Michael Baker was awarded the Chief Executive Officer of the Year award by the Coastal Area Council of Boys & Girls Clubs. Baker was selected for the award by his peers.
Baker has been working for Boys & Girls Clubs for 36 years, and has been with the United Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Barbara County for the last nine years.
Before working for United Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Barbara County, Baker was the executive director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Anaheim for nearly 15 years.
Baker has often said that coming to the United Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Barbara County was the best decision he has made in his career.
“I am very humbled by this award,” Baker said. “It is an honor to be the CEO of this organization, and I have a very supportive board of directors and incredibly talented staff that deserve a great deal of the credit.”
“Michael is very dedicated to the work he does and we are very happy that he received this well-deserved recognition,” said Nicholas Behrman, board chairman.
Asked what winning the award means to him, Baker said, “Being chosen by your peers means the world to me. I respect the people that do this work so very much and for them to choose me for this honor is honestly.”
Founded in downtown Santa Barbara in 1938, United Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Barbara County has grown to offer programming in Lompoc, Goleta, Westside Santa Barbara, Carpinteria, Buellton and Solvang. The organization had 3,875 members in 2023.