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HERALD/REVIEW
SIERRA VISTA - As he stepped up to the podium, Les Orchekowsky seemed right at home as master of ceremonies at Thursday night's Greater Sierra Vista Area Chamber of Commerce Annual Installation and Awards Banquet.
During the event at the Windemere Hotel and Conference Center, the chamber installed 14 board members, said thanks to five outgoing members and presented businesses with a number of awards.
R & M Cinema was honored as the Small Business of the Year, while Sulphur Springs Valley Electric Cooperative took the Large Business of the Year honor. Both businesses were selected for their ongoing contributions and commitment to the community.
 R & M Cinema owner Mike Kroft was this year's Small Business of the Year award recipient at Thursday's Greater Sierra Vista Chamber of Commerce's installation banquet. (Mark Levy-Herald/Review) |
Mike Kroft, owner of R & M Cinema, accepted the award for the small business, and Marcus Harston, sales representative and events coordinator for SSVEC, accepted the honor given to the cooperative.
Jack Isler and Pat Call were given awards of appreciation for their years of work and contributions on the chamber board. Both men stepped down as board members because of other commitments and obligations.
Hailed as the chamber's unsung heroes, John Jordan and Patricia Turner, were recognized as the volunteers of the year.
"The next award goes to the often unsung heroes of the chamber, the volunteer staff, the jack of all trades," Orchekowsky said during the presentation. "Tonight we would like to recognize not one, but two volunteers who have gone above and beyond the call of duty."
Guy Atchley, news anchor for KGUN 9 News, was introduced as Orchekowsky's surprise co-master of ceremonies. He had the entire room howling with laughter as he rolled off one joke after another, poking fun at his own short stature.
His joke about a co-worker who once referred to him on the air as "her little anchor action figure," sent the room rolling with laughter. He also presented the audience with a series of news bloopers, another crowd-pleaser.
Marie Wurth, vice president of human resources for the Sierra Vista Regional Health Center, was presented with the Ken Ferguson Award, presented by board Chairman Debbie Morris. The award is dedicated in Ferguson's memory, a past chamber board president who served in 1967, and later lost his life in a plane crash.
"After his death, the chamber dedicated a special award in his name, to be presented to board members who most distinguished themselves by showing the capacity to lead, advise and represent our members without bias or to just lend a hand," Morris said. "This year's awardee has been a true advocate for the community as well as the chamber. She is an effective communicator, and always represents us with genuine sincerity and professionalism."
Dennis Anton, Phil Vega and Glenn McDaniel, all leaving the chamber's board of directors after years of service, offered words of praise for the organization's growth and progress through the years. All three remembered times when the chamber struggled financially, something that has improved in recent years, thanks to successful fund-raisers and events and a growing membership.
During videotaped interviews by Les Siemens of Siemens Enterprises, the three reflected on their years with the organization.
"I would encourage anybody to get involved (with the chamber)," Anton said. "It's important to the community, it's important to the chamber and it's important to the businesses. There are a lot of ways you can help with the chamber."
Vega, who is publisher of the Herald/Review, echoed some of those comments.
"Dennis said at the last board meeting that the old guys are getting out, and that's a good thing because you need to get fresh ideas and you need to get fresh blood in there to present new ideas and continue that progress," Vega said.
In his interview, McDaniel said, "I would like to say, before we forget, that I'm just real excited about the new board that's coming in. I think it's probably one of the strongest boards that we've had since I've been involved in 1993."
In her chairman's inaugural address, Morris also gave an optimistic overview of the chamber's growth and its influence on the business community.
"In a few short years this chamber has gone from a little over 300 active members, to 500 and now over 750," Morris said. "Thank you to all of the board members for fostering the confidence of our community."
She added that the success is no accident, citing some of the programs the chamber has become involved in, such as government affairs programs, its relationship with the city of Sierra Vista on a number of key issues and its proactive efforts to keep Fort Huachuca here.
"Now we are venturing into a new chamber year," she said. "I assure you, we will do it with optimism and an ongoing resolve to serve our members and the Sierra Vista community."
REPORTER Dana Cole can be reached at 515-4618.
nicole ray wrote on Jun 21, 2009 3:35 PM: