The state Assembly presented Veteran of the Year awards to Modesto-area people who served in World War II, Afghanistan and conflicts in between.

Each member could choose a veteran from his or her district for the honor, bestowed Wednesday at a Sacramento luncheon. The area's recipients were:

• Becky Crow, chosen by Assemblyman Heath Flora. She served in the Air Force from 1969 to 1978, starting as a computer operator. She later became one of the first female officers in the Security Police unit. Crow now is chief executive officer of the Veterans Foundation of Stanislaus County.
  
  

• Steve Fimbrez, named by Assemblyman Adam Gray. Fimbrez served in the Air Force from 1975 to 1979 and completed training in firefighting and firefighter rescue. After his service, he became a firefighter at the Defense Depot in Tracy and then went on to a 33-year career with the Modesto Fire Department. Fimbrez is Modesto chapter commander for the American GI Forum and secretary at the state level. He also represents veterans on the Stanislaus County Commission on Aging.

• Don Cuneo, chosen by Assemblyman Frank Bigelow. The Calaveras County resident served in the Navy from 1942 to 1945. He was aboard the USS McCord, a destroyer that patrolled all over the South Pacific, and another ship preparing to invade Japan at war's end. Cuneo went on to serve 20 years as a county supervisor.
  
  
• Jaime Medina, selected by Assemblywoman Susan Talamantes-Eggman. He was in the Air Force from 1999 to 2016, serving in Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Afghanistan. He then founded a Tracy-based program called FIX’D Inc. It aids veterans dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health issues.
  
  

Gallo CEO ranks high

An employee survey placed a leader at E.&J. Gallo Winery among the top chief executive officers in the nation.

Joseph Gallo, president and CEO of the Modesto-based company, was 18th on the list of the top 100 CEO's compiled by the employment website Glassdoor. He won approval from 96 percent of the employees surveyed for the 2018 ranking.

Gallo is the son of the late Ernest Gallo, who founded the winery with brother Julio in 1933. It has grown to be the world's largest, with more than 6,000 employees in Modesto and beyond.

Topping the Glassdoor survey at 99 percent approval was Eric Yuan of Zoom Video Communications, based in San Jose.