Annual awards dinner toasts top teachers
The Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce brought educators, business leaders and community members together May 8 to honor teachers who create remarkable academic programs in Carlsbad schools.
The chamber's annual Outstanding Educational Program Awards Dinner took place at the La Costa Resort & Spa. Winners and finalists were awarded funds of up to $500 to put toward the programs.
Teachers of the year from each Carlsbad school and the overall teacher of the year from the Carlsbad Unified and Encinitas Union school districts also received special recognition.
During the event, awards were given out. The winners:
- Science Program: Caring for Cavies, led by Magnolia Elementary School teachers Lisa Clark, Jai McClelland and Diana Sturiale.
- Entrepreneurial Program: Poinsettia Elementary School's Yearbook Leadership Program. The program was created by teacher Nicole Moersch.
- Innovative Program: Web 2.0 Writing Project. Created by teacher Shane Little.
- The Arts: A Musical Production. Led by theater teacher/director Monica Hall.
Also during the dinner, Peter Ronchetti, general manager of Legoland California, presented a $75,000 check to the Carlsbad Educational Foundation. Legoland gives the foundation $10 of every $15 ticket sold to Celebrate Carlsbad Day, which was May 2 at the theme park.
Program sponsors were CDS Printing, La Costa Resort and Spa, Legoland California, Life Technologies Corp., RAM Enterprises International, Sylvan Learning Center and Tri-City Medical Center. This year's Partners in Education sponsor is NRG West -- Carlsbad Energy Center.
San Diego North Chamber introduces new board members
Angelo Damante, Jim Hernandez, Bill O'Brien and Brendan Ruff have joined the San Diego North Chamber of Commerce's board of directors.
The new additions were introduced by the chamber's nominating committee and confirmed with no objections by the board of directors at their April meeting.
Damante, CEO of Mercedes Benz of Escondido, has been part of the local business community for the past 21 years. As a past chairman and president of the California Center for the Arts, Escondido, he served in the only year the center was in the black.
Hernandez is president of Strategic Business Communications. He has worked for more than 30 different companies in 31 different countries across four continents. His experience as an international business consultant is expected to diversify the outlook of the San Diego North Chamber of Commerce.
O'Brien is the general manager of Maderas Golf Club in Poway. A member of the PGA, O'Brien has led Maderas to be one of the premier golf clubs in the region.
Ruff is the publisher of Pomerado Newspapers, publishers of the Poway News Chieftain, Rancho Bernardo News Journal and Rancho Magazine. A 17-year veteran of the newspaper industry, Ruff has also worked with newspapers in Sacramento and Springfield, Ill., before moving to San Diego in 2002 to publish the La Jolla Light.
For more about the chamber, call 858-487-1767.
Medsphere appoints Lichtenwald CFO
CARLSBAD -- Medsphere Systems Corp. has appointed Irv Lichtenwald as chief financial officer and newest member of the executive team.
Lichtenwald has more than 25 years of experience in finance and information technology.
From 1995 to 2003, Lichtenwald was chief financial officer for Advent Software, a provider of investment management software. Lichtenwald led Advent through three public stock offerings that raised more than $270 million for the company.
Medsphere provides open-source electronic health records.
