For Immediate Release Contact:Paulette Thornton

323.295.0642

At-Risk Youth, Adult WorkersRecognized for Exceptional Job Performances

at PVJOBS Spectrum of Possibilities Awards Event

GH Palmer and PVJOBS Founding Boardalso Honored

for Supporting Hiring Programs Benefiting theAt-Risk Community

Los Angeles—October 21, 2013—Four at-risk youth and adults were recognized for their outstanding job performances at the recent PVJOBS Spectrum of Possibilities awards event. These disadvantaged individuals—including a military veteran—landed their job assignments through PVJOBS, a nationally acclaimed nonprofit that matches construction job opportunities with workers who are considered at-risk residents.

The awards event also recognized GH Palmer Associates for exceeding goals of its disadvantaged and local worker hiring program for The Lorenzo Project, a multi-million dollar development project near USC. A final award was presented to the PVJOBS founding board members for their work in creating the job program 15 years ago.About 350business, labor and community service representatives attended the event, which was held at the Center at CathedralPlaza in downtown Los Angeles.

Several award recipients earned perfect scores for their job performances rated by their construction employers. All of the award recipients are considered at-risk individuals who have turned around their lives largely due to the job program. They are: Rocky Sutton, Core Worker of the Year; Larry Hooks, Veteran Worker of the Year; Mario Arano, Intern of the Year; and Eduardo Martinez, Positive Pathways Program Worker of the Year.

Rocky Sutton’s brief prison sentence made it difficult for him to find work until PVJOBS referred him to a job assignment working on the water installation crew for GJM Engineering, a position he’s held for more than a year. A father of a four-year-old son, Sutton hopes to parlay his work experience to someday head his own plumbing business after earning his plumbing license. Larry Hooks, a military veteran who also once served a brief prison sentence, struggled to make ends meet as he worked odd jobs to support his wife and two sons. After landing a telecommunications technician job through PVJOBS last year, Hooks is now building a new profession while earning a good living for his family.

East Los AngelesCollege student Mario Arano is gaining real world career experience while working at the e7 Architecture Studio. Operated by PVJOBS and funded by the Los Angeles Community College District, the paid internship enables Arano to earn a living as he pursues a career in architecture. Eighteen-year-old Eduardo Martinez was expelled from three high schools before PVJOBS enrolled him in the Positive Pathways Program, a mentoring and job training program for at-risk youth. Since becoming a program participant, Martinez has steadily worked two part-time jobs while enrolled in an auto tech class at the MaxineWatersEmploymentPreparationCenter.

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At-Risk Individuals Recognized at PVJOBS Awards Event

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PVJOBS is a nationally recognized nonprofit organization that works with major construction projects, unions and more than 100 community-based organizationstomatch job opportunities with workers who are considered at-risk residents.These at-risk youth and adults have either come from single-parent homes; have been welfare recipients; did not complete high school; have former gang affiliations; endured homelessness; or have been incarcerated. PVJOBS has nearly 10,000 active, job-ready candidates in its database. Since its formation in 1998, PVJOBS has filled more than 4,700 positions, maintaining a retention rate of 90%.For more information, visit

Photo #1 Caption: (Foreground) Veteran of the Year award recipient Larry Hooks graciously accepts his award as(from far left) PVJOBS Board President Jim Bickhart and PVJOBS Executive Director Ernest Roberts look on.

Photo #2 Caption: Pictured at the PVJOBS awards event are (from left) Veteran of the Year award recipient Larry Hooks; PVJOBS Executive Director Ernest Roberts; Intern of the Year Mario Arano; Positive Pathways Program Worker Eduardo Martinez; PVJOBS Board President Jim Bickhart; Core Worker of the Year Rocky Sutton; Sutton’s four-year-old son Malik; and GH Palmer Vice President of Development Greg Smith.

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