Sacramento, CA – In a ceremony in Sacramento, Assemblymember Chris Holden honored Pasadena resident Robin Salzer, owner of Robin’s Woodfire BBQ in Pasadena since 1982, as the “Small Business of the Year” for the 41st Assembly District.
“I am very pleased to recognize Robin Salzer of Robin’s Woodfire BBQ for his successful career as a small business owner, and the positive impact he has made in our community,” said Assemblymember Holden.
Salzer started in the restaurant business at a Milwaukee IHOP at age 16. Seven years later, at age 23, he bought the restaurant and became the youngest franchise owner in the company’s history. Four years after that he moved to Pasadena and opened Robin's Woodfire BBQ.
The secret to Robin's success is his commitment to reinvesting back into the community. Robin founded the Lemonade Brigade in Pasadena and Duarte as a youth entrepreneur training program. In 2010, he founded the Pasadena Hot Meal Program to help feed those in need, and in 2015 the program celebrated its 5th year with 100,000 hot meals served.
“I personally was involved with the Lemonade Brigade endeavor and actively still use the lessons from this program in the corporate world,” said Esteban Di Masi, a former youth involved in the Lemonade Brigade Program and current executive at Creative Artist Agency.
“Robin Salzer has shown himself to be more than a successful small business owner,” said Pam Fitzpatrick, owner of The Dollmaker’s Kattywompus and the 2014 41st District “Small Business of the Year” award recipient. “He is a man with both a heart and a vision: his heart reaches out and helps feed those in need, and his vision teaches youth how to succeed in this world.”
Thirty-five small businesses from throughout the 41st Assembly District were nominated this year by the community and members of the 41st Assembly District Small Business Advisory Committee who reviewed the nominations, provided feedback, rankings and recommendations for the Assemblymember.