]The 2018 Valley Industry Association (VIA) Awards will be presented at the VIA Monster BASH Ball on Friday, Oct. 26, 2018 at the Hyatt Regency Valencia, 24500 Town Center Drive in Valencia. Awards are given to those individuals and members of distinction deserving in one of three categories: VIA Business of the Year, VIA Rising Star, and the Connie Worden-Roberts Volunteer of the Year.

The Connie Worden-Roberts Volunteer of the Year Award is awarded to an individual affiliated with VIA for a minimum of two years and has demonstrated strong support of the organization through committee involvement or chairmanship, member recruitment, fundraising and/or the creation of increased visibility for the organization.

The VIA Rising Star Award is awarded to a member who has been with the organization no less than 12 months and has shown substantial new growth and visibility through the development and launch of a new product or service, significant increases in job creation and/or building expansion.

The VIA Business of the Year Award is awarded to a cornerstone VIA member business affiliated with the organization no less than five years and who has demonstrated consistent support not only for the organization but to the business community and the Santa Clarita Valley as a whole.

Nominees for the Connie Worden-Roberts Volunteer of the Year Award:
— Nola Aronson, Advanced Audiology
— Dr. Jerry Buckley, College of the Canyons
— Laura Kirchhoff, American Diabetes Association
— Ed Masterson, SOS Entertainment
— Chris Schrage, LBW Insurance & Financial Services
— Sue Tweddell, Primerica

Nominees for the VIA Rising Star Award:
— Boys & Girls Club of SCV
— Resurgence IT
— SchlickArt

Nominees for VIA Business of the Year:
— Advanced Audiology
— College of the Canyons
— Hyatt Regency Valencia
— LBW Insurance & Financial

In addition, the inaugural VIA Vision and Inspiration Award will be given to the William S. Hart Union High School District. The award is VIA and the VIA Education Foundation’s highest honor in recognition of the communication, collaboration, and collective efforts in furthering Connecting to Success, a workforce readiness program. The curriculum is available to every junior class student in the Hart District and teaches young people the necessary skills to bridge from student life to work life, and to be successful once they enter the workforce. The program connects business leaders to a future employment pool that will be ready for the demands of a job. There are an unlimited number of $20 Black Rose sponsorship opportunities available, which sends one high school student to VIA’s workplace-readiness Connecting to Success program.

Proceeds from the event benefit the VIA Education Foundation, Connecting to Success program, a privately-funded half day conference offering important workplace readiness skills to high school students. This signature program now trains more than 2,500 high school juniors annually from all area high schools in the William S. Hart Union High School District.

Nola Aronson’s Advanced Audiology is the Title Sponsor; College of the Canyons is a Wizard sponsor. Goblin sponsors include Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital, the City of Santa Clarita, Southern California Edison, FivePoint, Thrivent Financial, Wintrust Mortgage, ReMax of Santa Clairta, Santa Clarita Valley Relocation Services, Burrtec Waste Industries, Inc., SOS Entertainment, and Point of View Communications. Media sponsors include The Signal, Santa Clarita Valley Business Journal, SCVTV, and InsideSCV.

For tickets, visit www.viabash.com or www.via.org/via-bash or contact the VIA office at admin@via.org or phone (661) 294-8088.

About the Valley Industry Association (VIA):
The Valley Industry Association of Santa Clarita represents business interests throughout the Santa Clarita Valley. VIA provides its members – industrial, commercial and service companies – the opportunity to collaborate on a broad range of business issues. In addition to being a legislative advocate, VIA serves as a one-stop shop for relevant business information, supports local educational initiatives, and provides networking opportunities.