Rusty’s Pizza Owner receives lifetime achievement award

Rusty’s Pizza owner and CEO Carol Duncan is being honored as the 2019 Rock Star: Lifetime Achievement Award recipient at the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort.

The Spirit of Entrepreneurship (SOE) presented by Women’s Economic Ventures (WEV) announced Duncan as the ninth recipient of this award.

According to SOE, the award is presented annually to a successful woman entrepreneur who has made an indelible impact on the Santa Barbara or Ventura communities.

Duncan has built a successful family-owned business with Rusty’s Pizza Parlor.

Rusty’s first opened in 1969 and now has 17 different locations in Santa Barabara and Bakersfield and employs over 500 people.

SOE received more than 135 nominations in 12 categories. Three finalists from each category will be selected by a panel of judges.

Along with honoring Duncan, the winners in each category will be announced for the first time at the awards ceremony dinner.

Proceeds from the Spirit of Entrepreneurship Awards benefit the winners of the SBCC Scheinfeld Center’s New Venture Challenge, a business plan competition for students.

The winners of the New Venture Challenge will receive financial support in the form of seed capital and scholarships. They will also receive their prizes at the awards dinner.