The LA-based apparel brand Rails has opened its third U.S. store at Fashion Island.

Rails has opened its third U.S. store at Fashion Island. The Newport Beach store joins flagship openings in New York, San Francisco, London and Paris. (Courtesy of Rails and [email protected])

The Newport Beach storefront joins flagship open in New York, San Francisco, London, and Paris. The company said it will continue to expand this year.

The company launched in 2008 with just a single hat style in its lineup and has since expanded to women’s and men’s apparel. Before opening its own stores, the Rails line is sold (and still is) at many retailers nationwide.

The retail center just a mile from the ocean recently welcomed ThirdLove, a San Francisco-based lingerie company that debuted its first brick-and-mortar store at Fashion Island.

Discounts are available for travelers looking to get away aboard the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner. The rail line is offering a buy-one-get-half-off deal on midweek travel through June 29. (Courtesy of Amtrak)

Amtrak discounts available for mid-week trips

Discounts are available for travelers looking to get away aboard the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner.

The rail system is offering savings on midweek travel through June 29. Passengers who travel between Monday and Thursday can buy one regular full-fare adult ticket and book up to three companions on the same reservation at half-off

You’ll need the promotion code V308 when you buy the first adult ticket. Tickets also can be bought by calling 800-USA-RAIL or going to a staffed station.

One-day advance purchase is required.

The Pacific Surfliner travels between San Diego, Orange, Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo counties.

For more details, go to pacificsurfliner.com/save

On the move

Orange County Community Foundation has named estate tax attorney Colleen Barney as its director of philanthropic partnerships. OCCF working on a goal of $1 billion in cumulative granting by 2024. Barney will be responsible for directing OCCF’s philanthropic partnerships. She brings nearly 30 years of experience as a tax attorney, most recently one of the founding principals at Albrecht & Barney Law Corp., an estate tax planning firm in Irvine where she spent her last 15 years as the firm’s managing partner.

Thomas N. Wang, a researcher and author, has been named medical director of the Hoag Melanoma/Advanced Skin Cancer program at Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian in Newport Beach. He comes to Hoag after 15 years at the University of Alabama at Birmingham where he served as a professor of surgery at the UAB School of Medicine and chief of surgical oncology for the Birmingham VA Medical Center.

Matthew Grimes is the new senior vice president at Santa Ana-based Banc of California. He will be responsible for leading the bank’s Asset Based Lending efforts. Grimes has 25 years of direct lending experience and has held senior-level positions at Eclipse Business Capital, Ares Management, and First Capital Corp.

Hannah Pasternak has been promoted to clinical services manager at the Women’s Transitional Living Center of Fullerton. She oversees the clinical services department’s day-to-day operations, including supervising four associate clinical social workers, WTLC’s graduate-level internship programming, and works with the chief programs officer to improve systems and services for survivors of trauma.

Elizabeth Eastin has been appointed chief development officer at Laura’s House, a nonprofit providing domestic violence-related services in Aliso Viejo and Garden Grove. She will provide strategic oversight, supporting Laura’s House in expanding and diversifying its donor base, increasing individual and institutional support.

On board

Marice H. DePasquale, Mesa Water’s Board president, will serve on the Association of California Water Agencies’  Region 10 board. Since 2018, DePasquale has been an ACWA Communications Committee member, including work on developing a statewide public education campaign regarding the importance and benefits of investing in water infrastructure and new water supplies for California. She will serve a two-year term as a board member, representing Orange County and San Diego members.

Three Orange County business leaders have joined the board of directors of KidWorks. Pat Merrell of Corona del Mar is co-founder and president of PTS Marketing Group in Santa Ana; Willie Du of Irvine is manager of Research and Development at Edwards Lifesciences; Emily Mandrup of Santa Ana is the founder of ECM Management, a land development consulting firm. The Santa Ana-based KidWorks provides academic, personal development, and leadership programs for children and teens in underserved communities.

Max Oya, chairperson, and Mike Corbo, president & CEO of Mitsubishi Electric US, presented a check for $75,500 to representatives from the Rotary Club of Kona, the Daniel R. Sayre Foundation and the Big Island Junior Golf Association. The tournament has given a total of $1.65 million to charities since it moved to Hualalai Golf Course. (Courtesy of Mitsubishi Electric US)

Good works

Orange County Community Foundation hosted the fourth annual Love Is Giving Day on February 9th raising $133,082 for eight nonprofits. The participating nonprofits included Crittenton Services; Laura’s House; LGBTQ Center Orange County; OC Pride; Planned Parenthood – Orange & San Bernardino Counties, Inc.; The Priority Center; UCI Law; and Women’s Transitional Living Center, Inc., which focus specifically in the areas of mental health support, domestic violence prevention, and LGBTQ+ advocacy.

Cypress-based Mitsubishi Electric donated $75,000 to the Rotary Club of Kona, the Daniel R. Sayre Foundation and the Big Island Junior Golf Association as part of the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai PGA tournament.

Grants

Beyond Blindness has been awarded a $50,000 grant from the Marconi Automotive Museum & Foundation for Kids. The donation will help the organization fund its Early Intervention, Education + Enrichment and Family Support programs. The Marconi Automotive Museum & Foundation is a Tustin-based nonprofit founded by Dick and John Marconi. The organization’s mission is to help raise awareness for at-risk children in OC. Founder Dick Marconi lost sight in one eye at the age of 12. This loss of sight didn’t stop him from achieving his dreams of becoming a race car driver and an artist and painter. Beyond Blindness provides services for children with visual impairments and other disabilities.

City National Bank recently provided the Los Alamitos Education Foundation with a $10,000 donation in support of their Los A1 Kids Campaign and Royal Gala.

Appointments

Irvine resident Frederick P. White, 47, has been reappointed to the California Housing Finance Agency board of directors, where he has served since 2021. He has been a housing finance officer for the Los Angeles Office of City Homelessness Initiatives since 2019. This position requires Senate confirmation; the compensation is $100 per diem. White is a Democrat.

Lake Forest resident Cedric Rutland, 40, has been appointed to the Health Workforce Education and Training Council. He has been a pulmonary critical care doctor and consultant and chief executive officer at Rutland Medical Group, West Coast Lung since 2019.  This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $25 per diem. Rutland is a Democrat.

Status Update is compiled from press releases by contributing writer Karen Levin and edited by Business Editor Samantha Gowen. Submit items and high-resolution photos to [email protected]. Allow at least one week for publication. Items are edited for length and clarity.

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