Integral to the annual Conference on Business & Ethics, each year two leaders from the business community are honored with the Bishop’s Award for Exemplary Business Integrity. Qualifications for this honor include:
- being a successfully recognized business person in the community
- current/retired CEO or being an owner or high-ranking executive in a company with a large number of employees
- a dedication to ethical business practices
- demonstrating a positive example of ethical practice in all aspects of his or her life
- having a well-established record of exhibiting ethical leadership qualities. This includes having a history of treating employees fairly.
- being a practicing Catholic
Benjamin Du
Benjamin Du, an immigrant from the Philippines, founded two successful manufacturing businesses. After receiving an engineering degree in the Philippines and working for a few years, Ben decided to pursue a master’s in Business Administration degree in the U.S.
In 1967, along with his wife, Carmela, they moved to California where Ben worked in the aerospace industry while completing his Master’s program.
Ben worked for various engineering firms in Southern California and in 1975 he founded Flojet Corporation to design and manufacture small positive displacement pumps. In 1999, Ben decided to sell Flojet Corporation and retire, but his retirement didn’t last long. An opportunity came to invest with one of his Chinese suppliers, Providence Enterprise Limited. In 2018, Providence Enterprise was sold to a private equity firm with Ben finally retiring.
Ben serves on the board of Hoag Hospital Foundation and was a former member of the board of the Performing Arts Center (now Segerstrom Center For the Arts), UC Irvine Foundation and Boys Hope / Girls Hope.
Ben has been married to Carmela Du for 55 years. They divide their time between their homes in Newport Beach and Maui, Hawaii. He and Carmela enjoy traveling, supporting philanthropic programs in the community focusing on health, arts, education and religious development. They also enjoy spending time with their daughter, Lizette, son-in-law, Chris Pribus and granddaughters Cristiana and Jessica.
Timothy Psomas
Tim Psomas grew up in Los Angeles, attending Transfiguration Grammar School and Mt. Carmel High School. Upon graduation from Loyola Marymount University he joined his father’s engineering firm, Psomas, and eventually led the growth and diversification of the company throughout California and the Western U.S. He was also founding chairman of Digital Map Products, a SaaS real estate information company. He is past national chairman of The American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) and was a founder and national chairman of the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure (ISI).
Tim currently serves as a director of several private companies including engineering, technology startup and professional services firms. He served as a trustee at LMU for three terms, as a member of the Board of Regents and as President of the Alumni Association. Tim is a member of Order of Malta, Orange County location, where he coordinates math tutoring for construction technology students at Taller San Jose. He served on the Construction Oversight Committee of Christ Cathedral and is currently chairman of the Real Estate and Asset Management Committee for the Diocese.
He chairs the 2021 Feasibility Study Committee for Cristo Rey Orange County High School with the intent to provide under-served students with a Catholic College Preparatory education and four years of workforce participation experience.
He and his wife Alanna attend St. John Vianney Chapel on Balboa Island, where they raised their four adult children. Tim enjoys sailing, especially with son Mike and other family members. Tim and Alanna are blessed with nine grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
PREVIOUS HONOREES
2019 Tanya Domier: Advantage Solutions / Joe Perricone: Perricone Juices
2018 Timothy Buckley: Vintage Design, Inc. and NuWood Design / Timothy Strader: Starpointe Ventures
2017 Annette Walker: St. Joseph Health / Christopher Furman: Ventura Foods
2016 Rand Sperry: Sperry Equities / Marie Gray: St. John Knits and Grayse
2015 Richard Heim: Clark Construction / S. Paul Musco: Gemini Industries and Relief Pod International
2014 Tim LeVecke: LeVecke Corporation / Lucy Dunn: Orange County Business Council
2013 Rick Muth: Orco Block Company / Rob Neal: Hager Pacific Properties
2012 Frank Kavanaugh: Fort Ashford Holdings, LLC / Randy Redwitz: Robert R. Redwitz & Co.
2011 Dr. Jacqueline DuPont: DuPont Residential Care / John O’Connor: Shamrock Supply Company
2010 Dr. Huan Le: Westminster Medical Center / Isabelle Villasenor: Dejon Enterprises
2009 Timothy Busch: The Busch Firm / Theresa Morrison: Cagney Enterprises
2008 Mike Joseph: Dacor / Deborah Proctor: St. Joseph Health System
2007 Terrance Barry: The Barry Company / Pat Ortiz: Ortiz Enterprises
2006 Ken Tait: Tait and Associates
2005 Arthur Birtcher: Birtcher Anderson / Gabriel Ferrucci: Ferrucci Properties LLC
2004 Frank Quevedo: Southern California Edison / Thomas Tracy (deceased): Tracy Industries
2003 Carl Karcher (deceased): Carl’s Jr. / Peter Muth (deceased): Orco Block