Costa Mesa celebrates business leaders

COSTA MESA — Honored for his 36-year career at Orange Coast College, Jim Carnett humbly thanked those he worked with at the college throughout the years as he accepted a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Costa Mesa Chamber of Commerce and South Coast Metro Alliance Friday.

Carnett, who is the college's director of communications, accepted his award at the organizations' Hall of Fame Awards at the Hilton Orange County/Costa Mesa, where two other business leaders were honored for their work in the community.

"For a little kid who grew up on the east side of Costa Mesa, this is a pretty big day," Carnett told more than 200 people who attended Friday's luncheon.

Sandy Segerstrom Daniels was given the business organizations' Community Spirit Award, and Corona del Mar resident Tom Schriber accepted the Corporate Leadership and Community Outreach Award on behalf of his company, Donahue Schriber, which has its corporate offices in the city.

Carnett was introduced to Orange Coast College in the 1960s as a student but came back, as he said many people did, because he loved the school.

At the luncheon, short interviews with people who knew each of the award recipients were played, giving audience members an idea of why they were honored.

"People call him Mr. Orange Coast College for a reason," college administrator Doug Bennett said about Carnett in the video.

Segerstrom Daniels, a managing partner at C.J. Segerstrom and Sons, was honored with the Community Spirit Award for her dedication to philanthropic endeavors that benefit children. She was responsible for creating the Festival of Children, an annual event that benefits nearly 100 nonprofit organizations.

"We're all very proud of Sandy, all around," Segerstrom Daniels' uncle, Henry Segerstrom, said after she was honored. "She is a real innovator and does wonderful work."

Philanthropy was a common thread linking Segerstrom Daniels and the award given to Donahue Schriber, a company that builds and manages retail properties around Southern California.

Donahue Schriber has about 150 employees, and each one participates in the company's "give back" program. Tom Schriber said he and his late partner, Dan Donahue, thought one day that a company shouldn't be all about profits. He said he hopes others can take their lead and give back.

Business is about "a lot more than making money and building retail centers," Schriber said to the audience.

Chamber president Ed Fawcett said he was proud that these companies and people continued their work in the community.

"I'm always amazed of the quality industries and corporations we have in this area," Fawcett said after the luncheon. "This is one small way we can lift them up and recognize them."