Everyone loves to be recognized and businesses even more so, for the public recognition of an award is not only great public relations, it can add to the bottom line and overall credibility.
The Carson City Chamber annually celebrates businesses, governmental entities, and individuals that have raised the bar in their field or have gone out of their way to make us all feel Carson Proud.
The board believes honoring outstanding businesses is the highlight of the annual meeting. Chamber awards are considered prestigious – and they are – and are not handed out lightly. Unlike many awards, our awards are not popularity contests, and no one places their name in for consideration.
Staff and the board are fully aware of what is happening amongst the membership and within the community and when it comes time to plan the annual meeting, the first consideration always is the awards recognition portion.
No one knows in advance who will be considered for an award. Winners are notified about three weeks prior to the annual meeting and announced to the membership and the media about a week prior to the ceremony. This year’s ceremony was even more special since it covered three years since we were dark during 2020-21 because of the pandemic.
On June 15, Chair Rob Joiner presented awards to seven deserving recipients. Carson City Public Works earned the Community Impact Award for its continued goal in creating a warm and welcoming holiday season. In 2021, the crew braved all sorts of weather to install the new downtown holidays lights in time for the annual Silver & Snowflakes Festival of Lights held the first Friday of December. There were also double the lights to be installed as well as the lighting of Curry Street.
The Volunteer(s) of the Year was granted to Southwest Gas for its continued support of the Chamber’s Leadership Institute annual class project. Over the past three years, the BLUE Team helped build a Bee Habitat, transform two walking trails, and this year helped to revamp the back patio of the Eagle Valley Children’s Home.
We honored Phil Nemanic of the Nevada State Public Works Department as the Government Employee of the Year. Nemanic and his team cheerfully create holiday magic on the Capitol grounds and at the Governor’s Mansion and though 2021 was a tough year because weather and lack of workers, he somehow made the magic happen yet again.
The Brewery Arts Center was recognized as the Non-Profit of the Year for its uplifting and innovative Flatbed Concert Series bringing light and joy to neighborhoods across the city.
The Innovator of the Year went to The Greenhouse Project for its continued contribution in bringing agricultural sciences to the mind of locals. Starting out simply as a single hoop house growing greens for the food insecure, this non-profit also helped establish a work-based CTE agricultural program at Carson High attracting over two hundred students and now employing two full-time instructors. It just unveiled its new worm composting program and will be growing local plants in their third hoop house.
Former Chamber Chair and Coldwell Banker Realtor Bob Fredlund was honored as the Small Business of the Year for his generosity and support of many of the city’s non-profits, the Chamber’s Leadership Class projects, and so much more. Bob has never turned down a request.
The biggest award of all was presented to Mark Turner, owner of Black Pine Construction. This big-hearted man was presented the Big Heart Award for his role in completing remodeling part of the patio at the Eagle Valley Children’s Home. This year’s Leadership Class reached out to Turner seeking guidance and instead – and at his own expense – he and his crew created a special place for the citizens of the home, staff, and visitors.
As we now begin our fiscal year, we keep close attention to our community and keep notes to begin the process of choosing future honorees.
A chamber award can boost the reputation of a company and can set it apart from the average business. We do not take our award recognition lightly and feel honored to be able to honor those who continue to blaze trails and serve as role models in a city where they are appreciated.
