Chamber cheers
Next year’s gala is scheduled for Aug. 27. To register or become a sponsor, visit santamaria.com. Submit nominations for the 2027 awards online at santamaria.com/connecting/annual-awards.
For the more than four decades that Laurie Tamura has lived in the Santa Maria Valley, she’s donated her time to organizations like Scouting America, the Santa Maria Police Council, and EconAlliance—to name a few.
Her philanthropy earned the attention of the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce, and on Sept. 17, Tamura’s husband, sons, and colleagues joined her at the chamber’s 101st annual gala.
The gathering of her supporters gave her a “hint that something was going to happen,” Tamura said, but she didn’t guess that she’d receive the 2026 Robert P. Hatch Citizen of the Year award.
“I’m very impressed with the community to be able to keep a secret,” Tamura told the Sun. “That was quite special.”
She began her career with the county Planning and Development Department after earning an environmental studies degree at UC Santa Barbara. Now, Tamura has lived in Orcutt for more than 45 years and is a longtime leader at Urban Planning Concepts.
As the president and principal planner for the team of seven, Tamura helps projects get built. The company contracts with cities in the area and assists builders and developers with environmental reviews and construction permits.
“I enjoy the diversity that we have in meeting with not only decision-makers and different staff but also the community at large,” Tamura said. “When we’re dealing with projects, we usually meet with the neighbors in the surrounding area and make sure that what we propose is compatible with the neighborhoods. And then being involved with the chamber and all of the organizations in this area is a great way to bridge projects with the community.”
Tamura said she feels strongly about giving back to the community she lives in. What originally began as a networking tactic for her small company at events put on by the Chamber of Commerce turned into enthusiasm for service.
Talking with diverse groups of people, attending meetings, and exposing herself to different organizations allowed Tamura to discover which causes meant the most to her.
“Eventually you find your passion in certain areas,” Tamura explained. “Finding those opportunities to not only engage with people but give your time, your treasure, your talent, whatever, to be able to help different organizations. The Police Council is a great example because you’re working not only with the Police Department, but you’re also working with the community overall to improve the experience with the city of Santa Maria.”
Once the president of the Santa Maria Police Council, Tamura helped with the group’s biggest event of the year. The annual golf tournament and comedy show in June has made more than $2 million for the Santa Maria Police Department over the past 17 years, Tamura said.
Another organization “near and dear” to her heart is Scouting America because she grew up scouting and always felt tied to it. Her father and two sons achieved the Eagle Scout ranking.
“When our Scout camp burned down—Rancho Alegre burned down in 2017—I became part of the rebuild committee. We have rebuilt 11 buildings there,” Tamura said. “The camp serves as The Outdoor School science camp for this region, and we serve 3,000 kids a year going to The Outdoor School program. That’s something that I think was very important for us to continue.”
On her business horizon are the prospects of redeveloping downtown Santa Maria and building out the east side of the city, which she says will see growth that impacts the entire community.
“It’s the future, and that’s what I want to participate in and think about and make sure that the quality of life for those future neighborhoods and future areas of the city are successful,” she said.
Highlight
• Starting Oct. 1, the Chumash Casino Resort will fundraise for breast cancer research through its annual Project Pink campaign. A portion of proceeds from the casino’s pink-themed snacks and beverages will be donated to the Breast Cancer Resource Center of Santa Barbara. Visit Grains and Grounds at the casino to find the special menu items including guava and coconut cake, lime cupcakes with hibiscus buttercream, chocolate raspberry cookies, and raspberry rice crispy treats.
Reach Staff Writer Madison White at mwhite@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in October 1 – October 8, 2026.
