Community Awards & Recognition
Pearl Chase Historic Preservation and Conservation Award
Each year the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation seeks to present the Pearl Chase Historic Preservation and Conservation Award to a deserving community member or organization dedicated to the values that Dr. Chase stood for in the fields of historic preservation and conservation. This annual lifetime achievement award serves as a tribute to the life and work of Pearl Chase, the famous leader of community activism and preservation in Santa Barbara, and to the work that continues today as a result of the inspiration she provided.
Pearl Chase Historic Preservation and Conservation Awardees
1989 *Irene Suski Fendon
1990 *Robert O. Easton
1991 Mary Louise Days
1992 *Jean Storke Menzies
1993 *Ray Strong
1994 *Joyce Parkinson
1995 *James G. Mills, Pharm.D.
1996 *David Gebhard
1997 *Sue Higman
1998 *George and Vivian Obern
1999 *Elizabeth Erro Hvolboll
2000 *Jeremy D. Hass
2001 *Helen Schott Pedotti
2002 David H. Anderson
2003 City of Santa Barbara Redevelopment Agency
2004 *Louise Boucher
2006 *Maria Herold
2008 Milford Wayne Donaldson
2009 Glenn Price
2010 *Kellam de Forest
2011 *Francisco González
2012 Kathi Brewster
2013 Old Mission Santa Inés
2014 *Timothy Aguilar
2015 *Donald G. Sharpe
2018 Hutton Parker Foundation
2019 Judith Dodge Orias
2022 *M. Kay Van Horn
2023 *Elvira Tafoya
2024 Pam Post & Tim Hazeltine
George & Vivian Obern Preservation Stewardship Award
The George and Vivian Obern Preservation Stewardship Award recognizes individuals or organizations that demonstrate outstanding preservation work in connection with a specific project in and around Santa Barbara County. This prestigious award was named in honor of George and Vivian Obern in 2006 for their lifelong preservation work, including their successful efforts to save the Thomas Hope House (built 1875, added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978), condemned by the county of Santa Barbara but saved by the Oberns.
George and Vivian Obern Preservation Stewardship Awardees
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2002 Santa Barbara Foundation
2003 Palmer G. Jackson
2003 Nancy Luton Jackson
2004 Alan Eliot
2006 Santa Ynez Valley High School Environmental and Spatial Technologies Class
2006 Casa del Herrero Foundation
2007 Goleta Valley Historical Society
2007 Derek Westen
2008 The Jimmy Chung Family
2009 Channel Coast Corporation
2010 Santa Barbara Contractors Association and Built Green Santa Barbara
2011 City of Solvang
2012 La Huerta Project
2013 Historic Resources Element Task Force, City of Santa Barbara
2014 Santa Barbara Courthouse Legacy Foundation
2015 Santa Barbara Maritime Museum
2016 Katie and David Hay
2017 Santa Barbara Conservancy
2019 *Robert Harry Lovejoy
2022 City of Santa Barbara Department of Parks & Recreation for the restoration of the Cabrillo Pavilion
2023 Main-Begg Farmhouse
2024 Manuel Unzueta
Sue Higman Volunteer of the Year Award
This award is given to an individual or individuals who have made outstanding contributions of their time to SBTHP over the course of a year. Established in 2010, the award is named in honor of longtime SBTHP supporter and friend, Sue Higman.
Sue Higman Volunteer of the Year Awardees
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2010 Anthony Spann and the Staff of Harrison Design Associates
2011 Kathy Chalfant
2012 Terease Chin
2013 Katherine Lowe
2014 Jeannie Davis
2015 *"Buffalo" Joe Schomer
2016 David Bolton
2017 Suzi Calderon Bellman
2018 Terease Chin
2019 Kyle Slattery
2020 Valerie Roses
2022 Pam Iuliano
2023 Dr. Paul Mori
2024 Jeff Garfinkle
Partnership Award
Created in 2019, this award recognizes the value of partnership as adopted by SBTHP in 2018. The Partnership Award celebrates individuals or organizations who have participated in collaborative efforts that support SBTHP’s mission and made a significant impact toward that end.
Partnership Awardees
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2019 Folk Orchestra of Santa Barbara
2022 Mujeres Makers Market
2024 UCSB Interdisciplinary Humanities Center
President's Award
This award, chosen by the President of the Board, recognizes extraordinary contributions to the organization in the prior year.
President's Awardees
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2022 Cody A. Makela
2023 Salvador Güereña
Life Honorary Directors
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*Amelia Acres
Kathi Brewster
Dr. W. E. Brownlee
*Norman Caldwell
Terease Chin
Mary Louise Days
*Julia Forbes
*Roy Gaskin
Michael R. Hardwick
Barbara Harris
*Jeremy Hass
*Sue Higman
*Roger Horton
*Harold Kirker
*Garvan F. Kuskey, D.D.S.
Barbara S. Lindemann
Sheila Lodge
*Richard Lugo
*William F. Luton, Sr.
Craig A. Makela
*Jean Storke Menzies
*James G. Mills, Pharm.D.
*Vivian Obern
Dr. Richard E. Oglesby
*Helen Schott Pedotti
John S. Poucher
*Russell A. Ruiz
*Alice Rypins
*James D. Scheinfeld
*Charles A. Storke
*Richard S. Whitehead
Life Honorary Members
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*Mike Acosta
Hon. Inocencio F. Arias
Kathy Chalfant
*Father Virgil Cordano
*George “Bud” Decker
*Irene Suski Fendon
Hon. Eduardo Garriguess
Nicole Hernandez
*Jim Higman
Dr. Jarrell Jackman
Don Kinney
Harry and Ellen Knill
William LaVoie
Father Michael Mahoney
Jim Elwell Martinez
Luis Moreno
*Norman Neuerburg
*George Obern
Ignacio Piña
*Vince Pownall
Dan Preece
Richard A. Rojas
Catherine Rudolph
Russell Clay Ruiz
*Virginia Scott
Steven B. Treanor
Edward A. Williams II
*Deceased