2 women honored by legislators

Marisa O’Neil and Alicia Robinson

Two local women were honored this week by state legislators for their

contributions to the community.

Julie Beckman, a Costa Mesa police officer, and Carol Hoffman, a

land-use consultant and community volunteer from Newport Beach, were

named women of the year by Assemblymen Ken Maddox and John Campbell,

respectively.

The latest award just adds to the growing pile in the Beckman

household. Beckman won the 2003 Officer of the Year Award in

December, making her the first woman to receive the honor. Fellow

officer Paul Beckman, who is also her husband, won Supervisor of the

Year.

Then earlier this week, Julie Beckman got her award for District

Woman of the Year, named by 68th District Assemblyman Ken Maddox. Add

to those various trophies and medals for soccer and softball, and you

get a big pile of awards just waiting for a display case.

“We have a room we’re eventually going to put all our awards in,”

Paul Beckman said.

Julie Beckman, 32, flew to Sacramento on Monday to receive her

award on the Assembly floor. Women from each Senate and Assembly

district win the award each year.

Hoffman was also presented with her award at the capital on

Monday. She was honored to be among the many women who have helped

their communities, she said.

The award was started 18 years ago by women legislators. Now, any

member of the governing body can select nominees. Campbell said he

was pleased to continue the practice of recognizing women for their

contributions in their communities.

“They are making major contributions,” Hoffman said. “That’s why

it was such an honor to be chosen as woman of the year, because the

women that contribute to the community in our district are legion.”

Maddox, a former Tustin police officer and Los Angeles County

sheriff’s deputy, said he chose Julie Beckman for the award because

he wanted to put a face on law enforcement.

“Police officers are anonymous,” Maddox said. “Members of the

community sometimes just see the person in blue shoes who turns up to

make things better. They see the uniform, not the person in the

uniform.”

He also cited her position as a training officer, who helps shape

and mentor new recruits, as a reason for his selection. Julie

Beckman, a nine-year veteran of the force, has trained more than 50

officers in the department.

“She has personally recruited or trained half of the patrol

division,” Paul Beckman said. “She’s had a lot of influence on all

the employees at the organization.”

Campbell chose Hoffman as woman of the year because she has given

so much of her time to help various causes and groups.

“If you look at someone who has been involved in almost everything

in this community, it’s Carol,” Campbell said. “From her civic and

political involvement to environmental causes to charitable causes

for the needy, she’s just been a part of so much in this community.”

Hoffman serves on the board of Hoag Hospital and three of its

committees, the board of the Irvine Foundation, and the advisory

board of Families Forward, which provides housing for temporarily

homeless families. She also offers pro bono consulting for the Balboa

Theater Foundation and Habitat for Humanity.

She runs her own consulting business, Government Solutions, and

said she tries to provide a nurturing environment for the women who

work for her. Her maiden name is Mentor, a role she said she has

taken on in her life. One of her goals is to encourage other women to

participate in the community, she said.

“I kind of take that surname responsibility seriously,” she said.