August 9, 2007

CAL STATE

Fullerton residents Mary Louise Hlavac, who is accounting manager of integrated defense systems at Boeing, and Verne Wagner, vice president of programs for the Cal State Fullerton Alumni Association, are serving on the 2007-08 alumni board of directors.

Fourteen leaders from public, private and independent organizations have joined Greg Nelson, first vice president of Washington Mutual Insurance Services and the new board president, on the alumni board of directors directors.

Hlavac graduated in 1980 with a degree in business administration while Wagner earned a bachelor’s in business administration in 1977.

COLLEGE PARK

Changes abound at Fullerton College, where Larry Buckley is the new vice president of Instruction. The North Orange County Community College District Board recently approved the reassignment of Peter Fong, dean of Admissions and Records, as interim vice president of Student Services at the college.

Scott McKenzie, dean of Technology and Engineering, is working with representatives of Alcoa on State College Boulevard to develop training for the company’s skilled machinists.

COMMONWEALTH AVE.

Police Chief Pat McKinley has promoted three veteran police officers.

Lt. John Petropulos now answers to captain; Sgt. Craig Brower to lieutenant and Detective Andrew Goodrich to sergeant.

Petropulos, 49, a 26-yearveteran, will replace Capt. Mike Maynard, who is retiring after 30 years with the FPD. Petropulos’ new assignment will be commander of the Services Division.

Brower, 48, joined the department 26 years ago. In his new job, he will work the watch commander day shift.

Goodrich, 39, has worked patrol and investigation during his 17 years with the department. He will now return to patrol.

DOROTHY LANE

Morningside Presbyterian Church is sitting pretty with 152 new folding chairs and 10 new folding tables in their Fellowship Hall. The comfy furniture didn’t put a dent in the church budget, thanks to the generosity of George and Els Delanoy.

When the 45-year Fullerton residents recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary, they decided to donate the gifts to their home church.

“God bless their union for many more years to come,” said the Rev. V. “Kass” Kassouni, who recently accepted interim pastor status until a designated pastor is called. “Let me now alert you to another sore need … the old and tattered folding doors. Is anyone out there having a significant celebration?”

Meanwhile, the Delanoys celebrated at the Summit House with 130 guests including 40 members of their family and five people who were in their wedding party 50 years ago in New Brunswick, N.J.

“Before we started the celebration, we wanted to focus on family and friends,” George said. “So, we personally introduced each guest and told why they were in attendance.”

The Delanoys, who own Brea Travel, welcomed folks from Brea Rotary, where George is the new president, from Soroptimist International of Brea, and from Six Flags Magic Mountain and Hunt-Wesson Foods where George formerly worked. Probably no one asked, but it should be reported that George, who has been jogging in neighborhoods across Fullerton and around the world, has racked up more than 40,000 jogging miles since 1966.

RAYMOND HILLS

Alan and Shirley Wright are ecstatic their daughter, Kathy, and her husband, Sam, have their latest song,

“Moments,” on the Top 10 country music charts across the nation.

Indeed, on July 30, the industry celebrated at a “No. 1 Party” in Nashville.

The song is about an old man living under a bridge who stops a young depressed man from jumping off the bridge by telling him of the wonderful memories he has of moments in his life that suicide would have eliminated.

“This is my favorite, it’s a beautiful song,” Shirley said. “And it’s sung by such a nice group: Emerson Drive.”

Kathy and her husband are known professionally as Sam and Annie Tate, Ann being Kathy’s middle name. One of their songs recorded last year by Rodney Atkins, “If You’re Going Through Hell Before the Devil Even Knows,” won the 2006 SESAC Nashville Songwriter of the Year Award. (SESAC, founded in 1930, is an organization representing songwriters and other performing groups.)

“Sam wanted to write a song about redemption, and how people can redeem themselves,” Alan said.
The couple always encouraged their three children to follow their dreams.

Kathy, a graduate of Fullerton Union High School Class of 1972, won an academic scholarship to Stanford University. Her mother recalled that all through Kathy’s childhood and teen years, she loved music.

Do you have a news tip on your neighborhood? Call Barbara Giasone at 714-704-3762.