CPP Honors 2026 Distinguished Alumni
A lawyer who is also a certified sommelier. A former college baseball player turned farmer. A communication graduate who worked her way up to television executive.
The 2026 Distinguished Alumni Awards Gala honored 10 recipients whose impressive accomplishments span diverse fields and whose commitment to serving their communities and giving back to Cal Poly Pomona is equally inspiring.
The Distinguished Alumni Awards Gala, held Oct.16 at the Pacific Palms Resort in the City of Industry, returned after a two-year hiatus. Azalea Iñiguez, an investigative reporter for Telemundo 52 served as the master of ceremonies. The university honored alumni representing eight colleges and the athletics department.
Attorney John Resich (’69, finance real estate and law) received the Lifetime Achievement Award. Resich has built a successful law practice, contributed to the development of Green Hills Memorial Park, pursued his passion for ranching and agriculture and served the university on the Huntley College of Agriculture Board of Advisors and the Cal Poly Pomona Philanthropic Foundation Board.
“I have been very successful in my life. It gives me the feeling of wanting other people to have that same feeling,” Resich said in his Alumni Awards Gala video. “Giving back is part of it. It’s not just financial. It’s talking to students, giving them insight on how they can achieve success. I’m humbled by all of this.”
Resich arrived at Cal Poly Pomona as a “bewildered freshman and graduated as a confident senior.”
The university’s learn-by-doing philosophy prepared him for a career built on practical experience, while the diversity on campus broadened his perspective.
“When I came to Cal Poly Pomona, it was the excitement of a different experience,” Resich said. “I was given an opportunity to see a lot of different cultures, students from different walks of life, and it expanded my horizons.”
The 2026 honorees are:
John Resich (’69, finance real estate and law), Lifetime Achievement Award
Danny Andrews (’90, food marketing and agribusiness management) Don B. Huntley College of Agriculture
Lizette Carbajal (’01, communication) College of Letters, Arts, and Social Sciences
Michelle A. Chen (’16, hotel and restaurant management) The Collins College of Hospitality Management
Janetta Dismuke Page (’97, liberal studies and ’24 doctorate in educational leadership) College of Education and Integrative Studies
Alexis Gevorgian (’90, urban and regional planning) College of Environmental Design
David Loud (’88, communication) Intercollegiate Athletics
Mary O’Neil (’71, mathematics and ’73, master’s degree in mathematics) College of Science
Eric E. Schmidt (’92, aerospace engineering) College of Engineering
Jayson Yardley (’98, master’s degree in business administration) College of Business Administration
Learn more about the honorees through the Alumni and External Relations website.
See highlights of the event and the most recent updates and news by following @CPPAlumni on Instagram.