GILROY
– A school trustee who is a former Gilroy Foods vice president,
an accounts payable clerk and a semi-retired handyman will get
their names added to a decades-long list of exemplary Gilroy men
and women.
GILROY – A school trustee who is a former Gilroy Foods vice president, an accounts payable clerk and a semi-retired handyman will get their names added to a decades-long list of exemplary Gilroy men and women.
The Gilroy Chamber of Commerce announced this week its selections for the annual Man of the Year, Woman of the Year and Volunteer of the Year awards for 2003. Gilroy trustee Bob Kraemer is the Man of the Year and Woman of the Year honors go to 2003 Garlic Festival president Janie Mardesich.
Tom Valenta, a proverbial jack-of-all-trades when it comes to helping out with chamber and community events, earned Volunteer of the Year.
“In a sense, it’s a lifetime achievement award for giving back to the community,” said Susan Valenta, the executive director of the chamber. “It’s not just based on one year (of accomplishments). It’s usually based on at least several years of involvement.”
Winners are nominated by the community at-large. A nominating committee then reviews the applications and makes a recommendation to the chamber Board of Directors who select the finalists, Valenta said.
All of the winners will be honored at the chamber’s annual installation dinner when new board members officially take office. The dinner will be held Feb. 7 at the San Juan Oaks Golf Club in San Juan Bautista.
Past Award Recipients
Past Women and Men
of the Year (1966 – 2003):
1966 Josephine Hockenbeamer James Pray
1967 Mrs. Joseph McCormack Edward Duerr
1968 Jane Dedini Art Bannister
1969 Gertrude Rees Louis Dresti
1970 Betty Richard James Cecilian
1971 Elisa Martinez James Zizzo
1972 Eleanor Frusetta E. H. Bibbens
1973 Sally Connell Gary Hudson
1974 Lee Berta Phil Buchanan
1975 Mildred Braquet Bill Paterson
1976 Dorothy Gutterman William Frassetti
Joan Harrison Howard Smith
Mary Hazelrigg Everitt Littlejohn
Roberta Hughan Marcel Braquet
Geri Armenta Brian Cunningham
Roxie Thomas Ken Cooper
Ellen Douglas Ben Gilroy, Jr.
Muriel Brem Jerry Fuchs and Ben Gutterman
1977 Aurora Berryman James Sacco
1978 Mary Ann Bruegmann Vance Baldwin
1979 Margaret Voorhies Louis Bonesio, Jr.
1980 Connie Rogers Rudy Melone
1982 Catherine Quinn John Albaugh
1983 Jeanne Kennedy Don Christopher
1984 Roberta Hughan Bill McIntosh
1985 Rose Emma Pellicione Don Gage
1986 Marge Albaugh Bob Dyer
1987 Suellen Rowlison Bill Ayer
1988 Mary Prien Val Filice
1989 Edith Edde Dr. Bruce Rowlison
1990 Jane Goldsmith Glenn Goldsmith
1991 Carol Cooper Sam Bozzo
1992 Diane Mantelli Bert Mantelli
1993 Margaret Ann Bowe Dave Peoples
1994 Paula Mabry Jim Habing
1995 Eleanor Villarreal Tom Carr
1996 Patti Hale John Kilcoyne
1997 Donna Pray Dale Connell
1998 Dr. Rose Marie Joyce Jeff Martin
1999 Jane Howard Al Pinheiro
2000 Joan Lewis Dr. Greg Martinez
2001 Susan Starritt Jacobsen Michael Bonfante
2002 Jodi Heinzen Jay Baksa
2003 Janie Mardesich Bob Kraemer
Past Businesses of the Year (1988 – 2002):
1988 Gilroy Foods
1989 Nob Hill Foods
1990 Christopher Ranch
1991 Goldsmith Seeds
1992 South County Housing
1993 The Gilroy Dispatch
1994 South Valley National Bank
1995 South Valley Disposal & Recycling
1996 Glen Loma Group
1997 California Motorcycle
1997 Dick Bruhn ‘n’ M’Lady Bruhn
1998 Giacalone Electrical Services, Inc.
1998 Rosso’s Furniture
1999 Bob Lynch Ford-Lincoln-Mercury
1999 Monterey Street Antiques
2000 Heinzen Manufacturing International
2000 Frank’s Garden Florist
2001 Aitken & Associates
2001 McDonald’s of Gilroy
2002 Baskets by Design
2002 Calpine Gilroy Energy Center
2003 Mama Mia Ristorante Italiano
2003 Ruggeri, Jensen, Azar & Associates
Past Volunteers of the Year (1991 – 2002):
1991 Lorna Jacks
1992 Brigitte Nicholls
1993 Gary J. Bowe
1994 Gayle Mondo
1995 Dr. Philip Buchanan
1996 Mike Gilroy
1997 Barbara Boggs
1998 Lynda Nolan
1999 Frances “Pinky” Bloom
2000 Christine Filice
2001 Frankie Munoz
2002 Greg Edgar
2003 Tom Valenta
Past Gilroy EDC Educators
of the Year (1997 – 2001):
1997 Carol Marques
1997 Gene Sakahara
1998 Joan Martens
1998 Therese Strutner
1999 Pam Tognetti
1999 Phil Robb
2000 Valerie Kelly
2000 Steven Jackson
2001 Betsy Henry
2002 Ron Ayala
2002 Ron Kinoshita
2003 Jenny Belcher
“This is a tremendous honor, especially when you look back at the other people who have won this award before you and the ones who won the award this time around, too,” Kraemer said.
Kraemer, a Gilroy resident for 32 years, may be the busiest retiree in the entire community. In addition to his service as a GUSD trustee, Kraemer is president of the Bonfante Gardens board of directors and president of Leadership Gilroy – a community program that familiarizes current and future city leaders with the ins and outs of Gilroy politics, business and culture.
Kraemer’s daily schedule regularly slates two or more meetings, numerous phone calls – none of them by cell phone, a device he avoids so he can focus on the people and the matters in front of him, he says – and other obligations that typically total more than 40 hours a week of volunteer time.
“That’s OK with me. I’ve never been a 40-hour-per-week person,” Kraemer said. “I need to be doing a lot of different things. I thrive on it.”
Kraemer, who with wife, Joanne, raised three now-adult children, retired as vice president of Gilroy Foods roughly six years ago. His career as a volunteer spans well over two decades and began in youth sports as a coach.
Kraemer is known for both a constant humorous wit and tireless no-nonsense approach to matters in the political and volunteering arenas. An example of this is how Kraemer will point out that he coached Jeff Garcia in the 49er quarterback’s youth. However, he coached him in soccer.
If you want to work as a volunteer, but want to ensure you have fun while doing it, do something with 2003 Woman of the Year Janie Mardesich.
As president of the 25th anniversary Garlic Festival, Mardesich said the number-one duty on her massive priority list during this year’s world-famous event was to have fun.
“If we have a good time, I guarantee our guests will have a good time. I really believe that,” Mardesich said this past summer regarding her fellow volunteers.
Having a fun time with the mother of two grown children doesn’t seem difficult to do. Mardesich is a high-energy personality. This year she is doing her Christmas shopping with a group of girlfriends in San Francisco – for three days and two nights.
She credits her “understanding” and “supportive” husband, David, for being able to balance work with volunteerism.
“The key to finding the time is that I’m extremely fortunate to have a supportive husband,” Mardesich said. “It’s also important to have fun with whatever you’re working on, because then you’ll always crave more.”
Mardesich began her volunteer career soon after her daughter enrolled at St. Mary’s Catholic School about 15 years ago. She was president of the school’s Mothers Guild and chaired the school’s annual Blue and White Auction to help raise funds for the private institution.
Mardesich is a 17-year volunteer with Garlic Festival. Each Halloween, the 29-year Gilroy resident organizes an auction with proceeds that go to St. Joseph’s Family Center.
The chamber’s Susan Valenta is taking a special pride in the 2003 Volunteer of the Year. Tom Valenta is her husband.
“Even though he’s a relation to me, I think the board selected him for all that he’s done for over a decade,” Susan Valenta said. “He truly is a behind-the-scenes type. He’s a quiet hero, and I really don’t think I could have done everything I’ve done here if it wasn’t for him.”
Since 1990, Tom Valenta has set up and torn down the chamber’s Garlic Festival booths, once even helping to build components of the booth that are now used every year. In biographical information, the chamber described the self-employed and semi-retired handyman as one of the last people to leave an event and someone who usually carries the boxes or decorations following a function.
“Tom can be counted on to arrive with tools in his hand,” the chamber bio states.
The chamber also named the winners of its small and large Business of the Year awards. Ruggeri, Jensen, Azar & Associates – a professional consulting firm in civil engineering and planning – won the large business award for its commitment to communitywide improvement. RJA, which consulted for several high-profile local developments including the Gilroy Premium Outlets, provided the Monterey Street survey crew for a grassroots effort to bring American flags back to downtown during patriotic holidays.
Mama Mia’s Ristorante Italiano, owned by Majid Bahriny, won the small business award. One example of Bahriny’s dedication to community service took place at the Relay for Life cancer walk last June. Bahriny treated volunteers to pasta, salad and bread in the hospitality tent. He also served the food.
These awards come on the heels of the Educator of the Year selection by the Gilroy Economic Development Corporation, the chamber’s business recruiting cousin. The GEDC chose South Valley Middle School teacher Jenny Belcher for 2003.
