AHC Foundation Elects Two New Board Members

FEBRUARY 1, 2022 -- The Allan Hancock College Foundation Board of Directors added two new members to its ranks as the organization continues its mission to support the college and its students in Northern Santa Barbara County. 

The Hancock Foundation Board unanimously elected Gloria Soto of Santa Maria and Larry Lahr of Buellton to serve three-year terms.

Soto is Executive Director of Future Leaders of America (FLA), one of the largest Latinx youth-serving organizations in California. Elected to the Santa Maria City Council in 2018, Soto is only the sixth woman ever elected to hold a seat on the council. Soto earned her associate degree at Hancock and completed her bachelor’s degree at Chapman University.

Lahr is president of Rincon Corp., a full-service agricultural real estate company founded in 1991. He served more than 26 years on the Allan Hancock College Board of Trustees, serving as president of the board in 2000 and 2001, and vice president in 1999. Lahr attended Hancock before earning a bachelor's degree in agricultural management at Cal Poly, SLO. A longtime resident of Santa Maria, Lahr now resides in Buellton.

“We are excited to welcome Mr. Lahr and Councilmember Soto to our Board of Directors,” said Hancock Executive Director of College Advancement Jon Hooten. “They are both dedicated public servants who are deeply committed to their communities. We are particularly proud that they are both Hancock alumni, and are thrilled that they are choosing to give back to the college through their work as Foundation board members.”

The Allan Hancock College Foundation Board of Directors includes nearly 30 community members from the Santa Maria, Lompoc and Santa Ynez valleys. The Foundation contributes over $1 million annually to the college, including over $500,000 in student scholarships. The foundation also has raised over $5.5 million toward the fund supporting the Hancock Promise, which provides area high school graduates with the opportunity to receive their first year free of tuition and fees at Allan Hancock College.

For more information about the Hancock Promise, and to make a gift, visit www.hancockcollege.edu/promise.

For more information about the Allan Hancock College Foundation, visit www.hancockcollege.edu/foundation.

- AHC -

Photo Caption: The AHC Foundation welcomes new board members Gloria Soto (left) and Larry Lahr (right).