Emerging Leader Award: Richard O'Reilly

in a City Council meeting Tuesday night awarded Richard O’Reilly of Spyder Surf its 2011 Emerging Leader Award.

This is the second year in a row that the group has presented such an award to a person in the community, said president Ryan Nowicki.

"I’m overwhelmed, I’m flattered," O’Reilly said while receiving the award and recognition from the council.

He added that during the years he has been involved in the city and Chamber of Commerce, he has been really impressed by his fellow community members.

O'Reilly in 1993 helped start and run the South Bay High School Surf League. He was a Catalina Classic paddleboard marathon committee member 2006 to 2009. He also is a founding board of directors member of the South Bay Boardriders Club.

O'Reilly joined the Chamber of Commerce board of directors in 1997, then the executive board in 2008. He joined the Hermosa Beach Little League board of directors in 2006 (and was a coach), then the executive board in 2008.

The Emerging Leader Award selection committee consisted of Mayor Howard Fishman, Chairperson Dorothy M. Forba, Nonprofit Representative Corinne Ybarra, Leadership Hermosa Beach class of 2011 graduate Kimberly Barbis, and the 2010 award recipient Ken Hartley.

Patch would like to say congratulations!