Chamber Officials Honor Mayor and Seniors’ Activist

Mayor Joe Erickson and Sandy Pinkerton, president of the board of the Costa Mesa Senior Corp., have been chosen man and woman of the year by the Costa Mesa Chamber of Commerce for their commitment to making Costa Mesa a nicer place to live and work.

Erickson, who has served as mayor since 1994, “is out there working to improve the athletic programs one day and is out there trying to deal with gangs the next,” said Tony Petros, president of the chamber.

Julie Kramer, a member of the chamber’s board, said she wanted to be clear that Erickson was not chosen simply because he is mayor.

“We see him as someone who is trying to bring the whole city together,” she said, citing Erickson’s efforts to get more Latino business involved with the chamber.

Pinkerton, who was involved with planning the city’s senior center on the west side, is now president of its board.

Councilwoman Mary Hornbuckle, the City Council’s liaison with the center, said Pinkerton put in many years as a community activist before becoming involved with the senior center and remains an active member of several organizations including the Orange County Federated Republican Women.

“She has reached an age when many people are thinking about slowing down, but she won’t,” Hornbuckle said.

“She seems like she will be young forever.”