Two men and a woman who have quietly worked to better the Santa Maria Valley were recognized Thursday night along with a pair of nonprofit organizations with completely different — but still vital — roles in the community.

The Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce‘s annual awards gala was held at Allan Hancock College’s new Fine Arts Complex and its Boyd Concert Hall.

Receiving the 2023 Robert F. Grogan Public Service Award was Mike Grogan, and Jim Bray accepted the 2023 Robert P. Hatch Citizen of the Year Award.

Grogan, who retired this year as a student housing technician for the Santa Maria Bonita-School District, received an award named for his father. Robert “Bob Grogan” had worked as a longtime city manager for Santa Maria and, after his retirement, served as interim city manager for nearby communities.

Mike Grogan’s role with school district for more than two decades didn’t place him in the spotlight like past winners of the award, but the impact of his work remains evident in the community, Hancock Superintendent/President Kevin Walthers said.

“Over 20 years, he has been instrumental in getting seven new schools with over 250 new classrooms built for our children,” Walthers said.

Phil Alvarado, a retired Santa Maria-Bonita superintendent, said Grogan had a special quality that was both inherent and inherited since his parents, Bob and Agnes Grogan, also were public servants.

“I know that they’re proud of the work he’s done. I know this community is, but the actual magnitude of what he’s done because he was such a quiet, silent, sincere leader, it will probably never truly be appreciated to the extent that it should be,” Alvarado said before offering, “Job well done, Michael. We couldn’t have done it without you.”

During those two decades, the district gained more 6,000 students.

“It was just an important project for the health of city, for the benefit of our families and students, and I was honored to be a part of the team that did that,” Grogan said.

Bray’s award noted his support for the Allan Hancock College Foundation, the PCPA, military and veterans issues, the Central Coast AirFest and more.

The award, named for a retired Chamber of Commerce leader, goes to a person “who exemplifies the spirit of Santa Maria,” according to Dominick Barry, a vice chairman for the chamber’s board.

“Great communities need leaders with a vision to identify opportunities and the tenacity to turn those opportunities into new program services, or assets,” Barry said.

Often, the leaders work behind the scenes and deflect to others any credit for the success of the programs they championed.

“This year’s recipient fits that mold. Known or not, his fingerprints are all over this community,” Barry said.

“In my eyes, the reason he’s such a good community leader and volunteer for Santa Maria is he’s just so passionate about what he does,” said Chris Kunkle of the Central Coast Jet Center and Central Coast AirFest. “He’s passionate about the community, the partners in it and how it all correlates together.”

In the night’s only surprise award, Victoria “Vicki” Conner from EconAlliance received the Chairman’s Award, or wildcard option, from Sandra Dickerson, past board chairman for the Chamber of Commerce.

“The Chairman’s’ Award is our wildcard award, and it gives us a chance to highlight an individual or program that has made a difference in the chamber and the community, but doesn’t perhaps fit well in our traditional award categories,” Dickerson said.

Many times, awards recognize a leader who is the face of the organization, Dickerson said, adding that some individuals operate behind the scenes serving as the backbone.

“This person has spent decades promoting economic vitality and growth in this region, bringing a true passion for promoting the industries and addressing business needs that help all us achieve that,” she said.

“Over the years, she has always insisted on staying in the background as  she does her tremendous volume of work,” Dickerson added, noting that Conner’s involvement has extended beyond the Central Coast.

Two organizations in the spotlight at the event were the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Center, which was named Tourism Partner of the Year, while Fighting Back Santa Maria Valley received the Nonprofit of the Year Award.

Other awards and recipients were: Ambassador of the Year to Sol Pacheco, Small Business of the Year to Wine Stone Inn, a boutique hotel in Old Town Orcutt, and Large Business of the Year to CalPortland.