North San Diego Business Chamber Announces Honoring Our Region’s Heroes Breakfast

For Immediate Release: August 30, 2023 

Contact: Chris Thorne 

Office (858) 487 1767 
Direct: (858) 217-8970 
Email: chris@sdbusinesschamber.com 

 

 

 


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
 

North San Diego Business Chamber Announces Honoring Our Region’s Heroes Awards and breakfast, Sept. 14 
 

Hear 13 miraculous stories of heroism in the San Diego community 


August 30, 2023 
 

San Diego – North San Diego Business Chamber will hold the Honoring Our Region’s Heroes Breakfast on Thursday, September 14th, 2023. This eleventh annual event honors the public safety officers who have selflessly gone above and beyond the call of duty to keep the San Diego County and region safe. 
 

The region’s leaders in the public safety field, such as San Diego County Chiefs and Sherrif Association President Roxana Kennedy and San Diego Fire-Rescue Department Chief Colin Stowell, will host the event as well as introduce our region’s heroes and their miraculous stories. 
 

Honoring Our Region’s Heroes is the most highly anticipated event of the year, and it is held at the beautiful San Diego Zoo Safari Park in Escondido. Attendees will hear captivating stories of law enforcement and firefighters saving lives and bringing criminals to justice to protect the communities we live and work in every day. For $49, attendees will also enjoy a delicious breakfast buffet and admission to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park after the duration of the event. 
 

Platinum sponsors SDG&E and Bill Howe Plumbing will present awards to the 13 heroic honorees, along with our hosts.  
 

We look forward to recognizing the following 13 stories. Find a brief summary of each story below: 
 

1. Special Investigations Unit 
Escondido Police Department 

Officers respond to a fatal overdose and ultimately remove a dangerous drug dealer off the Escondido streets. 
 

2. Police Officer Malcom Cisneros
Oceanside Police Department 

Officer Cisneros joins in the deadly pursuit of a murderer, refusing to back down even when the suspect continuously fired at officers.
 

3. Police Officer Eugene Wheeldon 
Port of San Diego Harbor Police 

Officer Wheeldon singlehandedly finds housing for eight houseless individuals, often securing them jobs and strengthening their chance of success in life off the streets. 
 

4. Deputy Sheriffs Kakkar, Oliver, and Sanchez 
San Diego Sheriff's Department 

Deputies locate an individual having a medical emergency outside of the San Diego Central Jail and save their life. What deputies did not know at the time was that the individual was on their way to visit an incarcerated person inside the jail with plans to potentially distribute narcotics amongst the inmates. 
 

5. District Attorney Investigators Christopher Raagas, Donte Kendricks, Monty Stevens 
San Diego County District Attorney's Office 

District Attorney Investigators discover a male experiencing a possible fentanyl overdose just before it is too late. 
 

6. National City Detectives  
National City Police Department 

National City Police detectives Quiroga, Cardoza, Sabala investigate a horrific Halloween murder.
 

7. Department has chosen to opt out of sharing story with the media.

 

8. Community Relations Officer Jessica Thrift
San Diego Police Department 

Community Relations Officer Thrift works tirelessly to ensure our beautiful beach areas and beyond remain a safe place for all. 
 

9. Property Crimes Detective Jackie Pacheco 
Carlsbad Police Department. 

Detective Pacheco creates a task force that identifies a crime group responsible for forty-five burglary cases in San Diego County. 
 

10. Fire Captain Chris Troncone 
San Diego Fire - Rescue Department 

Captain Troncone intervenes and comforts a young person suspended above a 50-foot drop to the busy freeway below after she has thoughts about ending her life. 
 

11. Public Safety Officer Gregory Adrian 
Valley View Casino & Hotel  

After being wanted for an attempted homicide for nearly one year, the suspect is identified and located by Officer Adrian. 
 

12. Supervisory Agent Brandon Adams and Agent Andres Briseno 
U.S. Border Patrol, Newton - Azrak Station. 

Supervisory Agent Adams and Agent Briseno provide life saving measures to a driver in a traffic collision, injuring themselves in the process. 

13. Officer Donald Truong - Chula Vista Police Department
Officer Truong is a five-year veteran of the department, utilizing proactive policing efforts to take illegal weapons and more off of our streets.
 

Media is invited to provide coverage of this event in person via live, recorded, or print media. For media inquiries, please contact CEO Chris Thorne at chris@sdbusinesschamber.com.   
 

Attendee reregistration is required. For more information and registration, visit sdbusinesschamber.com, email hannah@sdbusinesschamber.com or call (858) 487 – 1767. 
 

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