The College of the Canyons Foundation has named Ed Masterson as the recipient of the prestigious 2026 Silver Spur Community Service Award in recognition of his longtime community leadership and advocacy for nonprofit organizations in the Santa Clarita Valley.

The 34th annual Silver Spur Celebration will take place 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” said Silver Spur Committee Chair Dawn Abasta. “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.

Since 1999, Masterson’s volunteer work has benefited more than 25 local organizations, including College of the Canyons, the Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce, Valley Industry Association (VIA), WiSH Education Foundation, Child & Family Center, Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital Guild, SCV Education Foundation and the Boys & Girls Club of the Santa Clarita Valley, among many others.

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. Throughout his professional career, he has continued to lend his expertise, resources and time to nonprofit organizations across the region.

His deep involvement in the Santa Clarita Valley includes long-standing leadership with both the Valley Industry Association and the Santa Clarita Valley 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, while actively participating in numerous committees and programs.

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 Santa Clarita Valley. 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.

A founding board member of the WiSH Education Foundation, Masterson remains an active and trusted contributor, lending his deep understanding of community needs to help support local students.

Masterson further solidified his commitment to higher education by joining the College of the Canyons Foundation Board of Directors in 2019, helping advance the Foundation’s mission to support students through scholarships and educational resources.

“I am honored to receive the Silver Spur Award from the College of the Canyons Foundation,” said Masterson. “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 numerous 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 the Santa Clarita Valley 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.

For more information about the 2026 Silver Spur event or to become an event sponsor, please contact the College of the Canyons Foundation at (661) 362-3434 or email cocfoundation@canyons.edu.

Tickets are $225 per person. Sponsorship packages are also available. To purchase tickets for the 2026 Silver Spur Celebration, visit www.canyons.edu/administration/foundation/events/2026-silver-spur.php.