The Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce announced seven local veterans and community leaders set to be honored at its ninth annual Patriots Luncheon in July.
The 2019 honorees are:
- Mario Aquilani, U.S. Army – World War II
- Ronald Boudreaux, U.S. Army — Vietnam War
- Jack Crawford, U.S. Army – Vietnam War
- David Jackson, U.S. Army – Operation Desert Shield/Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom
- Michael Reyes, U.S. Army – Operation Iraqi Freedom
- Toshiaki Watanabe, U.S. Army – Korean War
- Gretchen Zovak, U.S. Army Intelligence – Operation Desert Shield/Storm, Bøllebank UN Mission
“We are proud of this year’s honorees, having been selected from a large pool of excellent community nominations,” Nancy Starczyk, chair of the board of directors for the SCV Chamber of Commerce, said in a prepared statement.
Veterans were nominated by chamber members and local residents and then selected by a committee composed of veterans and business leaders.
The Patriots Luncheon honors local veterans for their service, as well as recognizes their leadership in the local business community.
“The luncheon is a truly unique opportunity to show our respect for those whose service at the community and national level brings so much good into our lives: service that sometimes goes unrecognized,” said Ivan Volschenk, managing partner at Evolve Business Strategies. “We hope community members consider spending the afternoon with us as we honor the impact of these extraordinary individuals.”
The event is scheduled at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, July 11 at the Hyatt Regency Valencia. Tickets and sponsorships are available on the chamber’s website at www.scvchamber.com.