The USC Alumni Awards were held on April 27, 2013 and celebrated the accomplishments and service of USC alumni in the Trojan Family.
Newly named USC Trustee Frank Fertitta III was honored with the Asa V. Call Alumni Achievement Award. Fertitta is chairman and CEO of Las Vegas-based Fertitta Entertainment, a resort and casino development and management company, and of Station Casinos, one of the largest gaming companies in the United States. Fertitta is also a founder and principal owner of Zuffa LLC, a company that owns and operates the Ultimate Fightin Championship (UFC). Fertitta and his wife, Jill, recently made a naming gift to the USC Marshall School of Business for a state-of-the-art building—Jill and Frank Fertitta Hall—dedicated to the school’s undergraduate programs.
Six -time Olympic medalist Rebecca Soni was honored with the Young Alumni Merit Award. Soni is a world-class swimmer whose most recent accomplishment is winning two gold medals and a silver medal at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.
Geraldine Knatz, executive director of the Port of Los Angeles, and Mark Ridley-Thomas, the supervisor of Los Angeles Country 2nd District, were honored with the Alumni Merit Awards. USC honored three members of The Trojan Family for their longstanding commitment and service to the university: Barbara Cotler, who serves on the USC Athletics board of counselors and the executive board of the Spirit of Troy; Linda Givvin, the past president of Town and Gown and a member of the USC Alumni Association Board of Governors; and Jerry Neely, a USC Trustee and mentor at the USC Marshall School of Business.