The Garden Grove Chamber of Commerce has selected two longtime community pillars as its 2026 Man and Woman of the Year — recognizing decades of service, leadership, and investment in the city's cultural and civic life.

Man of the Year: Damien Lorton

Damien Lorton — actor, singer, director, and producer — has spent his career making live theater not just a spectacle but a community institution in Garden Grove.

In 2004, Lorton co-founded One More Productions with a clear mission: professional-quality theater at prices anyone could afford. Four years later, the company found its permanent home at the historic GEM Theatre, which has since become one of Downtown Garden Grove's cultural anchors.

Under his leadership, One More Productions has staged hundreds of musicals, plays, and special events — and raised more than $300,000 for nonprofits across Orange County in the process.

Lorton's contributions have drawn recognition from multiple quarters. He has received the LA Times Man of the Year Award, been named one of the 101 Most Influential People by the Daily Pilot, and earned the Paul Harris Fellow Award and the St. James Family Honors Award, among other honors from the City of Garden Grove itself.

He currently serves as President of the Garden Grove Downtown Business Association and is an active member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. Beyond the stage, Lorton works as a vocal coach and mentor, developing the next generation of performers — a calling he traces back to values his mother and grandmother instilled in him.

Woman of the Year: Jennifer Stewart

Jennifer Stewart has built two parallel careers in Garden Grove: running Azteca Restaurant on Main Street, which she purchased in 2014, and helping shape the future of the downtown district from the inside out.

She has served on the Garden Grove Downtown Business Association Board — including stints as both Vice President and President spanning seven years — and currently chairs the Downtown Commission, which advises the City Council on the management and upkeep of the downtown area.

Stewart holds a BFA from California State University, Fullerton, and has channeled her artistic background into public works that outlast any single term on a commission. Her sculptures are on permanent display across the city: a memorial bust of Jack Wallin at Atlantis Play Center, Strawberry Zest in West Garden Grove, and a jungle-themed bronze wall for Woodbury Park currently in progress.

In 2020, she designed and donated a memorial sculpture honoring the 50th anniversary of the Garden Grove Police Department's K-9 Unit. She also helped bring the Elvis Festival to Downtown Garden Grove in 2016 and has supported Flower Street, now in its third year.

Her contributions extend to the Garden Grove Chamber of Commerce, the GEM Theater, canine rescue initiatives, and the American Kennel Club, where she has served as a competition judge.

The Ceremony

Lorton and Stewart will be honored at the 119th Annual Garden Grove Chamber of Commerce Gala Dinner and Awards on Friday, April 17, 2026, at the Anaheim Marriott Suites.

Tickets, congratulatory ads, and sponsorship opportunities are available through the Chamber office at 714-638-7950 or at gardengrovechamber.com.