The City of Irvine celebrated the exceptional contributions of 52 new honorees inducted into the Wall of Recognition Tuesday, June 9, at Colonel Bill Barber Marine Corps Memorial Park. The ceremony included a reception with honorees and their families at Irvine City Hall, followed by a formal recognition at the Irvine City Council meeting.
The Wall of Recognition honors individuals and organizations whose dedication, leadership, and service have made a lasting impact on the Irvine community. From civic and community leaders to local businesses and pioneering individuals, each honoree has played a meaningful role in helping shape the City’s continued growth and character.
With the addition of the 2026 honorees, the Wall of Recognition includes more than 500 individuals and organizations commemorated since the program began in 2006.
“Our community is strengthened by the residents, businesses, and organizations that call Irvine home,” said Mayor Larry Agran. “Through their leadership, kindness, and service, each of the honorees recognized this week has had a lasting impact on our City. We are grateful for their outstanding contributions and proud to ensure their efforts become a permanent part of Irvine’s history."
The following represent the 2026 class of honorees:
Perpetual Plaque Honorees
- Irvine City Councilmember William Go
- Irvine City Councilmember Melinda Liu
- Irvine City Councilmember James Mai
- Irvine Councilmember Betty Martinez Franco
- City Manager Sean Crumby
- Irvine Unified School District Board of Education Member Connie Stone
- Irvine Unified School District Superintendent Cassie Parham
- Tustin Unified School District Board of Education Member Kathy Copeland, Ph.D.
Community Partners
- I AM Movement
Roots of our Community
- Families Forward
- Tanaka Farms
- City of Irvine Librarian Julie Zeoli
- James Irvine I
Distinguished Citizens
- Charlie K. Choi
- Gail Daniels
- Robert F. Dannenbrink Jr., FAICP
- Sgt. Rick D. Darnall
- Ken Dory
- Clara Valerio Flores, In Memoriam
- Avram Grossman
- Candy Hammeras
- Ann Hwu
- Edward Sang Hyun Kim, M.D., M.B.A.
- Ed McNew, In Memoriam
- Annastasia Rose Myburgh
- Robert “Bob” Pestolesi
- Greg Pettit
- Lorie Reed
- Antoinette Rogal, In Memoriam
- Colonel Edward Rogal, In Memoriam
- Timorei Spaulding
- Jane Stoever
- George Varvas
- Annette M. Walker
- Charlie Zhang
Civic Leaders
- Dr. Phyllis Agran, MD, MPH, MA, FAAP
- Chuck Bozza, PhD, In Memoriam
- Valarie Burlingame, In Memoriam
- Avinder Chawla
- Allyson Maddy Dierdorff, In Memoriam
- Shawnn Gallagher, In Memoriam
- Youssef Kaddeche
- Henry and Mary King
- Virginia Nicols, In Memoriam, and Joseph Krueger
- Lisa Osmanian-Weinfurter, In Memoriam
- Dick Owens
- Rick Paikoff, In Memoriam
- Jeffrey L. Pierson
- William “Bill” Russell
- Ron Scolesdang
- Kevin Trussell
- Christine Tully
Nominations for the 2026 Wall of Recognition were accepted from November 1 through December 30, 2025, giving community members the opportunity to recognize individuals and organizations that have made a meaningful impact in Irvine. Eligible nominees included individuals who have lived,
worked, or attended school in Irvine, as well as businesses, groups, and organizations with ties to the community.
View photos (Open in new window) from the Wall of Recognition Ceremony. For more information, visit cityofirvine.gov/publicrecognition (Open in new window).
