Neighbors

Alicia Ponder has been named research services coordinator at

Lawrence, Mayo & Ponder, an advertising agency in Newport Beach. She will

coordinate branding, innovation and research and focus group services.

The Huntington Beach resident attended Emporia State University in Kansas

... The Orange County Fairgrounds received 28 industry awards in the

Western Fairs Assn.’s 2000 Achievement Awards program. Many of the honors

were given for projects related to the Orange County Fair 2000 theme,

“Hot, Hot, Hot -- We’re Spicin’ It Up!” which saluted the pepper

industry. First-place awards were received for most user-friendly

exhibitor guidebook, two photo series -- including Acts & Attractions and

Carnival Photos -- special event or activity for “Give It Your Best

Shot,” a theme program, a sponsorship program, and signs for Ideas for

Sharing ... Navy Ensign Dennis K. Tran, son of Diane D. Tran of Costa

Mesa, was recently commissioned to his present rank after completing

Officer Candidate School in Yorktown, Va. Tran is a 1995 graduate of Newport Harbor High School in Newport Beach ... Sixteen Costa Mesa

attorneys were included in a listing of the nation’s top lawyers by “The

Best Lawyers in America,” a preeminent legal referral guide. The

publication bases its rankings on a yearlong survey in which attorneys

recommend and rate top practitioners in their fields. Costa Mesa’s

list-makers were Robert E. Currie, Gregory P. Lindstrom, Donald L.

Morrow, Alan Pettis, Jack M. Earley, Paul S. Meyer, Kirk F. Maldonado,

Eleanor A. Stegmeier, Howard C. Hay, Michael Hood, David C. Larsen, H.

Gilbert Jones, John C. Garrett, John R. Simon, Bruce Alan Tester and Paul

F. Marx ... Strategies, a strategic brand communications agency in Costa

Mesa, was recently honored with a Crystal Award of Distinction in the

Communicator Awards 2000 Video Competition for a video produced for

Printable.com. The Communicator Awards is a national awards program that

recognizes outstanding work in the communications field ... The Orange

County School Nurses Organization will honor Sandra G. Henry today as

School Nurse of the Year. The Costa Mesa resident has worked in the

Irvine Unified School District for more than 25 years. She has taught and

developed health education curriculum for kindergarten through 12th

grades. Two years ago, Henry was diagnosed with breast cancer and has

since undergone treatment ... About 850 Orange Coast College students

were named to the honors list for the fall semester. The list recognizes

part-time students who complete six to 11.5 units and maintain a

grade-point average of 3.75 to 4.0. Many of the individuals honored work

in full-time jobs and take evening classes ... PriVest Bank announced the

appointment of Joseph A. Lobe as vice president and private banking

officer. Lobe was formerly vice president and bank manager for California

Federal Bank’s Newport Center office in Newport Beach. He has a

bachelor’s degree in public law from UCLA ... Orange Coast College

Foundation raised almost $3 million in cash and in-kind donations last

year. The total -- $2,903,044 -- showed an increase of 43% over the 1999

amount and a 9% increase from the previous OCC record of $2,664,241, set

in 1996.