“I see this as a team award rather than an individual honor,” said Huntington Beach Firefighter/Paramedic Kyle Ferguson, and that sentiment pretty much set the tone for the afternoon.
Nuvision Credit Union hosted its annual First Responders Appreciation Luncheon on October 6 at the Huntington Beach Police Department, a few weeks ahead of National First Responders Day on October 28. The credit union supplied lunch and refreshments for more than 270 police, fire and public safety personnel. Nobody had to eat at their desk, which in this line of work counts as a small miracle.
The main event was the Nuvision Heroes Awards, which went to three Huntington Beach standouts: Police Officer Jonathan O’Hearn, named Officer of the Year; Firefighter/Paramedic Kyle Ferguson, named Firefighter of the Year; and Marine Safety Captain Leslie Schwene, named Marine Safety Officer of the Year.
Roger Ballard, President and CEO of Nuvision, said the day is a chance to thank people who “work tirelessly to keep our communities safe.” He added that first responders “are there when we need them most, often putting their own safety at risk to protect others.” The luncheon, he said, was a way to thank them in person and to recognize Jonathan, Kyle and Leslie as Nuvision Heroes.
O’Hearn framed his work as a way of giving back to a community that has given him a lot. He was quick to spread the credit around. “Being honored by Nuvision is really a testament to the kind of officers we have in our department,” he said, adding that he works beside officers, firefighters and marine safety personnel who deserve recognition just as much.
Ferguson’s path has deep local roots. His father started as a Huntington Beach firefighter in 1981, and Ferguson now carries that family legacy forward. He thanked Nuvision for its support and the many people who helped him get here, calling it a privilege to represent “the amazing people I serve alongside and those who served before me.”
Schwene’s story begins at age nine, when she joined the Huntington Beach Junior Lifeguard program. Today she oversees it as captain. In 2022 she became the city’s first female Marine Safety Captain. Her award lands at a timely moment, as Southern California coastal communities keep dealing with stretches of hazardous surf and dangerous rip currents, the kind of conditions that make marine safety crews indispensable.
“I grew up in Huntington Beach, starting in the Junior Lifeguard program as a little girl, and now I have the privilege of serving the community I love,” Schwene said. She called mentoring young people a big part of her story and said she hopes little girls can look at her and think, “I can do that, too.”
The luncheon fits with Nuvision’s longstanding support for local responders. Through its NuvisionCares initiatives, community partnerships and recognition events, the credit union also celebrates military personnel and veterans. Expect more of the same: National First Responders Day is just around the corner, and next year’s luncheon will bring a fresh round of Nuvision Heroes to the podium.