AROUND THE VALLEYS

SAN FERNANDO VALLEY Calabasas Photos: A two-day auction from Profiles in History will feature thousand of vintage and contemporary fine art pieces from some of the world’s most renowned photographers. Among the items from the collection of Michael H. Epstein and Scott E. Schwimer is a portrait of actress Jean Harlow on a white bearskin rug taken by George Hurrell. Other Hurrell portraits included in the March 26-27 auction are of Joan Crawford, Clark Gable, and Greta Garbo. Epstein and Schwimer are making the photographs available to benefit many of the charitable organizations they support. “We want others to enjoy and embrace the most rewarding field of collecting with which we can ever imagine being involved,” Epstein said. Also included in the auction are photos from Clarence Sinclair Bull, a contemporary of Hurrell; Mel Roberts; Len Prince; and Harry Langdon. Acting: Bruce Dern will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award at this year’s Method Fest Film Festival. Dern is an Academy Award-nominated actor seen in “The Great Gatsby” with Robert Redford; “The Cowboys,” with John Wayne; and “Coming Home,” with Jane Fonda. Dern receives the award March 28 prior to the screening of “The Lightkeepers”, starring Dern, Richard Dreyfuss and Blythe Danner at the Regency Agoura Hills 8 Theatre. Method Fest, the only U.S. film festival to focus on acting, takes place from March 25 to 31. Burbank Hi-Def: MyEyeMedia has become a contributor member of the Blu-ray Disc Association. That status allows the company to attend general meetings and seminars, participate in technical expert groups and regional promotion projects. MyEyeMedia provides independent clinical analysis and technical services to the entertainment industry, including its Blu-qaul Blu-ray disc testing services. Becoming a contributor member to the association shows the company’s commitment to the Blu-ray disc format, aid CEO Michael Kadenacy North Hills Talk: Charles Volk, vice president and chief technologist for Northrop Grumman Navigation Systems Division, visited with juniors and seniors at James Monroe High School on March 5. Volk, who has worked for the defense and aerospace company for more than 30 years, encouraged the students saying they shouldn’t be afraid of failure and to make their schooling just the beginning of a lifetime of learning. As a student working his way toward a doctorate, Volk told of how he kept failing required tests but that the experience helped to maximize his education. “Even though it wasn’t easy I enjoyed it and it helped me in my career,” Volk said. Sherman Oaks Achievements: The Engineers’ Council recognized employees and teams from Northrop Grumman Corp. for their outstanding accomplishments. “These professionals are an asset to our company, and we value their commitment and dedication to advancing our technologies for the benefit of our government and commercial customers,” said Paul Russell, vice president of engineering and manufacturing for the western region of Northrop Grumman’s Electronic Systems sector. Individual awards were given to Daniel Tazartes, director of advanced technology for Northrop Grumman’s Navigation Systems Division in Woodland Hills; Neal Dahlen, a technical director at the Navigation Systems Division; Ronald Gibb, F-5/T-38 systems engineering, integration and test lead for the Aerospace Systems sector; Douglas Meyer, director of advanced sensor development for the Navigation Systems Division; Donald Murray, a flight test engineer for the Aerospace Systems sector; and Robert Hall and Preston Watterson of the Aerospace Systems sector. The council recognized the teams who worked on 14 projects, including NASA Global Hawk first flight, B-2 aircraft instrumentation, and Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite. CONEJO VALLEY Thousand Oaks Robots: Thousand Oaks resident Randall Alley is featured in bonus content of the Blu-ray version of “Surrogates.” Alley, an expert in upper limb prosthetics, takes part in a roundtable discussion on the present and future surrogate technology. “Surrogates,” from Walt Disney Studios, is a futuristic view of the world where humans use robots, via remote linkups, as their public selves. “I think the area of prosthetic technologies is fascinating to the average person simply unaware of what we are working on and how far we have progressed,” Alley said. SIMI VALLEY Simi Valley Honor: The Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce received 5-Star Distinction in Accreditation by the United States Chamber of Commerce. The Simi Valley organization was cited for its sound policies, effective organizational procedures, and positive impact on the community. Accreditation is a national program that recognized chambers for their effective organization procedures and community involvement. The Simi Valley chamber received perfect scores in Human Resources, Technology, Governance and Facilities; and nearly perfect scores in Finance, Programs, Communications and Government Affairs. “The result of our hard-work is evidenced by this impressive rating,” said Dick Erbe, accreditation chair for the chamber. “But in truth, we are all extraordinarily proud of this milestone achievement. It was a true team effort.” SANTA CLARITA VALLEY Valencia Safety: XProTex has used a patented material in its new line of batting gloves for baseball and softball players. The gloves will significantly decrease the risk of injuries to hands and wrists by reducing the impact of a 100 mph fastball to the equivalent of a 40 mph fastball. Hands and wrists are among the most vulnerable parts of the body and generally under-protected, said XProTex CEO Jack Kasarjian. After 30 months of research, development and testing the company releases the first in the new line of gloves that are lightweight, flexible and non-restrictive. “XProTeX picks up where traditional batting gloves have left off by providing protection that enhances a player’s game without sacrificing performance,” Kasarjian said. Santa Clarita Cars: Valencia Acura received a Dealership with Distinction award from American Honda Motor Car Co. for its exceptional performance in client experience during 2009. This is the fifth time the dealership has received the award. “Our dealership team is dedicated to providing a superior ownership experience to all of our customers,” said Valencia Acura owner Cheri Fleming. “We’re very happy and proud to receive this much-coveted recognition.” – Compiled by Mark R. Madler