Rodney L. Fleeman Ph.D. has been named...

Rodney L. Fleeman Ph.D. has been named dean of research, planning and development for El Camino College. Fleeman, 44, was previously with Chadron State College, Chadron, Neb., where his duties included administration of federal grants and identification of other funding sources. He was also assistant to the president.

Doug Hendershot, an eighth-grade student at Calvary Baptist School of Gardena, is the regional spelling champion of the Assn. of Christian Schools International. He won the South Bay District spelling bee, then advanced to the Region 6 competition (Southern California and Southern Nevada) bee. He won over 27 other students by correctly spelling the words dulcimer and duologue . He will compete in the national competition in Washington on May 19.

Carrie King, daughter of Ken and Gwen King and a senior at South High School in Torrance, has been named one of about 1,500 national semifinalists in the 1990 Presidential Scholars Program. The seniors were selected from about 11,000 students who were identified as potential candidates for the program on the basis of exceptional scholastic achievement. The names of 500 finalists will be announced in April. In early May, the White House will announce the names of 141 Presidential Scholars who will be invited to Washington June 16-20 for National Recognition Week. There, they will receive the Presidential Scholar medallion at a White House ceremony and participate in activities with their elected representatives and others in public life.

Two Westchester High School students, Michael Furness and Stephanie Liu, have been selected as finalists in the National Merit Scholarship Program. They are part of a group of 14,000 students, representing less than half of 1% of American high school seniors. About 6,100 finalists for various scholarships will be selected from this group. Furness and Liu are being considered for one of 1,800 National Merit $2,000 scholarships. The program operates without government funding. It is privately financed by grants from more than 600 independent sponsors who share the goals of the National Merit Scholarship Corp.

Earl Brown, former superintendent of Redondo Beach schools, was recently honored by the California Retired Teachers Assn. for his 12 years’ service as legislative chairman. He received a plaque from E. Ross Harrington, president of the South Bay Division of the association.

Former Torrance Mayor James Armstrong of Real Property Resources has been appointed to the board of directors of the Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce, according to an announcement by chamber President Kevin Peterson. Other new appointees are Matt Gerlach of Torrance Memorial Hospital, Carolin Lott of Epson America and James Roberts of Hughes Aircraft Co.

Torrance chamber President Kevin Peterson also announced that Lisa McGettrick has been hired as manager of the Torrance Visitors Bureau and assistant manager of the chamber. McGettrick had been manager of business development for Wichita/Sedgwick County Partnership for Growth, a nonprofit economic development organization in Wichita, Kan.

Dr. Richard C. Orselli has been named director of the department of pathology at South Bay Hospital in Redondo Beach. Formerly acting director of the department, he has been affiliated with the hospital since 1969. Orselli conducted his internship at Michael Reese Hospital in Chicago and his residency at Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center, where he has served as an instructor in pathology for more than 15 years.

Watson Land Co., Arco Petroleum Products Co., Shell Oil Co. and Fletcher Oil Co. were recently recognized by the Carson City Council for serving as major supporters of this year’s Carson/Lomita/Torrance Private Industry Council Youth Employment Service (YES) program, aimed at placing youth in summer jobs with local employers. Pilar Perry of Watson Land Co. and Joe Serrato of Carson’s Job Clearinghouse, are co-chairmen of the city’s Employment Outreach Committee, formed to promote the YES program among Carson area employers.

Michael Artner of Bishop Montgomery High School in Torrance and Catherine Downard of Miraleste High School in Rancho Palos Verdes took top honors in a speech contest held for South Bay high schools by the Little Company of Mary Hospital chapter of the National Management Assn. The two winners and other participants gave speeches promoting an awareness and appreciation of the role of the free enterprise system in the United States. Artner, first-place winner, received a commemorative framed certificate and a check for $150. His school was given $100, which will be used by the speech department. Downard, second-place winner, was awarded $75 and a certificate. Miraleste High School received a check for $50.

California Water Service Co. has named four new managers to direct operations in its Hermosa-Redondo service area. They are: Torrance resident and former foreman and Supt. Terry Tamble, district manager; Don Jensen, formerly superintendent of distribution for the company’s Palos Verdes Peninsula district, general superintendent; South Bay resident Richard Mason, a company employee since 1978, superintendent of production, and Charles Leonard, formerly foreman in the Hermosa-Redondo District, superintendent of distribution.