On June 2, the Rotary Club of Beverly Hills held its annual ceremony honoring five outstanding city employees, including individuals from the Beverly Hills Fire Department (BHFD), Beverly Hills Police Department (BHPD) and city government.
The awards were presented at the Beverly Hills Hotel and made possible by a donation from Max Factor III.
“The overwhelming majority of people here are committed … to making our communities better,” Factor said at the ceremony. “It’s inspiring.”
According to Michael Lushing, a former president of the Rotary Club of Beverly Hills and current board member, the event has been held for over a decade.
“I’ve been in the club for 13 years, and it’s been held [every year] during that time and definitely more,” he told the Courier.
At the June 2 event, awardees were called up one by one and presented with accolades and a check for $1,500. The checks were drawn from Factor’s donation.
“Max Factor is one of the most humble, kind individuals who doesn’t like attention being drawn to him,” said Lushing. “He does this quietly, but he makes it possible.”
This year’s honorees were Lisa Karson and Officer Billy Blair, both of the BHPD; firefighter and paramedic Nathan Foster, of the BHFD; and senior management analysts Melissa Gomez and Raminta Ivanilova, who are employed by the city.
Karson, who serves as BHPD Chief Mark Stainbrook’s executive assistant and won Civilian of the Year, and Blair, who won Officer of the Year, were introduced by Stainbrook.
Presenting Karson with her award, Stainbrook said that she “runs the department behind the scenes.”
“She also takes the initiative on things,” he said. “She noticed that our cages down in our basement area where we keep dogs … were really not up to par. So, she showed me this morning, she got them all cleaned up, got a lot of new things for the kennels, and really just, her ability to care for people and animals … she won this award.”
Karson expressed her appreciation for her colleagues as well as residents of the city.
“It’s been a real privilege to have worked for the city for the past 13 years and for the chief for the past three years,” she said. “I think this is a wonderful city. It’s got a lot of great people behind the scenes … Beverly Hills is top-notch.”
Stainbrook said that Blair, who was introduced next, was recently involved in two high-stakes incidents: the apprehension and arrest of five suspects who allegedly participated in an armed robbery, and a foot chase after two robbery suspects allegedly targeted a jewelry store on South Beverly Drive.
“It is truly an honor,” said Blair upon accepting the award. “I’ve enjoyed almost every minute working in the Beverly Hills Police Department the last eight years. And it’s really because of all of you as our community members.”
BHFD Chief Greg Barton presented the award to Foster. Reading from some of the tributes given to Foster by the individuals who nominated him, Barton emphasized Foster’s commitment to his work, professionalism and compassion.
“He leads by example on every call, setting the standard of care and conduct that reflects the best of Beverly Hills Fire Department,” Barton said, adding, “Nathan is honest, humble, dedicated, loyal, and a loving and dedicated husband and father. He sets the appropriate example to others and embodies the values of the Beverly Hills Fire Department.”
Accepting his award, Foster noted that he is a fourth-generation firefighter whose great-grandfather served with the Los Angeles County Department of Forestry in 1923.
“This is a recognition from my peers, and that means more to me than anything in this world,” he said, adding, “Serving the community is all I’ve ever wanted to do in my life. And being a paramedic has given me that ability to do so.”
Foster said he will donate the money from his award to Core of Knowledge Literacy and Learning Center, a nonprofit organization that works with students who have dyslexia and other language learning differences.
Introducing Gomez, Beverly Hills City Manager Nancy Hunt-Coffey noted that Gomez is tireless in her efforts and often anticipates what will be needed before she is asked.
“Melissa works diligently on all topics,” Hunt-Coffey said. “She takes tremendous pride in ownership on all of her tasks. We can be in legislative liaison meetings and know she is watching because we get texts to help us respond to questions … She serves as an inspiration to the rest of the organization.”
When presenting the final award to Ivanilova, Hunt-Coffey highlighted Ivanilova’s “dedication, strong leadership and outstanding job performance.”
“Over this past year, Raminta has taken on a wide variety of complex and sensitive tasks in support of our IT department, routinely exceeding expectations,” she said, adding, “Her ability to overcome a steep learning curve and become an invaluable asset in such a short time has been remarkable.”
