Every year since 1984, Gig Harbor Chamber of Commerce members, community leaders, elected officials and Gig Harbor residents come together to celebrate those individuals who are making a positive impact in our wonderful city with their annual Awards Dinner. The 2019 event took place Saturday, January 12, at Ocean5.
“[At this year’s event] we wanted to recognize and experience the new Ocean5 facilities while also recognizing the impact a specific group of individuals have on the local economy and quality of life in Gig Harbor,” says Warren Zimmerman, president and CEO of the Gig Harbor Chamber of Commerce.
This semi-formal night under the sea celebrated Chamber members and those who have gone above and beyond.
Held in the ballroom/conference area of Ocean5, the 120 guests in attendance, dressed in their best cocktail attire, were greeted to the ocean-themed atmosphere of green and blue and treated to specialty drinks from Heritage Distilling and wines from Olalla Vineyard & Winery, whose sommelier matched Olalla wines to pair with the delectable three-course dinner menu, which offered three delightful selections: wild sockeye salmon, pure country Pork and cauliflower steak, followed by dessert.
The event recognized those individuals in Gig Harbor who are positively impacting the community in which they live—making Gig Harbor a truly wonderful place for us all to call home. The six categories included Ambassador of the Year, Business Person of the Year, Chairman's Choice, Citizen of the Year, Nonprofit of the Year and Young Professional of the Year, with three nominees selected per category.
“Winners [were] chosen based on the information provided in the nominee forms, which describes why the candidate is recommended in that category. Each winner receives a statue indicating the category for the award and their name as the winner,” says Zimmerman. The winners were each given the opportunity to speak after receiving the award if they chose to.
In addition to an evening of celebration and comradery, the event held a raffle, offering attendees an incredible array of prizes including: PerryCook Flight Services Package (a 90-minute flight for four from Tacoma Narrows on an amphibious DeHavilland Beaver to a local lake for a water landing and takeoff, with a tour around the Space Needle and back to Tacoma Narrows. Valued at $1,000); Private Live Dive with Harbor WildWatch (Stay dry but see what creatures lurk just below the dock and only come out at night in a private live dive program. Valued at $500); Ocean5 Experience Package (One hour of bowling, four activity wristbands loaded with 30 minutes of laser tag and 100 game play points each, and a $100 Table 47 gift card. Valued at $243); A sommelier from Olalla Vineyard & Winery (A sommelier for the evening during the Awards Dinner, plus six bottles of wine. Valued at $199 plus tax); and Las Vegas or Orlando Resort Package (Three-night stay for two at luxurious resort accommodations with the choice of either Orlando, Florida, or Las Vegas, Nevada).
The mingling, dinner and award ceremony combined with the exciting raffle made for a successful and fun event for all in attendance.
“Gig Harbor is very fortunate to have a tremendously active community made up of individuals who give time and energy to create a quality of life that most areas can only imagine,” Zimmerman says. “This year’s list of winners is a perfect demonstration of the commitment these individuals have for their businesses, community and quality of life we all enjoy.”
Congratulation to this year’s nominees and award winners. You are an inspiration to all who live here. We extend a heartfelt thank you for your commitment to Gig Harbor.
2019 Award Winners
Ambassador of the Year
David Reed of First Citizens Bank
Business Person of the Year
Troy Alstead of Ocean5
Chairman’s Choice
Allen Woodard of Sabin Investment Management, Inc.
Citizen of the Year
Larry Fickel of LegalShield
Nonprofit of the Year
PenMet Parks
Young Professional of the Year
Pavel Rogov of Ryan, Jorgenson & Limoli, P.S.