Hollister
– The business and civic community’s brightest stars were
honored this weekend by hundreds of family, friends, and colleagues
at the Gilroy Chamber of Commerce’s annual awards dinner.
Hollister – The business and civic community’s brightest stars were honored this weekend by hundreds of family, friends, and colleagues at the Gilroy Chamber of Commerce’s annual awards dinner. The chamber presented awards for 2004 Man of the Year, Woman of the Year, Small and Large Business of the year, Educator of the Year, and Volunteer of the Year.
The honorees arrived in high style, pulling up to San Juan Oaks Golf Club, in Hollister, in limousines and an antique Rolls Royce.
The classic car escorted Raisa and Jerry Lindsteadt, the wife and son of former economic development director Bill Lindsteadt, who died in January at the age of 66. The chamber selected Lindsteadt as Man of the Year in early December, just days before he was hospitalized for a serious kidney ailment and related medical problems.
Bob Kraemer, the 2003 Man of the Year winner, presented the honor to Lindsteadt’s family.
“From the moment he arrived in Gilroy in 1996, we felt the rumble,” Kraemer said. “Land moved, buildings went up, and highways expanded.”
In his nine years as economic development director, the hard-charging Lindsteadt drew in the city’s first big box stores and orchestrated the widening of Route 152 to allow the creation of Pacheco Pass and Gilroy Crossing. He often butted heads with city leaders over development issues, but never failed to earn their respect for his straight answers and honesty.
“He was a voice that made sure businesses had a say,” Kraemer said.
Hundreds stood and clapped as Lindsteadt’s wife and son accepted the award.
“The presentation of the award was a fitting tribute,” said chamber president Susan Valenta, who worked closely with Lindsteadt over the years. “We would have loved to have had him there with us. Hopefully Raisa saw how much the community adored and respected Bill.”
The awardees also included:
Woman of the Year
J. Chris Mickartz was honored for her long history of involvement in the Gilroy community, calling the award an “honor by association” with so many others she has worked with.
Mickartz’s first dabbled as a volunteer with the Garlic Festival, where she served on various committees for several years, including the founding committee.
She was co-founding president of the Leadership Gilroy Foundation, which in its eight years has trained more than 140 residents to organize community programs.
Mickartz has also played a key role in the city’s political life, working on the campaigns of Don Gage, initially for mayor and later for county supervisor, Morgan Hill Mayor Dennis Kennedy, Gilroy Mayor Al Pinheiro, and City Councilman Roland Velasco.
Aside from politics, Mickartz also has served on St. Joseph Family Center’s board of directors, chaired South County’s United Way chapter and was one of 10 state representatives to participate in the Japan-American Grassroots Summit.
She carries on what seems to have become a family tradition. Her mother Marge Albaugh was named woman of the year in 1986, and her father John Albaugh was man of the year in 1982.
Volunteer of the Year
Chamber president Tim Day described Patricia Golden, the 2004 Volunteer of the Year, as a woman who has “touched many people’s lives in a quiet, powerful way.”
Along with serving as a docent at Bonfante Gardens and a meal server at St. Joseph Family Center’s Lord’s Table program, Golden is a member of Gilroy Rotary and the Gilroy Presbyterian Church, where she is an elder and maintains the resource center.
Golden, a bond specialist, was born in San Jose and attended San Jose State University. After graduating, she traveled around the world and ended up in Hawaii, where she lived for 20 years before moving back to the Gilroy area in 1976. Her first local volunteer venture was for Big Brothers, Big Sisters in South County, where she served on the board and adopted a high school girl.
In her acceptance speech, Golden shared how her own battle with cancer “opened up more doors of volunteerism. Every negative can be turned into a positive,” said Golden, who is a strong advocate of Relay For Life and speaks to a variety of groups on cancer support.
Educator of the Year
Stacy Huddleston, who teaches seventh and eighth grade at St. Mary School, was nominated by her own students to receive the Teacher of the Year award.
“More than a teacher, she is a role model, mentor, and an inspiration for others,” said Vic Vanni, board president of the Economic Development Corporation. “And I understand some times she wears pajamas to school.”
Large Business of the Year
Pacific Diversified Insurance Services
The history of Pacific Diversified, the chamber’s 2004 Large Business of the Year, stretches back to 1920, when V. O. Edes established Edes Insurance in a small garage in Morgan Hill. Since then, the company has seen a number of different owners and different names.
Today, the company has 35 insurance professionals representing more than 30 companies in 30 states.
Small Business of the Year
The chamber’s 2004 Small Business of the Year, Articulate Solutions, has been providing marketing and graphic design services to small- and medium-sized businesses since 1991.
Katherine Filice started the business from her living room. In its first year the business netted $400.
She attributed the growth of her company, which now has five full-time employees, to chamber president Valenta and others in the business community who helped “her to network and gain confidence and believe it could get done.”
As Filice has built up her company, she has not forgot about the local community. Articulate Solutions has done pro-bono work for various local nonprofit groups, including Saint Joseph’s Family Center, Saint Mary School and Rebekah Children’s Home. Its paying clients include the cities of Gilroy and Morgan Hill and the Eagle Ridge Golf Club.
“The individuals being honored were exemplary people,” said chamber president Susan Valenta. “The audience could see they were very deserving recipients.”
The award recipients join a long tradition of people honored for giving back to the community. The chamber has recognized people with annual awards since 1966.
In addition to the awards, the evening included live and silent auctions to support future community leaders. The auctions raised about $4,500 for a fund that offers scholarships to local students planning to study business or attend vocational school.
