Awards Gala will be held December 17 at 5:30pm
The Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce, from Goleta to Carpinteria, is excited to announce the 2022 Goleta’s Finest Award Winners. Goleta’s Finest is a 72-year-old tradition honoring remarkable individuals whose contributions have enhanced the Goleta community.
“The Goleta community has a rich history of volunteerism and philanthropy, and we are eager to honor those individuals and organizations who have made such remarkable impacts in the community,” said Kristen Miller, President & CEO of the Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce.
The 2022 award recipients will be honored at a formal celebration on December 17, 5:30-9:00 PM, at the beautiful Ritz-Carlton Bacara (8301 Hollister Avenue). The evening will include dinner followed by the awards ceremony.
The 2022 Goleta’s Finest Award Recipients are:
Woman of the Year: Sachi Thompson is a woman leader in tech, a community champion, an empathetic and effective manager, and an inspiration to her team of professionals.
Man of the Year: Brian Borgatello and his family have lived in Goleta for decades. Brian is President of MarBorg Industries, a multi-generational family business on the South Coast since 1937, with nearly 500 employees.
Lifetime Achievement Recognition: Jean Blois has spent a lifetime giving back to her community. Endless hours, expertise, advocacy, investment, volunteerism, philanthropy, and her big heart, have made Goleta a better place.
Educator of the Year: Dare Holdren, a San Marcos High School graduate and member of its Athletics Hall of Fame, has spent more than 20 years in different capacities within the Santa Barbara Unified School district.
Students of the Year: Founders of the Youth Makers Market, sisters Aaliyah and Bella Rubio identified a unique way for youth to learn about working and being an entrepreneur.
Volunteer of the Year: Jack Turney is a member of the Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital (GVCH) Foundation Board and has been involved with Cottage Health for 18 years serving over 5,111 hours of service as a volunteer.
Innovator of the Year: Santa Barbara County Co-Response Team; Two local agencies have come together to solve an intense community problem and their innovation and dedication have made a big difference in the Goleta community. The Sheriff’s department partnered with the County Behavioral Sciences Unit to create what is called “co-response” so that when an emergency call is made for assistance from someone in the community, and there is evidence of a mental health crisis involved, a specially trained deputy and a mental health case worker respond together on the scene to address the situation.
Non-Profit Organization of the Year: For more than 30 years, the Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network has been saving and helping wild animals from all over Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.
Special Recognition Award: The Goleta Lemon Festival’s successful return this past September for its 29th year would not have been possible without the return of the Lemon Festival Volunteer Committee.
Way to go Goleta! #GoodLandGoodPeople
Purchase your ticket to the event https://sbscchamber.com/event/goletas-finest/.