IRVINE, Calif., Oct. 27, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- BridgeGate LLC, one of the nation's top 50 executive recruitment firms, today hosts The Fifth Annual BridgeGate20 Awards at Shady Canyon Golf Club.
The BridgeGate20 event is an annual awards ceremony that commemorates Southern California's CEOs, founders, entrepreneurs, service providers and visionaries who have pushed their ideas forward in pursuit of innovative technologies and new business opportunities. Winners are nominated and selected by their peers.
Other factors involved in the selection process include an evaluation of the individual's commitment to investing in people, a strong track record in attracting and retaining top talent and unique contributions to the overall health of the regional technology economy.
"Each year, BridgeGate20 is a celebratory forum where technology companies gather to support the leaders in their industry who have clearly demonstrated an appreciation of human capital as their primary asset," said Kevin Rosenberg, managing director and partner, BridgeGate LLC. "We strive to identify and praise individuals for their admirable achievements and most importantly, their contributions toward establishing Southern California as a dynamic focal point for the technology industry."
In its fifth year, The BridgeGate20 Awards continues to provide a venue that celebrates local entrepreneurship, while embracing community involvement through its support of various charitable organizations. To date, The BridgeGate20 Awards have raised more than $100,000 in donations.
This year's beneficiary is The Joyful Child Foundation, a private sector neighborhood and child safety initiative founded in memory of Samantha Runnion. BridgeGate aims to raise more than $30,000 in donations at tonight's event.
"We are profoundly honored to be the recipients of such generosity and we appreciate BridgeGate's commitment to our community as a whole -- not only the business sector, but also our neighborhoods and our children," said Erin Runnion, founder of The Joyful Child Foundation.
Keynote speakers for the event include Erin Runnion and Orange County Sheriff Mike Carona. Hosted at Shady Canyon, the event will begin at 6:00 p.m. and conclude at 9:00 p.m.
"We are pleased to have the opportunity to open Shady Canyon Golf Club to The BridgeGate20 Awards," said Michael Williams, vice president of residential marketing for The Irvine Community Development Company, master planners of Shady Canyon. "The Shady Canyon Golf Clubhouse is well-suited to the high level of entrepreneurial commitment represented by this event. The fact that The Joyful Child Foundation will benefit makes this setting even more worthy and appropriate."
About BridgeGate LLC
BridgeGate has defined the discipline of "management search" as a strategic business activity, not simply a means of filling current job openings. Its hybrid model of search -- serving the mid- to senior executive levels -- is designed to address the core needs of established and emerging companies alike, at all management levels. Unique among recruitment firms, BridgeGate's mandate is to build teams, addressing a full range of disciplines, from operations to sales/marketing to consulting. By supporting multiple specialties within a single engagement, the firm has embraced a "complete recruitment solution" philosophy for clients.
Specializing in high technology and other knowledge-intensive sectors, BridgeGate's ability to target and attract superior performers -- individually and in teams -- has made the firm an active partner in developing and growing successful organizations for more than 30 years. With offices in Irvine and Los Angeles, BridgeGate ranks among the nation's top 50 executive recruitment firms. For more information, please visit www.bridgegate20.com.
About The Joyful Child Foundation
The Joyful Child Foundation -- In Memory of Samantha Runnion, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, for public benefit organization dedicated to uniting and uplifting our nation's communities in the protection and wonderment of all children. The Joyful Child Foundation was inspired by the life of Samantha Runnion, a beautiful, bright, joyful little girl with a passion for art. Samantha's life was cut short as the youngest victim of the summer of abductions in 2002. The Joyful Child Foundation is dedicated to preserving Samantha's memory by transforming their grief into compassionate action that focuses on proactive measures to deal with the difficult issue of violence against children. For more information, please visit www.thejoyfulchild.org
About Shady Canyon
Master planned by The Irvine Community Development Company, Shady Canyon incorporates approximately 400 custom homes and semi-custom villas into 1,070 acres of naturally private and scenic property, adjacent to thousands of acres of permanently preserved open space. The centerpiece of the community is the private Shady Canyon Golf Club featuring the Tom Fazio-designed golf course and now offering golf and social memberships.