Names in the News
Liz Ramirez, vice president of marketing for McMillin Communities, was named Industry Professional of the Year during the first Icon Awards, a BIA of San Diego celebration.
Combining former BIG and SAM awards into one event, the Icon Award included categories for individuals, projects, marketing and design.
Ramirez oversees the marketing activities of all McMillin master-planned communities and home-building projects as well as the branding for all company divisions. She is active on the BIA’s Sales and Marketing Council and volunteers with United Cerebral Palsy and Volunteer San Diego.
In addition to recognition for Ramirez, McMillin Communities won the award for Best Designed Master-Planned Community for its Liberty Station in Point Loma. Todd Galarneau, McMillin’s senior project manager overseeing the Millenia community in Chula Vista, was named best project manager.
Other Icon winners included:
• Trade Designer: Jessica Nishiura, Hunsaker & Associates
• Trade Representative: Tina Villa, Interior Specialists
• Trade Contractor: Patrick Moore, Interior Specialists
• Construction Trade Representative: John Cole, BMC Select
• Superintendent/ Customer Service Representative: Joseph Conrad, Wardell Builders
• Administrator/ Office Manager: Enaira Kalotkin, Dahlin Group
• Best Interior Design - Attached Product: Sapphire Tower Penthouse Model 2502 - Artisan Design Group & Urban Housing Partners
• Best Interior Design- Detached Product: Copperwood Plan 2 - Design Line Interiors & ColRich Residential
• Best Designed Project: Copperwood - ColRich Residential & The McKinley Associates
• Best Designed Project- Mixed-Use: Market Walk at San Elijo Hills, Homefed Corporation & Architects BP Associates
• Best Overall Marketing Campaign: 4S Ranch, Roni Hicks & Associates and Newland Communities
• Professional New Home Sales Team of the Year: Angela Carlson and Marilyn Hisington, ColRich Residential
• Sales and Marketing Professional of the Year: Rachel Collins, Pardee Homes
• Presidential Award: Steve Aranoff
• Chairman’s Award: Kay Gross, Cornerstone Communities
• Political & Legislative Affairs Award: John La Raia, Barratt Group
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Shalom Eliahu, one of the founders of ENGEO, received the Lifetime Achievement Award for 2010 from the American Society of Civil Engineers San Francisco Section.
An engineer for more than 50 years, Eliahu has an impressive list of project successes, both locally and globally, and has influenced future engineers within his company and community.
Since 2000, Eliahu has been a member of the Regional Water Quality Control Board in the San Francisco Bay Region. The Board regulates all discharge in the region and sets the policy for water quality standards, and, as a board member, Eliahu is instrumental in helping to protect and enhance the quality of surface water and groundwater in the region.
Earlier this year, Eliahu was welcomed as an ASCE Fellow at the Outstanding Projects and Leaders Award dinner in Washington DC. Fellow designation is awarded to fewer than 5 percent of its extensive national membership.
ENGEO is an employee-owned firm of geotechnical and civil engineers, geologists, hydrologists, environmental professionals and construction services technicians. It has offices in San Ramon, San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose, Ripon, Rocklin and Santa Clarita.
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Attorney Arthur Mazirow has been appointed as arbitrator to the Arbitration Mediation and Conciliation Center's Real Estate Panel of Neutrals.
The Southern California-based Mazirow spent many years as a transaction real estate attorney. He now limits his practice to acting as a neutral arbitrator of real estate disputes. He has also been designated by real estate litigants as the trial referee under the judicial reference procedure of California Code of Civil Procedure.
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Heather Tanfani, president and founder of events!, a Folsom-based event coordination company, has been named Planner of the Year by the Meeting Professionals International Sacramento Sierra Nevada Chapter.
Tanfani, who founded events! in 1995, has been an active member of MPI for 12 years. MPI's vision is to build a rich global meeting industry community making its members successful in building human connections to knowledge, ideas, relationships and marketplaces.
“I am thrilled to have been recognized for upholding the vision of Meeting Professionals International as both a planner and mentor to other potential planners. It is truly an honor that my colleagues recognized my contributions to the industry,” said Tanfani.
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Names in the News is compiled by California Builder Editor Greg Robertson. News about awards, promotions and hirings in the California homebuilding industry can be sent to him at grobertson@cbia.org.
