Tag archives: Janet Garufis
“We are so lucky to have an incredible world-class zoo right here in our little community,” said Janet Garufis, president and CEO of Montecito Bank & Trust. “The benefits are generational. Children who grew up coming to this zoo are now bringing their own children here. It crosses generations – children, parents, grandparents.” Those generations […]
Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics (SBNC) officially broke ground on its new Westside Clinic at 621 W. Micheltorena Street on Friday, May 30. The event marked a major milestone in expanding access to healthcare for underserved communities on Santa Barbara’s Westside. Community leaders, including SBNC CEO Dr. Mahdi Ashrafian, City Councilman Oscar Gutierrez, and Co-chairs Janet […]
The Santa Barbara Historical Museum was socially gridlocked when the Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara hosted its annual dinner after handing out checks in the south county with $3,892,647, bringing the total to $7.7 million for 2,125 students in the county as a whole, $600,000 more than last year. Since forming in 1962, the foundation […]
Montecito Bank & Trust, which is celebrating its half century, held its annual anniversary grants reception at its State Street headquarters when Janet Garufis, chairman and CEO, handed out $5,000 checks, instead of the normal $3,000, to 11 nonprofits chosen by the bank’s staff. The Jerry Parent Legacy Award went to Many Mansions, which runs […]
Supporters of the Santa Barbara Symphony have been making a splash with a Cruise for a Cause on the River Danube from Vienna to Budapest. Montecito Bank & Trust, which has sponsored the trip, is donating a portion of the proceeds to the symphony. More than 64 MClub and symphony Crescendo members were onboard the […]
It was a very in-tents occasion when a giant marquee covered the Hilton Hotel’s rotunda when the Santa Barbara Foundation held its 81st Persons of the Year lunch, with awards going to Jim Morouse and Peter Schuyler, whose mother Jane Schuyler won the award in 1997, making them the first mother-son duo to be so […]
Montecito Bank & Trust celebrated its 49th anniversary by gathering with 11 local nonprofit representatives at the bank’s annual anniversary grants reception. Michael Towbes, the bank’s late founder, first started the anniversary grant program in 1993 to give back to the community. He wanted bank employees to have a voice in the direction of the […]
It was a splendid kickoff for Yuletide when Montecito Bank & Trust hosted its 21st annual Community Dividends lunch at the Hilton, which distributed $1.1 million among nearly 200 local nonprofits. More than 280 guests turned out for the seasonal meal in the oceanside hostelry’s tented rotunda for the joyous occasion – which since its […]
Montecito Bank & Trust’s 31st annual Anniversary Grants reception, originally scheduled for the courtyard of the Santa Barbara Historical Museum, had to be changed at the last minute to the bank’s imposing State Street headquarters because of the heavy rains. More than 100 guests turned out for the popular fête celebrating the bank’s 48th anniversary, […]
Hearts Aligned, the two-year-old Santa Barbara charity which supports critically ill children, threw its first Hearts to Hearts Valentine’s lunch with 156 guests at the Cabrillo Pavilion, raising around $100,000 for low-income youngsters. The ubiquitous Janet Garufis, chairman and CEO of Montecito Bank & Trust, emceed the fun oceanside fête, as well as acting as […]
It was a spectacular start to Yuletide when Montecito Bank & Trust held its 20th annual Community Dividends awards lunch, which normally divides $1 million among myriad local charities. But this year the Hilton event for 300 guests was one with a decided difference as the bank, founded by the late Michael Towbes, awarded a […]
Santa Barbara Symphony’s Crescendo Society hosted its second annual brunch at the Santa Barbara Club as the talented musicians, under maestro Nir Kabaretti, celebrate their 70th anniversary. As the 100 guests, major donors to the Granada Theatre-based organization, tucked into fresh fruit and quiche, while quaffing coffee and orange juice, the Gatsby Trio with symphony […]
The Santa Barbara Historical Museum was the venue for another Fiesta party. This time a kickoff for the Montecito Bank & Trust and their loyal customers. They had outgrown their own bank as a party place. I always liked going up to the teller window and withdrawing a margarita instead of dollars. Their motto is […]
Montecito Bank & Trust reported that total assets grew $398.62 million, an increase of 20.41% during the 12-month period, to $2.35 billion for the year ending 12/31/2021. Strong deposit growth of $401.15 million or 23.15% year-over-year, pushed year-end deposit totals to $2.13 billion. Loan growth declined $143.4 million or 10.88% year-over-year due to Payroll Protection […]
“Compassionate, distinguished, and exemplary are three words that embody the many contributions Janet Garufis has made to our community and our university. We are grateful to be able to rely on her wisdom and her commitment to our mission of lifelong learning, social justice, and advancement for individuals, organizations, communities, and society. It is with […]
“A library outranks any other thing a community can do to benefit its people. It is a never-failing spring in the desert.” – Andrew Carnegie In case you think libraries are not exciting or boring, wrong. A group of donors and patrons recently gathered in the Faulkner Gallery for cocktails, moving on to the Santa […]
It was a very in-tents occasion when Montecito Bank & Trust erected a giant marquee in the rotunda at the Hilton for its 17th annual Community Dividends lunch when $1 million was given to 179 worthy organizations from the local community. The late Mike Towbes, founder of the bank, always described the event as his […]
It was music to everyone’s ears when veteran maestro Nir Kabaretti outlined the Santa Barbara Symphony’s upcoming season at the venerable Granada Theatre at a program reveal party at the Lobero. Symphony chairman Janet Garufis enthused: “It will be so nice to hear live music in person again. We are active and thriving!” The season […]
There’s plenty to celebrate in Santa Barbara these days, and not just the spurt of greenery and wildflowers poking up from the earth in the sunshine following last month’s rains or the fact that the number of daily COVID-19 cases has dropped down to double digits for the first time in nearly two months. Joy […]
Three of the key leaders of the Santa Barbara Symphony, president and CEO Kathryn Martin, artistic director Nir Kabaretti, and board president Janet Garufis, have committed to advancing the organization over the next half decade. It will build upon the 67-year-old organization’s programming innovation, leveraging the symphony’s new momentum and growth to look toward the […]
