Neighbors

Coast Guard Seaman Apprentice Michael B. Castillo, a 1999 Estancia

High School graduate, graduated from the Coast Guard Recruit Training

Center in Cape May, N.J., and was promoted to his current rank. Castillo

completed classroom and practical instructions on water safety and

survival, first aid, and seamanship skills in the eight-week course. The

course also taught Castillo and other recruits about sexual harassment

prevention, civil rights training and maintaining a work-life balance. .

. . Julie Beth Preston of Costa Mesa, along with Sherwin Farzad Attai and

Christopher Lee Ross of Newport Beach, graduated from the University of

Wisconsin during spring commencement ceremonies in May. Preston received

her master’s degree in accountancy, Attai received a doctorate degree in

medicine, and Ross received a master’s degree in business. . . . Taylor

Foss, a 1998 Newport Harbor High School graduate, one of 14 students to

intern at the Family Research Council in Washington, D.C., this summer,

is continuing his studies at UCLA’s campus in Washington, D.C., this fall

as a political science major. . . . The board of directors of the Mesa

Consolidated Water District in Costa Mesa appointed Diana Leach to

replace Karl Kemp as the district’s general manager. Leach will become

the general manager appointee. Kemp’s last day with the district will be

Dec. 3. Leach has served as the district’s assistant general manager for

more than five years and has more than 25 years of experience in water

and electric utilities management. She has served many functions for the

district, including work as a representative for the district on the

board of directors of the Costa Mesa Chamber of Commerce, the Orange

County Water Assn. and on the Leadership Tomorrow board of directors. . .

. The Fieldstone Group of Cos., headquartered in Newport Beach, has

appointed Kenneth L. Beall to its board of directors. Beall is a

co-founder of Bridge Partners, a real estate and investment management

company. The Fieldstone Group of Cos. has built more than 16,000 homes

and has reached more than $3.6 billion in total revenue. . . . Gregory P.

Currens is the new principal of Style Design Interior, a commercial

design firm in Newport Beach. Currens will bring 26 years of real estate

experience to his new job, where he will be responsible for overseeing

business and marketing operations. Currens has worked on such projects as

the development of a 27-hole Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course in Aliso

Viejo and an adjacent 406-room hotel while he was vice president of AMH

Corp. of Newport Beach. . . . Michael R. Rupard was named design director

at the Newport Beach office Bloodgood Sharp Buster Inc., a national

architectural design firm. Rupard has been based in Orange County

throughout his career but has completed projects in Las Vegas and

Scottsdale, Ariz., as well as San Diego, Los Angeles and Ventura

counties. Rupard is a member of the American Institute of Architects, the

Building Industry Assn. and the Senior Housing Council. . . . Corona del

Mar resident Barbara DeMarco-Barrett as received the 2001 Distinguished

Instructor Award by UCI Extension. DeMarco-Barrett is president of the

Southern California chapter of the American Society of Journalists and

acts as the public affairs director for UC Irvine’s radio station,

KUCI-FM (88.9).

* NEIGHBORS spotlights achievements in the community. Please direct

noteworthy information to Bryce Alderton via fax at (949) 646-4170, or

send e-mail too7 bryce.alderton@latimes.comf7 .