Hanford Vice Mayor Marcelyn M. Buford and President John Welty of California State University, Fresno, were honored Wednesday for their contributions to the community.
Buford received the Rose Ann Vuich Ethical Leadership Award at a luncheon in downtown Fresno. She said it has been her goal to create a better community.

"I think Hanford's a great town, and there's no way that happens without many hands involved," Buford said.

Welty received the Fresno Business Council's Excellence in Public Service Award. In his comments, Welty also shared credit with others.

"I'm really humbled because there's so many people in this room and students and faculty that should be honored for their service in our community," Welty said.

The luncheon and the awards were sponsored by Kenneth L. Maddy Institute, Fresno Business Council and The Fresno Bee.

More than 350 attended the luncheon at the Robert A. Schoettler Conference Center next to the Radisson Hotel.

The Vuich award is named for a state legislator from Dinuba who died in 2001. It honors an elected official who displays characteristics that marked Vuich's 16-year career in the state Senate.

Former state Sen. Jim Costa, who served for years in the state Legislature with Vuich, said she taught him the value of common sense, staying the course and ethical leadership.

"It didn't matter if you were on the farm or if you were in the California state Senate in those august chambers," Costa said. "Ethical behavior was ethical behavior."

Costa praised Buford and Welty for displaying Vuich's qualities.

Judge Robert Oliver praised Buford for her integrity, strength of character and vision of enhancing the community.

He also lauded her for giving the same answer to the same question regardless of the audience.

Business Council President Ken Newby praised Welty for diversifying the student body to look more like the Valley, bringing innovation to the campus and bringing instruction for real-world issues.

He also commended Welty for his work on the Business Council and for his efforts to improve the central San Joaquin Valley's economy.

In her comments, Buford spoke of the need for individuals to make a community a "better place to live for everyone."

Welty told the luncheon crowd that too many people worry about their own interests instead of finding solutions to the problems of the state. He urged people to come together to create a better community.