Women Honored at Entrepreneurship Awards

Working in hospitality is not a 9-to-5 position, as Pamela Webber knows from her early days managing hotels in Santa Barbara. Webber can recall guests making late-night requests and can tell other interesting stories from life in Santa Barbara since the 1950’s.

Webber and 11 other women won awards in various professional categories at a dinner in May organized by the Spirit of Entrepreneurship Foundation. The mistress of ceremonies was Lynda Weinman, co-founder of lynda.com.

“My time in the hotel industry has been wonderful, and meeting people from all around the world coming to our little town to enjoy the scenery and culture,” Webber said.

Webber came to Santa Barbara from England in 1956 and they became managers of the Hacienda Motel. Eight years later they bought the Pepper Tree Inn and now she is the owner of the Santa Barbara Hotel Group that operates five hotels in the area.

She also created the Santa Barbara Scenic Drive and co-founded the Visit Santa Barbara Committee. She helped establish the city’s waste reduction and cleanup program, Looking Good Santa Barbara.

Her video drew laughter and applause from the crowd as it showed her dressed up in fiesta attire and riding around in classic cars before she was announced as the Rock Star Award winner at the 2017 Spirit of Entrepreneurship Awards at the Coral Casino at the Biltmore on May 5.