In a society where there never seems to be enough time for much, someone who finds time for others is a rarity. We hope that you will join us as we honor those who have made an impact in our community.
The Aptos Chamber Of Commerce Is Proud To Announce it’s annual Community Awards winners and will present them at the 92nd annual Aptos Chamber of Commerce Awards Dinner and Auction. The event takes place Friday, October 25 at 5:30 p.m. at Seascape Beach Resort.
Here are you community award winners:
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Man of the Year
Matt Wetstein
Cabrillo College President
Matt Wetstein
Matt Wetstein is the Superintendent/President of Cabrillo College and during his tenure has increased awareness of several issues community colleges and their students face. In 2018-19 he served on a statewide community college CEO task force addressing homelessness and food insecurity issues, resulting in policy recommendations to the Legislature and Governor.
Under his leadership, Cabrillo strengthened its partnership with Second Harvest Food Bank to double the number of Fresh Market food distributions at the college. This spring, Cabrillo had a record number of graduates and new programs have been established like the Cabrillo College Promise Program. The program ensures equal access to education by providing free tuition to full-time students for two years to any graduating senior from the Cabrillo College District service area.
The Cabrillo College Promise eliminates financial barriers to higher education, making a college degree a reality. Dr. Wetstein’s research on the effects of the economic recession on California community college students has won national and state awards. He serves on the board of a number of local community organizations, including the Santa Cruz Symphony, Agri-Culture, the United Way, Santa Cruz County Business Council, Santa Cruz Criminal Justice Council, and Sutter-PAMF Community Advisory Board.
Woman of the Year
Pam Goodman
Lifespan Founder
Pam Goodman
Over the years, Pam has volunteered her time and skills to numerous community organizations and boards, which serve older persons in the greater Santa Cruz Community. As a member of Capitola-Aptos Rotary Club, Pam has expanded her volunteer reach to less developed areas of the world including Guatemala, Ghana, Peru and Tanzania.
Pam currently serves as the Chairperson on the Grey Bears Board of Directors. She is also on the Cabrillo College Women’s Educational Success Committee. As part of serving the elder community, every year the ‘ Lifespan Cares’ team fundraises for the Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s.
In addition to her work in the local community, Ms. Goodman has served on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Geriatric Care Managers and the RotaCare Free Clinic Board of Directors. She has resided in Aptos for 30 years and loves volunteering for the Aptos July 4th Shortest Parade festivities. She has 3 sons who have all attended Aptos schools.
Business of the Year
Seascape Foods
Seascape Foods is the area’s leading source of fresh, organic, locally sourced foods and goods. Owners Julie Kellman and Dan Hunt have a mission to use stock local food, celebrating the richness of our community’s resources.
At Seascape Foods, Julie and Dan do this on every level — from local coffee roasters to local fisherman. This translates to the freshest ingredients possible. They even have a local produce grower in La Selva Beach and eggs from Aptos farmer Glaum Egg Ranch. Both Julie and Dan pride themselves in connecting with their customers and the local Seascape residents, whether greeting them on a first name basis or making up a custom dish in their incredible kitchen. Seascape Foods is in itself a local treasure.
Seascape Foods also contributes their time and money to many local fundraisers.
Organization of the Year
Jacob’s Heart Children’s Cancer Support Services
Jacob’s Heart Children’s Cancer Support Services exists to improve the quality of life for children with cancer and support their families in the challenges they face.
Jacob’s Heart provides family-centered care that addresses the emotional, practical and financial struggles for families of children and teens during treatment, families experiencing anticipatory grief, and those who are bereaved.
Jacob’s Heart envisions a community where every child with a serious or life-threatening condition has a strong, supported and informed family empowered to fully participate in their care. We strive to inspire compassionate action within local communities to create a safety net of support for the unique needs of each child and family.
Until there’s a cure, Jacob’s Heart is here. jacobsheart.org | 831.724.9100
Outstanding Achievement
Aptos High School’s Robotics Team
Aptos High School’s Robotics Team — Back Row: Christopher Whaley, Johan Govaars, Cameron Barrett, Carter Bond, Caleb Broxton and Amelia Lovell. Front Row: Jordan Chin, Sun Woo Da Costa, Katherine Walton, Jacob Sandler, Keegan Martin and Jamie Walton.
For the third year in a row, Aptos High School’s Robotics Team, Seal Team Scalyr, competed in the International Marine Advanced Technology Education Remotely Operated Vehicle (MATE ROV) competition, and for the second time they have won.
Through a whirlwind three days of piloting, demonstrating, and presenting their underwater ROV, the Aptos team won both ROV ability and marketing display categories, placing them first overall against 45 teams from 19 different countries, including Newfoundland, Egypt, India, and Japan.
The second place team was from the Center of Robotics Development in Vladivostok, Russia. Besides their winning categories, teams are judged on their technical report and sales presentation. Additional points are given for community outreach, which involves spreading interest in technology and awareness of environmental issues.
The team’s latest robot, the Argo VI, solves simulated tasks that real industrial ROVs perform in oceans and lakes, from restoring a broken dam, identifying underwater wildlife, and recovering sunken artifacts. The team created innovative solutions to their mission, using custom designed tools like a 3D printed infinitely rotating claw; a deployable micro-ROV; and original image recognition software.
The team has worked hard to earn their place as the world champion ROV team. They started robotics in junior high and have since committed 5 years to getting hands-on experience in electronics, mechanics, and software design. They have one more year left before they graduate and move on to college. Most of them plan on going into technical fields.
Community Hero
Denise Ward
Community Reads
Denise Ward
Denise has lived most of the past 20 years in Aptos. She came here in 1999 with her husband and their two sons. After living most of her adult life overseas she was looking for a wonderful, small town where she could get involved with the community and her husband could begin his startup.
Her professional life has been diverse and includes conducting intercultural training workshops for UCSC Fulbright Scholars and Humphrey Fellows, teaching cooking classes, and working as an interior designer for architectural firms in San Francisco, NYC and Manila.
Three years ago, she was inspired to create a One Book One Read type of program in Aptos after learning of one in Lake Oswego, OR that had become very successful. After approaching the Friends of the Aptos Library with the idea, she left the meeting as the Steering Committee Chair for “Our Community Reads.”
With the help of an enthusiastic team of volunteers they held 12 events over a 6-week period in 2018 their inaugural year. In 2019 the project received a California Humanities grant and they were able to expand the program and host an author visit. Now in their third season they are excited to build on what they have begun with the goal of creating strong community through exploring themes from a single book each year.
Lifetime Achievement
Dr. Larry D. deGhetaldi, PAMF CEO
Dr. Larry D. deGhetaldi
Larry deGhetaldi, M.D. is CEO of the Palo Alto Medical Foundation’s (PAMF) Santa Cruz Santa Cruz division. PAMF Santa Cruz coordinates with Sutter Maternity & Surgery Center to provide integrated health care for thousands of Santa Cruz County residents.
Dr. deGhetaldi is a board-certified family medicine doctor who has served in a number of leadership positions within the Santa Cruz Medical Clinic and PAMF since he began practicing in 1984. He represented the clinic in its affiliation negotiations with Sutter Health and additionally chaired the Clinic Management Board.
Dr. deGhetaldi has served on several boards of directors including the Palo Alto Medical Foundation, the California Medical Association, Sutter Maternity & Surgery Center, and the Central California Alliance for Health. He was appointed to the California Financial Solvency Standards Board (FSSB) whose task is to address the implications of federal health care reform and how it will affect the California health care landscape.
He is also a member of the Integrated Healthcare Association’s (IHA) Pay for Performance governing committee. He chairs the Sutter Medical Network’s Quality Committee which focuses on advancing the quality of ambulatory care for millions of Sutter Health patients.
PAMF is one of the country’s largest multispecialty physician organizations with more than 1,300 physicians and has received the Integrated Healthcare Association’s award for “Top Overall Performance” multiple times. The 30-bed Sutter Maternity & Surgery Center is a nationally recognized and award-winning acute care hospital and has received the Press Ganey Summit Award for top industry performance multiple times.
Dr. deGhetaldi received his undergraduate degree at the University of California, Santa Cruz and his medical degree at the University of Southern California. He completed his postgraduate medical training internship at Stanford University and his residency at the Stanford University Family Practice Residency Program at San Jose Hospital. He is a graduate (Cohort I) of the California Health Care Foundation’s Leadership Fellowship.
Dr. deGhetaldi and his wife have six children between them.
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Cost: $85 Early reservations (now until Oct 6) / $100 Regular Reservations (Oct. 7 to door / based on availability). Reservations: visit www.aptoschamber.com/ad or call (831) 688-1467.