34th Annual Meeting and Award Luncheon

The Chamber's Annual Meeting and Award Luncheon brought together Flagstaff's business community for a gathering of recognition and reflection.  An insightful keynote address regarding the state of the economy on a national, regional and local level was given by Mr. Danny Court, senior economist and partner at Elliott D. Pollack & Company.  Mr. Court addressed such issues as inflation, recession and charted a course of action for how the economy can reshape and move forward.

Chamber President and CEO Julie Pastrick presented the Chamber's 2023 Business Awards.  Ambassador of the Year was awarded to Wil Hernandez of the Peaks.  Volunteer of the Year went to Colleen Snyder of Little America Hotel and the Chamber Champion award went to Clay McCauslin of Greater Circle Media/KAFF Radio. The first annual Don Walters Memorial Award for excellence in the development/construction sector went to Capstone Homes.

2023 was the second year the Chamber and Desert Financial Credit Union recognized a business for initiative in environmental sustainability through the Flagstaff Green Business Award.  Nominees for the award included APS, Shift FLG Kitchen and Bar, Quality Connections, High Country Motor Lodge and Arizona Snowbowl.  So as to not exclude on the basis of resources, it was deemed prudent to divide the award into small and large business categories. The awardees of the 2023 Flagstaff Green Business Award are Quality Connections: QC Office and Arizona Snowbowl.  The Green Business Award is made possible by Desert Financial Credit Union with support from UniSource Energy Services.

The event headline, the ATHENA Awards, drew a field of remarkable women from across Flagstaff's community of professionals. In lieu of a Young Professional Award, this year the Chamber distinguished between the private and public/non-profit sectors.  Nominees for the private sector were: Erin Evans, Evans Garrey PLLC; Janet Dean, APS; Jenny Siess, Westside Veterinary Clinic; Katie Wittekind, Lancaster Leadership; Miranda Sweet, Rainbow's End; Paula Gilbert, OneAZ Credit Union, Rochelle Daniel, Atria Restaurant and Tasha Vigil, Angel's Care Home Health.

Nominees for the Public/Non-profit sector included: Colleen Maring, Northern Arizona Healthcare; Diana White, Moonshot at NACET, Emma Wharton, Grand Canyon Youth, Heather Dalmolin, Mountain Line, Heather Marcy, Northland Family Health Center; Jennifer Bucher-Brown, NACOG Head Start; Martin Neff, North Country HealthCare; Patty Hansen, Coconino County; Ross Schaefer, Flagstaff Shelter Services and Terry Medeksza, Flagstaff Downtown Business Alliance. Read more about this year's nominees in the latest issue of @7000ft.

The recipient of the 2023 ATHENA Award for the private sector went Jenny Siess of Westside Veterinary Clinic.  The 2023 ATHENA Award for the private/non-profit sector was received by Ross Shaefer of Flagstaff Shelter Services.

Thank you to the amazing team of volunteers that helped make the event a success: Wil Hernandez, Motion Olson, Becky Russo, Ellen Jimenez, Cheryl Pahl, Mary West, Mariah Zavala, Josh Bryant, Heather Woods, Misti Warner, Kat Scott, Steven Scott, Kelly Culbertson, Tracie Hansen, Scott Sawyer and Dr. Brandie Gowey.