More than 700 guests attended the sold-out BIASC Centennial All Regional Gala Installation last week at the Rancho Mission Viejo Equestrian Center in San Juan Capistrano, California. The renowned soiree, created exclusively to celebrate the Building Industry Association of Southern California’s 100th year, inducted the inaugural class of honorees to the BIASC Hall of Legends and recognized the recipients of the esteemed Century Awards. The evening also included an oath ceremony where the BIASC Governing Board and four local chapter Board of Directors were sworn into leadership for the association.
“The Centennial Gala was an unforgettable evening that marked a milestone for our industry––an occasion to reflect on our collective accomplishments and growth as an organization over the last century while looking toward the future,” said BIASC CEO Jeff Montejano. “We applaud all our BIASC Hall of Legends inductees and Century Award winners for their meaningful contributions to our industry.”
To qualify for induction into the BIASC Hall of Legends, honorees were elected based on specific criteria: display of extraordinary leadership for BIASC and/or the building industry; longstanding and distinguished tenure with BIASC; proven leadership within their company or the association; innovation that advanced the association/their company or our industry; and contributions to a community, whether regional, statewide, or national.
The 2023 Hall of Legends Nominees, each listed under their respective organizations, are as follows: Steve Ruffner, Aram Bassenian, and Laura Barber for the Regional Recipients; Lance Williams and Greg Medeiros for BIA Los Angeles/Ventura Chapter, with Eli Broad, Don Kaufman, Lynn Jacobs, and Ray Watt recognized posthumously; Bill Watt, Les Thomas, Les Card, Dale Stuard, and Gordon Tippell for BIA Orange County Chapter, with General William Lyon, Ron Saienni, and Roland Osgood recognized posthumously; Dan Leigh for BIA Riverside County Chapter, with Clayton Record, Gregg D. Brown, and Ray Becker recognized posthumously; Richard Lewis, Randall Lewis, Harry Crowell, Jonathan Weldy, James Previti Sr., Jim Smirl, Ray Fernandez, and Ali Razi for BIA San Bernardino County Chapter, with Ralph and Goldy Lewis, Ira Norris, and Ken Willis recognized posthumously; Annie Gerard and Art Danielian for the BIASC Council on SAGE; and John Martin and Shirley Brown for the Greater Sales and Marketing Council (GSMC), with Peter Mayer and Rob Sawyer recognized posthumously.
BIASC Century Award winners––recognized under eight different categories––were selected for their leadership, achievements, and commitment to supporting housing and sustainability in the Southern California region. Recipients of the “Decade of Public Service Awards” included the following honorees: Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, 5th District; San Bernardino County Supervisor Curt Hagman, 4th District; Orange County Supervisor Donald P. Wagner, 3rd District; Riverside County Supervisor Karen Spiegel, 2nd District; and Riverside County Supervisor V. Manuel Perez, 4th District. The “Lewis Family Leadership Award” was presented to Councilman Alan Wapner, City of Ontario; the “Chairman’s Award” to John Whann, Executive Director, Boys and Girls Clubs of Inland Valley; the “Trade Association Excellence Award” to Orange County REALTORS®; the “Regional Water Innovation & Leadership Award” to Metropolitan Water District; the “Local Water Innovation & Excellence Award” to Moulton Niguel Water District; the “Energy Innovation Award” to Southern California Gas Company; and the “Charities of the Decade” to HomeAid Orange County and HomeAid Inland Empire.
To learn about future BIASC events, including sponsorship opportunities, please visit biasc.org/events or contact Laura Barber at lbarber@biasc.org or (949) 777-3861.
About BIASC
The Building Industry Association of Southern California is the voice of the region’s building industry, with four chapters offering localized services to building professionals from Ventura to the southern tip of Orange County. Throughout its 100-year history, the association has served its builder and associate members by anticipating, protecting, and promoting their common interests through its many programs, services, councils and committees. For more information on the Building Industry Association of Southern California, visit biasc.org. Follow BIASC on social media for the latest industry news: LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter.