Michael Towbes likes to keep busy.

In the face of the worst recession he can remember, Towbes, one of the region’s most successful builders and bank owners, will not be slowing down anytime soon. The best evidence for that is a wall full of plans in the Towbes Group conference room in downtown Santa Barbara.

Towbes’ success over 50 years in business stems from focusing on operating in the tri-county region and building profits for the long term. He has an uncanny way of figuring out how to make money — in good times and bad, said Harold Edwards, chief executive officer of Limoneira Co. in Santa Paula.

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