Latest news with #SOY
Los Angeles Times
4 days ago
- Sport
- Los Angeles Times
The Crowd: Emerson Classic nets more than $36K for SOY
Tennis has experienced a resurgence in popularity over recent years, with tournaments drawing big crowds around the globe. In Newport Beach over Memorial Weekend, one such smashing event welcomed 507 players on local courts for the inaugural Roy Emerson Tennis Classic benefiting SOY (Save Our Youth), a most worthy local nonprofit. Inspired by the philanthropy and community spirit of Britt Meyer in partnership with Australian tennis legend Roy Emerson (a 28-time Grand Slam Champion), the three-day, non-stop event was based at home court Palisades Tennis Club with generous support from club owners Eric and Joanie Davidson. In addition, matches were held at Costa Mesa Tennis Center, Mesa Verde Country Club and Newport Beach Tennis Club. On Monday, June 2, it all came together in final play. Organizers were tournament director Chris Garber, tournament director of tennis Drew Arbiter and Cameron Ball, who led the tournament committee that included Terri DeLong, Lori Ratzlaff, Samantha Wang, Adrienne Catrine, Lisa Stone, Ann Chatillon and other volunteers. 'My husband Bob and I are honored and delighted to support this very special community event that brings together so many of our friends and neighbors delivering the joy that tennis competition creates for all players on the courts,' stated presenting sponsor Britt Meyer. 'Best of all, having Roy and Joy Emerson and their daughter Heidi fronting the excitement added a significant touch of tennis history and legend to the inaugural tournament. When all was done and winners were lauded, the real winner was SOY and all the local families and children the organization serves in the community.' The proceeds, $36,200, were donated to SOY, which lends assistance to low-income, at-risk youth who are Newport-Mesa Unified School District students. SOY was founded in the early 1990s by concerned westside Costa Mesa parents who banded together as Madres de Costa Mesa, determined to guide their kids into higher education and responsible futures. According to SOY's mission statement, the nonprofit offers 'a safe and welcoming space for teens to find hope, to nourish a sense of self and an ability to grow and to develop interests and skills to become productive members of society.' Addressing the crowd at the closing party and echoing that sentiment was SOY Executive Director Mary Cappellini, who shared the microphone with the staff to congratulate all of the tournament's champions. The champions collected a total of $15,0000 in prize money donated by Eric and Joanie Davidson of Palisades Tennis Club. Tremendous credit for the success belongs to Britt and Bob Meyer and their company Meyer Natural Foods. Also front and center for the tournament and for SOY were Gene Rhodes, Pamela and John Blom, and Eric and Joanie Davidson. Others supporting the tournament were Ken Brodhagen, Gaby Lessard and Ziad Dahdul. As the trophies were awarded to the players during the closing party, the Madres de Costa Mesa praised the community for its generosity, saying tennis competition is a metaphor for hard work, dedication and perseverance in life leading to success. 'That's what the tournament is all about, making a difference in this community for others. We'll be back next year continuing to make that difference,' said Britt Meyer.
Associated Press
30-04-2025
- Automotive
- Associated Press
HL Mando Recognized as 2024 Supplier of the Year by General Motors
SEOUL, South Korea and LAS VEGAS, April 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- On April 8, 2025, General Motors presented HL Mando with a 2024 Supplier of the Year Award at GM's 33rd annual Supplier of the Year event in Phoenix, Arizona. HL Mando, HL Group's leading Tier 1 automotive Software Defined Vehicle (SDV) company, was selected by General Motors (GM) for its 2024 Supplier of the Year (SOY) award. HL Mando has been awarded for five consecutive years and 11 times in total. On April 8, the 33rd SOY recognition event was held in Arizona, USA and attended by the Head of HL Mando Americas region Jason (Jae-hyuk) Kim, R&D Director Jeff Pontius, and Sales Director Alison Ellis. 92 companies from 12 countries were recognized as excellent partners to General Motors. Less than 1% of GM's suppliers are awarded the SOY Award. HL Mando was recognized in the Brake Apply & Controls category - its Motor on Caliper (MoC) product, which received the spotlight again, is manufactured at HL Mando's Alabama plant. GM praised not only the company's localization efforts but also its technological innovation. HL Mando's North American localization journey began in 1996. The corporation laid the groundwork for expansion into the North American region by establishing its first R&D center (Mando Engineering & Sales America; MESA) in Michigan. Then, HL Mando launched its first manufacturing facility, Mando Corporation America in Alabama (MCA), and won its first SOY award in 2003. Following the completion of the Alabama plant in 2004, a second production facility was added in 2012 to meet the growing demand for casting components. This became the MCA Georgia Plant. In 2013, HL Mando expanded its R&D capabilities by establishing a second R&D center, HL Mechatronics (HM), also in Michigan. While MESA focuses on development activities up to mass production, HM specializes in future-oriented automotive technologies. HL Mando has recently invested approximately USD 700 million in its North American operations. The amount is a testament to the corporation's commitment to the North American sector, demonstrating continued focus on cutting-edge technology. 'For more than 30 years, General Motors has recognized the company's top global suppliers at our annual event, spotlighting their innovation and resiliency through even the most challenging circumstances,' said Jeff Morrison, global chief procurement officer at GM. 'Together, we're helping bring advanced technology and the industry's broadest portfolio of vehicles to market for GM customers. GM's Supplier of the Year awards recognize global suppliers for their execution across key categories like safety, innovation and resilience. A global cross-functional team makes award selections based not only on an organization's performance across 2024, but also their alignment to GM's core values and ambitious goals. Jason (Jae-hyuk) Kim, the Head of HL Mando Americas region, stated, 'Our three decades of localization efforts in North America have led to strong customer satisfaction. And we look forward to shaping the future together with GM through collaboration in future mobility areas such as automotive software and autonomous driving.' View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE HL Mando
Los Angeles Times
24-04-2025
- General
- Los Angeles Times
Obituary: Jean Forbath, founder of Share Our Selves, opened eyes to those in need
Jean Forbath — who grew a humanitarian effort from a tiny church room into the nonprofit Share Our Selves, a network of volunteers, healthcare and service providers that serves tens of thousands of people countywide — died early Monday at age 95. The longtime Costa Mesa resident, who experienced health complications in her later years, was surrounded by family and loved ones, who noted the devout Catholic passed shortly after the death of Pope Francis in Vatican City. 'She'd spent all of Holy Week at home with all of her kids and grandkids,' daughter Mary Cappellini said Wednesday. 'And it was just an hour after the pope — it was quite the experience.' Forbath was recognized by numerous honors, including Costa Mesa's 'Woman of the Year' award in 2017 and the O.C. Human Relation Commission's 'Legacy Awards,' honoring the county's civil rights heroes. Yet, her personal pathway of charitable service had relatively modest origins. Inspired by a 1969 adult education class at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, in which participants pondered the social doctrines of the church, Forbath thought about how she and others could help neighbors in need. What started out as charitable donations of food, clothing and material goods swiftly turned into a coordinated effort as participants got to know the people they were helping — and in 1970 the nonprofit Share Our Selves (SOS) was born. 'Our organization brought to the foreground that there were needs in Costa Mesa that people were closing their eyes to,' Forbath recalled in 2017. Forbath led a team of volunteers as they opened their first free medical and dental clinic in 1985 and started an 'Adopt a Family' Christmas program that now benefits 1,200 families annually. SOS today provides medical and dental care for nearly 16,000 individuals across Orange County in eight locations and provides food and financial assistance to countless others. 'We're really staying rooted in the legacy of what the original vision was, because the need is still there today,' SOS Executive Director Christy Ward said Wednesday. 'We're doing really expansive work, but a lot of what they did still goes on — we just added to it.' Forbath tirelessly advocated for access to affordable housing and medical care for the county's poor, regularly appearing before the Costa Mesa City Council and Orange County Board of Supervisors. She worked as the unpaid executive director of Share Our Selves for 22 years and retired in 1991, though she remained on its board for 39 years. In 1993, she co-founded the Costa Mesa nonprofit Save Our Youth (SOY). The group provides academic readiness and leadership opportunities to first-generation college students from low-income families, annually bestowing a 'Jean Forbath Scholarship' to standout youths who strive to change the world for the better. 'When you think of Jean Forbath, everyone thinks about Share Our Selves, but I think about the big contribution she made to youth,' Joe Erickson, SOY co-founder and a former member of the Costa Mesa City Council, said Wednesday. 'I'm happy she lived a good, long life and I was part of it.' Forbath is predeceased by her husband Frank and son Joe and is survived by children Steve (and Betsy) Forbath, Kathy (and Bahram) Esfahani, Mary (and Cesar) Cappellini, Susie Forbath, Patty (and Steve) Uchytil and Brian (and Georgina) Forbath, along with 15 grandchildren. A service is planned for May 9 at 1 p.m. at Saints Simon and Jude Catholic Church, 20444 Magnolia St., Huntington Beach. Donations may be made to Share Our Selves or Save Our Youth's Jean Forbath Scholarship.
