Newport Beach residents Steve Friedmann and...

Newport Beach residents Steve Friedmann and Jeff Gehl were named

to the committee of the Ocean Institute’s “Jazz in January” event

earlier this month. The event, which features the mellow sounds of

jazz star Peter White along with an intimate gourmet dinner prepared

by Orange County’s top chefs, will be held at the end of the month.

Proceeds raised from the event will go to the institute’s hands-on

youth education programs ... John Wayne Airport flight instructor

Pamela Hengsteler was honored by the Long Beach Flight Standards

District Office of the Federal Aviation Administration with the 2002

Exceptional Achievement Award. Hengsteler has worked as a full-time

flight instructor for 11 years and has guided, nurtured and prodded

pilot candidates through the easy and tough times of learning to fly.

She has recommended 54 pilot candidates, all of whom passed and 87%

of whom passed on their first attempt. Hengsteler flies out of

Sunrise Aviation at John Wayne Airport, which has FAA-certified pilot

programs and acrobatic instruction ... Air Force 2nd Lt. Koo H. Kim,

daughter of Jang and Hae Seon Kim of Costa Mesa, reported for duty at

Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. Kim, a manpower officer with five

years of military service, graduated from Costa Mesa High School in

1997 and received a bachelor’s from the U.S. Air Force Academy in

Colorado in 2002 ... Ray Kovacs, a 19-year member of the Bahia

Corinthian Yacht Club, was named commodore last month. Kovacs, who

has been on the club’s board of directors for five years, has more

than three decades in top executive positions in the hospitality

industry. Kovacs plans to impa new strategy to draw in more members,

expand involvement in national and international yachting communities

and strengthen the juniors’ sailing program with a mentoring program.

* NEIGHBORS spotlights achievements in the community. Please

direct noteworthy information to Christine Carrillo via fax at (949)

646-4170, or send e-mail to christine.carrillo@latimes.com.