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Thursday, Mar 28, 2024

Chamber Lauds Those Who Serve

Chambers of commerce routinely hold events to award achievers in the private sector. But the Greater San Fernando Valley Chamber of Commerce recently held one to honor public-sector employees. The chamber’s first-ever Public Servants Appreciation Reception, held June 22 at the Airtel Plaza Hotel in Van Nuys, drew about 125 people, more than 50 of whom work for elected officials or local government departments in Los Angeles, Burbank, Calabasas and San Fernando. Two public servants in particular were honored because they consistently step up to lend assistance when the chamber asks for help, said Chamber Chief Executive Nancy Hoffman Vanyek. They were Benita Trujillo, Valley district director for Los Angeles County Third District Supervisor Sheila Kuehl, and Los Angeles Police Senior Lead Officer Anthony Cabunoc, from the department’s Van Nuys Division. Trujillo previously worked as a field deputy for former county Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, so she has a long association in the Valley. Cabunoc has been with the Los Angeles Police for more than 30 years. In 1998, he received the Medal of Valor for rescuing two officers who were injured and pinned downed during a shootout at a Bank of America branch in North Hollywood. Trujillo, for instance, helped Western Bagel Baking Corp., in Van Nuys, when it appeared the company would be required to shut down for a week waiting for clearance from the county Health Department. The owner called the chamber, who called Trujillo who got the health department out to the bagel maker the next day, which allowed the company to reopen sooner, Vanyek said. The chamber plans on making the reception an annual event. – Mark R. Madler

Mark Madler
Mark Madler
Mark R. Madler covers aviation & aerospace, manufacturing, technology, automotive & transportation, media & entertainment and the Antelope Valley. He joined the company in February 2006. Madler previously worked as a reporter for the Burbank Leader. Before that, he was a reporter for the City News Bureau of Chicago and several daily newspapers in the suburban Chicago area. He has a bachelor’s of science degree in journalism from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

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