It’s once again time to recognize a couple of folks whose recent passings remind us that life is indeed fleeting.

Leo Trujillo was a good-natured Santa Maria resident, former city councilman and believer in the future of the North Santa Barbara County economy. He was a friend to the Business Times literally from the moment we launched the newspaper a decade ago. A relentless advocate for business and free enterprise, he retired from politics and passed away in November.
Merrill Hoffman was widely known in Santa Barbara as a successful small-business owner and a person with deep knowledge of the city and its history.

He was active in Rotary and in a number of civic organizations, including Partners in Education, which works closely with county schools. He and his company, Santa Barbara Locksmith, played an important role in the community.
Both will be greatly missed.

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