On June 4, about 650 people gathered for the South Coast Business & Technology Awards, which celebrate South Coast innovators and raise funds for the Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara.
With leaders from every segment of the business community present, along with many government and nonprofit leaders, this is the premier networking event of the year. Celebrating its 25th anniversary, the event began with an extended reception in the Plaza del Sol at the Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort. Guests were then welcomed in the Grand Ballroom by Event Co-chairs Arnold Brier, Yardi Systems VP and general counsel, and Renee Grubb, Village Properties founder.
Scholarship Foundation Board Chair Don Logan remarked on how the awards program has partnered with the Scholarship Foundation since 2001 and generated more than $2 million in scholarships for Santa Barbara County students. In emphasizing the deserving nature of these students, he noted that this year the recipients have an average GPA of 3.91 and 52 percent of them are first generation college students. A recent recipient, Juliet Ho, shared her gratitude.