Eric Stroh and Laina McFerren were named 2017 SCV Man and Woman of the Year Friday night at the Hyatt Valencia.

McFerren was nominated by the Child and Family Center for 12 years of volunteer work and nearly 20 years of involvement in the organization’s Taste of the Town fundraiser (which is this Sunday) through Wolf Creek Brewing Co., which she co-owns with husband Rob.

Stroh, vice president of Santa Clarita Concrete Co., was nominated by Carousel Ranch, where he has served as board president and saw the therapeutic riding ranch through the permitting process for a new home, spearheaded the completion of a covered arena and created the annual Trap Shoot fundraiser.

McFerren and Stroh were selected from a cast of 28 of the Santa Clarita Valley’s top volunteers (16 women and 12 men) representing 20 local nonprofit organizations.

Organizers of Friday night’s event were last year’s honorees, Jim Lentini and Lois Bauccio, with help from a committee of past winners.

As a consolation prize, Stroh and McFerren get to organize next year’s event.

For more information, visit SCVMW.org.

2017 nominees (not all present for photo)

OFFICIAL BIOS

Laina McFerren with Beth Wageman of Wolf Creek.

Laina McFerren

Founder and Co-Owner, Wolf Creek Brewing Company

Nominated by Child & Family Center Child & Family Center Foundation (12 years)

Board of Directors; member (12 years) • Board of Directors, Chair: 2012-2013 • Executive Committee (10 years) • Taste of the Town Co-Chair (3 years) • Taste of the Town Committee (12 years) • Taste of the Town Exhibitor (19 years) • Guardians of Hope Committee (1 year) • Kid Expo Committee (9 years) • Santa Clarita Jazz Festival Committee (3 years) • Installation Committee (10 years) • Golf Committee (5 years) • Adopt-A-Family Project (3 years) • Dancing with Our Stars Committee (2 years) • Attendee, Annenberg Foundation Alchemy leadership workshops Child & Family Center • Board of Directors (1 year) • 35th Anniversary Committee SCV American Red Cross Foundation (3 years) • Board member • Volunteer of the Year, 2002 College of the Canyons Foundation (3 years) • Board of Directors • Culinary Advisory Board, 2005-present • Patrons of the Performing Arts Committee – 2015 to present • Social Committee for Outreach United States Figure Skating Association – SCV Chapter (11 years) Mountainview School Career Day (11 Years) • Committee member Los Angeles Brewers Guild 501(c)(3) (2 years) • Member • Board secretary Others: Carousel Ranch, SRD-Straightening Reins, Circle of Hope, Betty Ferguson Foundation,Vine 2 Wine, Soroptimist International, SOAR Mardi Gras Madness race, Wine in the Pines, VIA – Connecting to Success Committee

Laina McFerren has worked countless hours volunteering in a variety of different projects for Child & Family Center. In addition, she has donated products from her business to ensure success for other nonprofit organizations. In 2016, she created “Community Pints” at her Brewery, donating a portion of the proceeds from four nights each month to a different charity each month. Taste of the Town would not be the successful and popular event without the wisdom and guidance Laina brings to the effort on an annual basis.

Laina McFerren has a degree in communications from UCLA. She met her husband, Rob, while working at the Cheesecake Factory in Marina Del Rey. The couple married and moved to the SCV in 1992, where they live with their two daughters, Mandee, now 22 and a senior at UCSB, and Gillian, 17, a junior at Valencia High School. What began as a Christmas gift to her husband, a home brew beer-making machine, led to an incredible local business, Wolf Creek Brewing Company, opened in 1997. The couple recently added a brewery to create their popular beer. Laina has combined her entrepreneurial spirit for business and her belief and efforts in volunteerism to make Santa Clarita a better place to live and work.

Eric Stroh

Vice President, Santa Clarita Concrete

Nominated by Carousel Ranch Carousel Ranch (11.5 years)

President • Vice President • Chair and Creator, “How the West Was Won” Trap Shoot

From the time Eric joined the Carousel Ranch board, he has been an integral part of the organization. Shortly after joining, Eric stepped up and filled the role of interim president. He took his position very seriously, working hard to take the organization to a new level. None of us, Eric included, could have had any idea of the incredible challenges and changes we would face in the years to follow – yet with Eric as our leader, the ranch not only survived the toughest of financial times, but thrived. Eric was with us, buying property to complete renovations of our new home, obtaining our conditional use permit, attending countless County meetings, to the completion of our biggest project ever — the building of our long-awaited covered arena. One of Eric’s greatest achievements and contributions has been his work as co-creator and chair of our Trap Shoot. From concept to completion, this has really been Eric’s event. For many months each year (this being the 9th annual), Eric has been the one that has literally “made” this event, raising over $250,000 over the years. From soliciting teams to creating the day’s events, entertainment, and literally every element of how it all works. He is always involved in every event and undertaking that we have. He personally dedicates countless hours to the success of Carousel Ranch’s annual Heart of the West event, which his personal efforts directly result in raising tens of thousands of dollars each year. Eric is always ready, willing and able to make calls, obtain donations, and simply get any job done. Eric is exceptionally proud that his daughter, Jolie, has become one of the ranch’s staff.

Eric Stroh has been calling the Santa Clarita Valley home since 1988 when his future wife praised it as the perfect place to raise a family. After he earned his Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, Eric bought his first home, got hired as a sales engineer for Honeywell, and asked his college sweetheart to marry him. By 1996, the couple had two daughters. In 2003, Eric left corporate America and began working alongside his father-in-law at Santa Clarita Concrete. Being able to help grow the family business while having the freedom to be present and involved in all aspects of his daughters’ lives has been Eric’s greatest joy. He has never missed a school production, an award ceremony, or sporting event. Eric is always front and center with his camera as his girls’ biggest fan. It was his daughter Jolie’s obsession with horses that first brought Eric to Carousel Ranch. Together, they have given hours of love and support to the Ranch. When Eric isn’t working, he can be found on the water ,either wakeboarding or paddle boarding, with his family.