Howard Sadamoto gets the City Manager Leadership Award for July

Assistant City Manager Tammy Letourneau presented Public Services maintenance worker Howard Sadomoto with the City Manager Leadership Award for July at the monthly Meet and Greet employee event on Thursday July 26.

“Howard has always been someone you can depend on to get the job done with professionalism and courtesy,” Letourneau said. “He is a great example for all employees to follow and has been since he first became a member of the City family.”

Sadamoto began his career at the City of Costa Mesa in 1996 as a part-time maintenance assistant and later worked as a part-time custodian for Parks & Community Services. This position was later absorbed by the maintenance department in 2001, and at that time Sadamoto was promoted to full-time status.

Prior to joining the City of Costa Mesa, Sadamoto was employed as a middle school teacher, a Brink’s armored transport guard, a steam line plant worker, a Los Angeles Department of Water & Power worker and a health inspector for Los Angeles County, where he inspected restaurants and markets for compliance.

Sadamoto is as avid sports fan and enjoys watching the Lakers, Dodgers and UCLA Basketball. He has been a UCLA basketball season ticket holder since 1980 and has not missed a home game since the 1980 season.

Sadamoto, who grew up in the Boyle Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles, has a bachelor’s degree in biology from USC.

In addition to honoring Sadamoto, Letourneau celebrated several new employees, newly promoted employees and one employee who is retiring.

Kiera Pascua is a new intern in the Development Services Department. In Finance, Cassandra Burkhart is the new Executive Secretary, Jackqueline Nguyen is a new Accounting Specialist I and Kelly Telford is the Finance Director. In the Parks & Community Services Department,

Katie Hernandez, Kelly Hughes, Sergio Lugo and Kalani Lopez are all new Recreation Leaders II and Kristina Roche is the new Sr. Lifeguard.

In the Police Department, Katharine Pancescu is a new Police Records Technician and Jeffrey Vaughn a Property/Evidence Specialist, and in the Parks & Community Services, Victor Castillo and Yesennia Villa were promoted to Instructor Guard and Annie Sumioka to Recreation Specialist.

Finally, Letourneau congratulated Assistant Finance Director Colleen O’Donoghue on her upcoming retirement. O’Donoghue has had a 33-year career in accounting, 14 and half of those with the City of Costa Mesa. Letourneau thanked O’Donoghue for delaying her retirement by several months to help out in Finance as it was short on personnel.