I would like to adjourn tonight’s meeting in memory of Roberta G. Veloz, a longtime resident of Valencia and local community activist who recently passed away at the age of 84.
Roberta was born in 1936 in the great state of Missouri, and she eventually settled in Pasadena, where she worked as a medical technician at Huntington Memorial Hospital.
Roberta met her future husband, Tom, and the two were married in 1961.
The couple had two sons, David and Peter.
Roberta switched her career focus and became a stay-at-home mom raising two boys, but in 1977 she and Tom purchased Aquafine Corp., which was founded by Tom’s father.
Under Roberta’s leadership, Aquafine Corp. became known as a global leader in ultraviolet water disinfection as its sales soared.
When Roberta and her family moved to Valencia, she was one of the few female CEOs in Santa Clarita.
She was a fierce advocate for women starting out in the business world, helping those like herself find their footing as leaders in their industry.
In addition to her success as a businesswoman, Roberta was also known for how active she was in Santa Clarita’s non-profit community.
She sat on the board of directors of the Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital Health Foundation, as well as the hospital’s governing board.
She was also on the board of both the Samuel Dixon Family Health Center and the Child & Family Center.
Roberta was also highly involved in Soroptimist International, the SCV Senior Center and the College of the Canyons Foundation.
With the COC Foundation, she was instrumental in the capital campaign for the University Center, helping provide access and resources for local students pursuing advanced degrees.
For her work in the community, Roberta was chosen as the SCV Woman of the Year in 1998 and was subsequently honored with the COC Foundation’s Silver Spur Award in 1999.
When she retired in 2005, Roberta sold Aquafine and, in turn, made a generous donation to Henry Mayo, helping create a new cardiovascular lab that bears her name.
We are saddened by Roberta’s passing and our thoughts are with her friends and family, including her sons, David and Peter, during this most difficult time.