BUSINESS LEADER­— Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce 2010 Business Person of the Year recipient Karen Troop, left, reads the text of the 2011 award before presenting it to Burt Witeby, vice president and personal lines manager of Insurance West Corporation, at the Chamber’s annual Business Achievement Luncheon on Jan. 27. IRIS SMOOT/ACORN NEWSPAPERS The Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce hosted its annual Business Achievement Luncheon on Jan. 27 at the Grand Vista Hotel to celebrate those who go beyond punching their time sheet at work and take significant steps inside and outside the office to contribute to their community.

Curt Witeby was named 2011 Business Person of the Year “for dedication to and enhancement of the business climate in Simi Valley, and for serving as a role model for business persons everywhere.”

A five-year Chamber member, Witeby is vice president of Insurance West in Simi Valley, which specializes in personal commercial and financial insurance protection.

Karen Troop, who won the title in 2010, gave Witeby his award.

“We congratulate Curt Witeby for his untiring efforts in assisting the many areas of our community with his expertise and caring heart,” she said.

Witeby serves on boards for the Simi Valley Hospital Foundation, the Free Clinic of Simi Valley and the Simi Valley Community Foundation. In addition, he is a 15-year board member for Ronald McDonald House Charities, which provides a “home away from home” for families so they can stay near their hospitalized child at little or no cost.

He is also a 2008 graduate of Leadership Simi Valley, where he sponsored the class project.

Witeby thanked the Chamber, his staff at Insurance West and his family.

“I cannot win this award without the support, love and friendship of my wife, Theresa. In July we will celebrate our 36th wedding anniversary,” he said.

Lost Canyons Golf Club, which has been a member of the Chamber since the golf course opened in 2000, was named 2011 Business of the Year.

Led by General Manager Jay Colliatie, the world-renowned 36-hole facility has sponsored and hosted many events in Simi Valley along with donating foursomes to charity auctions, including those for the YMCA Barn Party, the Simi Valley Education Foundation Gala, the Rotary Club Casino Night and the Chamber of Commerce Taste of Simi.

Colliatie said he and his team are grateful for the recognition. “On behalf of the entire staff of Lost Canyons, we are very honored to receive this award,” he said.

He then thanked his marketing manager, Barbara Glodfelty, saying any success the club has had is because of her. She put the kudos back on her boss.

“Jay allows me to turn Lost Canyons inside out on weekends as long as it still looks like a golf shop on Monday morning,” Glodfelty said, “which has given me the opportunity to meet a lot of you and befriend many of you and hold celebrations, so I’m the luckiest person in the world to have the privilege of serving all of you.”

Tim Shannon received one of the day’s top honors, the Strathearn Lifetime Achievement Award. Former mayor and honoree Greg Stratton presented this year’s award, given to a person who’s dedicated his or her time to bettering the community.

Shannon has been with the Farmers Insurance Group for 36 years in various capacities, as a district manager and owner of his own agency. He has a long history of civic contributions: He is a past Chamber chair, former city planning commissioner, past president of the Police Foundation, past president of the Boys & Girls Club, past chair of the Community Foundation, past president of Simi Sunrise Rotary Club, and chairman of the 2004 Cajun Festival.

While accepting the award, Shannon turned the spotlight on others who serve, saying it’s a spirit of volunteerism that makes Simi special.

“Look around you in this room, look at all the people you’ve known for years quietly going about their business trying to make this a better place to work and raise a family,” Shannon said. “We just scratched the surface in this room. This community is filled with individuals . . . who are the real achievers.”

“ Teachers, pastors, social workers . . . they’re everywhere,” he continued. “They go about their work not looking for recognition and are satisfied in the knowledge that the work they do makes a difference in another life.”

Perhaps the highest honor was given to former mayor Paul Miller, who received the Legacy Award. Miller is only the fourth person to receive the award, which recognizes someone “for building a legacy of goodwill and prosperity for the citizens and business community of Simi Valley.”

After serving as chief of the Simi Valley Police Department for 12 years, Miller was elected to the City Council in 1994 and as mayor in 2004. He retired in 2010.

During his time in public service, Miller served in several organizations. He is founder and past president of the Police Foundation, a past president of the Rotary Club of Simi Sunrise and served on the board of the Community Foundation.

Jim Vigdor and Kevin Casey of Alcoa Fastening Systems, which won the Legacy Award in 2006, presented Miller with the honor. Vigdor highlighted Miller’s work to secure a building for Under One Roof, which will house several social-service agencies in one location when it opens, likely at the end of 2013.

“His vision for this project, his dedication in seeing it through and his unwavering dedication to the community is his legacy to the Simi Valley community,” Vigdor said.

Miller said he never expected to receive such an honor and that it was a privilege to serve Simi for nearly 30 years.

“I really owe this community a lot. Before I came here I moved around a lot so I really never had a hometown,” he said. “So after having served this community for 28 years, it’s become my hometown and always will be.”

In addition to these awards, first-year Chamber member Chris Dukes, of Dukes Financial Services, was honored with the Rising Star Award; Ben Gilbert, of Welcome to the Neighborhood magazine, was given the Ambassador of the Year Award; and Dick Erbe, of the Law Offices of Richard S. Erbe, received the Chair’s Award.

Also during the luncheon, the gavel was passed from outgoing Chamber chair Pat Abruzzese to incoming chair Michael McCaffrey, who owns McCaffrey Insurance Services.