Sinise, and the footprint of the Gary Sinise Foundation. The San Diego Chapter, like those to come in other regions across the country, complements the efforts of the Gary Sinise Foundation, catalyzing a greater impact in the lives of our nation's heroes and their families. GSF-San Diego has donated 11 mortgage-free specially adapted smart homes, hosted 14,700+ attendees at Invincible Spirit Festivals at Naval Medical Center San Diego, 20,725+ meals to service members and veterans, and 33 Gary Sinise & the Lt. Dan Band support concerts in San Diego!

Nominee: HIRE Consulting Services

In a brief summary what has the business/organization accomplished in the last year.
Mark James is the Founder and President of HIRE Consulting Services (HCS), established in 1999, and has been a chamber member since 2016. Mark has been providing guidance and presentation on Job Search and career management for over 23 years. He has published 2 books. One most recently on Amazon called The Interview Mindset; The Ultimate Guide to Master Your Career.

What has the business/organization done to empower and inspire their employees or volunteers.
Mark James and HCS have been a volunteer and fundraiser with the San Diego Alzheimers Association since 2020. HIRE Consulting Services (HCS) is a Certified Partner with The Predictive Index since 2016. HCS has provided hundreds of complimentary behavior assessments to leaders and students. HCS created S.C.A.L.E. (Student Career Advance Learning Education) and delivers private coaching to students in need, who are struggling with their careers.

Describe the community involvement and philanthropic contributions of the business/organization in the last year.
Mark James has been a valuable contributor to Operations Connect. He has presented and provided job search advice and guidance to former Military personnel who are in career their first career transition job hunt. Mark has also been a volunteer Executive in Residence at Cal State University - San Marcos since 2017. He coaches college students on how to develop their career path BEFORE they graduate.

Nominee: Hire Heroes USA

Describe the involvement and philanthropic contributions from the nominee in the last year to the military community.
In 2021, Hire Heroes USA supported 12,500+ veterans in military spouses in securing employment. There are 244,000+ veterans in San Diego county, with an unemployment rate of 5.1% (Employment Development Department, State of California). In 2020, 10.68% of total registrants that requested assistance from Hire Heroes USA came from California, making it the second highest state in total number of registrants (Hire Heroes USA).

Nominee: InnoVision Marketing Group

In a brief summary what has the business/organization accomplished in the last year.
This year, we celebrated our 10-year anniversary. InnoVision has experienced a 110% year-over-year revenue growth rate (as published in the San Diego Business Journal recently). We have also rolled out a new Hispanic division, which we're very excited about because it gives us an opportunity reach an even broader audience. We have been executing Hispanic campaigns for clients for several years now, so it made perfect sense to formally organize the team into a new division this year. We’ve also almost doubled the size of our team over the last year.

What has the business/organization done to empower and inspire their employees or volunteers.
We truly believe culture is at the heart of everything that we do, in everything we do. The culture at InnoVision is special. We spend a considerable amount of time and money cultivating and maintaining it on a daily basis. The culture attracts and retains great talent, and that translates into better work and results for our clients. Rooted in a positive company culture and work environment, team members are constantly empowered to be the best version of themselves, personally and professionally, to reach the goals that they desire. The company puts a large emphasis on offering many training sessions, career guidance and opportunities for growth. With a team of 40 and growing, the senior management team composed of nine members has an average tenure of 7.5 years.

InnoVision encourages all of our employees to act as if they are the CEO of our company, because we believe everybody on our team is a leader and everybody has a hand in our success and growth. We also encourage our team to find and attend any classes or seminars that they believe can help them move to the next level of their career on InnoVision’s expense. In an ideal world, InnoVision would be full of President’s and Vice President’s because it takes all of us to be the best that we can be.

Describe the community involvement and philanthropic contributions of the business/organization in the last year.
Our CEO, Ric Militi and the team at InnoVision provide pro bono services to Fresh Start Surgical Gifts and NNAHRA (National Native American Human Resources Association) to give back to the community and further the company’s mission of compassion for others. Ric has served two terms on Fresh Start’s Board of Directors and is on the Advisory Board for NNAHRA. He is currently a Presidents’ Council Member at Palomar Health. Also, during COVID, we were able to offer our clients as much free marketing support as possible to ensure their survival.

Nominee: Junior Achievement of San Diego County

In a brief summary what has the business/organization accomplished in the last year.
As the San Diego community continued to grapple with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, JA worked to expand program offerings into the virtual sphere to ensure young people were able to receive vital educational programming on financial literacy and career readiness. In the fall, JA reopened their doors to safely welcome students to participate in-person experiences at the Capdevilla Gillespie Center for Junior Achievement Campus.

In addition to the growth of virtual programming, JA launched two new high school programs to deliver immersive, hands-on learning experiences to students – JA Ambassadors and JA Fellows. JA Ambassadors provided 685 high school students with tools to thrive in the San Diego community. The first cohort of JA Fellows began at Lincoln High and entails providing career panels, job shadows, and paid-internship opportunities to participating students. Students gain a better understanding of the opportunities available in the local economy and how to achieve them.

As JA has expanded its program offerings, 22,241 students across San Diego County and Tijuana, Mexico have been impacted over the last year with one-fifth of those students participating in virtual programming.

What has the business/organization done to empower and inspire their employees or volunteers.
The social and emotional value of human connection became even more pronounced with social distancing practices due to the pandemic. Over the last year, JA continued to provide mentorship experiences throughout the pandemic and revitalized the engagement between business and the larger San Diego community. JA was more intentional toward the volunteer recruitment process. There is value in having volunteers represent the communities they live in and connecting with young people who share similar stories and experiences. JA encourages volunteers of diverse backgrounds to be agents of change in their community. Through mentorship and teaching opportunities, volunteers are inspired to be role models for the future leaders of their communities.

Describe the community involvement and philanthropic contributions of the business/organization in the last year.
JA programs provide young people with the foundational knowledge in the key pillars of financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship. The tools and insights gained from participating in JA programs empower students to achieve financial success. Through immersive learning experiences, young people gain first-hand insight into career pathways and money management.

JA has worked closely with schools and educators to deliver and modify JA programming to best fit the needs of each classroom. By adapting JA programs to virtual implementation models, JA continued to serve the community and provide critical programming to students to better prepare them for their futures. Curriculum is additionally adjusted for different grade levels and can accommodate for students with a range of different learning styles.

A survey conducted by Junior Achievement USA, found that 91% of high school students reported feeling they needed additional support during the 2021-2022 school year. While social distancing practices were strongly encouraged, JA engaged nearly 3,000 volunteers to help deliver JA programs, facilitate events, and continue to provide critical learning experiences to young people Using video call platforms, JA connected students to mentors from local business community. Students were able to build their network and ask business professional questions to gain valuable insights into career pathways.

In partnership with community and corporate partners, JA was able to offer programs at a free or reduced cost for 22,241 students. Depending on the FRL rate of the school, a percentage of the cost will be discounted for the schools. JA has developed scholarship programs to support individual students to ensure all students have access to JA’s life-changing programs.

Nominee: Mt. Soledad National Veterans Memorial

In a brief summary what has the business/organization accomplished in the last year.
We have honored over 203 Veterans who have honorably served this nation on our black grant walls. We have held 25 private Veteran Honor Ceremonies (VHC) where we dedicate the plaque, honor the veteran living or deceased by presenting a flag, quilt, bugler, and personalized message about the service members career both in the military and out. For many, this is the only time their family member has been recognized for their service. We have also raised funds to add additional walls so we can continue our mission of honoring our veterans by preserving their legacy. This year in particular, we held our first ever Women's Brunch Honoring over 100 women veterans and service members in San Diego. We also held a private memorial for the 13 service members killed in Kabul in 2021 where we raised over $5000 to feed the marines at Camp Pendleton who were suffered the most casualties. They were able to say a final farewell to their brothers and sisters as we dedicated a plaque in their honor. A place where they can come anytime to remember their fallen.

What has the business/organization done to empower and inspire their employees or volunteers.
This past year we were able to present the Presidential Service Awards to our volunteer docents and grounds keeper for their years and thousands of hours of volunteer service. We also have volunteers who design all the plaques that are installed on our walls. They draw their inspriation from the lives of the veterans being honored and the joy that their work will be a lasting legacy for the veterans and their families for generations to come. For our employees, they have come up with many events to honor veterans in their own way. Most recently, the Women's Brunch honoring women in military service past and present. They are also involved in many other veteran non-profit work continuing their dedication to our military and veteran community. We encourage our employees and volunteers to find ways to work with local military communities, school, and our veteran population. Our recent campaign "Freedom is not Free" will allow both volunteers and employees to education students from pre-school to graduate school on the service and sacrifice of our military through interactive activities and presentation.

Describe the community involvement and philanthropic contributions of the business/organization in the last year.
Every year we host two ceremonies, Memorial Day and Veterans Day. At these ceremony's we honor veterans living and deceased and dedicate a plaque in their honor. Veteran's day 2021, we honored the Army, Navy and Air Forces Nurse Corps where we have over 73 nurses in attendance who served daiting back to the Korean war to the most recent Shock Trauma Team who treated the Army, Marines and Sailors who were bombed in Kabul. We have over 20 volunteers docents who teach guests and students about the veterans honored on our walls, instilling in them Freedom is not Free and here are the Americans who assured our freedoms. We continue to be a place where we can honor our veterans and teach future generations about the price of freedom and the everyday Americans who continue to sacrifice for us all. Through donations, we are able to host larger events, dedicate plaques to veterans who are not able to afford plaques and host smaller events to further recognized our military and veterans. We have over a million visitors from all over the world come to our memorial and walk away with a little more knowledge about the sacrifices of our military service women and men.

Nominee: Neighborhood Healthcare

In a brief summary what has the business/organization accomplished in the last year.
Neighborhood Healthcare leadership expanded the video telehealth and phone services in 2021 as a result of COVID's continuing impact. Neighborhood Healthcare transitioned thousands of patients to virtual visits while providing critical medical, dental, and mental health care. The organization's innovative providers and staff overcame digital challenges to offer quality care to our patients by video, phone, and in-person. Neighborhood Healthcare provided services to communities and families that would otherwise not receive necessary care.

What has the business/organization done to empower and inspire their employees or volunteers.
Many of Neighborhood Healthcare's employees volunteer their time at these public events, and staff always say "yes". They believe that a healthy community is a prosperous one and continually give of themselves to make this happen.

Describe the community involvement and philanthropic contributions of the business/organization in the last year.
Neighborhood Healthcare also collaborated with numerous non-profit organizations to hold free health and dental fairs, COVID vaccine clinics, blood drives and food distribution events throughout San Diego, with most in the North San Diego region. The efforts resulted in hundreds of families getting the care they needed and access to other social services that they otherwise would have spent precious work days to navigate on their own. These events were offered to the general public - not just Neighborhood Healthcare patients. The organization recognizes that health is about more than just vaccines and checkups, and that a community can only thrive when it takes care of the whole person.

 

Nominee: Oracle

In a brief summary what has the business/organization accomplished in the last year.
Our Oracle San Diego Women's Leadership team pivoted our group to inspire our women through virtual programming along with hybrid content, ensuring connections while improving their professional, networking, and leadership skills.

What has the business/organization done to empower and inspire their employees or volunteers.
Diversity and inclusion lie at the heart of Oracle’s culture. Working together as a united force allows our ideas to come from broadened perspectives and our solutions to emerge out of teams that have considered every possible option. To ensure we’re continuously setting our standards high, we’ve put in place initiatives that stand for each pillar of diversity. One such program that’s been making a powerful impact for over 15 years is Oracle Women Leadership (OWL).

Diversity and inclusion lie at the heart of Oracle’s culture. Working together as a united force allows our ideas to come from broadened perspectives and our solutions to emerge out of teams that have considered every possible option. To ensure we’re continuously setting our standards high, we’ve put in place initiatives that stand for each pillar of diversity. One such program that’s been making a powerful impact for over 15 years is Oracle Women Leadership (OWL). Diversity and inclusion lie at the heart of Oracle’s culture. Working together as a united force allows our ideas to come from broadened perspectives and our solutions to emerge out of teams that have considered every possible option. To ensure we’re continuously setting our standards high, we’ve put in place initiatives that stand for each pillar of diversity. One such program that’s been making a powerful impact for over 15 years is Oracle Women Leadership (OWL). We work together to: Enhance employees’ leadership and professional development skills. Strengthen employees’ professional networks and improve organizational awareness. Foster an inclusive workplace that empowers women leaders.

Describe the community involvement and philanthropic contributions of the business/organization in the last year.
Oracle once again supported the Chamber's Women's Week, along with Athena's Women On Boards program to further women in professional roles in our community.

Nominee: Rancho Bernardo Inn

In a brief summary what has the business/organization accomplished in the last year.
Rancho Bernardo Inn went from closed to a record year in the course of a year. We attribute this success to our employees and their dedication to get back to business and create an atmosphere of excellence. in the past year we have also grown our workforce on our way back to fully staffed; in doing so 60% of our new employees are based on current or past employees referrals.

What has the business/organization done to empower and inspire their employees or volunteers.
Rancho Bernardo Inn has provided leadership training and leadership opportunities to current employees. We have programs in place to assist employees to grow within the company as well as in their career. We have opened opportunities for internships to encourage and grow the talent of newcomers to the hospitality industry. We often celebrate and reward employees on jobs well done with events, incentives, etc.

Describe the community involvement and philanthropic contributions of the business/organization in the last year.
Rancho Bernardo Inn was one of the largest contributors to Great Plates; an organization that provides delicious meals to older adults and those with disabilities or health conditions at $0 cost to them, so they can stay home safe in San Diego. Rancho Bernardo Inn has also dedicated funds to local organizations in order to increase our support of our community and employees. This includes donating to local school projects in order to increase students opportunities, donating to organizations to assist in achieving their goals whether it be medical research, education, etc.

Nominee: RDM Management Group

In a brief summary what has the business/organization accomplished in the last year.
After an amazing run supporting businesses with on-line training to navigate through 2020 covid year, Richard continued and then wrote a book in addition to that.

 

What has the business/organization done to empower and inspire their employees or volunteers.
It's simple: positivity plus training for all. This includes all the skills that leaders and individual contributors in any company need to THRIVE.

Describe the community involvement and philanthropic contributions of the business/organization in the last year.
Richard is your consummate "power of positivity" with his trademark "Expect Great Things to Happen". He generously and tirelessly served by delivering top notch online training during the Pandemic.

Nominee: Replica Printing Services

In a brief summary what has the business/organization accomplished in the last year.
Rebounded from Covid-19, building team and sales back to pre-Covid Numbers while continuing to give back to the community donating printing to local schools and non profits.

What has the business/organization done to empower and inspire their employees or volunteers.
We encourage employees to choose an non profit the are passionate about that Replica can assist in with financial or printing aid.

Describe the community involvement and philanthropic contributions of the business/organization in the last year.
Actively involved in many local non profits (giving in kind and financial donations). Specifically matching dollar for dollar donation to the local YMCA's Annual Campaign. Also donating all printing materials to the Boys & Girls Club Evening of Changing Lives event. Lastly we are very active with our local schools providing 25% off all print orders.

Nominee: San Diego County Credit Union (SDCCU)

In a brief summary what has the business/organization accomplished in the last year.
SDCCU® has maintained its stance as an industry leader and achieved continued growth and success. In the past 11 years, SDCCU has more than doubled its membership from 204,000 in August 2010 to over 427,000 now. Along with doubling in membership, SDCCU’s assets have followed suit, growing from $5 billion in August 2010 to $10.9 billion. The past two years have been especially difficult for many, however, the credit union’s long-term planning, coupled with its strong capital position helped SDCCU manage through the COVID-19 pandemic. Assets grew over 25 percent from $8.5 billion at the end of 2019, and while SDCCU was impacted by elevated unemployment in our local communities, our net worth ratio remains outstanding at 14.44 percent. This is well above the 7 percent minimum capital level for “well capitalized credit unions” established by the National Credit Union Administration. In 2020, SDCCU was once again acknowledged with a Crystal Performance Award by the Raddon Financial Group. The award recognizes credit unions that achieve a top ranking based on the Raddon Performance Index™, a balanced scorecard measurement of growth, income, efficiency and margin management. SDCCU’s guiding principle that “people come first and profits second” remained at the forefront in navigating SDCCU’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. SDCCU enhanced sanitization practices, and enhanced online and mobile banking services so our members can easily access their credit union accounts remotely. Our commitment to putting people first was also apparent as SDCCU extended relief to members at the onset of the pandemic. Loan payment relief included a 90-day deferral option on consumer loans, including: auto, credit card and real estate. Business and commercial real estate loan deferment was also offered to those members in need. During the pandemic, SDCCU deferred thousands of loans totaling more than $1.3 billion in balances.

What has the business/organization done to empower and inspire their employees or volunteers.
SDCCU® believes it takes a happy, healthy, engaged and hard-working team to be an industry leader and we’ve achieved this through our “Feel the Teal” culture. “Feel the Teal” is our sense of pride and passion for our brand, work, community and employees. SDCCU is guided by the principle of putting people first and profits seconds and being a responsible community partner is part of its fabric. SDCCU supports many local non-profits in Southern California each year. Our partnerships with these philanthropies allow us to shape the lives of those in our communities through volunteerism, financial support and creating public awareness. Much of SDCCU’s community involvement is spearheaded by Team SDCCU, made up of SDCCU employees and their families. Additionally, branch staff are encouraged to align with non-profits in their neighborhoods to provide support and a deepened community connection. During COVID-19, SDCCU’s community outreach quickly pivoted to continue to provide as much community support as possible while keeping employees and the community safe. This meant bringing many of our signature programs online, which have had a tremendous response that is further detailed below. Our impact and response can be attributed to SDCCU’s ongoing communication plan, which encourages employee engagement and organic support for such initiatives. SDCCU’s transparent approach stems from our CEO, Teresa Campbell. She’s made it a priority to improve communication to employees, resulting in a new employee Intranet and comprehensive communication strategy. This includes delivering a regular state of the credit union, recognizing employees for providing exceptional service, internal and external surveys and round table sessions. SDCCU’s focus on keeping employees in the loop garners organic support for initiatives and change and fosters our Feel the Teal culture.

Describe the community involvement and philanthropic contributions of the business/organization in the last year.
As a community leader and with many experiencing financial uncertainty during the COVID-19 pandemic, SDCCU mobilized quickly to serve a need by delivering financial wellness presentations to the community in the form of webinars that could be viewed from the comfort and safety of one’s home. As one of Southern California’s top credit unions, improving the financial future of the community is a key focus of SDCCU’s overall community outreach. Financial wellness topics included: Understanding Credit Reports, Preventing Identity Theft & Scams; 6 Steps to Create a Personal Budget; Preparing for Retirement and Rebounding After a Financial Setback, to name a few. In 2020 alone, SDCCU hosted 269 financial wellness presentations to over 4,200 attendees. The webinars are complemented with regular blogs, social media posts and press releases alerting the public of coronavirus scams and other information relevant to financial health. In 2021, as the pandemic surged on, we continued to provide the needed information to members of the community and hosted more than 160 community presentations to over 3,750 attendees. To date in 2022, SDCCU has hosted more than 50 community presentations to nearly 1,100 attendees. Additionally, to help give parents who were all of a sudden teaching kids at home some resources and reprieve, SDCCU shared its SDCCU Biz Kid$ Program. The program, which is predominantly online and ideal for distance learning, helped engage kids at home with a fun and interactive way to learn about money. Biz Kid$ includes an Emmy® award-winning television series from the creators of Bill Nye the Science Guy, free curriculum, outreach activities and a website targeting kids of all ages. It is an award-winning, comprehensive financial literacy program focused on teaching kids how to use credit wisely and about the importance of saving, budgeting, investing and giving back to their communities. It is also based on national standards for financial literacy and entrepreneurship education, and have been mapped to individual state standards. SDCCU is a true leader in San Diego and deserves to be honored for its leadership—for its unwavering commitment to put people first and make decisions through the lens of and positively impacting employees, customers and the community, especially during an unprecedented pandemic. And, it’s part of the reason SDCCU has been voted BEST credit union for 22 years in a row by the readers of The San Diego Union-Tribune. SDCCU’s incredible involvement in the community led to it being named a Live Well San Diego Public Health Champion by the County of San Diego and Outstanding Philanthropic Business/Corporation by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, San Diego Chapter. SDCCU is actively engaged and participates in many of the community initiatives, including the annual San Diego LGBTQ+ Pride Celebration and SDCCU Holiday Bowl. SDCCU was also honored with a state-level 2021 Dora Maxwell Social Responsibility Community Service Award in the Credit Union National Association’s (CUNA) Awards for our 2020 Stuff the Bus Campaign. The award is presented to credit unions that demonstrate outstanding social responsibility projects within the community. SDCCU also received a Gold Stevie Award in the Communications/PR Campaign of the Year – Corporate Responsibility category for our 2021 Stuff the Bus Campaign.

Nominee: San Diego County Regional Airport Authority

In a brief summary what has the business/organization accomplished in the last year.
The San Diego County Regional Airport Authority strives to ensure that local and small companies, including all women- and minority-owned and service disabled/veteran owned small businesses in San Diego County, have every opportunity to do business with the airport. The Authority successfully launched the Local Business Enterprise (LBE) certification to allow for local business preference in the award of contracts by the Authority (per Authority Policy 5.12) to maximize opportunities for local businesses to fairly compete in Authority contracting and subcontracting opportunities. In order to be certified, businesses must be headquartered in San Diego County or with a majority of their workforce residing in San Diego County.

In 2021, the Local Business Enterprise certification program was promoted to the vendor community by Authority staff. Procurement incorporated the materials into solicitation templates and worked with Small Business to promote the certification at pre-bid and pre-submittal meetings. In addition, Authority staff conducted outreach in the regional business community, including presentations to the community, hosting virtual matchmaking through a “meet the primes” event, and even hosting a Local Business Enterprise Certification Workshop related to the New T1 project (replacing Terminal 1 ).

In sheer participation numbers, the program went from only 28 vendors who were LBE certified at the pilot program phase, to 297 vendors who were LBE certified at the end of calendar year 2021. There was a 75% increase in the dollar value of awards to LBE certified business year over year once the program was established and tracking was in place. Also, the Authority went from 16% of direct contract awards made to LBCs to 30% awards made to LBCs. Additionally, through the project to replace Terminal 1, known as New T1, the Authority’s goal is to distribute 80 percent (80%) of subcontracting value to local businesses. With the Local Business Enterprise certification program and tracking measures in place, every effort will be made to champion the local business community.

In the last year what has the business/organization done to support the Think Local First mindset of purchasing, hiring, and contracting in San Diego County?
Our commitment to diversity and inclusion expands beyond our campus and includes how we integrate into the community. We host programs and collaborate with organizations to reach diverse audiences and offer resources.
• Turner School of Construction Management: Over 1,100 students have graduated. Small, local and disadvantaged firms increase their economic viability by enhancing technical, managerial, and administrative skills.
• Meet the Primes: Annual business networking eight-day event provides disadvantaged businesses resources to compete for jobs at SAN.
• NEW T1 Outreach: Construction on our New Terminal 1 will create 15,000-20,000 jobs for small, local, and unrepresented businesses. The Authority applied the Inclusionary Approach to the project which created opportunities: 25% for small businesses, 80% for local businesses, and 3% for veteran-owned small businesses.
• Construction Outreach: Promoted opportunities in construction of the new Administration Building. 35% committed to small and veteran small businesses, 75% to local businesses.
• Veterans Appreciation Panel: Partners with Veterans in Business Network and U.S. Disabled Veterans Alliance. Hosts panel featuring prime contractors, veteran small businesses, veteran advocate organizations, and Authority staff. Participants learn about being successful veteran business and upcoming opportunities. Partners with community programs to promote opportunities for Young Black and in Business, San Diego County, and Hispanic Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Iluminada. Delivered presentation on efforts in diversity, equity, and inclusion and tracking of diversity metrics at California Association of Public Procurement Officials, Inc. conference.

Nominee: Scripps Health

In a brief summary what has the business/organization accomplished in the last year.
Scripps is a not-for-profit integrated health care delivery system whose mission for more than 100 years has been to deliver high quality, safe, cost-efficient, socially responsible health care to the individuals and communities we serve. For the past two years, our doctors, nurses, and others have been fighting this COVID-19 virus every day. They’ve seen it kill hundreds of the patients they care for. They’ve done their best to carry on under the continued mental and physical strain being placed on them.

From December 2021 to the end of January 2022, Scripps Health saw a roughly 162% increase in COVID-19 patients. At the same time our system’s staff was down nearly 15%, equating to about 700 people out sick as health care workers were also susceptible to the virus. Once the COVID-19 vaccine became available, all five Scripps hospital campuses and eight clinics throughout the county began providing the vaccine.

Front-line staff also proposed a super station that would allow people to walk-up or drive-up for a vaccination. With executive support, the board quickly approved the proposal and, less than a month later, the super station opened at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. By June 30, 2021, the station had administered shots to 131,103 people.

What has the business/organization done to empower and inspire their employees or volunteers.
In April, Scripps Health was proud to be named one of the top employers in the nation by Fortune magazine for the 14th time being ranked No. 87, and it was the only San Diego County company to receive the honor. With more than 20,000 employees, clinicians and volunteers at five hospital campuses and 28 outpatient centers and clinics, Scripps has created a high-performing, diverse workforce by accommodating the needs of its employees at the beginning, middle and later stages of their careers. As one of San Diego’s largest health systems faced a second year of COVID-19, its staff trusted Scripps to provide the best supplies and equipment despite reports of shortages worldwide.

Early on, Scripps executives had anticipated supply chain issues and gave their supply chain management senior leader an unlimited budget, entrusting him to source the best-available price and material to protect patients and staff. Scripps’ care for its workers also included up to 80 hours of paid time off (PTO) for a variety of COVID-related situations. This program, which was created in addition to an employee’s regular PTO hours, was implemented prior to the state mandating this for all companies operating in California. With Scripps employees experiencing intense fatigue, both physically and emotionally, throughout the past year, the in-house Employee Assistance Program continued to provide important services to employees through a team of trained psychologists who help those dealing with a crisis, such as a major illness, a natural disaster or the loss of a loved one.

Another program, Resilience in Stressful Events (RISE), uses trained volunteers from across Scripps to provide psychological first aid through a peer-to-peer support system to physicians and staff members who need help. The assistance is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. As COVID-19 vaccines became available, Scripps leaders decided that first to receive the vaccine would be staff most at risk for contracting the virus, including those working with patients being treated for COVID and those who directly supported COVID units. Throughout the pandemic, Scripps continues to provide a wide range of benefits and services that enables employees to perform at the top of their skills while managing the challenges of home life such as childcare, flexible work arrangements and paid parental leave. Scripps also enables employees to adjust their job responsibilities as their family needs change.

Describe the community involvement and philanthropic contributions of the business/organization in the last year.
In fiscal year 2021, Scripps Health devoted more than $538 million to community benefit programs, including more than $17 million in charitable care. We offer many free and low-cost services, including supporting the work of community clinics, support groups, screening for key health indicators, youth programs, special education for pregnant women and patient advocacy services.

Nominee: Second Chance Beer

In a brief summary what has the business/organization accomplished in the last year.
We have not only been a great place for people to gather but we helped many dogs get adopted, hosted adoption events, and donated to organizations like shelter to soldier and Second chance dog rescue. We launched a beer that donates 1% of sales to local animal rescues.

What has the business/organization done to empower and inspire their employees or volunteers.
They have provided volunteer opportunities for employees and even offer volunteer paid time off. The owners have inspired their employees by example in fostering animals of their own the hosting adoption events.

Describe the community involvement and philanthropic contributions of the business/organization in the last year.
https://www.secondchancebeer.com/pintsforpups check out our page on our website explaining our involvement and commitment.

Nominee: Sony Electronics Inc.

In a brief summary what has the business/organization accomplished in the last year.
Sony Electronics’ workplace practices are award-winning. This past year, we launched the Sony Electronics’ Best Place to Work Employee Network (ENet) to further enhance our employee experience with the goal of attracting, motivating and retaining quality talent across various office and work from home locations. The ENet is executing on four unique tracks supporting multiple aspects of the overall employee experience and bringing awareness to our employment brand. These tracks are as follows:
1) Childcare/Eldercare Track – This track focuses on providing employees with resources and benefits to support their child and elder care needs including generous parental leave and adoption/fertility benefits child/eldercare solutions research, back-up child/eldercare and pet care through Bright Horizons Family Solutions, and a comprehensive database of nannies, sitters, elder caregivers, pet sitters, housekeepers tutoring and test prep programs, tuition discounts and preferred enrollment access to childcare and early education centers nationwide. the track engages in ongoing initiatives to provide employee parents with tools and resources to successfully manage their career and home life such as food preparation/diet, educational activities/programs/school system education, and additional daycare and personal childcare (babysitter, nanny) resources.
2) Work-Life Balance (WLB) Track – The WLB track focuses on creating wellness and time-off programs to support employees’ ability to separate needs in their home and with their families from their work schedule. We offer time-off benefits including unlimited vacation (exempt) and 15 days (non-exempt) annual vacation days. We enhanced our ongoing “Fridays” program by closing our offices on Fridays at 3:00 PM (Flex Friday) and, during the summer months, at 1:00 PM (Summer Friday) and incorporating one Friday per month employees may elect to use the day to work or takeoff. The three key initiatives for the team are communication etiquette standards aligned to our culture, workload management and employee well-being.
3) Survey Analysis Workplace Excellence Awards Track: This track focuses on identifying opportunities to further increase employee engagement by maintaining programs that support a great place to work environment. This track has two key initiatives which are Employee Engagement survey analysis and action planning to influence the employee experience, and Workplace Excellence Awards to bring light to Sony’s standards of excellence in its work environment.
4) Life Hacks & Site Ambassadors: Track focuses on communicating valuable information to employees at work sites and promoting work-life balance initiatives. This track has two key initiatives which are site ambassadors sharing important site-specific information to employees, advocating for their site, and volunteering for company initiatives (e.g., supporting return to the office post COVID-19).

Sony Electronics values Diversity, Sustainability, and Inclusion supported by a strategy focused on our diverse workforce. ln the last year, we expanded our corporate focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), environmental sustainability, and accessibility by incorporating them into our corporate goals. Each of these are important components of aspects our employees, our US based corporation, and our global headquarters hold dear. This includes establishing a dedicated Diversity & Sustainability Office to work in concert with leaders supporting DEI, environmental sustainability and accessibility. Results include the following:
• Reduction of emissions by adopting the use of electric tractor vs gas powered vehicle,
• Implement sustainability operations map demonstrating a green business environment,
• Leverage ultra-low power CIS technology and novel DNN compiler development,
• Demonstration of brand accessibility excellence via focus on accessibility features,
• Facilitation of DEI awareness learnings to all employees.

What has the business/organization done to empower and inspire their employees or volunteers.
Sony Electronics is proud to create a workplace culture that supports and empowers employees to have work-life balance. Specifically, the following programs and benefits are offered to employees in an effort to provide work-life balance:
• Fridays Program:
o Flex Friday: Offices close at 3:00 pm on Fridays
o Summer Hours: Offices close 1:00 pm on Fridays (during summer hours)
o Free Friday: once per month employees may elect a day off to balance work and life planning
• Winter Shutdown – offices are closed from Christmas through New Year’s Day
• Bright Horizons (3rd party vendor) offering back up childcare options / eldercare assistance
• EAP with generous number of free sessions with numerous types of support providers
• Virgin Pulse (corporate wellness & stress management programs)
• Dedicated Onsite Fitness Centers at numerous Sony Electronics locations (virtual fitness options during COVID-19 work from home mandate)
• Flexible work environment (work from home, virtual meeting spaces, and online tools/resources)
• Hybrid work environment

We inspire our employees to develop themselves to increase their on the job capabilities by offering them:
• On demand learning resources
• Instructor led courses
• Language learning online platform
• Innovative performance management program supported by continuous coaching conversations between manager and employee (reducing overall manager and employee busywork by more than 3000 hours annually)

Additionally, our employees are encouraged to and supported when they volunteer their time and skills to non-profit organizations. In July of 2021, we rolled an exciting new volunteer program called Dollars for Doers. The program allows employees to volunteer their time with qualified charities and/or non-profits with the ability to convert volunteer hours into giving fund dollars. For every hour volunteered, employees receive 10 dollars in their giving fund which can be subsequently donated to a charity of choice. Employees may also qualify to take up to 16 hours of paid volunteer time annually. During 2021, our Sony Cares online giving platform was launched thus providing, employees with an opportunity to donate double the funds to qualified organizations through company matching of up to $2000 per year.

Describe the community involvement and philanthropic contributions of the business/organization in the last year.
Sony Electronics is known for our innovative electronics products supporting our purpose to fill the world with emotion, through the power of creativity and technology. What sets us apart as a best and brightest company to work for is our commitment to respecting human rights and fostering diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).

One of Sony's most important aspects of our codes of conduct is to treat all people with respect and dignity, and we have built a corporate culture leveraging strengths in the diversity of our businesses, employees, and customers. In support of this commitment, Sony launched the Global Social Justice Fund, a $100 million fund to support social justice and anti-racist initiatives around the world. Partnering with over 300 community stakeholders and organizations across the globe to help advance bipartisan solutions in civic & community engagement, criminal justice reform and education, the impact of this fund has been far reaching:

In January of 2021, Sony Electronics donated $1.7 million of our state-of-the-art products to the International African American Museum located at the former Gadsden's Wharf in Charleston, SC. The donation is being used to outfit the Atlantic Worlds Gallery - a centerpiece of the Museum - and to support additional environments throughout the space.

In November of 2021, Sony Electronics, along with other Sony group companies, donated to the Steve Fund, the nation’s leading organization focused on the mental health and emotional well-being of young people of color. Spread over three years, this funding will be used to dramatically expand the fund’s digital technology, increasing the scope and scale of the Steve Fund’s services to students, families and professionals across the nation.

In November of 2021, Sony Electronics in partnership with Sony Corporation of America and Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. donated $1 million to the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF). The donation will support LDF’s four focus areas addressing racial justice: Political Participation, Criminal Justice, Economic Justice, and Education Equity.

In December of 2021, Sony Electronics, along with other Sony group companies, donated $1 million to PolicyLink, a leading research and action institute, to advance their “Winning on Equity” campaign. The donation will support PolicyLink’s initiatives to create racial and economic equity through its Racial Equity Governing Agenda, Corporate Racial Equity education, and Radical Imagination podcast, among other bodies of work. Sony’s contribution will help PolicyLink work toward its boldest "Winning on Equity" goal to date: the swift and tangible reduction of poverty in the United States.

Continuing Sony Electronics’ commitment to DEI, in summer 2021 we partnered with Tent Partnership for Refugees, a non-profit organization dedicated to including refugees in the workplace, to provide mentoring to 50 LGBTQ+ refugees in Los Angeles, New York City, and San Diego over the next three years. Additionally, Sony Electronics Inc. has made donations and commitments in varying size to over 30 different organizations.

Nominee: The Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank/North County Food Bank

In a brief summary what has the business/organization accomplished in the last year.
The Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank and our North County Food Bank chapter comprise the largest hunger-relief organization in San Diego County. Last year, the Food Bank distributed 60 million pounds of food, and the Food Bank serves, on average, 500,000 people per month in San Diego County. Through our North County Food Bank chapter and by partnering with over 500 nonprofit partners with feeding programs, the Food Bank provides nutritious food to individuals and families in need in communities throughout San Diego County.

Our mission is to provide nutritious food to people in need, advocate for the hungry, and educate the public about hunger-related issues. Despite a rebounding economy and record-low unemployment, tens of thousands of families in communities throughout San Diego County continue to struggle with food insecurity and will rely on help from the Food Bank. For many families it will take a long time to fully recover from the financial impacts of the pandemic.

Currently, the families we serve are facing a number of challenges including: unpaid rent, high household debt acquired during the pandemic to make ends meet, soaring inflation, and San Diego County’s high cost of living for low-wage workers, which was a widespread problem prior to the pandemic. Before the COVID-19 pandemic impacted our community, the Food Bank provided food assistance to 350,000 people per month – about 11% of the county's population. At the height of the pandemic, this number skyrocketed to 600,000 people per month. Currently, the Food Bank is now feeding an estimated 500,000 people per month. The Food Bank is seeing sustained demand for food assistance due to the lasting impacts of the pandemic coupled with inflation at a 40-year high. Many families we serve are struggling with the skyrocketing costs of gas, rent, food and utilities. While prices are increasing across the board, household incomes have not increased making it more difficult to make ends meet and thus driving demand for the Food Bank’s hunger-relief programs.

In addition, in the summer of 2022, the country will face what experts are calling the “Federal Food Cliff” with the expiration of increased federal COVID emergency SNAP (Food Stamps) benefits. The reduction in SNAP benefits will be significant, and in some cases households will lose hundreds of dollars in monthly SNAP benefits which will add more demand to the Food Bank’s services.

What has the business/organization done to empower and inspire their employees or volunteers.
The San Diego/North County Food Bank utilize various ways to empower and inspire our employees and volunteers. With our Food Bank volunteers, we hold an annual volunteer lunch and awards ceremony to recognize their outstanding volunteerism and support of the Food Bank’s mission, helping to provide food to individuals and families in need in our community. We invite all of our volunteers for a special lunch celebration at our warehouse to meet, interact and network. For our hardest working and most dedicated volunteers that year, we honor them with plaques as our 'Volunteers of the Year'. We have also had an Awards Ceremony in North County the past few years, and have recognized our top North County Volunteers for the Year. For our Food Bank employees, we have created a MoreWell Committee to oversee our organization’s overall morale. They help organize two annual parties for our staff, bi-weekly lunches for our staff, regularly planned activities and challenges (healthy snack breaks, games, fitness challenges, crafts, etc.) and Wellness Wednesday tips.

Our employee benefits package includes fitness and tuition reimbursements, unlimited financial wellness coaching and 0% interest loans through Honeybee, offer access to pet insurance, 200% match up to 3% on 403(b) package, and 100% company paid medical, dental and vision for employee. In addition, the Food Bank hosts an annual flu clinic and provides CPR training for all staff. We give kudos and end of month recognitions where employees can vote for each other based on which staff member has best exemplified our values, and we offer a training catalog that provides access and resources to external training opportunities. Every employee’s birthday and anniversary is acknowledged to the entire company.

Describe the community involvement and philanthropic contributions of the business/organization in the last year.
In July 2020, the Food Bank launched a “Super Pantry Program”, made possible by donors to the Food Bank’s COVID-19 Response Fund. The program strengthened the Food Bank’s safety net programs, ahead of further spikes that occurred in Fall 2020. The Super Pantry Program is comprised of 35 high-volume food distribution centers strategically located in communities throughout San Diego County from Camp Pendleton in the north to San Ysidro in the south and rural East County communities. The 35 countywide hubs collectively distributed an estimated 1.2 million pounds of emergency groceries and served 130,000 people per month.

The Food Bank issued an RFP to its 500 nonprofit distribution partners to apply to become a Super Pantry. Those thirty-five that accepted to join the program received capacity-building grants from a funding pool of $680,000 made possible by generous donors to the Food Bank. Funding supported capacity building through the agency’s ability to purchase refrigeration units, freezers, pallet jacks, shelving/racking, technology infrastructure, storage, safety equipment and PPE, transportation, and general food distribution supplies.

Each Super Pantry received food supplies from the Food Bank and a one-time $20,000 capacity-building grant to scale up their food distribution programs. Additionally, all nonprofits who did not apply or were not selected as a Super Pantry, were extended an opportunity for a $3,000 or $6,000 capacity grant. The new Super Food Pantry Program reduced food lines and the amount of time families need to wait for food assistance. Super pantries feature contactless food distributions with “drive-thru” lanes and “walk-up” kiosks. Each Super Pantry agency distribute food a minimum of three days a week to prevent long lines experienced at one-time mass food distributions. With longer service hours on multiple days every week, the Food Bank and our Super Pantry partners serve more households, more safely, more efficiently and more quickly.

Overall, our new Super Food Pantry Program greatly increased the capacity of our existing food distribution network partners and continues to be a great success. With a regional unemployment rate of 25% and COVID-19’s devastating impact on our economy, the need for enhanced food distribution centers remains for the forseeable future. Our new Super Food Pantries enable the Food Bank and our partners to distribute more food more safely, quickly, and efficiently to families in need.

Nominee: Unicorn Jewelry and Watch Boutique

In a brief summary what has the business/organization accomplished in the last year.
Fred has been a constant mentor to me. He has helped in business, and personally.

What has the business/organization done to empower and inspire their employees or volunteers.
I know he and his employees are always at events helping promote the community

Describe the community involvement and philanthropic contributions of the business/organization in the last year.
He is always present in the community and is a huge contributor to all community organizations and philanthropic organizations.

In a brief summary what has the business/organization accomplished in the last year.
Unicorn Jewelry & Watch Boutique is celebrating 40 years in business . The store was opened in 1981 by the Nasseri family in the Town Center Plaza in Rancho Bernardo with just 444 square feet of fine jewelry. The showroom has grown to over 3,000 square feet, offering an enviable selection of diamonds, precious gems, jewelry, watches, and gifts serviced by six jewelers and two watchmakers, who provide custom work on the premises. Now, with the help of Fred and his passion for the business, Unicorn Jewelry continues to strive in the same Rancho Bernardo location, operated by the same trusted family.

Clients from around the country work with Fred at Unicorn Jewelry for all their jewelry needs, from repairs and individual pieces to bulk orders, unique gifts, and show-stopping holiday décor on display in full force at a local casino.

What has the business/organization done to empower and inspire their employees or volunteers.
A master of his craft, Fred continually pushes his team to exceed their customers’ expectations and ensure the Unicorn Jewelry brand is synonymous with excellence and focuses on tremendous care and attention to detail. They are innovative and trailblazers in the jewelry industry, making dream designs come to life for their customers, connecting them with heirlooms that will stand the test of time. As soon as a customer steps inside Unicorn Jewelry, they will see the work of six artisans creating, designing, and repairing jewelry and pieces that are truly one-of-a-kind.

Describe the community involvement and philanthropic contributions of the business/organization in the last year.
Fred and the Nasseri family continuously provide community leadership, being actively involved in key organizations including Sunrise Rotary, Kiwanis, Shriners International, and the Palomar Health Foundation. Fred is also a member of the Susan G. Komen San Diego Advisory Committee. Unicorn Jewelry is actively involved in the community and also supports local charter schools, churches, synagogues, sports teams, and performing arts organizations year after year.

Nominee: Winsupply Marine

In a brief summary what has the business/organization accomplished in the last year.
When companies are departing this state, this business decided to open in San Diego, California. They have branded themselves as an employer of choice in the community. They are due to announce that they will be opening a regional distribution center in the next year that will employ another fifty people.

In the last year what has the business/organization done to support the Think Local First mindset of purchasing, hiring, and contracting in San Diego County?
Winsupply does it's best to support the local economy by giving the best terms to local contractors and utilizing local business for all of their contracting. Their motto is local ownership, local decisions.