President Donald Gerth received the Sacramentan of the Year award at the 106th Annual Dinner and Business Awards dinner sponsored by the Sacramento Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce Friday night.

Approximately 700 local business people attended the event, which was held at the Hyatt Regency in Sacramento. Attendees also included Sacramento Mayor Heather Fargo and State Assemblyman Mike Machado. In addition to the prestigious award given Gerth, other awards including the Businessman and Businesswoman of Year were presented.

The Sacramentan of the Year award marked the end of the event, which lasted nearly four hours. However, presenters purposefully saved the award to use it as a grand finale.

“This distinguished Sacramento citizen has given a lifetime of service to the community,” said Chamber Commerce chief executive officer and president Rusty Hammer.

Hammer praised Gerth for both his work as president of the Sacramento State campus and his involvement in numerous other organizations throughout Sacramento. Not only is Gerth a member of a long list of local community boards, but he also established the Northern California World Trade Center in Sacramento five years ago.

Gerth is in the middle of a six-year term on the United Nations University Council governing board and is also active in the International Association of University Presidents.

“This [award] came as a surprise to me, and I am exceedingly grateful,” Gerth said in his acceptance speech. “This wouldn?t be possible without the experience I?ve had with the faculty and the Chamber members.”

Gerth spoke briefly of his hopes to have a School of the Arts opened in four years and also cited the constant growth of Sac State.

“We?ve been preparing for an increase of 1,000 students, but I was told 10 days ago that number might double,” Gerth said.

Gerth?s wife, youngest daughter, son-in-law and four grandchildren accompanied him to the ceremony, and Gerth defined them as the individuals who “make the world go round.”