Joni Meisel and Ernesto Paredes, the Santa Barbara Foundation’s 2018 Man and Woman of the Year honorees. 
Santa Barbara Foundation board vice chairwoman Pamela Gann prepares to open the program. 
Santa Barbara Foundation President/CEO Ron Gallo with past Woman of the Year honoree Maryan Schall. 
Laura Capps, left, and her mother, former Congresswoman Lois Capps. 
Pete Jordano, left, with sponsor Ed Stonefelt. 
Retired attorney Jerry Parent, left, with Janet Garufis, president and CEO of sponsor Montecito Bank & Trust. 
Ben Romo, left, David Edelman and Dave Clark, president of Impulse Advanced Communications. 
Honoree Ernesto Paredes’ daughter, Reyna, with presenter Seth Streeter. 
Past Woman of the Year honoree Carol Doane with Goleta Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Kristen Miller. 
Noozhawk’s Sheridan Taphorn and Kim Clark with Rene Grubb. 
A sold-out crowd fills the Coral Casino at the Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore.
The Santa Barbara Foundation honored 2018 Man & Woman of the Year awardees Ernesto Paredes and Joni Meisel at its 75th annual festive luncheon held Wednesday at the Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore's Coral Casino.
Hundreds of locals crowded onto the outdoor patio to enjoy the hazy ocean views and to catch up with old friends. Once settled into the ballroom, Santa Barbara Foundation board vice chairwoman Pamela Gann addressed the friendly crowd.
“All this hub-bub is a good thing! I am proud to open this event, now in its 75th year,” she said. “In our first year, we honored Harold Chase. Later, Dr. Pearl Chase became our first Woman of the Year. We continue to honor the history of volunteerism in our beautiful community. Since colonial days, our country has celebrated the tradition of individual and nongovernmental entities joining together to create good.”
Gann lauded Premiere Legacy Gold sponsors Montecito Bank & Trust and the Santa Barbara Foundation, invitation sponsor Bryant & Sons Ltd. and media sponsor Noozhawk. She also asked the many past Man & Woman of the Year recipients in the audience to stand, which included Janet Garufis, Carol Doane, Maryan Schall, Jon Bull, Bob Bryant, Anne Smith Towbes and others.
Later, foundation President/CEO Ron Gallo reminded the audience that this year the foundation is celebrating its 90th birthday.
“Volunteerism is the purest expression of philanthropy,” he said. “It showcases the best of humanity.”
Noting the past year of recordbreaking wildfires and disastrous mud and debris slides, Gallo honored the efforts of the many volunteers who came together to help out neighbors in need. He gave a special shoutout, as well as a $10,000 donation check, to Jessica Powell and Abe Powell of the Santa Barbara Bucket Brigade, which started Jan. 28 with about 60 volunteers and now surpasses 3,000. Volunteers fanned out in Montecito to dig out mud and debris bucket by bucket after the twin disasters.
Following a lunch of salmon and sprouts, Seth Streeter took to the podium and introduced Paredes, his friend and fellow Gaucho.
“He is a wonderful father of two great kids, husband of 27 years to Jen, a six-time Iron Man, a mentor to many and a great volunteer,” Streeter said.
Upon accepting the award, Paredes said, “It’s an honor and a responsibility to walk among a forest of giants, which are the past recipients of this award. I am so humbled and grateful. My passion to serve came from my late father, Ernesto Sr., and my love for my community in its entirety, from my friends and Larry Crandell Sr.”
A Goleta native, Paredes has served as executive director of Easy Lift Transportation for 23 years and has volunteered for organizations such as CASA, Future Leaders of America, the Santa Barbara Executive Roundtable, United Boys & Girls Clubs and many others.
Former Man of the Year Steve Lyons presented the Woman of the Year award to Meisel.
“Joni is a servant leader,” he said. “She is known for promoting strong educational opportunities for youth and standing up for those in need of support, like the homeless and seniors. She has served on the board of CALM, the Santa Barbara Public Education Fund, the Anti-Defamation League and others.
“This award is such a sweet surprise. I am taken aback and so honored,” Meisel said. “I have learned as a volunteer leader that people support what they create, and I have tried to facilitate this. Today, I am especially concerned about the silver tsunami of vulnerable seniors and the lack of facilities and housing for them.”
Founded in 1928, the Santa Barbara Foundation is the largest community foundation in the region and the county’s go-to resource for investment and capacity-building, as well as a key convener of people and organizations.
Click here for more information about the foundation, or contact communications manager Jordan Killebrew at jkillebrew@sbfoundation.org or 805.963.1873.
— Noozhawk contributing writer Rochelle Rose can be reached at rrose@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkSociety, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Become a fan of Noozhawk on Facebook.