January 27, 2010

Napa Chamber of Commerce Annual Board Installation and Awards Dinner Tops the Chart!

The Chamber’s Annual Dinner was pulled off without a hitch on Friday night. The festive atmosphere was complete with roving klieg lights, valet parking, velvet backdrops and shimmering tables at the Napa Valley Marriott Hotel and Spa. Marriott General Manager, Shawn Millburn and Chef Brian Whitmer pulled out all the stops to ensure a sparkling night was had by all.

The festivities got underway with Emcee Barry Martin applauding immediate past Chamber President/CEO, Kate King’s ten years of outstanding service to the Napa community and for her forward thinking succession plan that was so solidly in place for her early retirement to Texas in November. Lisa Batto, past Chamber VP, has stepped seamlessly into the role and as a result the community has benefited by not skipping a beat in Chamber activities.

Next Napa Mayor Jill Techel officially passed the gavel of office from outgoing Chair Mike Silvas to the new Chamber Chairman of the Board of Directors, Randy Martinsen, and honored the volunteer Board members for their tireless dedication to the community of Napa by tapping each with her sparkling magic wand. Jack Wright Productions provided short videos to precede each award presentation highlighting the respective recipient’s contributions and background. Awards and accompanying official Resolutions were presented byLaurie Puzo of Assembly Member Noreen Evans office and Brian Bottari of US Congressman Thompson’s office with able help from Michael Allen from State Senator Pat Wiggins office.

The first award of the night went to Lixit Corporation as the Family Friendly Business of the Year and jointly to NEWS (Napa Emergency Women’s Services) as the Family Friendly Non Profit Organization of the Year.The award was announced by Napa County Supervisor Brad Wagenknecht who had written a poem on the importance of family for the occasion. The Family Friendly award is presented by the Napa County Child Care Planning Council, and rewards organizations which embody a workplace that exudes an attitude that is sensitive to the needs of employees and their families. The non-profit sector was a sub-category only added two years ago, now rounding out all aspects of work-life in Napa County. Both winning organizations have met this credo head on with Lixit purpose building a child care room for employees and NEWS going out of their way to “say Yes” to their employees needs.

Both Georgia Baughman and Sue Griffiths were named 2009 Ambassador of the Year at last Friday night’s Chamber Annual Dinner. The awards were presented by outgoing Chairman Mike Silvas to rousing applause by the room filled with over 300 community leaders. Lisa Batto, president and CEO of the Chamber later commented, “Georgia and Sue have done a tremendous job representing the Napa Chamber of Commerce. I’m proud that both were chosen as the Ambassadors of the Year.” Georgia has been a Napa Chamber of Commerce Ambassador for three years and has enjoyed her first year as Co-Captain with Sue Griffiths. Baughman is the Branch Manager of Golden 1 Credit Union Napa Office. Sue Griffiths has worked as a substitute teacher for the Napa Valley Unified School District for sixteen years and also teaches in the Napa Valley Adult School program. She has been a member of the Napa Chamber for over twenty years.

The highly anticipated Citizen of the Year Award was presented to Angela and Joe Peatman by Sustainable Napa County CEO, Jeri Gill. Ms. Gill talked about the “ripple effect” that the Peatmans actions, initiatives and projects have had, touching countless lives of people unknown to them. The Peatmans have been pillars of the community for many years with so many substantial public health and human service projects attributable to them that they received not one, but two standing ovations upon being announced. Angela and Joe Sr.’s son, Joe Peatman Jr., who is proprietor of Napa restaurant Downtown Joe’s, said of the evening, “I’m really here for my Mom, I’m here for Dad too, but this means so much to my Mother because her father, Ed Brovelli Sr. won this same award in 1976 and she has often said she strives to be like him. She has modeled herself after her Dad because she so admired how much he did for Napa.”

Outgoing Chamber Chairman, Mike Silvas introduced the Napa Community Bank as the Business of the Year noting that it was nothing short of a miracle with today’s headlines that a bank should be receiving any kind of positive attention, let alone an award. It is a testament to NCB employees and Bank President Dennis Pedisich’s leadership that of all the businesses in Napa this financial institution, which feels more like a family reunion when you walk in than a business, has received this recognition this year.

Emcee’s Barry Martin and Taylor Bartolucci closed the evening with their trademark rapier wit skewering a few otherwise innocent attendees and thanking both Chamber of Commerce staff and the gracious hosts of the evening, the Napa Valley Marriott, for such a wonderful event.

Photos by: Wright’s Photography

1. Lisa Batto, President and CEO

2. Mike Silvas, Randy Martinsen

3. Board of Directors' swearing in

4. Linda Parks, Lixit Corporation

5. Georgia Baughman, Sue Griffiths

6. Joe & Angela Peatman

7. Dennis Pedisich, Napa Community Bank

BACK to Napa Business Focus
BACK to MEMBER NEWS