FOR  IMMEDIATE  RELEASE  Contact:  Emily  Abernathy  Emily@TahoeChamber.org  775.588.1728  ext.  303  

 

ANNOUNCING  2014  BLUE  RIBBON  AWARD  WINNERS  

November  13,  2014  (South  Lake  Tahoe,  CA/NV)  –  Thursday  night’s  7th  Annual  Blue  Ribbon  Awards  was  the  largest  yet  with  over  300  guests  in  attendance  as  individuals  and  businesses  were  recognized  for  their  exemplary  services,  products  and  programs  in  the  South  Shore  community.  Produced  by  the  Lake  Tahoe  South  Shore  Chamber  of  Commerce  (TahoeChamber),  this  prestigious  awards  program  solicited  nominations  for  six  categories  and  eight  total  awards.  Over  175  nominations  were  received  and  95  of  those  nominated  joined  their  peers  at  the  awards  ceremony  on  November  13  at  Harrah’s  Lake  Tahoe.  

Networking  sponsors  Inn  by  the  Lake,  Tahoe  Bowl  and  MontBleu  supported  the  cocktail  hour  that  kicked  off  festivities  with  champagne  hand  passed  to  attendees.  The  reception  was  immediately  followed  by  a  delicious  three-­‐course  meal  prepared  by  Harrah’s  culinary  team.  Masters  of  Ceremony,  Jason  Collin  and  Ted  Johanson,  kept  the  mood  light  and  fun  as  they  recognized  the  nominees  in  attendance  and  presented  the  awards  to  the  2014  winners.  The  award  winners  receive  special  recognition  on  TahoeChamber.org  and  special  signage  for  their  place  of  business  while  the  customer  service  award  winners  receive  a  special  “stay-­‐cation”  package  of  their  choosing.      

The  following  are  the  winners  for  the  7th  Annual  Blue  Ribbon  Awards.  

Experience  Award  –  Sponsored  by  Marriott  Grand  Residence  &  Vacation  Club  Winner:  Blue  Sky  Events  –  Blue  Sky  Events  is  your  one  stop  event  planning  and  production  business.  They  cater  to  the  needs  of  their  clients  by  personalizing  every  event  to  fit  the  needs  of  the  business  and  the  attendees.    Large  local  businesses  continually  use  Blue  Sky  Events  to  fill  their  event  production  needs.  Their  production  team  utilizes  live  music,  jugglers,  ice  carvers,  celebrity  athletes,  fireworks  and  the  use  of  a  Gondola  car  in  place  of  traditional  New  Year’s  Eve  ball  to  entertain  locals  and  visitors  from  all  over  the  world.  Each  event  created  by  Blue  Sky  Events  is  a  unique  experience  that  will  be  remembered  for  years  to  come.  Honorable  Mention:  Ciera  Steak  &  Chop  House  

Tourism  Award  –  Sponsored  by  Lake  Tahoe  Visitors  Authority  Winner:  Tahoe  Sport  Fishing  –Tahoe  Sport  Fishing  does  a  spectacular  job  of  offering  visitors  and  locals  a  true  South  Shore  experience.    With  a  fleet  of  eight  boats  they  can  accommodate  parties  of  all  sizes,  groups,  and  special  occasions  all  year  round.    Tahoe  Sport  Fishing  has  partnered  with  local  restaurants  to  truly  complete  their  client’s  fishing  experience.    If  guests  wish  to  taste  what  they  have  just  reeled  in,  they  can  bring  their  ketch  in  to  these  restaurants  and  have  it  professionally  prepared  for  them  by  local  chefs.      Honorable  Mention:  Getaway  Reno/Tahoe  

Geotourism  Award  –  Sponsored  by  El  Dorado  County  Winner:  Lake  of  the  Sky  Outfitters  –  Lake  of  the  Sky  Outfitters  is  a  hikers  and  backpackers  informational  hub.  Their  backpackers  lounge  provides  a  place  for  Pacific  Crest  Trail  hikers  to  relax  and  recoup  while  also  providing  them  resources  to  better  help  them  follow  leave  no  trace  practices.  Just  this  year  alone,  over  550  Pacific  Crest  Trail  hikers  have  passed  through  the  doors  of  Lake  of  the  Sky  Outfitters.    The  shop  serves  as  a  gateway  to  South  Tahoe  and  our  amenities.    With  the  inception  of  their  Trail  Angels  program,  hikers  can  get  rides  in  to  town  to  restock  supplies  and  then  a  ride  back  to  the  trailhead  after  a  day  or  two  of  rest.  Honorable  Mention:  South  Tahoe  Stand  Up  Paddle  

Entrepreneur  Award  –  Sponsored  by  Getaway  Reno/Tahoe  Winner:  Brandi  Brown,  Tahoe  Production  House  –  Tahoe  Production  House  has  given  a  working  space  to  those  individuals  and  businesses  that  need  access  to  a  fully  equipped  production  studio.    Space  and  equipment  is  available  to  meet  any  audio,  visual  or  photography  production  need.    Brandi  opened  Tahoe  Production  house  during  the  toughest  of  economic  times  but  has  continued  to  grow  and  expand  in  despite  of  those  challenges.    Tahoe  Production  House  is  able  to  keep  their  rates  competitive  while  continually  providing  top  quality  production.  Honorable  Mention:  Brian  and  Angela  Luke,  Artemis  Mediterranean  Grill  

Customer  Service  Award  –  Sponsored  by  Heavenly  &  Kirkwood  Mountain  Resorts  Winner:  Bob  Trim,  Friday’s  Station  –  Bob’s  philosophy  on  customer  service  is  “treat  people  as  you  like  to  be  treated  and  then  go  the  extra  mile.”    Bob  goes  the  extra  mile  by  really  getting  to  know  his  guests  and  his  team.  He  is  quoted  as  saying  “a  good  reliable  team  is  half  the  battle;  on  second  thought,  it’s  all  the  battle!”  After  celebrating  his  50th  anniversary  with  Harrah’s  just  last  year,  Bob  continues  to  go  above  and  beyond.  Bob  believes  that  in  order  to  provide  the  most  quality  service  you  truly  have  to  be  an  ambassador  for  the  business  you  represent.  His  outlook  on  service  and  business  has  recently  won  him  the  Food  and  Beverage  Employee  of  the  Year  from  the  Nevada  Hotel  and  Lodging  Association.  Honorable  Mention:  Matt  Smithermier,  Eloise  Automotive  &  Alignment  

Public  Agency  Service  –  Sponsored  by  Tahoe  Supply  Company  Winner:  Eric  Guevin,  Tahoe  Douglas  Fire  Protection  District  –  In  his  position  as  Tahoe  Douglas  Fire  Marshall,  Eric  is  required  to  draw  hard  lines  and  follow  strict  enforcement  policies.    He  does  this  with  a  humorous,  respectful  and  empathic  style  that  even  when  disclosing  bad  news  leaves  those  that  he  is  working  with  feeling  at  ease.  No  matter  the  situation,  Eric  always  keeps  a  level  head  and  leads  his  teams  

to  do  the  same.    Being  employed  in  a  highly  stressful  and  dangerous  line  of  work  always  presents  its  challenges  and  Eric  faces  those  challenges  with  his  many  years  of  knowledge  and  unmatched  integrity.  Honorable  Mention:  Chris  Stanley,  South  Tahoe  Public  Utility  District  

Large  Green  Business  –  Sponsored  by  Cardinale  Way  Toyota  Winner:  Lake  Tahoe  Cruises  |  Zephyr  Cove  Resort  –  As  one  of  the  first  large  businesses  on  the  South  Shore  to  implement  a  full  composting  program,  Lake  Tahoe  Cruises  and  Zephyr  Cove  Resort  have  been  a  leader  in  green  practices  for  many  years.  With  a  full  recycling  program  in  place,  the  resort  compacts  its  own  cardboard  and  properly  disposes  all  batteries,  computers,  electronics  and  oil.  Just  last  year  the  restaurant  at  Zephyr  Cove  Resort  underwent  a  full  remodel.  Logs  that  were  downed  from  the  Spooner  Summit  area,  where  they  operate  a  snowmobile  operation,  were  used  in  the  remodel  instead  of  being  tossed  away.    The  restaurant  also  sources  local  products  and  adheres  to  the  Monterey  Bay  Seafood  Watch  purchasing  program.      Honorable  Mention:  Sierra-­‐at-­‐Tahoe  

The  Wendell  Award  for  a  Small  Green  Business  –  Sponsored  by  South  Tahoe  Refuse  &  Recycling  Winner:  Connie’s  Clothesline  –  By  accepting  and  sourcing  used  clothes,  accessories,  house  hold  items,  and  furniture  and  then  displaying  these  items  in  a  creative  way  to  sell;  Connie’s  keeps  things  out  of  the  waste  stream  and  back  in  to  the  hands  of  savvy  consumers.  All  items  in  Connie’s  Clothesline  have  been  owned  by  at  least  one  person  before  it  makes  its  way  in  to  the  shop.    These  pre-­‐owned  items  have  been  carefully  sourced  by  Connie’s  fashionable  eye,  making  it  one  of  the  best  places  to  sustainably  enhance  your  wardrobe  on  the  South  Shore.  Honorable  Mention:  Base  Camp  Pizza  

TahoeChamber  thanks  Harrah’s  for  hosting  the  Blue  Ribbon  Awards,  as  well  as  our  generous  event  sponsors  Lake  Tahoe  Visitors  Authority  and  the  South  Tahoe  Alliance  of  Resorts.  TahoeChamber  would  also  like  to  thank  this  year’s  South  Shore  Sponsors  Wells  Fargo  and  Harrah’s/Harveys  Lake  Tahoe  and  the  Blue  Business  Sponsors  Lakeside  Inn,  Winters  Construction  Group,  Nichols  Consulting  Engineers,  Liberty  Utilities,  Barton  Health  and  Tahoe  Regional  Planning  Agency.  Thanks  to  our  media  sponsors  KRLT/KOWL,  Lake  Tahoe  TV  and  Tahoe  Daily  Tribune.  Lastly,  we’d  like  to  say  congratulations  to  all  of  the  Blue  Ribbon  Award  winners,  both  past  and  present.    

 

#  #  #