The Greater Portage Chamber of Commerce held their annual Recognition Ceremony on Saturday evening at Woodland Park in Portage with the theme of ‘New Beginnings’. The Recognition Ceremony is the Chambers way of spotlighting members of the Portage community who have had a positive impact in their field and are making a difference in the community.
“We decided to go with a little more of a casual event this year,” said Lou Gagliardi, Executive Director of the Portage Chamber. “It’s a little less formal with open seating instead of assigned. We just wanted to do something different. That’s where the ‘New Beginnings’ theme comes in. I’m coming into a new position at the Chamber and we wanted to make the event different and fresh. We’ve had a great turnout this evening and the winners we’re really appreciative so that’s been exciting.”
Click here to see all of the photos from the Portage Chamber Community Awards!
“We’re going to be working hard to make the Chamber even more effective and significant for the City of Portage, its residents, Portage businesses and especially our members,” Gagliardi said. “I see the opportunity the Chamber has and I consider it a privilege to be a part of it.”
Amber Alexander, who handed out several awards at the ceremony, sits on the Chamber's Awards Committee and spoke about the work the Chamber does as well as how the evenings ‘New Beginnings’ theme plays into what’s happening within the organization.
“It’s all about recognizing the wonderful businesses and individuals in Portage who really make Portage what it is,” said Alexander. “They push Portage forward into the next generation and bring life to the city. It’s about all the good things we have to celebrate and they really put Portage on the map.”
“‘New Beginnings’ is a really good theme for this year because we’ve got a new young crop of board members, a brand new partnership with PEDCo and a new executive director in Lou Gagliardi who’s bringing the two organizations together,” said Alexander. “‘New Beginnings’ is trying things out in a different way and bringing all this new flavor into Portage.”
Throughout the evening, attendees viewed and bid on the many silent auction items throughout the Woodland Park Banquet Center. Midway through the awards ceremony the Chamber put together a fun ‘heads or tails’ game which livened up the crow and sent one lucky winner home with four Chicago Bulls tickets.
The winner of the ‘Outstanding Educator’ award was Jeff King who is a teacher at Myers Elementary School.
“It’s humbling,” King said. “It means a great deal. It’s a great profession in which we can make a tremendous impact. In order to do it you have to have a lot of great people working with you and I have the honor and privilege of everyday working with 25 teacher, 35 support staff members who commit themselves daily to educating well the 400 kids at Myers. I’m here tonight largely because of their commitment, their sacrifice and their devotion. Tonight’s just a validation that if you support each other and lean into each other and commit to the same common cause great things do happen.”
The day was also memorable for our own Editor and Publisher of IIMM, Chris Mahlmann, who won a Quality of Life Award tonight. Mahlmann said the award holds a special meaning to him, as the Portage Chamber, and the community of Portage, were the first to believe in the "crazy idea" of bringing Good News to the front page.
"Our whole team is proud of this one, as it represents many firsts for us," Mahlmann told IIMM. "Terry Hufford and The Greater Portage Chamber was the first Chamber to welcome us; first Mayor to recognize us: Olga Velazquez; first YMCA to partner with us: Portage Township YMCA with Dave Kasarda and Nancy Zinick Simpson; First major site sponsors: Porter Regional Hospital, NorthShore Health Centers, and Rhame & Elwood: Attorneys at Law."
"And, of course, the guy that helped me start it all, Brett Fuller, here with me to celebrate and officially be announced as a Board Member for 2016. Thanks for the welcome, Portage."
To find out more about the Greater Portage Chamber of Commerce, the events they hold, and the benefits of being a member, go to: http://www.portageinchamber.com/
Award winners:
New Construction: Monosol LLC; Founders Square; Portage Streets and Sanitation. Community Improvement: Portage Township YMCA; El Pueblo Restaurant; Portage Utility Services; St. Mary Medical Center Portage Health Center II; Woodland Park; Golden Living Center; Brain Balance Learning Center; Keary Bewick, DDS.; RQAW Corp; Little Smiles Preschool. Special Event: Back to School Fair. Outstanding Educator: Jeff King. Business Service Award: Greg Smith with Shay Furniture. Humanitarian Award: Douglas Giltrap of Texas Roadhouse. Putting Portage on the Map: Holladay Properties for the Ameriplex at the Port. Quality of Life Awards: Jan Wilson of NorthShore Health Centers; Chris Mahlmann of Ideas In Motion Media LLC. Outstanding Public Citizen: Joy Lundstrom.