By David Nusbaum
On September 9, executives from across Orange County gathered in the ballroom of the Marriott Irvine Spectrum to celebrate the achievements of business leaders who have thrived amid a changing business environment shaped by technology and new expectations from the labor force.
Hosted by LA Times Studios Business, the event brought together more than 200 people representing leading industries, such as banking, law, healthcare, aerospace, consumer goods and nonprofit organizations, to honor executives across eight executive categories.
The midday event began with a panel discussion titled “The Leadership Imperative: A New Playbook for Leading Through Change,” which was moderated by David Coffaro, CEO and president of the Irvine Chamber of Commerce. It featured insights from Eric Gallagher, partner and CPA at Withum, and Colin Fraser, shareholder at Greenberg Traurig LLP.
Panelists offered key insights into new expectations from the labor force and on incorporating technological advancements, including AI, to achieve business objectives. Other topics discussed included issues companies face as they scale into larger organizations, including the delegation of responsibilities by founders and CEOs. Key issues include updating older contracts, training management and reducing risk.
“The Orange County Executive Forum & Leadership Awards are a good place to connect with executive talent and company leadership in Southern California. It’s a great recognition of the people and companies that drive business growth and have a valuable impact to the local economy and community. It’s always a pleasure to attend and network with the exceptional leaders who come along and are acknowledged for their outstanding contributions,” said Collene Greenlee, managing director and West region head for Citi Commercial Bank.
After a brief respite for lunch, LA Times Studios President Anna Magzanyan set the stage for the awards ceremony. There were more than 200 nominees, with six finalists in each category. Here is the full list of honorees:
Chief Financial Officer
Honoree
Laurie Peterson | Chief Financial Officer, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County & the Inland Empire
Finalists
Ommid Bavarian | Chief Financial Officer, Revolv3
Benjamin Brewster | Chief Financial Officer – Corporate, Pathway Capital Management
Ryan Loch | Chief Financial Officer, Revitate
Gary Lu | Chief Financial Officer, ConsumerDirect, Inc.
Jenn Ryu | Chief Financial Officer, RGP
Chief Information / Technology Officer
Honoree
Subba Kethu | Director, Head of IT & AI / CIO, Kia America
Finalists
Jon Asher | Chief Technology Officer, Nekter Juice Bar
Eric Brady | Chief Information Officer, Eagle Community Credit Union
Taison Kearney | Chief Information Security Officer, Kantata
Tyler James Pierce | Co-Founder & Chief Technology Officer, Turion Space
Prashant Urkudey | Chief Information Officer, Rand Technology
Chief Operating Officer
Honoree
Christina Salcido | Chief Operating Officer, Girl Scouts of Orange County
Finalists
Rina Hunter | Chief Operating Officer, Kahana Feld
Adam Laitsas | Global Chief Strategy & Transformation Officer, Vans
Michael Murray | Chief Operating Officer, JustFoodForDogs
Eric Paulsen | Chief Operating Officer, Kidder Mathews
Katherine Vescera | Partner & Chief Operating Officer, TALG, Ltd.
Chief Marketing Officer
Honoree
Kerry Konrady | Chief Marketing Officer, OluKai
Finalists
Ruby Keys Boulanger | Chief Marketing Officer, Fortra Law
Cheryl Calandrino | Chief Marketing Officer, South Division, Providence
Nate Chang | Chief Marketing Officer, Sequel Brands
Chris Georgieff | Chief Marketing & Communications Officer, Habitat for Humanity of Orange County
David Levi Novick | Chief Growth Officer, Darn Digital Corporation
Head of Human Resources
Honoree
Jessica Novak | Chief People Officer, Evolus
Finalists
Ramona Agrela | Senior Vice President & Vice Chancellor, Human Resources, UC Irvine / UCI Health
Joy Corpora | Chief People & Culture Officer, Orangewood Foundation
R. Scott Griffin | Chief People Officer, Rivian
Gina Hartigan | Chief People Officer, Kantata
Sharon Johnson | Chief Human Resources Officer, Orange County Community Foundation
In-House Counsel
Honoree
Loretta Cecil | Global General Counsel, Allied Universal
Finalists
Eric W. Cheung | Chief Legal Officer & General Counsel, Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian
Brian Cruz | Senior Associate General Counsel, Anduril Industries, Inc.
Wendy Wan-Juoh Huang | Chief Legal Officer & General Counsel, Prospera Hotels
Jeffrey Plumer | General Counsel & Corporate Secretary, Evolus
Michelle Stover Smith | General Counsel, Ambry Genetics Corporation
Founder
Honoree
David Bryan Coulter | Chief Executive Officer, Founder & Chairman, ConsumerDirect, Inc.
Finalists
Lev Barinskiy | Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer, SmartFinancial
Matt Grimm | Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Anduril Industries, Inc.
Kelsey Rae Morgan | Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer, EverFree
Kristen Lee Schmitt | Founder, WELL Premium Water
David A. Warren | Co-Founder & Chairman, Bridgeford
President / CEO
Honoree
Pooja Bhalla | Chief Executive Officer, Illumination Health + Home
Finalists
LaVal Brewer | President & Chief Executive Officer, South County Outreach
Steve Jones | Global Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Allied Universal
Craig Powell | President, Turelk Inc.
Susan Taylor | President & Chief Executive Officer, Juice It Up!
Darren Williams | President & Chief Executive Officer, Wescom Financial
