Valley Chamber plans annual awards ceremony

The nominees are in, the votes are being counted and the winners will be announced during a January awards ceremony. No, it’s not the Oscars. It’s the nominations for the Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce Awards of Excellence.

The annual awards are given in various categories. The top award is the Harry E. Nelson Citizen of the Year prize given in the name the founder of the Valley Chamber. The nominees for this year’s Citizen of the Year are Spokane Valley Mayor Mike DeVleming, Humanix president Julie Prafke and dentist Dr. Philip Rudy.

Other nominees are as follows:

Small Business of the Year – Nectar of Life Coffee, Beal Digital Media, Heart in Hand Screen Tek and Fashion Carpets.

Medium Size Business of the Year – Office Depot, Major Mortgage, IEDS and Vivato.

Large Business of the Year – Global Credit Union, United Coatings, Spokane Teachers Credit Union, Valley Hospital and Medical Center, St. Luke’s Rehabilitation Institute, West Valley School District and Humanix.

One person and four local companies have received recognition in the Community Caring Award category. They are: Chris Armstrong, Dishman Dodge, Tomlinson Black, U.S. Marine Bayliner and Inland Power and Light.

The nominees for Nonprofit Organization of the Year are: Meals on Wheels, Spokane Valley Community Center, Spokane Neighborhood Action Program, Goodwill, Sports USA and the Greater Spokane Substance Abuse Council.

The final category is Chamber Member Volunteer of the Year and is the category with the most nominations. Those under consideration include Skip Bonuccelli, Kelli Anderson, Karen Wright, Sue Schindler, Debbie Navin, Steve Kunin, Connie Wagner, Gary Roberto, Brenda Arthur and Chris Armstrong.

The winners will be announced during an awards gala Jan. 15 at the Mirabeau Park Hotel. Tickets for the event, which also includes a dinner and silent auction, are $40 per person. The evening will begin with a social hour at 5:30 p.m. Call the Chamber at 924-4994 for tickets.