Mary Ann Schierholz has been named principal...

Mary Ann Schierholz has been named principal of Maimonides Torah Academy, a Jewish cultural school under the auspices of Chabad of South Bay. Schierholz, of Rolling Hills Estates, received her master of arts degree in education from Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Ore., and has taught in Norfolk, Va., Bellwood, Ill., and in Torrance.

Lawndale resident Barry J. Holliday has been reappointed to the Los Angeles County Commission on Disabilities. The 17-member commission, representing various disabilities, was established by the County Board of Supervisors to represent the needs of people with disabilities in Los Angeles County. The commission evaluates the adequacy of existing laws and proposes legislation relating to persons with disabilities in such areas as health, employment, public attitudes, barriers and recreation. Holliday, who has multiple sclerosis, is retired from Union Pacific Railroad.

Rudy Williams, a respiratory therapist at Little Company of Mary Hospital since 1981, has been elected Employee of the Year by his fellow employees. Williams and his wife, Cathy, also a hospital employee, live in Carson with their 4-year-old daughter.

Two employees of Little Company of Mary Hospital have been recognized by the American Heart Assn. for their work as volunteers. Blair Contratto, vice president of corporate development at the hospital, was presented an award for her service as a member of the board of directors of the association’s Greater Los Angeles Affiliate. Stacey Edgecombe, marketing assistant, was recognized for her work on community health fairs.

Gary Tossell is the 1991-92 president of Palos Verdes Peninsula Rotary Club. Tossell, who was born in Wales and raised in England, came to the United States in 1967, living first in San Diego and moving to Palos Verdes in 1976. He worked for United Airlines until 1984, when he purchased Harbor Travel in Rolling Hills Estates. Tossell and his wife, Sherrie, have two sons, David, 21, and Brett, 18.

Rancho Palos Verdes resident Thomas Gregory has been elected president of the board of directors for Torrance Memorial Medical Center Foundation. A recent retiree from Mobil Oil’s Torrance refinery, Gregory has held executive positions and served on the boards of Rotary Club of Del Amo, Harbor View House, Torrance Chamber of Commerce and Harbor Interfaith Shelter. Elected to serve as vice president is W. David McKinnie III, vice president and principal of Towers Perrin. Emergency physician Dr. John Schugt is the new secretary/treasurer.

Patricia A. Johnson is the new president of Gardena’s Pacific Crest Charter Chapter, American Business Women’s Assn. Also elected to a one-year term are vice president Perita Kay Boyd, secretary Barbara Gibson and treasurer Callie M. Parker. Pacific Crest was chartered by the American Business Women’s Assn. in November, 1990, with 32 members.

Attorney Irene Guimera is the 1991-92 president of Soroptimist International of Manhattan Beach. Joining her on the board of directors are local businesswomen Sue Poindexter, Martha Logan, Joan Davis, Jerri Highfill, Lila Held, Cathy Falkenstein, Judy Schuster, Judy Sterling, Jeannette Parsons, Eileen Fend and Nyna Horton.

Carson resident Aric Anderson, a sophomore majoring in English, has been elected student body president at Los Angeles Harbor College. Anderson graduated from Brethren High School in Paramount in 1977 and, after a number of years in the work force, he enrolled at Harbor College in the fall of 1990. He has also been elected president of Region VII, California Student Assn. of Community Colleges, by the 14 other student body presidents. In addition to his involvement in student government, Anderson is a staff writer for the school’s student newspaper and is directing the Summer Youth Employment Program at the college. Also elected to serve as officers of the college’s Associated Student Organization are George Gray of Long Beach and Thomas Goff of San Pedro.

The Neptunian Woman’s Club of Manhattan Beach has entered its 82nd year with the election of Katie Kershek as club president. The mother of four daughters, Kershek has been active with the Girl Scouts and Brownies and previously served as vice president of the Woman’s Club. She is married to Ken Reich, senior manager for the financial consulting service of Ernst & Young.

Sixth-grade student Adrian Nichols has been named outstanding 1990-91 D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) graduate at Our Lady of Guadalupe School in Hermosa Beach. Adrian earned the title by writing an essay entitled “I Promise to Say No to Drugs and Gangs” and through outstanding class participation, commitment and leadership. As a reward, a local video arcade arranged for a weekend of six commercial video games to be delivered to his home. The Nichols’ garage was temporarily converted into a private video arcade, where Adrian shared his prize with 24 of his classmates. Others who dropped by to congratulate Adrian and praise the D.A.R.E. program were his fifth-grade teacher, Arpine Deraney, Hermosa Beach Police Department Officers Tom Thompson and Dorothy Hatano, and Hatano’s canine partner, Dino.

Thompson and Officer Laura Harris are in charge of the Hermosa Beach D.A.R.E. program.

El Segundo resident Robert C. Shaw, president and chief executive officer of the Robert F. Kennedy Medical Center, has been elected to the House of Delegates of the American Hospital Assn. The 218-member House of Delegates elects the chairman, officers and trustees of the association and has authority to amend the association’s bylaws. The nonprofit organization serves as a national advocate for hospitals and the patients they serve, provides education to its members and informs the public about hospitals and health care issues.