Home » Santa Clarita News » 2017 SCV Man And Woman Of The Year Named At Valencia Hyatt
Congratulations to 2017 SCV Man and Woman of the Year, Eric Stroh and Laina McFerren, respectively
Congratulations to the 2017 SCV Man and Woman of the Year, Eric Stroh and Laina McFerren, respectively

2017 SCV Man And Woman Of The Year Named At Valencia Hyatt

The 2017 SCV Man and Woman of the Year were named Friday at Hyatt Regency Valencia.


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Eric Stroh, who was nominated by Carousel Ranch, and Laina McFerren, who was nominated by the SCV Child & Family Center, were named SCV Man and Woman of the Year, respectively.

Santa Clarita Valley nonprofit organizations have until the end of January to submit the name of a man and/or a woman.

The purpose of the Santa Clarita Valley Man and Woman of the Year Recognition is to honor men and women who have given outstanding volunteer service to the Santa Clarita Valley area.

  • Individual volunteer services must be given to a group or organization that is a designated 501(c)(3), community service organization.
  • Volunteer service is defined by long-time community commitment (not work related).
  • Volunteer service includes, but is not limited to, the years of volunteer service, the type of service, and the impact of the service that was provided to multiple local organizations.

The Committee of previous honorees will select the Man and Woman of the Year from the nominees submitted.

Here’s the biographical and nominating information for Eric Stroh:

Eric Stroh

Nominated by Carousel RanchVice President, Santa Clarita Concrete

Carousel Ranch (11.5 years)

  • President
  • Vice President
  • Chair and Creator, “How the West Was Won” Trap Shoot

Organization Impact: From the time Eric joined the Carousel Ranch board, he has been an integral part of the organization.  Shortly after joining, Eric stepped up and filled the role of interim president. He took his position very seriously, working hard to take the organization to a new level. None of us, Eric included, could have had any idea of the incredible challenges and changes we would face in the years to follow – yet with Eric as our leader, the ranch not only survived the toughest of financial times, but thrived.  Eric was with us, buying property to complete renovations of our new home, obtaining our conditional use permit, attending countless County meetings, to the completion of our biggest project ever — the building of our long-awaited covered arena. One of Eric’s greatest achievements and contributions has been his work as co-creator and chair of our Trap Shoot.  From concept to completion, this has really been Eric’s event.  For many months each year (this being the 9th annual), Eric has been the one that has literally “made” this event, raising over $250,000 over the years.  From soliciting teams to creating the day’s events, entertainment, and literally every element of how it all works. He is always involved in every event and undertaking that we have. He personally dedicates countless hours to the success of Carousel Ranch’s annual Heart of the West event, which his personal efforts directly result in raising tens of thousands of dollars each year.  Eric is always ready, willing and able to make calls, obtain donations, and simply get any job done. Eric is exceptionally proud that his daughter, Jolie, has become one of the ranch’s staff.

Bio: Eric Stroh has been calling the Santa Clarita Valley home since 1988 when his future wife praised it as the perfect place to raise a family. After he earned his Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, Eric bought his first home, got hired as a sales engineer for Honeywell, and asked his college sweetheart to marry him. By 1996, the couple had two daughters. In 2003, Eric left corporate America and began working alongside his father-in-law at Santa Clarita Concrete. Being able to help grow the family business while having the freedom to be present and involved in all aspects of his daughters’ lives has been Eric’s greatest joy. He has never missed a school production, an award ceremony, or sporting event. Eric is always front and center with his camera as his girls’ biggest fan. It was his daughter Jolie’s obsession with horses that first brought Eric to Carousel Ranch. Together, they have given hours of love and support to the Ranch. When Eric isn’t working, he can be found on the water ,either wakeboarding or paddle boarding, with his family.

 

Here’s the biographical and nominating information for Laina McFerren:

Laina McFerren

Laina McFerren

Laina McFerren

Founder and Co-Owner, Wolf Creek Brewing Company

Nominated by Child & Family Center

Child & Family Center Foundation (12 years)

  • Board of Directors; member (12 years)
  • Board of Directors, Chair: 2012-2013
  • Executive Committee (10 years)
  • Taste of the Town Co-Chair (3 years)
  • Taste of the Town Committee (12 years)
  • Taste of the Town Exhibitor (19 years)
  • Guardians of Hope Committee (1 year)
  • Kid Expo Committee (9 years)
  • Santa Clarita Jazz Festival Committee (3 years)
  • Installation Committee (10 years)
  • Golf Committee (5 years)
  • Adopt-A-Family Project (3 years)
  • Dancing with Our Stars Committee (2 years)
  • Attendee, Annenberg Foundation Alchemy leadership workshops

Child & Family Center

  • Board of Directors (1 year)
  • 35th Anniversary Committee

SCV American Red Cross Foundation (3 years)

  • Board member
  • Volunteer of the Year, 2002

College of the Canyons Foundation (3 years)

  • Board of Directors
  • Culinary Advisory Board, 2005-present
  • Patrons of the Performing Arts Committee – 2015 to present
  • Social Committee for Outreach

United States Figure Skating Association – SCV Chapter (11 years)

Mountainview School Career Day (11 Years)

  • Committee member

Los Angeles Brewers Guild 501(c)(3) (2 years)

  • Member
  • Board secretary

Others: Carousel Ranch, SRD-Straightening Reins, Circle of Hope, Betty Ferguson Foundation,Vine 2 Wine, Soroptimist International, SOAR  Mardi Gras Madness race, Wine in the Pines, VIA – Connecting to Success Committee

Organization Impact: Laina McFerren has worked countless hours volunteering in a variety of different projects for Child & Family Center.  In addition, she has donated products from her business to ensure success for other nonprofit organizations. In 2016, she created “Community Pints” at her Brewery, donating a portion of the proceeds from four nights each month to a different charity each month. Taste of the Town would not be the successful and popular event without the wisdom and guidance Laina brings to the effort on an annual basis.

Bio: Laina McFerren has a degree in communications from UCLA. She met her husband, Rob, while working at the Cheesecake Factory in Marina Del Rey. The couple married and moved to the SCV in 1992, where they live with their two daughters, Mandee, now 22 and a senior at UCSB, and Gillian, 17, a junior at Valencia High School. What began as a Christmas gift to her husband, a home brew beer-making machine, led to an incredible local business, Wolf Creek Brewing Company, opened in 1997. The couple recently added a brewery to create their popular beer.  Laina has combined her entrepreneurial spirit for business and her belief and efforts in volunteerism to make Santa Clarita a better place to live and work.

 

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2017 SCV Man And Woman Of The Year Named At Valencia Hyatt

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About Perry Smith

Perry Smith is a print and broadcast journalist who has won several awards for his focused, hyperlocal community coverage in several different regions of the country. In addition to five years of experience covering the Santa Clarita Valley, Smith, a San Fernando Valley native, has worked in newspapers and news websites in Los Angeles, the Northwest, the Central Valley and the South, before coming to KHTS in 2012. To contact Smith, email him at Perry@hometownstation.com.