Honoring the Spirit of Carpinteria
The Carpinteria Community Association was established to honor and preserve the Spirit of Carpinteria. The Association’s Charter Members are long-standing Carpinterians, nonprofit leaders, and local business owners who recognize that the community’s distinctive character is best understood and appreciated by those who live and work within it.
The Association’s primary mission is to host the annual Community Awards Banquet, which honors the Carpinterian of the Year and the Junior Carpinterian of the Year, while also providing an esteemed forum for local service organizations to formally recognize their most exceptional members.
We cordially invite you to join us in this annual celebration of dedicated volunteer citizens whose service and commitment, in countless ways, enhance and uphold the Spirit of Carpinteria.
Past Carpinterians of the Year
About the Community Awards Banquet
The Carpinteria Valley Chamber of Commerce existed as an independent entity supporting local businesses long before our City of Carpinteria incorporated in 1965. The Chamber began to recognize the “Carpinterian of the Year” in 1958 for some outstanding service or act performed by the individual during the prior year. Over time the selection of the honoree shifted more to a body of work by the individual and the difficult process of selecting one Carpinterian from a pool of nominees (submitted by supporters without the knowledge of the potential COY) was begun.
Review of the nominees was and will continue to be performed by an ad hoc committee consisting of members of various service clubs in Carpinteria and community members who do not serve consecutive years and remain anonymous. In the past, the director of the Chamber of Commerce was charged with forming the committee. It has now become the charge and honor of the Carpinteria Community Association to assume the role of hosting the event and forming the ad hoc committee who will ultimately select the Carpinterian of the Year.
Past Service
Award Winners
Board of Directors 2025-26
Neil Bartlett (charter board member emeritus)
Bob Berkenmeier rberkenmeier@carpca.org (Secretary)
Lori Bowles loribowles@carpca.org
Mary Ann Colson maryanncolson@carpca.org
Beth Cox ~~~
Gary Dobbins ~~~
Clyde Freemen ~~~
Karen Graf karengraf@carpca.org (President)
Donna Lemere donnalemere@carpca.org (Treasurer)
Curtis Lopez curtislopez@carpca.org
Shelley Nunes (charter board treasurer emeritus)
Pam Werner (charter board member emeritus)
