Tag: EDC Annual Dinner

A note from Mark: Annual Dinner Honorees 2026

By Mark Cafferty,

meet Our Life. Changing. Honorees

Dear EDC investors and partners,

As summer begins to draw near, our team at San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation (EDC) is eager to kick off many of our signature programs and events just around the corner. None bigger than our Annual Dinner, underwritten by Point Loma Nazarene University.

Held again at Petco Park as a celebration to the community of investors, partners, and leaders who make our work possible, EDC’s Annual Dinner has become a yearly moment of reflection for me—not just to take stock of the work behind us or ahead us, but to think of how much our mission continues to evolve and adapt to the economy and community we serve.

We give out two honors, dubbed our “Life. Changing.” Awards: Two words that capture the essence of San Diego in so many ways, and two words that have become a bit of a mantra for our work and the way we see and promote the region.

But before they took on their current title, the Awards were named in memory of two San Diegans who embodied the leadership that defined a rapidly growing region and economy. One, Duane Roth the indomitable promoter of San Diego innovation, science, technology, and entrepreneurship. The other, Herb Klein revered for bringing people together for the greater good and going above and beyond professional roles and responsibilities to move San Diego forward.

I have always been proud of the individuals we choose to recognize at our Annual Dinner, as with each passing year, the awards have become a more powerful reflection of the organization we strive to be, and the people and institutions that inspire us the most.

This year, we recognize the continued investment, growth, and innovation of ASML—an international technology giant with great history in San Diego, and one of the most important global players in the semiconductor industry fulfilling chipmakers’ needs from manufacturing to software.

We also honor Robert Gleason—local executive, community leader, civic treasure, and President and CEO of Evans Hotels, one of our region’s most important tourism companies, and an individual who has truly changed the San Diego economy and community through his advocacy, service, engagement, and activism.

Continuing to celebrate all that makes San Diego creative and innovative—while also celebrating what makes it welcoming, inclusive, and good—has become a highlight of our work and a gift to the community that surrounds us. It is at the core of what makes our work so special. It is the very foundation of what makes our region so Life. Changing.

I hope you’ll join us on June 4 at Petco Park for our 2026 Annual Dinner—another fun, meaningful, and beautiful night of camaraderie, friendship, and recognizing and appreciating the very best of who San Diego is.

Join us june 4

With gratitude and respect,

Mark Cafferty
Mark Cafferty

President & CEO

More from EDC

  • See our impact in our Monthly Report
  • Apply by June 15—EDC and JPMorganChase are back for the second annual San Diego Business Impact Awards! Nominate your company and celebrate your local impact
    • Save the date to celebrate with us on July 23; registration details to come
  • Learn about Cross Border Xpress’ regional impact and 2030 expansion plan in our latest Investor Spotlight

 

A note from Mark

By Mark Cafferty,

Our collective power in a time of need

“I am grateful for what I am and have. My thanksgiving is perpetual.”

— Henry David Thoreau

Dear EDC board-members, investors, and friends,

I hope this message finds you well as we head into the final months of the year. It is almost impossible for me to believe that 2026 is right around the corner.

Ensuring San Diego is an attractive and affordable place for talent and businesses remains more important than ever to our region’s resilience and competitiveness. As we all know and understand, the shutdown of our federal government and additional challenges coming from Washington, D.C. are creating undue stresses, strains, and hardship for families, workers, and businesses across our region—at a time when nearly half of all local households are already struggling. Just 51.7 percent of San Diego household incomes have kept pace with the region’s cost of living, meaning that many San Diegans sacrifice quality of life to pay for basic household needs such as transportation, grocery expenditures, and childcare—pressures that disproportionately impact communities of color.

I offer no political observations or critique other than to say that our charity for our neighbors and fellow citizens should never be needed because our government refuses to do its job. Yet in this season of thanksgiving, it is our charity for our neighbors and fellow citizens that is needed most.

With all that said, I could not feel more pride and gratitude for our EDC investors and partners who have been organizing efforts to help those most in need. I am grateful for:

…and many, many more that are a constant resource to families, such as Lifeline Community Services, Neighborhood House Association, YMCA of San Diego County, and local educational institutions and government partners. I see the very best of who we are as a region reflected in the actions, intentions, and service of these partners and leaders. For all of them, my thanksgiving is perpetual.

It is never lost on me that when I write these messages I am writing to our region’s most influential and important leaders. Collectively, you have the power to move mountains. As we head into a holiday season and new year that may continue to add undue stresses, strains, and hardship to the lives of so many around us, let’s not forget the power we have to make people’s days (and lives) better and brighter. Please consider donating to, aligning with, and supporting the work of the organizations listed above, or other organizations in the community whose missions and values best align with yours.

Forever grateful for what I am and have. Forever grateful for all of you.

All my best,

Mark Cafferty
Mark Cafferty

President & CEO

Read EDC’s monthly report

A note from Mark

By Mark Cafferty,

Keep the “Good News” coming

EDC investors, board members, and partners,

I hope this message finds you well. While the news and the constant barrage of information surrounding us these days can feel a bit heavy and negative, I want to remind you all that for the last 13 years, the EDC team has been putting out “Good News of the Week” every Friday to make sure San Diegans end the week on the highest possible note. We always do our best to filter through everything we can to find news of businesses expanding and growing, universities receiving new accolades and funding, non-profit partners improving the community while improving the economy, and other milestone achievements advancing San Diego’s regional and global competitiveness.

Still, we would love to hear more milestones in innovation, collaboration, creativity, integrity, and inspiration that are found in all corners of our county and our binational region. Consider this my invitation and reminder to submit your own Good News and make sure we don’t miss out on elevating your stories.

In the spirit of sharing “Good News”, the incomparable Sir Elton John is coming back to Petco Park to perform at Curebound’s Concert for Cures on Friday, May 9. As we heard from EDC Investor and Curebound CEO Anne Marbarger in our January EDC Board Meeting, the nonprofit raises money for grants that support San Diego’s top research institutions in the fight against cancer. Join Lauree, me, and the broader San Diego business community as we help raise critical funds for cancer research, and officially say farewell to Sir Elton John. Explore Curebound’s Concert for Cures table and ticket information, or contact Anne directly at anne@curebound.org.

So again—keep the “Good News” coming. I can assure you there is not a week that goes by where someone in this community (or even outside of this community) doesn’t remind me of how uplifting it is to read about your collective successes, breakthroughs, wins, and moments worth celebrating.

Thank you as always for your leadership and support, and for continuing to make San Diego the unique and amazing place that it is.

With respect and admiration,
Mark

Mark Cafferty
Mark Cafferty

President & CEO

Read EDC’s monthly report

Buy your tickets

A note from Mark…

By Mark Cafferty,

Celebrating 60 years & our honorees

EDC investors, partners, and colleagues:

Each year when we give out awards at our Annual Dinner, I think of the two people who inspired them—Duane Roth and Herb Klein. And while we now call them our “Life. Changing.” Awards in alignment with our regional branding and communications efforts, I am reminded again that both Duane and Herb changed many lives. Mine included.

This year marks EDC’s 60th Anniversary. And while our Annual Dinner is always a big event that means a great deal to our team and the broader economic development community we work with and through, this year it feels like it means even more.

Part of what makes it more significant for me is thinking about how perfectly our award winners represent both the spirit of our work, and all that is truly special about the region we call home. As we celebrate six decades of economic development, we are really celebrating the people and the businesses who have paved the way and made this journey possible.

The first award is given to an individual who has gone above and beyond the responsibilities of their job to make San Diego a better place for all. Perhaps no person embodies this description more than Dr. Constance Carroll. Dr. Carroll served as the chancellor for San Diego Community College District for 17 years—the longest tenure of any chancellor in district history. She has served on countless local, state, national, and international boards and committees for both education and the arts. Dr. Carroll played a critical role in raising the profile of community colleges in the eyes of business and industry leaders throughout the region, and she is responsible for establishing and expanding the offerings of four-year bachelor’s degrees within the community college system. She has also done as much to advance the causes of economic equity and inclusion as any San Diegan I can think of.

The second award celebrates a business or organization that is changing the world from San Diego through science, technology, and innovation. Again, few organizations better embody this description than General Atomics (GA). A home-grown San Diego success story, GA has been a cornerstone of San Diego’s innovation economy since 1955. From aerospace and defense to electronics and energy, GA has become a global leader all while maintaining its headquarters in the heart of the Torrey Pines Mesa. GA boasts one of the region’s most talented and diverse workforces, and has significant education and workforce development partnerships with all of the region’s colleges, universities, and community colleges. GA co-owner and vice chairman Linden Blue has served on EDC’s board of directors for more than 25 years and was an executive committee member for more than a decade. GA’s impact exactly emulates the Life. Changing. Award.

So, during an iconic year for our organization, we are hoping that you can join us in recognizing the contributions of an iconic leader and company, and the ‘Life. Changing.’ roles they have played within our region.

Please join us May 15 at EDC’s Annual Dinner.

With gratitude,

Mark Cafferty
Mark Cafferty

President & CEO

Read EDC’s monthly report

Buy your tickets

A note from Mark on EDC’s Annual Dinner

By Mark Cafferty,

Honoring Life. Changing. San Diegans

Dear EDC investors and partners,

I hope this message finds you all well and enjoying springtime in San Diego. As we speed through April, our entire team is turning its attention to our upcoming Annual Dinner.

As many of you know, for more than 20 years, San Diego Regional EDC has presented an award at our Annual Dinner that focuses on community and economic service and leadership. Originally called “The Spirit of San Diego Award,” this recognition was later changed in 2010 to honor the memory of Herb Klein—a truly wonderful San Diego leader who was noted for bringing people together to work on many of San Diego’s most challenging political and economic issues. More than anything, both iterations of this award were structured to recognize an individual who goes ‘above and beyond’ their day job to help make San Diego a better place, whether through philanthropy, volunteerism, vision, action, etc.

About nine years ago, EDC added a second award in memory of Duane Roth, another beloved San Diego leader and a tireless promoter of San Diego’s innovation economy. By contrast, this award would recognize a business or institution (not an individual) that was ‘changing the world from San Diego’ through technology, science, or innovation (think Qualcomm, the Salk Institute, Illumina, etc.). Duane was passionate about San Diego’s smart and life-changing companies and ideas, and this was EDC’s way of honoring his leadership, service, and memory.

Over the last few years, we have made efforts to ensure that the criteria for these awards are not only reflective of the leaders who inspired them, but of the changes in EDC’s work—with continued alignment to our core values of integrity, accountability, collaboration, and inclusion. The awards have now become known as our “Life. Changing. Awards,” an ode to our region’s brand identity and reflective of the EDC that businesses and individuals are investing in today. And if there were ever two words that could encapsulate the impact of Herb Klein and Duane Roth, those would certainly be them.

Meet our 2024 awardees

This year, our individual award will be given to (retired) Vice Admiral Jim Zortman. Admiral Zortman is one of the most highly decorated Naval officers to call San Diego home. He is the former Commanding Officer for Naval Air Forces, San Diego and Naval Air Forces, Pacific Fleet. He is also the retired Senior and Sector Vice President for Global Logistics and Operations Support for Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems. While at Northrop Grumman, he led the effort to make San Diego the company’s ‘center for excellence’ for unmanned systems. Admiral Zortman also served on the Chairman’s Competitiveness Council—a group of senior business and university leaders who worked to carve out meaningful and independent directions and focus areas for EDC, the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, and Connect. He served on EDC’s board of directors and executive committee for more than 10 years. From 2016-2018, Jim served as EDC’s board chair and made ‘economic inclusion’ his focus area and platform. Feeling he had been a part of meaningful and intentional efforts made by the U.S. military to strengthen and diversify its officer ranks, and by Northrop Grumman to increase the number of women and people of color within its engineering, technical, and executive workforce, Jim felt that EDC could be a powerful catalyst to establish inclusion as an economic imperative within the San Diego region. Since Jim’s time as chair, every new EDC board chair has continued to build off the foundation he established and has kept inclusion at the forefront of EDC’s goals and work, which now so many of you have committed to and engaged in with us.

We will be presenting this year’s business award to a legendary San Diego company—Solar Turbines.

Noorfadzreena Binti Mahmud, Field Service Supervisor and Eliza Porterfield, District Service Manager
At the Customer Experience Center in San Diego California

Solar Turbines designs and manufactures industrial gas turbines for onshore and offshore electrical power generation, for marine propulsion, and for producing, processing, and transporting natural gas and oil. Headquartered in San Diego for nearly a century, Solar Turbines has more than 8,000 employees in dozens of countries around the world, with the majority of them working in the San Diego region. For decades, the company has represented the best elements of our binational economy with substantial manufacturing operations in Tijuana/Northern Baja. Solar Turbines has been a constant partner and investor in workforce development and training programs throughout San Diego and Imperial Counties, and has one of the most dedicated and diverse workforces in our region. It is also important to note that the corporate leadership of Solar Turbines has chosen to remain in San Diego and California despite aggressive efforts by other states to lure them away.

As champions of our organizational core values, examples of what Duane Roth and Herb Klein stood for, and critical partners in building a stronger, more vibrant, and more inclusive region, we could not be prouder to recognize Admiral Jim Zortman and Solar Turbines with our 2024 Life. Changing. Awards. Hoping that you will all join us at Petco Park on June 18 to give them the celebration and thanks they deserve.

Learn more and buy your tickets at EDCannualdinner.com.

With continued thanks for your leadership and support—Mark

Mark Cafferty
Mark Cafferty

President & CEO

Read EDC’s Monthly Report

Special thanks to our award sponsors Boston Consulting Group, San Diego State University, and UC San Diego.

Our Annual Dinner is back…with a new location

By Bree Burris,

The business event of the year is back…and we’re knocking it out of the park.

Join us at EDC’s Annual Dinner for another unforgettable evening. Our signature event gathers more than 900 business and community leaders celebrating our organization and region. And a new decade calls for a venue changeup.

Get ready, EDC’s Annual Dinner is around the corner. from San Diego Regional EDC on Vimeo.

So we’re heading to Petco Park.

That’s right, it’s EDC’s Annual Dinner @ Petco Park on June 11. We’re a bit biased, but it just might be the best ballpark, in the best city in the country. We will have a short program, where attendees will hear updates on what EDC has been up to for the past year, and we’re heading in the future, and then it’s game time. And by game time, we mean fun time. You will have a chance to go on the field and enjoy a unique dining experience at Park at the Park. As far as annual events go, we promise it’s a good one.

In the coming weeks, we’ll be announcing the award honorees for both the Duane Roth Renaissance Award – named after the late founder of CONNECT & a tireless champion for our region – and the Herb Klein Civic Leadership Award.

All are invited: EDC investors, board members, community members, and anyone that wants to celebrate San Diego. Join us for an unforgettable EDC Annual Dinner @ Petco Park.

Get your tickets here

Want your company’s name in lights (on the jumbotron). Contact Jennifer Storm to learn about sponsorships