Every year, the Archbishop of Los Angeles chooses a few Catholics for a special award honoring distinguished service to the local community.
But at this year’s Archbishop’s Awards dinner, the event’s organizers decided to flip the script, surprising Archbishop José H. Gomez with an Archbishop’s Award of his own.
The honor was presented by Bishop Marc V. Trudeau at the conclusion of this year’s dinner, held April 11 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.
“I thought that Bishop Marc was coming to say the final blessing,” said Archbishop Gomez upon learning of the surprise.
In his remarks, Trudeau explained the reason behind the unusual decision.
“People say that the praise of praiseworthy people is praise indeed,” said Trudeau. “And I know the Archbishop doesn't like to be praised. But this year, he celebrates 25 years as a bishop. And we have been lucky enough to have had him as our Archbishop for 15 years.
“And so, we are presenting him with an Archbishop’s Award!”
After a lengthy standing ovation, Archbishop Gomez spoke of the “extraordinary blessing” of being the Archbishop of LA while thanking the priests, men and women religious, and lay faithful of the archdiocese for their service and prayers.
“I’ve been here for 16 years and been the Archbishop for 15 years, and so many wonderful things have happened,” said the archbishop. “Keep in mind, this is the largest archdiocese in the country, so it’s a little work out there.”
Previously known as the Cardinal’s Awards, the black-tie gala dinner is a 36-year-old LA tradition that also serves as a fundraiser for charitable causes. This year’s event honored four individuals and a married couple.
Joseph “Pep” Valdes was born in Cuba and emigrated to the U.S. with his family at age 9. He went to become a successful business leader, and for the last 17 years has been executive vice president of Parking Company of America (PCA).
Valdes is the former president of the Catholic Association of Latino Leaders (CALL), a member of Legatus Pasadena, and a knight of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem.
He and his wife Renee are also longtime supporters of the Queen of Angels Center for Priestly Formation in Torrance, the annual LA Catholic Prayer Breakfast, and many other local charities.
The couple’s faith was tested when his oldest daughter, Lauren, overcame a year-long battle with cancer 17 years ago. But Valdes said it was strengthened by St. Philip’s parishioners and the friendship of the Carmelite Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart of Los Angeles.
“It was beautiful for me to see how they approached this difficult time in their faith journey as a family — a powerful testament to Pep that he wasn’t afraid to share the suffering they endured,” says Sister Maria Goretti, OCD.
Karla Ahmanson is a convert to Catholicism who entered the Church 25 years ago after years of encouragement from her husband, Bill, who she met on a blind date 37 years ago.
A longtime LAPD reserve officer, Bill was also the reason that Karla got involved with the Los Angeles Police Reserve Foundation. Now the foundation’s president, Karla has strengthened its impact while expanding the reach of initiatives like Operation School Bell, which provides new school clothing and supplies to public school kids in need.
Her conversion – which happened while attending Christ the King Church near Hollywood with Bill at the time – gave her more opportunities to serve the community.
“She was already so involved in the Church that I was not surprised when she chose to convert,” said Msgr. Antonio Cacciapuoti, then the pastor of Christ the King. “It was organic and beautiful.”
Today, Karla serves as a eucharistic minister and Finance Council member at her parish, and is a dame of the Pontifical Equestrian Order of Saint Gregory the Great.
Bill, a banker and philanthropist, was honored with a Cardinal’s Award in 2017.
Kevin Shannon is the proud product of local Catholic schools – including Notre Dame High School in Pasadena – and of USC.
Even before becoming one of the top investment sales brokers in the country, Shannon was an enthusiastic champion of Catholic causes like the USC Caruso Catholic Center and the Catholic Big Brothers Big Sisters of Los Angeles.
The cause closest to his heart, however, is tied to his family story. His aunt, Sister Tonia Marie Orland, founded the Missionary Sisters of the Eucharist to encourage religious vocations among Indigenous communities in Guatemala. Kevin promised her on her deathbed that he would take care of her nuns, and today serves as the order’s primary benefactor and treasurer.
“The Holy Spirit made me want to adopt these nuns,” said Shannon.
Kevin and his wife Britta are the parents of four children and are active members of St. Lawrence Martyr Church in Redondo Beach.
David Fuhrman was born to a working-class family in the Buena Park area and went on to have a successful 35-year career in the financial services industry.
In 2020, he retired to take the reins at the Dan Murphy Foundation, which supports local inner-city Catholic high school students. Associates say the career change has revealed a new vocation in David.
“He is someone not afraid to ask for help, or money or advice — because he will do all those things himself,” said Michael Feeley, who has worked with David on various boards for more than 30 years.
Outside the foundation, he is best known as an enthusiastic pilgrimage leader for the Order of Malta: so far, he has made nine trips with the order to Lourdes, France, where he and his wife Maria provide week-long assistance for maladies and their caregivers.
Apart from past participation on the boards of various charities, David is also a member of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, which works to preserve the Christian presence in the Holy Land.
Bob Graziano and Wendy Watchell were no strangers to service when they married in 2011.
For nearly three decades, Bob helped lead the Los Angeles Dodgers’ front office while shaping its community outreach efforts. Meanwhile Wendy, who studied journalism at USC, had worked with her mother, Esther, to establish the USC Center on Philanthropy and Public Policy and had served on many nonprofit boards over the years.
The couple’s combined experience in the worlds of sports and education makes for a formidable match.
“They each lead with their hearts,” said Debra Duncan, who worked with Bob during his Dodger years. “It’s incredible how the two of them align so perfectly to complement what they bring to the table.”
As chair of the Los Angeles Sports and Entertainment Commission, Bob has helped secure the upcoming World Cup and 2027 Super Bowl for LA. At his parish of American Martyrs Church in Manhattan Beach, he’s helped in quieter ways.
“He and his family have made tremendous contributions to the lives of those in Los Angeles,” said pastor Msgr. John Barry. “They are wonderful people.”
Tom Hoffarth contributed to this report.
