Nominations announced for the 13th annual Blue Ribbon Awards

The Tahoe Chamber collected 190 nominations from the community for the 13th annual Blue Ribbon Award to celebrate the businesses, non-profits and individuals that make the South Shore of Lake Tahoe so unique. Local businesses have been a resilient backbone of the community throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and honoring their contributions, achievements and milestones is more important than ever before.

New award categories were introduced to this year’s event, and nominations were solicited in eight key categories that represent the breadth of business on the South Shore. Each nomination will be carefully considered by the Blue Ribbon Awards Committee and after weighting each nomination against the award criteria, eight award winners will be honored on November 19 through the Tahoe Chamber’s Facebook page and on TahoeChamber.org.

Congratulations to the 2020 nominees:

Tourism Award

Innovative program, promotion, or product for our visitors

Action Water Sports, Roundhill Pines and Water Taxi
Base Camp Pizza
Basecamp Hotel
Blue Granite Climbing Gym
Clearly Tahoe
Hell's Kitchen
Lake Tahoe Balloons
Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority
Sierra Bride Magazine
Tahoe Sport Fishing
Tahoe Tastings
Take Care Tahoe
US Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management

Entrepreneur Award

An innovative individual who assumed the risk of starting a new business.

Andrea Drew / Drew Consulting Inc.
Aubrey Pierce / Knits and Knots Tahoe
Clayton Humphries / Montara Media Group
Cody Bass / Tahoe Wellness Center
Debbie Brown / Cold Water Brewery
Drea Thornhill / High Mountain Greenery
Jared Marquez / Refuge Coffee
John Benko / Benko Art Gallery
Kyle McSparron / Blue Sky Electrical Solutions
Matthew Grime / Fox and Hound
Melinda Choy / Elevate Wellness Center
Rachel and Greg Carlson / Black Bear Lodge
Ray Villaman / Azul Latin Kitchen and Base Camp Pizza
Robin Bender / Revive Coffee & Wine
Steve Durham / Idle Hour, Welcome Home, Safari Rose, Tahoe Bike Company, and Tahoe Ski Company

Customer Service Award

An individual who consistently provides quality service.

Arturo Beyeler / Mountain West
Barbara Parina / Sidestreet Boutique
Belen Urrutia / Sierra at Tahoe
Brandon Trudelle / Holiday Market
Cassidy Hoehn / Barton Memorial Hospital
Chrystal Kennedy`/ Macduff’s Public House
Crazy Good Bakery Team / Crazy Good Bakery
Dan Kramer / Lake Tahoe Boat Rides
Debbie Neall / Harrah’s and Harveys Casinos
Diane Guth / The Getaway Cafe
Diane Imbach / Bank of America
Elisha Scott / Yellow Submarine
Jenay Aiksnoras / Lake Tahoe Yoga
Jessica Albee / Tahoe Beach Club
Jon Martinez / Ten Crows BBQ
Kerry Walker / Base Camp Pizza
Lauren Lappin / Azul Latin Kitchen
Macduff’s Public House Team / Macduff’s Public House
Mary - The Stitch Witch / Mary’s Alterations
Nico Ambra / Gastromaniac
Peter Borrmann / MontBleu Resort Casino & Spa
Savannah Mendoza / South of North Brewing Co.
Scott Morton / Postmarc Hotel and Spa Suites
Scott Peters / MUN CPAs
Shannon Witt / Deb Howard & Co

Customer Service (Public Agency) Award

An individual that provides quality service in the not so usual places (Police, Fire, DMV, City, County, TRPA, etc.).

Brad Zlendick / Lake Valley Fire Protection District
Chris Fiore / City of South Lake Tahoe
Devin Middlebrook / Tahoe Regional Planning Agency
Emily Abernathy / Tahoe Chamber
Kelley Edwards / City of South Lake Tahoe
Meghan Kelly / Nevada Tahoe Conservation District
Nicole Cartwright / Tahoe Resource Conservation District
Robert Becker / US Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit
Shelly Thomson / South Tahoe Public Utility District
Susan Blankenship / City of South Lake Tahoe

Excellence in Business Award (NEW)

A business that has made a substantial contributions to the overall good of business and the economic well-being of the community. (Business must be established and in operation for at least three (3) years)

Anderson's Bicycle Rental
Azul Latin Kitchen
Base Camp Pizza
Blue Sky Electrical Solutions
Drew Consulting Inc.
Edgewood Tahoe
Gaialicious
Lake Tahoe Computers
Lake Tahoe Resort Hotel
Lake Tahoe Yoga
Macduff's Public House
Overland Meat & Seafood Co.
Raptor Pest Control
Sierra at Tahoe
South of North Brewing Co.
Tahoe Wellness Center

Community Enrichment Award (NEW)

A business, non-profit, or agency that has worked to improve the South Shore community.

ADVANCE
Azul Latin Kitchen
Boys & Girls Club of Lake Tahoe
Bread & Broth
City of South Lake Tahoe
Clean Tahoe Program
Clean Up the Lake
El Dorado Community Foundation
Humane Society of Truckee Tahoe
Lake Tahoe Bicycle Coalition
Lake Tahoe Community College
Lake Tahoe Unified School District
Phoenix Food Pantry
South Tahoe Now
Tahoe Climbing Coalition
Tahoe Coalition for the Homeless
Tahoe Heritage Foundation
Tahoe Prosperity Center
Tahoe Wellness Center
Temple Bat Yam
Zephyr Point Presbyterian Conference Center

New Business of the Year Award (NEW)

A new business that has gained an increasingly positive reputation and who exhibits distinction.

(Business must have been in operation for less than three (3) years)

Bare Roots Coffee Roasting Company
Blue Granite Climbing Gym
Cafe Disque
Cuppa Tahoe
Embarc
Gastromaniac
Hell's Kitchen at Harveys Lake Tahoe
High Mountain Greenery
Luna Lending
PT Revolution
Tahoe Heartbeat
Tahoe Tavern and Grill

Volunteer of the Year Award (NEW)

An individual dedicated to making a positive impact on the agency they serve and on the community at large.

Ben Fish
Carol Gerard
Colin West
Eva Salyer
Greg Felton
Jen Dawn
Joanne Shope
Katie Keith
Laure Tolstad
Liesbeth Melis
Meg Peart
Paula Peterson
Susan Baumflek
Wendy David

The Tahoe Chamber would like to thank the sponsors of the 13th annual Blue Ribbon Awards; Presenting Sponsor, the South Tahoe Alliance of Resorts, Spotlight Sponsor, Tahoe Beach Club, Tallac Achievement Award Sponsor, Zephyr Cove Resort, and Award Sponsors, Heavenly Mountain Resort, Kirkwood Mountain Resort, South Tahoe Refuse & Recycling Services, Getaway Reno-Tahoe, Marriott Grand Residence Club, Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority, and Montbleu Resort Casino & Spa. .