Ted Owen, the president and CEO of the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce, was one of 18 CEOs throughout San Diego County honored by the San Diego Business Journal and the Bank of America Corp. at the 5th Annual Most Admired CEO Awards ceremony, held Dec. 8 at the Paradise Point Resort and Spa.
More than 600 people attended the ceremony, which included a keynote speech from Garry Ridge, president and CEO of WD-40 in San Diego.
Owen won in the Small Business Nonprofit category.
Special Awards were given to Ronne Froman of the National Veterans Transition Services and The Monarch School; Reid Carr of Red Door Interactive and Father Joe Carroll of Father Joe's Villages.
"San Diego is fortunate to have so many high-caliber CEOs," said Randy Frisch, president and publisher of the San Diego Business Journal. "As keynote speaker Garry Ridge, president and CEO of WD-40 said, we have lots of talented professionals, and the way to maintain that is to challenge ourselves to improve every day. We can do that."
The finalists were selected from a field of 75 finalists by an independent panel of judges that included Sheryl Bilbrey, president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau of San Diego; Chris Bryant, president of the San Diego Employers Association; William Earley, partner at Luce Forward; and Ed Sternagle, principal of Creative Professional Services. The judges ranked nominations based on CEOs contributions to their companies and the community, with emphasis on innovation, leadership and results-based focus.
Among the finalists were Ernie Bray of Auto Claims Direct; Bryan S.J. Mallindine of Flexiciser; and Teressa Halleck of San Diego County Credit Union, a winner in the large business nonprofit category.
Owen, who has been leading the chamber since 2004, was nominated for the award for launching several successful programs including the Small Business Success Center, the first of its kind to be housed inside a chamber, the Armed Services Committee, which acts as a liaison between the military and the private sector and facilitates opportunities for companies to conduct business on military bases and Boots in Business, a Military Mentoring Initiative that allows active members of the military who are about to be discharged from service an opportunity to job shadow local businesses and gain important job-seeking skills.
"I am really honored just to be nominated for this award and to be among the region's business leaders," said Owen. "One doesn't set out to become a 'most admired CEO,' but it is really nice to be recognized."
More than 600 people attended the ceremony, which included a keynote speech from Garry Ridge, president and CEO of WD-40 in San Diego.
Owen won in the Small Business Nonprofit category.
Special Awards were given to Ronne Froman of the National Veterans Transition Services and The Monarch School; Reid Carr of Red Door Interactive and Father Joe Carroll of Father Joe's Villages.
"San Diego is fortunate to have so many high-caliber CEOs," said Randy Frisch, president and publisher of the San Diego Business Journal. "As keynote speaker Garry Ridge, president and CEO of WD-40 said, we have lots of talented professionals, and the way to maintain that is to challenge ourselves to improve every day. We can do that."
The finalists were selected from a field of 75 finalists by an independent panel of judges that included Sheryl Bilbrey, president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau of San Diego; Chris Bryant, president of the San Diego Employers Association; William Earley, partner at Luce Forward; and Ed Sternagle, principal of Creative Professional Services. The judges ranked nominations based on CEOs contributions to their companies and the community, with emphasis on innovation, leadership and results-based focus.
Among the finalists were Ernie Bray of Auto Claims Direct; Bryan S.J. Mallindine of Flexiciser; and Teressa Halleck of San Diego County Credit Union, a winner in the large business nonprofit category.
Owen, who has been leading the chamber since 2004, was nominated for the award for launching several successful programs including the Small Business Success Center, the first of its kind to be housed inside a chamber, the Armed Services Committee, which acts as a liaison between the military and the private sector and facilitates opportunities for companies to conduct business on military bases and Boots in Business, a Military Mentoring Initiative that allows active members of the military who are about to be discharged from service an opportunity to job shadow local businesses and gain important job-seeking skills.
"I am really honored just to be nominated for this award and to be among the region's business leaders," said Owen. "One doesn't set out to become a 'most admired CEO,' but it is really nice to be recognized."