Businessman Feted for Volunteerism : Community: Mayor Richard Riordan presents the Fernando Award to Woodland Hills philanthropist Clyde Porter, 68. He has been nominated three times.

The third time was the charm for Clyde Porter, a Woodland Hills businessman who took home the San Fernando Valley’s top award for volunteerism Friday night.

After being nominated three times for the Fernando Award, the 68-year-old philanthropist and chief executive officer of P. L. Porter Co. in Woodland Hills received the honor at a banquet at the Sportsmen’s Lodge in Studio City.

Mayor Richard Riordan presented the 36th annual award to Porter, who is well-known for his financial support of community concerts at Warner Park, as well as his service to Pierce College, the Woodland Hills Rotary Club and Haven Hills, a center for battered women.

On Saturday, Porter said he grew up unaccustomed to being recognized for his accomplishments.

Porter, who took over his father’s airline chair manufacturing business, said “This seems to be an overkill, in terms of getting this award.”

“It was indeed an honor to be considered among the larger group as a whole,” he added, “but most of us doing community service do it out of the enjoyment of it.”

Also nominated for the award were Ed Davis, a former chief of the Los Angeles Police Department and former state senator from Santa Clarita; Benjamin Reznik, who spearheaded the earthquake recovery task force of the Valley Industry and Commerce Assn.; Terry York, an Encino automobile dealer and community benefactor, and Kenneth Banks, a North Hollywood community and civic leader.

The prestigious Fernando Award annually honors an individual who has compiled a record of outstanding and selfless community service in the Valley. There is no cash prize; the winners’ names are inscribed on a statue in the Van Nuys Civic Center Mall.

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For an encore, Porter said he would attempt to raise $2 million next year for the Valley Cultural Center. But he said he is not looking for any more awards.

“All told I seem to have some 40 or so different awards of plaques,” he said. “It gets to be overwhelming. I’d like to go into hiding.”