News release
The College of the Canyons Foundation has named Ed Masterson as the recipient of the 2026 Silver Spur Community Service Award in recognition of his longtime community leadership and advocacy for nonprofit organizations in the Santa Clarita Valley, according to a news release from the college.
The 34th annual Silver Spur Celebration is scheduled to be held at the Sheraton Universal on May 30.
“For decades, Ed Masterson has quietly and consistently dedicated his time, energy, and professional expertise to advancing the missions of local nonprofits, civic organizations, and educational institutions, including College of the Canyons,” Silver Spur Committee Chair Dawn Abasta said in the release. “His volunteerism and civic engagement efforts have helped shape and strengthen our community.”
Best known to many as the trusted voice behind the microphone at major community events, Masterson has volunteered his time as a master of ceremonies, auctioneer, board committee member, and advisor for countless fundraisers and civic gatherings, the release said.
Since 1999, Masterson has volunteered for more than 25 local organizations, including COC, the Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce, Valley Industry Association, WiSH Education Foundation, Child & Family Center, Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital Guild, SCV Education Foundation, and the Boys & Girls Club of the SCV.
Masterson served as sales and marketing manager for SOS Entertainment, a role he held from 2011 to 2020, and currently works as a certified life coach with Michael Elliott & Associates.
His involvement in the SCV includes long-standing leadership with both VIA and the SCV Chamber of Commerce. He has served two terms as chairman of the VIA board of directors and continues to serve as vice chair of workforce development.
As chairman of the SCV Chamber of Commerce in 2005, he was successful in leading a community delegation to Washington, D.C, which helped secure over $3 million in government funding for the SCV, the release said. He was later awarded the chamber’s President’s Award, honoring the highest level of service to both the organization and the community.
In 2006, Masterson turned his attention to public service and became a field representative for former California Assemblyman Cameron Smyth, a position he held for four years.
Masterson joined the COC Foundation board of directors in 2019, helping advance the foundation’s mission to support students through scholarships and educational resources, the release said.
“I am honored to receive the Silver Spur Award from the College of the Canyons Foundation,” Masterson said in the release. “Supporting students and the organizations that lift them up has been one of the great privileges of my life. To be recognized by an institution that works every day to change the lives of students through education is incredibly meaningful. I am proud to have played a small role in supporting that mission.”
His community service has been recognized with honors including the 2014 SCV Chamber of Commerce Community Volunteer Award, the 2021 VIA Connie Worden-Roberts Volunteer of the Year Award, and recognition as SCV Man of the Year in 2019. He was also named to The Signal’s “Top 51 Most Influential People” list in 2015.
Masterson earned a bachelor’s degree in communications and film from California State University, Fullerton, in 1981.
Upon graduating, he began his professional career as a VIP Tour Guide at Universal Studios and served on an advisory panel for the 1984 Olympic Games, providing operational insight related to security and logistics for the studio and visiting dignitaries. He later spent 15 years as a production coordinator for Universal Television, working on a variety of network television shows, before co-writing original screenplays for several Hollywood production companies.
Raised in Whittier, Masterson moved to Santa Clarita in 1988 with his wife, Valerie, where they raised their two children, Gage and Lizzy.
The Silver Spur Award is the foundation’s highest honor, and it is given annually in recognition of the honoree’s commitment and service to the college and the wider community. The 2026 Silver Spur festivities begin at 6 p.m., with guests able to enjoy cocktails, dinner, and dancing. The evening will also feature a live auction and personal video tribute created for Masterson.
Previous Silver Spur recipients include: Marlee Lauffer, Steve Corn; Randy Moberg and Mitzi Like-Moberg; Bruce Fortine; U.S. Rep. Howard P. “Buck” McKeon (Ret.); Jack and Doreen Shine; Jill Mellady; The Newhall Family; Remo and Ami Belli, Barry and Pati Gump, Richard and Marian Sandnes, Diana Cusumano, Myrna and Gary Condie, Harold and Jacquie Petersen, Wayne Crawford, Rita Garasi, Tom Veloz, Charlotte and Frank Kleeman, Gary Cusumano, Jay and Joyce Rodgers, Tom Lee, Lou Garasi, Michael Berger, Roberta Veloz, Dick Luechtefeld, Robert Ormsby, LaVerne Harris, John Hoskinson, Tom Dierckman, Scott and Ruth Newhall, Elisha “Aggie” Agajanian, and Cliffie Stone.
To purchase tickets ($225) for the 2026 Silver Spur Celebration, go to www.canyons.edu/administration/foundation/events/2026-silver-spur.php.
