Glabmans Honored for Leadership in the Arts : Philanthropy: Furniture company principals are among 13 company representatives singled out.

James Glabman avoids basking in the limelight, preferring to give that opportunity to one of the many arts groups that he and his wife support.

As principals of Glabman Furniture and avid patrons of the arts, the Glabmans have made it a practice to extend their contributions beyond just writing checks. Both serve on the boards and as members of several Orange County Performing Arts Center groups, the Newport Harbor Art Museum and South Coast Repertory.

Five years ago, the Glabmans furthered their involvement by building a community room complete with a mini-kitchen and audio-visual equipment for philanthropic groups working for the arts. On the second floor of the company’s Costa Mesa headquarters, the space is available to art groups six days a week, any time during business hours.

“You can only donate so much money,” Glabman said, “and we’re not in the position to compete with the donations of larger corporations, so we donate our time and our space.”

This past year, the furniture company has provided $20,000 in direct financial aid and $200,000 in in-kind support.

“We’re so involved with the arts, we just wanted to do something more,” he added. “We’re thrilled to death about the award, but I was hesitant a bout the nomination because we’re so low key. We just don’t seek recognition for these kinds of things”

But Sunday night, he and his wife, Barbara, were in the spotlight when they were recognized for their contributions with a Business in the Arts Award at a gala ceremony at the Ritz restaurant in Newport Beach. Glabman Furniture was one of 13 companies honored by the Orange County Business Committee for the Arts.

The panel has presented the awards annually since 1982 to recognize businesses that provide outstanding and continuing support of the arts.

To celebrate its 10th year, the panel honored C.J. Segerstrom & Sons with the Distinguished Achievement Award of the Decade for its commitment to the arts. Among its achievements cited this year were a county debut appearance by Le Cirque du Soleil and the corporation’s role in “Festival of Britain,” in addition to an estimated $1.2 million in support.

“We’ve been very fortunate to participate in the growth of art in Orange County,” managing partner Henry T. Segerstrom said. “I think it’s contributed to fulfillment of a cosmopolitan environment here, which has really enriched the lives of all the community.”

The 1990-91 Distinguished Achievement Award winners were the Fieldstone Co., the Irvine Co., The Times Orange County and Security Pacific.

Glabman shares the honor as a first-time award winner with Ernst & Young, Price Waterhouse, Mervyn’s and Taco Bell Corp.

The arts committee also gave three companies Return Awards: Coopers & Lybrand, Latham & Watkins and the Pacific Telesis Foundation.

Each award recipient was presented with specially handcrafted Baccarat crystal obelisks on Tiffany stands, except for the Distinguished Achievement Award of the Decade recipient, to whom a Val St. Lambert crystal sphere was given.

An award is also presented each year to a nonprofit arts organization, saluting its achievement in developing partnerships with businesses. This year’s Arts Award and the $1,500 cash grant was presented to the Laguna Art Museum.