Award winners Mike Pfau, left, Jeff DeVine, Alana Walczak, Kevin O’Connor and Steve Zahn. (Isaac Hernandez )

Several prominent organizations and individuals were honored at the 2019 South Coast Business & Technology Awards ceremony June 4 at the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort.

A benefit for the Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara, this year’s ceremony grossed more than $300,000, an all-time high. Now in their 25th year, the awards celebrate innovation, leadership and success in the area’s business and technology sectors.

“Since 2001, South Coast Business & Technology Awards ceremonies have provided more than $2 million to some 900 students pursuing degrees in business and technology-related fields,” said Victoria Juarez, president/CEO of the Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara.

“We are very grateful for such generous support from our local business and technology community,” she said.

About 650 people attended the event. Serving as steering committee co-chairs again this year were Arnold Brier, vice president and general counsel for Yardi Systems, and Renee Grubb, founder of Village Properties.

2019 South Coast Business & Technology Awards honorees:
•   Excellence in Service: CALM (Child Abuse Listening Mediation)
•   Entrepreneur of the Year: Kevin O’Connor
•   Company of the Year: Procore Technologies
•   Executive of the Year: Jeff DeVine (President and CEO of American Riviera Bank)
•   Pioneer Award: Attorney Mike Pfau
•   Rising Stars: Apeel Sciences, Next Energy Technologies, and ParentSquare
 
The nonprofit Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara is the nation’s largest community-based provider of college scholarships, having cumulatively awarded in excess of $115 million to more than 50,000 county students since its founding in 1962.

For more information, visit www.sbscholarship.org.

— A benefit for the Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara, this year’s ceremony grossed more than $300,000, an all-time high.