Beverly Hills Resident Honored as Los Angeles’ Irishman of the Year

According to an old saying there are two kinds of people in the world: those who are Irish and those who wish they were. Finbar Hill is definitely one of the former.

The 49-year-old Beverly Hills resident was named the 1993 Irishman of the Year on Friday at the Irish Day civic ceremonies to commemorate St. Patrick’s Day.

Colorful step-dancers performed and pipers played traditional Irish music during the festivities held in the Los Angeles City Council chambers. The annual event is sponsored by the Irish Fair Foundation Inc. in conjunction with the mayor and City Council.

Although green beer was absent from the ceremony, Hill observed a distinct difference between how Americans and Irish celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.

“The first time I saw St. Patrick’s Day celebrated in America, I couldn’t believe the hype because in Ireland it is still a sacred day,” he said. “And it fascinated me that it crossed all ethnic lines.”

Hill would like to see more civic and cultural events.

“The message I want to get across is we should use these civic ceremonies to insure our Irish culture and history,” he said. “We also have to stretch forth our helping hand to other ethnic groups in our community.”

Selected for his civic involvement and contributions to the local Irish-American community by the Irish Fair Board, Hill finds time to serve as a member of the Claddaugh Foundation and the American Ireland Fund and as an adviser to the Grand National Irish Fair and Music Festival of Southern California. He also is the founder and president of the Alumni and Friends Assn. of University College Cork in Southern California.

“I am not looking for self-advancement,” he said. “There is an old Irish saying that in helping each other, we all advance. I have always had this philosophy and I enjoy doing it.”

During his four years in Los Angeles, he has accomplished a great deal despite being a newcomer. Hill, named after Cork’s patron saint, St. Finbar, moved to the United States to become chief executive officer of Power Holding U.S. Ventures Inc. in Beverly Hills.

“Its been a huge adjustment,” said the father of two. “I miss the sporting events, friendships and the political aspects (of Ireland) but the good weather in Los Angeles compensates for it.”

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Santa Monica Jaycees presented their Distinguished Service Award to Craig Mordoh.

Mordoh, an attorney in private practice, has served simultaneously as president of the Santa Monica Boys and Girls Club Council and Santa Monica Bar Assn.

The award recognizes service to the Santa Monica community.

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The Los Angeles Roman Catholic Archdiocese gave its Cardinal’s Award to Anne Kenney.

Kenney was honored for her many years of service to the community and Catholic Church programs. The longtime Beverly Hills resident received the award at the fourth annual Cardinal’s Award and Recognition Dinner Feb. 5 at the Regent Beverly Hills Hotel.

The Cardinal’s Award is the highest recognition given by the Los Angeles Archdiocese to individuals for their efforts in improving the quality of life for people by giving their time to the community and church.

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The Santa Monica Bay Area chapter of the National Conference of Christians and Jews recently honored three Westside couples for their distinguished community efforts.

They are Judy and Marvin Zeidler, Shirley and Bob Fredricks and Marion and Bob Wilson, all Brentwood residents.

They were recognized for their support of community organizations and social causes at the 33rd annual humanitarian awards dinner Feb. 18 at the Miramar Sheraton in Santa Monica.

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Italian art historian Salvatore Settis has been named director of the Getty Center of the History of Art and the Humanities in Santa Monica.

Settis, 52, is professor of history of classical art and archeology at the Scuola Normale Superiore in Pisa.

Settis was a Getty scholar at the Center in 1988-89 and has been a member of the advisory committee of the Getty Art Information Program since 1987.

In a written statement, Settis described the center as “in the forefront of new approaches to the study of the history of art and artifacts in the broadest social and cultural context.”

Settis has a doctorate in classical archeology from the Scuola Normale Superiore. He has held posts there and in Paris.

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Cameron Anderson of Pacific Palisades attended the National Young Leaders Conference Jan. 26-31 in Washington.

Anderson was one of 350 high school students from across the country selected to attend the conference sponsored by the Congressional Youth Leadership Council. During the conference she met with key leaders and newsmakers from government, the media and diplomatic corps.

She is a junior at Harvard-Westlake School in North Hollywood.