Amidst glitz and glamour, surrounded by Academy Award-winning star Rita Moreno (West Side Story), Channel 5 anchor Kate Kelly, cultural & show business reporter Jan Wahl, and nearly 1000 other dignitaries and arts enthusiasts, CSI President Ashraf Habibullah was recognized for his outstanding support for the arts due to his extensive involvement with Diablo Ballet and the Engineers Alliance for the Arts.

Ashraf is the Co-founder and President Emeritus of the Diablo Ballet, a highly acclaimed; San Francisco Bay Area based Dance Company. He is also the Founder of the Engineers’ Alliance for the Arts, a sponsoring organization for the arts, organized and operated by engineers.

The Award Ceremony was sponsored by the San Francisco Business Arts Council and was held on January 14 at the St. Francis Hotel on Union Square in San Francisco.

Diablo Ballet Board President Mary Harkin, who was responsible for nominating Ashraf, presented the award to Ashraf following a glowing introduction by Kate Kelly.

“It is not very often that a Structural Engineer joins hands with a Ballerina to form a dance company that shakes up the dance world with its Creativity and Originality! I share this award with my friend, co-founder and Artistic Director of Diablo Ballet, Lauren Jonas!” remarked Ashraf.

“It is also not very often that a group of perceptive Structural Engineers join hands to form an organization that instills passion and enthusiasm in school children by introducing them to the artistic and creative aspect of Structural Engineering! I share this award with all of the Engineers that have helped create and sustain the Engineers Alliance for the Arts!”

Rita Moreno received the Cyril Magnin Lifetime Achievement Award. Other Cyril winners included Cheryl Moody of the Mill Valley Film Festival, the Hearts in San Francisco Project; Peet's Coffee & Tea, Landmark Theatres, Oberlin Dance Company (ODC) and SPARK.