By Daily Press staff — John Wood
MARINA DEL REY — Hundreds of people gathered in a ballroom here on Thursday evening to celebrate the annual baton passing for leaders of the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce.
Former mayor Nat Trives was sworn in as chairman of the chamber’s board of directors, and local jeweler Eddie Guerboian as the chairman-elect. Dr. Mike Gruning was chairman for the past year.
The event attracted key community leaders, including City Council members Mike Feinstein, Bob Holbrook, Herb Katz and Pam O’Connor, top educators John Deasy and Piedad F. Robertson, the Santa Monica College board of directors, police chief James T. Butts Jr. and Culver City Mayor Steve Rose.
Singer Renee Herman kicked off the ceremonies with her rendition of the national anthem, before four uniformed officers performed a formal color guard procession and Chief Butts led the pledge of allegiance. Monsignor Lloyd Torgerson then held a prayer, paying respects to former president Ronald Reagan.
Before the formal installation of Trives and other chamber officials, SMC and the Santa Monica Convention and Visitors Bureau were honored for their contributions to the community. Jean McNeil Wyner, a community liaison for the Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center, was awarded the “Roy E. Naylor Lifetime Achievement Award” for her work with numerous community groups.
“Jean McNeil Wyner is an extraordinary human being who has always given unselfishly of herself to any group with which she has been associated,” Gruning said. “Her dedication to a variety of philanthropic organizations is legendary and she brightens peoples’ lives daily.
“Because Nat Trives is synonymous with ‘Mr. Santa Monica,’ I hope not to alienate his wonderful wife Ida by giving the well-deserved moniker of ‘Mrs. Santa Monica’ to Jean,” Gruning added.
Local realtor Jim Keyes, attorney Tom Larmore and acupuncturist Anne Reghi Saldo were each given a “Chairman’s Award” for their work with the chamber. Gruning praised Keyes for his team participation, Larmore for his “silver pen,” and Saldo for her “quiet strength, genuine warmth and positive attitude.”
Trives took the podium only briefly before telling attendees to celebrate. He praised those involved with the chamber for their open communication and dedication to keeping Santa Monica strong.
“That’s Santa Monica for you,” he said, remembering a telephone call he received recently from a veteran chamber chairman who congratulated him on his upcoming term as chairman. “We don’t see you on the Third Street Promenade, we don’t see each other at Hallmark Cleaners, or wherever we go — but we’re thinking about each other.”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on June 12, 2004. Read the original PDF.