Audrey and Barry Sterling, partners in everything since meeting at Stanford University, first saw Iron Horse Vineyards in a driving rainstorm in 1976 with the vineyard development only partially completed. There was no winery, and the 19th century carpenter gothic house was dramatically listing to one side. Somehow they still decided their dreams had come true. 

It is hard to remember how pioneering it was to put down roots in western Sonoma County in the mid-70s. Even the UC Davis Agricultural Extension Agents advised against investing in the area. But the Sterlings knew the value of cool climate for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from their years in France and Audrey was familiar with the area from childhood summers on the Russian River.

They were the pioneers of the Green Valley appellation. In 1983, the name of the applicant for federal recognition of Green Valley as an American Viticultural Area (AVA) was Audrey M. Sterling with her attorney of record, Barry H. Sterling.

Today, three generations of the Sterling Family live on the property, ranging in age from 29 to 92. In the vineyards, winery, gardens, lifestyle, and community life, the Sterlings strive to give back more than they take out.

Iron Horse is certified sustainable and regenerative by the Sonoma County Wine Growers. They use all recycled water in the vineyards and are engaged in a multi-year, multi-million-dollar salmon habitat restoration project with Fish and Wildlife on their section of Green Valley Creek. Iron Horse is part of a pilot program with the California Land Stewardship Institute to study the positive role of vineyards in climate change and the benefits of regenerative agricultural practices – like planting cover crops and low till soil conservation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, promote healthy soils, and help sequester carbon.

For nearly 50 years, the Sterlings have considered both the vintage at hand and the long-term needs of the land, the employees and the community in everything they do.

Susan Gilmore – North Bay Children’s Center’s Garden of Eatin’

NBCC was among the first early childhood education providers to recognize that nutrition education has a place in the daily curriculum of a childcare environment. The Garden of Eatin’ Program instills healthy habits and weaves a culture of wellness into its preschool program by teaching children and their families, to make healthy food choices through a comprehensive, hands-on garden-based curriculum.

Children learn as they plant, water, nurture, harvest, and eat the fresh fruits and vegetables that they have helped grow.

NBCC’s Garden of Eatin’ program is creating an awareness among children that learning about what you eat is as important as knowing one’s letters and numbers. Children as young as six weeks old have the opportunity to develop critical learning skills as well as healthy, lifelong nutritional habits.

Susan Gilmore, founder and CEO, has led NBCC for 36 years and her innovative programs have spread to their multiple locations in Marin and Sonoma counties, always with the mission to ensure that all children, especially the most vulnerable, have access to critical early learning experiences that build the foundation for life-long success.

Beyond the classroom, Susan has demonstrated exceptional leadership during times of crisis. During the 2017 Sonoma County wildfires, she led efforts to support families and teachers displaced from seven of NBCC’s locations in evacuation areas. When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, and schools closed, she worked closely with county emergency services to provide critical childcare for medical first responders and essential workers, ensuring NBCC adapted to meet the community's urgent needs.

Susan’s commitment to addressing emerging challenges led her to present to the Early Care Climate Task Force, where her contributions and NBCC’s innovative practices were featured in the Early Years Climate Action Plan. This plan highlights strategies to help children from birth to age eight thrive despite the growing impacts of climate-related events.

With a passion for collaboration and system change, Susan’s entrepreneurial spirit has inspired transformative progress in early childhood education, creating brighter futures for children across all income levels.

Chef Martin Yan, celebrated for his pioneering television show Yan Can Cook, has not only contributed to the global appreciation of Chinese cuisine but also dedicated significant efforts to philanthropy.

Through culinary education, cultural exchange, and community support, he uses his platform to make a positive impact.

Yan frequently participates in charity events, cooking demonstrations, and fundraising activities to support causes like hunger relief, disaster recovery, and educational programs. His passion for education is evident in his efforts to mentor young chefs, particularly those from underprivileged backgrounds, by promoting culinary arts as a path to opportunity and empowerment. He partners with culinary schools, nonprofit organizations, and international cultural initiatives to teach the value of preserving heritage through food.

Additionally, Yan champions diversity and cultural understanding, leveraging his international influence to foster global culinary appreciation. His work has extended to advocating for sustainability in the food industry, emphasizing the importance of respecting natural resources while celebrating traditional cooking methods.

Chef Yan’s philanthropic spirit exemplifies his motto, "If Yan can cook, so can you!" encouraging not only cooking skills but also compassion and community engagement.

The Hafner Family – Hafner Vineyard

Started in 1967 by Dick and Mary Hafner, the winery and vineyard in Sonoma County’s Alexander Valley is now a third-generation family business, dedicated to sustaining the land they hold and the community in which they live. 

The family takes a holistic approach to sustainability considering many different branches – the land, vineyard, winery, team, patrons and overall health of the business. For the Hafners, being sustainable isn’t about “checking the boxes,” it’s a mentality that’s deeply rooted. Over half the property is rolling hills and oak woodlands left for the health of wildlife, flora and fauna. A horse and some cows consume the tall grasses to reduce fire risk, they practice natural beekeeping and contribute to the health of Sausal Creek as a fish-friendly certified property. 

In the vineyard, the family pays close attention to soil health, combining organic, sustainable and conventional practices as well as modern technologies to ensure its regeneration and health year over year. In the winery, they use night-air cooling fans, caves for storage, solar panels and purchased green power, and a bottling process with zero waste (all recycled and reused lightweight glass).

Nearly 20 families of longtime employees are supported by their work at the winery, and individually and as a team they do community service works of many kinds, including the planting and cultivation of a kitchen garden on the property which is harvested and donated to Farm to Pantry (a previous Award Winner).

Chef Matthew Kammerer – Harbor House Inn

Matthew Kammerer is the Chef of The Harbor House Inn, an historic property on the Mendocino Coast built in 1916. Reopened in 2018 with Kammerer on the helm, it was transformed into a dining destination and became the region’s first and only two-Michelin-starred restaurant. The daily changing menu is defined by the bounty from its own farm, along with seafood and vegetables sourced from the coastline and inland forests, animals raised by Mendocino County farmers, then cooked simply using fire, steam, and smoke.

As of 2023, The Harbor House Inn is 100% powered by renewable local energy resources, including geothermal and solar, in partnership with Sonoma Clean Power. Additionally, the property provides EV Charging Stations. The staff reduces its waste in many ways across the property. From the removal of plastic wrap in the kitchen to recycling single- use plastics at a local store. Water from the kitchen is reused to water the property's garden and plant life. A water filtration system reduces single-use plastic waste in guest rooms and during meal services. The kitchen team repurposes fryer oil to make candles for the dining tables as well as gifts for guests. They also use leftover solids from butter, which would otherwise be wasted, to create sauces and other dish components. 

With his hyper-local cuisine and dedication to sustainability, Kammerer puts intense focus on conservation efforts. Notably, he incorporates sea urchins on the menus to highlight the impact of purple sea urchin on coastal kelp, and the removal of excess urchins to preserve California reefs. His thoughtful approach to fine dining and sustainability positions him as one of the most exciting and influential chefs in the country.

“Sustainability is all about preserving and protecting the places you love. For us, sustainability is a moral imperative, and one that we have ingrained into our ethos and team. We strive to be gentle and mindful in all of our business operations, treading lightly on the land, and protecting our oceans and nearby ecosystems. Given our remote and natural surroundings, we are hyper aware of our carbon footprint and take steps each day so we can all do our part to preserve the natural beauty of the Mendocino Coast.”

Omer Seltzer—Mt. Eitan Cheese

Omer Seltzer was born into goat farming and cheese making on a renowned family farm in Israel, where thousands of visitors came each weekend to learn about cheesemaking, goats and farming. Omer continued his studies and professional development at Cal Poly in SLO, apprenticed at goat farms and creameries in Provence and over the years mastered cheese making skills, before opening his Bodega creamery at the beginning of 2023. He has achieved international recognition. His cheeses are complex in flavor and unique in the California field of available cheeses.

Omer was drawn to Sonoma County's rich agriculture heritage, food culture and unique climate and felt it was the right place for his new creation. Mt. Eitan Creamery was specifically designed as an atelier to create cheese as a form of art. Discovering the characteristics of seasonally changing milk and pairing optimal artisanal cheese making techniques, Omer creates a unique and multi-layered taste experience. He embraces the variations created by the time of year, or even the time of day.

He's developed several varieties, cultivating synergy with other local produce...grape leaf wrapped goat cheese from Redwood Hill Farm goat milk, year-old goat cheese aged in crushed zinfandel grapes from a Sonoma vineyard, and Organic Jersey cow's milk cheese from a Bodega-based dairy which is part of Straus Family Creamery.

"You are not trying to imitate a cheese that already exists but you're trying to create a cheese that uses what is local here. Zinfandel grapes grow local here.”

At the creamery, sustainability drives every aspect of operations. Mt. Eitan’s team are committed to conserving energy by harnessing solar panels, utilizing a high-efficiency cooling system, and preserving energy within the heating and cooling cycles to minimize consumption. They prioritize water conservation through a closed-loop circulation system, collecting rainwater and using excess clean water to irrigate a young olive grove outside of the creamery. Pasteurized whey from cheese production is repurposed as high-quality animal feed.

“These initiatives reflect our dedication to safeguarding natural resources and promoting sustainability in all facets of our business.”

Omer delights in working many of their Farmer’s Market booths personally. “I want to have that contact with people. I don’t think it should be sold on a shelf. Cheese is a living thing and changes over time. It should be eaten fresh.”