Names of Note: Foundation leader will get Stan State honor. Winery near Ripon shines
Marian Kaanon, president and CEO of the Stanislaus Community Foundation, will receive this year’s Champions of the American Dream award.
It will be presented at 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 3, in the main dining hall at Stanislaus State University. The event is free, but attendees are asked to register in advance at universityevents.csustan.edu.
The award is sponsored by the Turlock campus’s College of Business Administration and the Porges Family Foundation. It began in 1997 but was suspended for two years due to COVID-19.
Kaanon was born in Iraq and is a first-generation member of the Modesto area’s Assyrian-American community. Her family emigrated when she was 7.
Kaanon earned a degree in communication studies at UC Davis and has worked in broadcast journalism, public affairs and nonprofit management. She spent eight years as vice president of marketing for Community Hospice and has been the foundation’s leader since 2012.
As of last year, the foundation managed about $47 million in assets across about 175 funds established by various donors. It has provided about $37 million in grants and scholarships since its founding in 2002.
McManis winery wins honor
McManis Family Vineyards received the Community Award from the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance.
It is one of four annual awards that recognize grape producers who keep the environment and other values in mind.
McManis is based on River Road east of Ripon and also has vineyards in the Lodi and Clarksburg areas.
“The company regards employees as family, treating all employees to lunch every Sunday during harvest, and fosters a culture of respect through open communication,” an alliance news release said. “This unity extends to the community with wide support for local charities through donations and an annual toy drive where they collect over 2,000 toys for children each year.”
The release also cited COVID-19 safeguards at McManis and its efforts on wildlife habitat, solar energy, electric vehicles, composting and water recycling.
Wente Family Estates in the Livermore Valley received this year’s Leader Award. The Environment Award went to Trefethen Family Vineyards in the Napa Valley. Jackson Family Wines, produced in several coastal regions, won the Business Award.
This story was originally published April 28, 2022 at 2:30 PM.
