El Camino College will honor two exceptional alumni who are Chamber members at the 2022 Distinguished Alumni & Gratitude Awards dinner scheduled for March 4, 2022 at the Westdrift Manhattan Beach. The gala event will also celebrate the 75th anniversary of El Camino College. In addition, one regional corporate partner, Northrop Grumman, also a chamber member, will be recognized with the Gratitude Award. The El Camino College Foundation chairs the selection committee and sponsors the biennial awards ceremony.
El Camino College Distinguished Alumni have furthered their educational and career goals and have shown outstanding achievements in their chosen field in addition to philanthropic and volunteer work. Through the years, honorees have gained local, state, and national recognition for their involvement in the fields of art, medicine, politics, business, and education. Regional corporate partners are recognized for their longtime support of El Camino College students to help ensure they have a successful and productive educational experience.
“We look forward to celebrating El Camino’s 75th anniversary while we recognize the accomplishments of former El Camino College students at the 2022 Distinguished Alumni & Gratitude Awards event,” said El Camino College President Brenda Thames. “Our outstanding alumni have made a positive impact on their communities and beyond, and continue to inspire current students to succeed. We are also pleased to recognize our supporters with the Gratitude Awards, honoring the invaluable funding from our community.”
This year’s honorees include Karin Baker, American Honda Motor Co., Inc., and Kirk Rossberg, president, Torrance Bakery. Northrop Grumman, a regional corporate partner, will be receiving the Gratitude award.
Karin Baker is part of the Corporate Social Responsibility Local Unit at American Honda Motor Co., Inc. As a Local CSR Associate at Honda, Karin is responsible for local corporate social responsibility, associate community engagement, Business Resource Group (BRG) facilitation, and community event coordination. Karin joined American Honda’s Corporate Community Relations team in 1997 and throughout her 24- year career at American Honda, she has had the opportunity to expand her role to work with the local South Bay community, as well as on national and global initiatives.
Kirk Rossberg Kirk opened Torrance Bakery in 1984. He first opened with a staff of eight, occupying 1,200 square feet. The bakery has grown to its current thriving business employing 103 people in 18,000 square feet over two locations. Kirk was the Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce President in 2020 and received the Small Business Advocate of the Year from the CA Chamber of Commerce in 2020 for his work on behalf of local businesses. Kirk has also volunteered his time serving on the board of directors of the Salvation Army, Retail Baker’s Association where he served as president, and the South Bay Workforce Investment Board.
Northrop Grumman | Corporate
Over the past 16 years, Northrop Grumman has donated almost $1 million to El Camino College to benefit students and programs, primarily in the area of STEM education including scholarships and support for programs. Northrop Grumman has also had a long partnership with the El Camino Manufacturing program, and has hired ECC students and trained them at classes on campus. Northrop Grumman has been a longtime South Bay partner to ECC.
The 75th Anniversary Gala | Distinguished Alumni & Gratitude Awards dinner is set for 5:30 p.m. March 4, 2022 at the Westdrift Manhattan Beach, 1400 Parkview Ave, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266. Tickets are $175 per person and may be reserved online at www.elcamino.edu/75Gala or by contacting the El Camino College Foundation office at foundation@elcamino.edu or 310-660-6040.
