Local business owner John Tomasello and Libby Lai both share a
spirit of volunteerism and community passion. On Feb. 6, they also
will share the spotlight during a ceremony at San Juan Oaks Golf
Club to honor them for being the Gilroy Chamber of Commerce’s man
and woman of the year.
Local business owner John Tomasello and Libby Lai both share a spirit of volunteerism and community passion. On Feb. 6, they also will share the spotlight during a ceremony at San Juan Oaks Golf Club to honor them for being the Gilroy Chamber of Commerce’s man and woman of the year.
Earlier this month, a Chamber committee selected the winners from a pool of people nominated by community members. Other honorees include Gilroy Premium Outlets as Large Business of the Year; Blossom Hill Foods as Small Business of the Year; Karen Riso as the Firman B. Voorhies Volunteer of the Year; Sylvia Reyes as Educator of the Year; and St. Joseph’s Family Center as Non-Profit Organization of the Year.
Tomasello grew up in Gilroy after moving to town in 1959. He opened Tomasello Flooring and Window Coverings in 1978 and has been a passionate advocate for downtown over the years. Tomasello has served on the Downtown Gilroy Business Association Board for eight years and was a members of the Downtown Specific Plan Task Force.
He renovated the original Cherry Blossom Hotel on Monterey Street in 2001, turning it into an apartment complex. He also advocated for changing the trees in downtown, so they would not lift the sidewalks. Tomasello has helped out with the Father’s Day Antique Fair, Fifth Street Live Concert Series, Garlic City Fun Run, Downtown Pasta Feed, the Holiday Parade and the Memorial Day Parade, as well as setting up the cooking stage at the Garlic Festival each year.
He described the Man of the Year honor as a “definite surprise.”
“To be recognized by your peers is truly special,” he said.
Lai also is no stranger to community involvement. The retired teacher helped spearhead the COSTCO reading program at Antonio Del Buono Elementary School. She also brought Dr. Seuss to that school in conjunction with the America Reads program and she has recruited community leaders to read to children at the school.
Lai served on the city’s Library and Culture Commission from 1984 to 1991 and was appointed to serve on the Gilroy Library Commission from 1995 to 2000. She also served on the County Library Commission and was the California State President of California Library Commissioners and Trustees in 1992. She served four years on the Citizens Advisory Committee for Community Development Block Grants.
In addition, Lai has served as club secretary for the Gilroy Exchange Club and helped develop a program that provides backpacks to prepare local children to return to school. She also has worked for the Gilroy Visitors Bureau, acting as the board’s president in 2008-09. Her work with the Bureau grew out of her involvement with the Gilroy Sister City program.
The Feb. 6 chamber awards ceremony costs $60 and will take place at the San Juan Oaks Golf Club, 3825 Union Road, Hollister.
Details: 842-6437.
