Trio picked for induction into Poway High School Titan Hall of Fame

Three more Titans will join Poway High School’s Titan Hall of Fame this year.

The Poway High School Alumni Association has named its honorees for the hall of fame for 2015: Joan Samuelson, Jim Kempton and Charley Hoffman.

The three alumni will be honored at a dinner from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Saturday, May 30 at The Country Club of Rancho Bernardo, 12280 Greens East Road. Tickets are $35 and are available online at powayhighfoundation.org/hall-of-fame.html. The event includes a buffet dinner and a no-host bar.

The Titan Hall of Fame seeks to recognize and celebrate PHS graduates who exemplify the mission, goals, and values of the school and who have made significant contributions and achievements in academics, business, the arts, community service, public service, science, or athletics since graduating.

Samuelson, Kempton and Hoffman join several other distinguished PHS graduates who were honored in previous years, including former Poway mayor Don Higginson, NBA player Jud Buechler, former Miss America Kellye Cash, biotechnology pioneer David Goeddel and many more.

Joan Samuelson, class of 1968, is being honored for her contributions in the fields of Parkinson’s disease research and advancements.

She founded the Parkinson’s Action Network (PAN) in 1991, four years after being diagnosed with the disease herself. Now a leading Parkinson’s advocacy network, Samuelson has lobbied Congress and worked with surgeons to ensure the passage of an initiative that supports stem cell research for Parkinson’s, and was appointed to the board of the new California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, where she served as patient advocate.

Jim Kempton, class of 1969, is being honored for his contributions in the field of journalism as the editor of Surfer Magazine.

Kempton became editor of Surfer Magazine in 1978 and served in the position for five years, during the magazine’s most impactful period. Since then, he’s worked at TransWorld Publishing as a publisher and editor, Quiksilver Crossing as the director, and Billabong, surfing’s top lifestyle brand, as the media director.

Currently, he writes an editorial column which is carried by three regional newspapers, and he is a contributing writer for national and international surfing publications.

Charley Hoffman, class of 1995, is being honored for his contributions in the field of professional sports as a professional golfer.

He became a professional golfer in 2000 and has since won three PGA Tour tournaments, including the 2015 OHL Classic at Mayakoba, and he has finished in the top ten in 36 PGA Tour tournaments. He has earned more than $17 million during his career.

Hoffman has used some of those winnings to found and run the Charley Hoffman Foundation (CHF), a nonprofit organization benefiting kids all over San Diego and Las Vegas.