Class of 2024

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Nick Berardino is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who served in Vietnam as a member of a Marine Corps Battalion Landing Team/Special Landing Force. He participated in combat operations throughout his tour in Vietnam, including during the TET Offensive.  Mr. Berardino co-founded the Voice of OC news agency, which has grown to reach millions of readers. Most recently, AmeriCorps and President Joseph R. Biden jointly presented Mr. Berardino with the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his lifelong commitment to fostering a stronger nation through volunteer service.

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Clarence “Leo” Fender was born in a barn on August 10, 1909, in a part of Fullerton where electrical wiring hadn’t yet reached. It was the early years of unincorporated Fullerton when he found his inspiration in music, where his electric guitars, basses and other innovations continue to be a major force across the globe some seven decades after their invention.

Mr. Fender lived and worked his entire career in Fullerton, producing such iconic instruments as the Telecaster (1950) and Stratocaster (1954) electric guitars, and the revolutionary Precision Bass (1950). Without these instruments, it’s not a stretch to say rock and roll itself would never have developed.  Mr. Fender was inducted posthumously into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992 and awarded a Grammy in 2009. His works helped to bring international attention to the City of Fullerton during his lifetime. While Fender’s career has been impressive, legendary Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards put it best, “Thank God for Leo Fender, who makes these instruments for us to play.” 

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Carl Karcher was born in Upper Sandusky, Ohio. He grew up on a family farm and learned the value of hard work at a young age. Because of the demands of the farm, he left school after the 7th grade. At the prompting of a relative, he decided to move “West” to Anaheim, California in the late 1930s. There, he met the love of his life, Margaret Heinz, and the two were married in November of 1939. 

Mr. Karcher and his wife were devout Catholics, philanthropists and supported charities throughout their lifetime. They raised twelve children and were blessed with dozens of grandchildren. They left behind a legacy of hard work, determination, and a passion for good food. As the family stated in a tribute to him: “Carl Nicholas Karcher was not a great man because he was successful in business; rather, he was successful in business because he was a great man.” 

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Ching Lee and Cheong Kwong Lee came to the United States from Brazil, originally hailing from China, in pursuit of a better life for their family. In 1970, they opened Shanghai Pine Garden on Balboa Island, followed by three more Southern California restaurants. Their sons, Mingo, Ed, and Wing, grew up learning the values of hard work, quality, and community from their parents, fully immersed in the family’s restaurant business.  Over the years, Wahoo’s has become known not only for its quality food but also for its close ties to the action sports community and the friendships they’ve built with loyal customers.

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Sylvia Mendez has been fighting for equal rights to education since she was thrust in the spotlight of a civil rights case at the age of eight. Born and raised in California, Sylvia is the daughter of Gonzalo and Felicitas Mendez, immigrants from Mexico and Puerto Rico who were deeply committed to their children’s education.

Following a move from Santa Ana to Westminster, Sylvia and her family found there were two local elementary schools – 17th Street Elementary which was a “white only” segregated school and Hoover Elementary for Mexican American students. To ensure Sylvia and her brothers were afforded the highest quality education, the Mendez family tried enrolling all three children in 17th Street Elementary in 1943 and 1944 unsuccessfully. 

In the face of ongoing discrimination, Gonzalo filed a federal lawsuit, Mendez v. Westminster alongside four other families experiencing similar challenges in 1945. In a landmark decision, the judge sided with the Mendez family and co-plaintiffs citing the mandate for social equity in the American public education system. Sylvia soon attended 17th Street Elementary, making her one of the first Hispanic students to attend an all-white school in California.

This historic ruling laid the groundwork for Brown v. Board of Education, a decision that led to the desegregation of schools nationwide. Sylvia has continued to advocate for a more equitable education system by travelling across the country for speaking engagements sharing her family’s story. She also cared for her community as a nurse at the University of Southern California Medical Center for over 30 years. In recognition of her impact, Sylvia was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama in 2011.

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Richard Nixon, the 37th President of the United States, was born in a small farmhouse in Yorba Linda, California, on January 9, 1913. The first line of his memoir reads, “I was born in a house my father built,” a testament to his humble beginnings in Orange County.  In his 20 years after leaving the White House, Richard Nixon was a sought-after adviser to his Oval Office successors and influenced foreign affairs until his passing in 1994. His state funeral took place in Yorba Linda, in front of the home in which he was born. The Richard Nixon Foundation, based at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library Museum in Yorba Linda, works to keep his enduring contributions —to America and the world— alive and relevant today. 

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Ed Paul joined the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Long Beach field office as an auditor in May of 2005. His prior 15 years of experience working for the Department of Energy made him a perfect candidate to contribute to the agency.  Mr. Paul worked on many projects that included enforcing the Intellectual Property Rights of U.S. companies and assisting Homeland Security Investigations Special Agents in investigating various criminal organizations. His greatest accomplishment was organizing and emceeing the Loma Vista Memorial Day program in Fullerton for 16 years. He automated the placement of 4,300 graves for easier location at the park.  

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Born on April 26, 1937, in Sibley, Iowa, William G. Steiner and his family moved to Southgate and then Bell during World War II. While still in his twenties, Mr. Steiner founded and became the director of the Good Samaritan Boy's home, which expanded over the years to include several group homes across California. Over his long life, Mr. Steiner received countless accolades and recognition for his tireless devotion to his community and to the well-being of abused and neglected children. He was named "Child Advocate of the Year," "Citizen of the Year," "Outstanding Elected Official" by the Orange County Chapter of the American Society of Public Administrators; received the Commissioner's Award for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect by the US Department of Health and Human Services; and, in 2019, he was honored with the Orangewood Foundation's "Crystal Vision" award, acknowledging his lifetime of service to abused and neglected children. In his spare time, he taught political science at UC Irvine, public policy at USC, and child abuse and awareness at Chapman University.

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harles Zhang’s inspirational life story began with humble beginnings in his native Shanghai. He came to America in 1980 with twenty dollars in his pocket. With hard work, determination, and belief in the American dream, he transcended many obstacles to achievement in and outside of business. His life journey in America has taken him from dishwasher and gas station attendant to founding the successful Pick-Up Stix, the popular Chinese fast-food chain; Aseptic Solutions USA, the top beverage manufactory; and Zion Enterprises, a real estate company dedicated to revitalizing communities.   Mr. Zhang has been named Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young. He is the Recipient of the prestigious Ellis Island Medal of Honor. And, he has been honored with Orange County’s Outstanding Philanthropist award and AAIP Heritage Month award.  Mr. Zhang aims to help communities gain a better understanding between the Chinese and American culture and improve with developing the relationship as our society continuously becomes more and more diverse on a daily basis.