In 1976, Eric and Charlotte Whitman left the comfort of their "corporate" jobs for an entrepreneurial venture called Foothill Trophy & Engraving.

Originally located on Foothill in LaCanada, California, they worked side by side and in 1979 moved to Montrose where they evolved the company to specialize in plaques and high quality awards for local businesses. Through careful attention to detail and diligent adaptation to new technologies, Foothill Trophy & Engraving has maintained loyal service relationships with Nestle, Disney, JPL, Forest Lawn, USC, CalTech, McDonalds all the while continuing to serve the community through support of city Chambers of Commerce, Police & Fire Departments, Boy Scouts, and various churches, local schools and businesses. This mix of large and small accounts kept the business diverse, nimble and ready to tackle any challenge that may present itself.

In 1989, the Whitman's took in a part time apprentice. A close high school friend of their son's, Joss Rogers was developing skills for a career in illustration and architecture; interests that aligned nicely with much of the work being done in the shop. In the early 90s, Joss focused his energy on college studies in design and business. He earned his Bachelor of Business from Loyola Marymount University and started a career in software in 1997 designing and producing dynamic websites and promotional experiences for Guggenheim Museums, NBC, Jay Leno, Sony Music, Toshiba, Hard Rock Hotels, Fox, Intel, Disney, Nestle, Hyundai, eventually settling in for 11 years leading a multinational creative team at Sony Pictures and Sony Playstation.

In 2014 Joss left the comfort of his "corporate" career for an entrepreneurial venture called Foothill Trophy & Engraving. 25 years after his apprenticeship began, the same qualities that lured the Whitmans attracted Joss back and in 2015 Joss took the helm, allowing Eric and Charlotte retirement from their 40 year commitment. Joss stands proudly atop a legacy that he is intent to honor. With the support of Senior Engraver David Lavenari and the Shop Apprentice Caleb Scott they are continuing where the Whitmans left off to push the envelope of awards and recognition, never sacrificing quality or detail for their customers.