The enjoyable part of serving as president/CEO of the Gilroy Chamber of Commerce this past year is working with our board of directors selection committee in choosing the people and businesses of the year.
Our committee solicits feedback and nominations from the local business community and friends based on specific criteria we are looking for to honor those special individuals and businesses who have stood out from the crowd, not only this past year, but for many years gone by.
There are several sayings that put this in perspective: “Appreciation can make a day, even change a life. Your willingness to put it into words is all that is necessary.”
“We will receive not what we idly wish for but what we justly earn. Our rewards will always be in exact proportion to our service.”
The greatest award is the appreciation of the people. People want recognition. Appreciation and recognition are qualities that most leaders forget, but desperately need, to build a positive, enthusiastic and engaged work environment.
We must find time to stop and thank the people who make a difference in our lives. Therefore, the Gilroy Chamber of Commerce is continuing the tradition of honoring and recognizing our communities’ shining stars.
This is our 71st annual Gilroy Chamber of Commerce Spice of Life Awards event. The connections the chamber fosters are critical for business owners and nonprofit organizations and the contributions from all our honorees this year impact every aspect of Gilroy in so many positive ways.
Our community recipients this year are :
• Man of the Year: Jayson Stebbins
• Woman of the Year: Fran Beaudet
• Large Business of the Year: Heritage Bank, Jeff Perkins and Scott Winant
• Small Business of the Year: RAC Solutions, Raul and Cristinia Tovar
• Nonprofit of the Year: Gilroy Downtown Business Association, Jeff Orth, chairman
• Educator of the Year: Francisca Garcia
• Volunteer of the Year: Janet Krulee
• Young Professional: Ruben Dario Villa
We want to congratulate this year’s award recipients. All of them are truly deserving of the recognition this award brings.
It is wonderful to celebrate the many facets of the Gilroy community, from our starting points in the children we are educating to the people and businesses who contribute to our shared successes.
In conclusion, the Gilroy Chamber of Commerce appreciates the more than 250 attendees planning to attend the sold out event and supporting this year’s award recipients on March 15, at the Gilroy Elks Lodge on the Hill. The Chamber of Commerce’s Board of Directors and staff continue to lead and commit to making Gilroy the best place to live, learn, work and play.
Danny Mitchell is the president and CEO of the Gilroy Chamber of Commerce.
