Ramirez Earns Honor, Raises Funds for Firefighters

Not one to stand by and take accolades, Richie Ramirez, the newly selected Santa Barbara Young Professional of the Year, hosted his award ceremony and the club’s monthly mixer at his shop to raise funds for the SB Firefighter’s Alliance. 

Said Richie, “I’m very honored to have received the award for SB Young Professional of the Year 2017. I’m thankful to all my family, friends, loyal customers, and their pets, the young professionals in our town, and my strong Richie the Barber team. This award pushes us even harder to do more for our amazing community. With the recent devastation from the fires and mudslides, we finally feel back on our feet and ready to plan our next charity event. As the newly appointed Young Professional for SB, I will make 2018 the year of collaboration with the small businesses in our community. This award ceremony was postponed due to the fire and mudslide, and since we are now re-opened, we were happy when the SBYPC asked us to host both the ceremony and their monthly mixer-fundraiser at the shop. 

“A shout-out to the event sponsors Cutler’s Artisan Spirits and Jamie Slone Winery, who supported me setting up a temporary barbershop at their winery downtown SB during the mudslide closure. I am happy to hear any suggestions from the community and look forward to representing SB Young Professionals in 2018.”  

Instrumental to making it all happen is the SB Young Professional Club Board. Member Andrea G. Posey said, “The club is a non-profit organization founded for charitable and public purposes. Each year, we invite the community as a whole to submit nominations for the Young Professional of the Year. We then as a board meet and review all nominations and select the winner. 

“This year, we chose Richie Ramirez of Richie’s Barber Shop. Not only has Richie created and maintained a successful business on Coast Village Road in Montecito for over seven years, but unlike many other successful business owners, he also uses his business to give back to the community by hosting fundraising events and donating time and money to important causes. For example, Richie has been involved with the United Boys & Girls Club by hosting a fun event for kids at his shop; held a fundraising event for the victims of the Las Vegas shooting Sonoma County fire; Movember Fundraiser hosted by Richie’s Barber Shop at Mad Fitness to raise awareness and funds for men’s health issues in our community; Toys for Tots drive every holiday season; Orfalea Foundation; SB Chamber of Commerce; SBPD; CASA; and many others. Most recently, even though Richie and his crew had just been able to return to his shop on Coast Village Road after the mudslides, when SBYPC called and asked him about hosting a benefit there for the Firefighters Alliance, he graciously agreed to have us without any hesitation. SBYPC is honored and excited to present him with this award… we thank him for all that he does for the community.” 

President Jason Frantz added, “As the incoming president of the Santa Barbara Young Professionals Club, it was very rewarding for me to be a part of this well attended event that helped bring business to the local community, allowed the club to raise additional funds for the Santa Barbara Firefighters Alliance (our 2017 Non-Profit of the Year), as well as honor our 2017 Young Professional of the Year, Richie Ramirez. On behalf of the club, I’d like to thank Paul Cashman, a local State Farm agent and Ian Cutler of Cutler’s Artisan Spirits for their generous donations to the event, and all of the numerous attendees who came out to show their support. 

“The club’s goal is to present the SB Firefighters Alliance with a check for $7,500 at our next event on [Wednesday] March 14. Thanks to the success of this event in Montecito, we have nearly achieved that goal. It’s truly inspiring to see how this community has come together to help each other after the Thomas Fire and mudslides.”

Congrats to Richie and all our young professionals!

411: www.sbyppc.org