Jeff Schults plays numerous roles as a leader and volunteer with the Relay For Life, the Brentwood Regional Community Chest, Rotary and Kiwanis clubs and Police Activities League, making appearances as Santa, and virtually any other charitable cause he comes across. He now has one more thing to add: Citizen of the Year.

“Everybody talks about how Jeff gives so much back in a wide variety of ways, in both time and money,” said Harry York, CEO of the Brentwood Chamber of Commerce, sponsor of the award. “He has great organizational skills and a real commitment to Brentwood and East County, and to those people who are in need.”

Schults’ other credits include serving on the Liberty Education Foundation board, establishing the Hospice of East Bay’s Tree of Lights event in Brentwood; traveling with Liberty High’s Rotary-affiliated Interact Club to build homes in Mexico and New Orleans and feed people at Glide Memorial Church in San Francisco on three occasions. His earlier activities have included serving on the city’s Planning Commission, six years on the Brentwood PONY Baseball board, and a long list of volunteer activities at the Brentwood CornFest.

The Chamber also announced that Kendall Automotive, located at Oak and Second streets and owned and operated by Gary Kendall, has been chosen as Business of the Year.

“Kendall’s gives a lot to the community,” said York. “They’ve been a longtime presence in the downtown and they’re expanding to another location (Sunset Industrial Park) while still keeping a presence downtown.”

“It’s exciting news,” said Kendall. “But I keep thinking of all the other worthy Brentwood businesses, particularly in the automotive industry, and I’m very humbled. Words are tough to come by. We’ve been here for 15 years, and I love working in East County. There are great people out here and that makes my job a lot easier. I’m appreciative of the support and I’m thankful to whoever nominated us for this honor. This is a complete surprise, and I’m very grateful.”

Schults and Kendall will be honored at the Chamber’s annual Awards Dinner on Jan. 29 at the Club Los Meganos Event Center at Trilogy at The Vineyards in Brentwood. Tickets purchased before Dec. 23 are $40; $50 afterward. Reservations must be made by Jan. 21. No tickets will be sold at the door.

For more information or to make a reservation, call the Chamber office at 925-634-3344 or log on to www.brentwoodchamber.com.

Samie Hartley contributed to this story.