Santa Barbara Region Chamber of Commerce Presents Business Star Awards
The businesses and individuals were recognized for their outstanding contributions to the quality of life for Santa Barbara.
1. Business Woman. Lynda Nahra, President, Community West Bank. This award is made to a chamber businesswoman, who through her actions is a role model for the local community. Past winners have included: Renee Grubb, Karen Chackel, Julie McGovern and Vanessa Patterson. Ms. Nahra has been President and Chief Executive Officer of CWB since 2000 after serving in various positions of increasing responsibility for the Bank since 1997. Her banking career began in 1970 with Bank of America and her banking experience has included management positions in operations, consumer and commercial lending, sales, private banking and corporate banking. Ms. Nahra is a member of CWB and CWBC’s Boards and serves on CWB’s Loan, Asset / Liability,Compliance and Management Succession Committees. Ms. Nahra serves as a Director of Women’s Economic Ventures,member of the Montecito Rotary Club, and is a Finance Committee member for the Goleta Montessori Center School and the Santa Barbara United Way. Ms. Nahra’s educational background is from California Western University in San Diego and Pacific Coast Banking School.
2. Innovator. Pam Lopker, President and Founder, QAD. This award is traditionally presented to an individual who has made a significant innovative contribution to positively impacting our world. Past winners include university chancellors,Nobel laureates, architects, researchers and inventors.
Pamela Lopker is Chairman of the Board and President of QAD. Lopker founded the company in 1979 and is responsible for shaping the vision and strategic direction of QAD, as well as directing the company’s global research and development efforts.
Lopker has long been recognized for her entrepreneurialism and leadership in the advancement in manufacturing software.In March 2001, Fortune magazine named Lopker a “Hero of U.S. Manufacturing.” She has been profiled four times by Forbes magazine and numbers among Manufacturing Systems’ “Legends of Manufacturing,” as well as START magazine’s manufacturing industry visionaries. She received Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year award for the Greater Los Angeles area in 1996.
3. Community Collaboration. Thomas Tighe, President, DRI. This award is made to a chamber business making a significant contribution to the quality of life and economic vitality of the Region. Past winners have been: Montecito Bank and Trust, Venoco and 50 others.
Direct Relief International provides medical assistance to improve the quality of life for people affected by poverty, disaster,and civil unrest at home and throughout the world. We work to strengthen the in-country health efforts of our partners by providing essential material resources – medicines, supplies and equipment.
Direct Relief’s activities are conducted from our 50,800 square foot warehouse facility in Santa Barbara, California. The staff is comprised of 42 full-time and 9 part-time employees, and is supported by more than 400 volunteers who assist in all functions.
Direct Relief’s assistance programs have always been tailored to be responsive to the partner organizations’ particular circumstances and needs and those of the people they serve. Direct Relief partners typically provide health services to people in rural areas that are poor, lack health infrastructure, and in which severe health challenges exist.
4. Businessman. Timothy Tremblay, Tremblay Financial Services. This award is made to a chamber businessman, who through his actions is a role model for the local community. Past winners have been: Ed Heron, John Indrieri, Michael Towbes and 50 others.
Tim Tremblay was fortunate to move to southern California where he and his family have lived since 1959. He has lived in Santa Barbara since 1964. He and his wife, Marcia, have been married 31 years and have three children and three grandchildren.
Football has played a dramatic role in his life; beginning the day he entered Bishop Garcia Diego High School (1967-1971).He graduated from Bishop High School with an Honors Diploma.
During his years at Santa Barbara City College (1971-1973) Tremblay continued to excel in football, where he received several honors, including the “Muy Hombre” leadership award, team captain and All Western States Conference.
Tremblay received a “full ride” football scholarship to Wake Forest University in 1973. He was named the “player of the week” versus the University of South Carolina. Tremblay graduated from Wake Forest in 1976 with a degree in Business Communications. He was on the Dean’s List for three consecutive years at Wake Forest University
.Mr. Tremblay was hired by Prudential-Bache Securities in 1983 where he received the designation as “Senior Vice President-Investments.” He was named to the President’s Council in 1987.
In June of 1997 Mr. Tremblay began his own independent investment firm in Santa Barbara. Since opening in 1997, Tremblay Financial Services has grown to 16 financial consultants and a support staff of 9. Each of the financial consultants have their Series 7, 63, and 65 Securities registrations and their Life, Disability, and Long Term Care Insurance licenses.Tremblay Financial Services has been named the “Reader’s Choice-Number One-Full Service Brokerage Firm in Santa Barbara” by the readers of the Santa Barbara New Press in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010.
Mr. Tremblay currently serves on the board of directors of the following organizations: the Westmont College Foundation,the Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table (past President), the Bishop Garcia Diego High School Trustees, the Endowment for Youth and the finance committee of Our Lady of Sorrows Church.
Tremblay presents the “Wednesday morning Business Report” each week on KEYT television, Santa Barbara’s ABC affiliate. Tremblay was a regular on the ‘South Coast Business Report which aired three times a week on KEYT and Cox Cable. He gives a weekly financial report on Santa Barbara’s most listened to FM radio station, KLIT-101.7