Patterson Self Storage Founder Trudi Carey Honored with the 2026 Pioneer Award

We are thrilled to celebrate a remarkable milestone for our founding team! Our founder, Trudi Carey, was recently recognized with the Pioneer Award at the 2026 South Coast Business & Technology Awards. Hosted annually by the Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara, the awards celebrate exceptional leadership, innovation, and community leadership across the South Coast region.

The Pioneer Award stands as the event’s highest individual honor, recognizing visionary leaders whose lifetime achievements leave a lasting impact on our local economy and community. For decades, Trudi’s vision has shaped both Patterson Self Storage and the broader Santa Barbara and Goleta business landscape, from pioneering the area’s first three-story storage facility with its signature barn-inspired architecture to championing local philanthropy.

Under Trudi’s guidance, Patterson Self Storage has always believed that being a locally owned business means giving back. Through long-standing support for organizations like the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County, Girls Inc., the Girl Scouts, and our annual Warm Coat Drive (alongside our customer-driven holiday charity program) her legacy of service continues to drive everything we do.

Her vision continues to shape the way we serve Santa Barbara and Goleta every day. We appreciate Trudi for inspiring our entire team and setting the standard for what it means to be a community-first local business.

To learn more read, The Santa Barbara Independent’s Complete Article “South Coast Business & Technology Awards Raises More Than $200,000 for Scholarship Foundation”.