A month of celebrating what we’ve built together
The sold-out 101st Annual Chamber Gala, September 2026
September brought our community together for the sold-out 101st Annual Chamber Gala, three ribbon cuttings and a steady stream of people working to start or grow a business in the Santa Maria Valley. Here is how our work in economic development, tourism, workforce development and advocacy moved the Valley forward this month.
- Celebrating excellence: Laurie Tamura was named the 2026 Robert P. Hatch Citizen of the Year.
- New doors open: Ribbon cuttings for Restoration Masters, Quick Quack Car Wash and ArtCraft Paint drew 165 guests.
- Inclusive support: The Hispanic Business Alliance grew to 62 members and helped 6 businesses and organizations.
- Visitors keep coming: Hotel tax revenue is up 11.9% through August.
Economic Development
In September, the Economic Development team helped 4 people working to start a business, assisted 3 local businesses and organizations, and took part in 27 events and meetings.
Ribbon cuttings for Restoration Masters and Quick Quack Car Wash
Business Retention & Assistance
3 businesses and organizations supported
- Urban Planning Concepts: assistance with a project
- Santa Barbara Humane: a CoStar search for 2,500–3,000 sq. ft. of space turned up 4 commercial options, then a referral to a broker
- Hispanic-owned restaurants: outreach calls inviting them to join Restaurant Month
Business Attraction
4 potential new businesses
Each start-up came through Hispanic Business Alliance outreach and left with a clear list of next steps.
- Window tint business: start-up roadmap covering FBN, EIN, seller’s permit, city business license, BAR registration and insurance
- Landscaping business: consultation and start-up roadmap
- Two new business inquiries: consultation calls and a start-up roadmap
Hispanic Business Alliance
62 members and 6 businesses and organizations assisted
- Grow Your Business workshop at Allan Hancock College: 10 attended
- Committee meeting, held virtually: 7 attended
- Membership: Founding Champion and new-member welcome letters approved; founding members entered into the Chamber’s membership database
- Hispanic Heritage MEGA Mixer prep for October at the Santa Maria Airport, with opening remarks confirmed with Congressman Carbajal’s office
- Voice: a Santa Maria Times editorial on Hispanic Heritage Month and a Business Spotlight on American General Media
“Joining the Santa Maria Chamber of Commerce was a natural decision for CADA. As we continue to expand our services in Santa Maria, we wanted to connect more deeply with the local community and be part of a network that prioritizes collaboration, support, and shared growth.”
Luna Shalabi
Development Manager, Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse
Providing Business Support
The Chamber ended September with 849 members and a 98.6% retention rate, and welcomed 6 new members: 5 Chamber and 1 Hispanic Business Alliance.
ArtCraft Paint ribbon cutting and the Allan Hancock College Foundation mixer
Networking
303 participants across the month
- 85 at weekly Build Your Business sessions
- 165 guests at ribbon cuttings for Restoration Masters, Quick Quack Car Wash and ArtCraft Paint
- 53 at committee meetings
- The Allan Hancock College Foundation hosted September’s mixer at the college winery
Committees at Work
- Business Advocacy Roundtable (8): heard Allan Hancock College’s presentation on its $290M facilities bond
- Military Affairs (6): reviewed a fact sheet on breaking the stigma around hiring military spouses
- Ambassadors (19): updates on Build Your Business and new-member welcomes
- Tourism Marketing District (13): heard 3 agency presentations for the destination marketing RFP
- Hispanic Business Alliance (7): monthly committee meeting
A Celebration of Excellence
The sold-out 101st Annual Chamber Gala brought the community together at the Radisson Hotel Santa Maria to honor the people and businesses who make the Valley stronger.
Laurie Tamura, the 2026 Robert P. Hatch Citizen of the Year
Citizen of the Year: Laurie Tamura
For the first time, the Citizen of the Year was kept secret until the moment of the announcement. Laurie Tamura, President and Principal Planner of Urban Planning Concepts, walked into a room full of family, friends and colleagues gathered to surprise her.
For more than three decades she has helped shape the Valley’s growth, and for more than 20 years she has led the Scouting America Los Padres Council Board. After the 2017 Whittier Fire, she drove the rebuild of Camp Rancho Alegre, where thousands of local students attend Outdoor School each year.
2026 Award Honorees
| Honoree | Award |
|---|---|
| Laurie Tamura, Urban Planning Concepts | Robert P. Hatch Citizen of the Year |
| Emma Cavazos | Ambassador of the Year |
| Abbey Carpet & Flooring Santa Maria | Small Business of the Year |
| Santa Maria Times | Large Business of the Year |
| Good Samaritan Shelter | Non-Profit of the Year |
| Glenn Morris | Chairman’s Award |
| Mike and Linda Cordero | Robert F. Grogan Public Service Award |
Guests and honorees at the 101st Annual Chamber Gala
Tourism
Visitors fill our hotels, restaurants and wineries, and their stays help fund City services. We work alongside our partners at the Santa Maria Valley Tourism Marketing District & Visitor Bureau to bring them here.
Hotel Tax (TOT) Revenue
$2,697,767 through August, up 11.9% from $2,410,605 in the same months of 2025. Seven of the first eight months came in ahead of last year.
| Month | 2025 | 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | $205,657 | $204,594 | −0.5% |
| February | $203,468 | $218,456 | +7.4% |
| March | $282,109 | $312,864 | +10.9% |
| April | $258,990 | $307,089 | +18.6% |
| May | $302,702 | $346,318 | +14.4% |
| June | $446,209 | $540,895 | +21.2% |
| July | $350,359 | $413,296 | +18.0% |
| August | $351,666 | $361,107* | +2.7% |
Source: City of Santa Maria TOT distribution file, by month the rental occurred. *August is preliminary; several payments are still outstanding. September data is not yet available.
Visitor Marketing
- 42,594 visits to santamariavalley.com, up 38% from last September
- 1,088 hotel referrals, up 68% from last September
- 54 social posts and 28,944 impressions on @SantaMariaValley
- 100 visitor guides and 500 brochures distributed
- 2 FAM tours
Barbecue & Music Festival: The Tourism Marketing District & Visitor Bureau hosted two writers for festival weekend, which produced dedicated coverage of the festival, the competition and Santa Maria-style barbecue.
Workforce Development
Growing the next generation of leaders and connecting local talent with local careers.
SMV Young Professionals, September 2026
Teacher Tours
The FY27 season opened with “Building the Future,” a Career Technical Education (CTE) educator tour run with the Santa Barbara County Education Office.
Teachers visited Atlas Copco Mafi-Trench and Allan Hancock College’s Industrial Technology program to see the careers waiting for their students right here at home.
SMV Young Professionals
SMV Young Professionals met in September, giving people early in their careers a place to connect with peers and local leaders.
Advocacy & Community Involvement
Using Our Voice
6 advocacy positions on local, state and federal issues
| Westgate Village | SUPPORT |
| Courtyard at Hidden Pines | SUPPORT |
| AB 2124 (Pacheco) | SUPPORT |
| HR 2675 | SUPPORT |
| SB County Phase I ordinance amendments prohibiting onshore oil and gas drilling | OPPOSE |
| Prop 40 coalition | OPPOSE |
Business Advocacy Roundtable: Allan Hancock College presented its $290 million facilities bond, which would modernize 1960s-era buildings and add a University Center, a Performing Arts & Conference Center and a new agriculture lab. The Chamber Board voted to support it.
Housing & Community
2 housing projects supported by letter: Westgate Village and Courtyard at Hidden Pines. The Chamber tracks 5,638 units in the housing pipeline.*
Out in the community: Chamber staff were active out in the community, attending events including:
- Barbecue & Music Festival and AirFest
- Hancock Honors and The Wave Forward
- Breakfast Rotary Concert with a Cause
- REACH ED Roundtable
- California State Treasurer’s event in Los Angeles
*Most recent reported pipeline figure; September total pending staff confirmation.
In the News
Chamber Coverage
- Santa Maria Times: “Chamber Gala celebrates Santa Maria Valley businesses, community leaders”
- Chamber news release: Laurie Tamura named 2026 Robert P. Hatch Citizen of the Year
- Chamber commentary: Santa Maria Times editorial on Hispanic Heritage Month and the Hispanic Business Alliance
Tourism Coverage
- Sunset Magazine: the ultimate foodie vacation
- Visit California: unique California wineries
- KEYT and Yahoo!: Santa Maria BBQ Festival
- Santa Maria Times (en español): El Festival de Barbacoa de Santa María
Be Part of the Impact
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