Tahoe Chamber celebrates 2012 Blue Ribbon winners at awards ceremony

UPDATED: The 5th annual Tahoe Chamber Blue Ribbons Awards were held Thursday night, recognizing businesses, individual and organizations for their outstanding service and contribution to the South Shore Lake Tahoe community. The awards presentation recognized all businesses nominated and announce the winners of the eight separate categories.
The winners, finalists and honorable mentions are listed in the attachment below the story:

Tourism Award: South Tahoe Standup Paddle

Geotourism: Tahoe Tallac Association
Small Green: Elevated Fitness
Large Green: Harrah's & Harveys
Entrepreneur: Paul Reder
Experience: On Course Events
Customer Service: Tommy Gunnell at Embassy Suites
Public Agency Service: Judy Finn, City of SLT

Here's a list of those nominated for the 2012 Blue Ribbon Awards:

Tourism – A business offering an innovative program, promotion or product for our visitors: Avalon Lodge/Cle Hospitality, Lake of the Sky Outfitters, Lake Tahoe Adventures, MontBleu Outdoor Concert Series, and South Tahoe Stand Up Paddle.

Geotourism – A business providing an authentic Tahoe Experience: Discover Lake
Tahoe Tours, On Course Events, South Tahoe Stand Up Paddle, Sustainable Tahoe/Tahoe Expo, Tahoe Rim Trail Association, and Tahoe Tallac Association/Valhalla at Tahoe.

Small Green – A business comprised of fewer than 100 employees that is minimizing their impact on the environment: Connie’s Clothesline Thrift Shop, Elevated Fitness, South Tahoe
Stand Up Paddle, Sustainable Tahoe/Tahoe Expo, and Tahoe Resource Conservation District.

Large Green – A business comprised of more than 100 employees that is minimizing their impact on the environment: Edgewood Tahoe, Harrah's & Harveys, Heavenly Mountain Resort/Echo Program, and South Tahoe Refuse.

Entrepreneur – An innovative individual who assumed the risk of starting a new business: Amy Thompson/Tahoe Tot Spot, Bob Nielsen/MacDuff's Public House, Brandi Brown/Tahoe Production House, Bren Tate/Sea Leagues Skates, Cindy Rawlins/CC's Pirate Treasures, Dana Smith/Straw Hat Pizza, Darrell Wampler/K-Tahoe Radio, Fred Jackson/Tahoe Lobster Company, Rob Giustina/On Course Events, Paige Rice/Tahoe Best Friends, Paul Reder/PR Entertainment, and Theresa Bertrand/BioSpirit Day Spa.

Experience – A business that provides compelling and captivating experiences: Barton Hospital, Bona Fide Books, Discover Lake Tahoe Tours, Elevated Fitness, Getaway Café, Heavenly Sports, On Course Events, PR Entertainment, Primo's Italian Bistro, South Shore Bikes, South Tahoe CrossFit, South Tahoe Stand Up Paddle, Tahoe Tot Spot, V'z Image Option'z, and Zip Tahoe.

Customer Service (Private Sector) – An individual who consistently provides quality service: 968 Park Hotel, Adra Fenstermaker/Body by Adra, Amy Thompson/Tahoe Tot Spot, Beth Lee/Affordable Construction Services, Brian Cohen/Overland Meat & Seafood Co., Bridget McGrath & David Kumpe/Elevated Fitness, Cheryl & Tyler Cannon/Sprouts, Clean Tahoe Program, Diane Guth/Getaway Café, Don Muren/Edgewood Tahoe, George Zepeda/Jalisco Grill, Hec Hernandez/South Shore Bikes, Kim & Jim Warlow/The Cork & More, Joe Hayes/Heavenly Mountain Resort, Joshua Ashby/Park Tahoe Inn, Les Schwab Tires, Lira's Market, Marie Logie/Jazz Kat Café, Mark Podesto/NorCal Beverage, Matt Reinke/The Burger Lounge, Maureen Stuhlman/Tahoe Best Friends, Nelson Marrogquin/Embassy Suites, Paige Rice/Tahoe Best Friends, Paula Morris/John's Cleaners, Rowena Pegg/Lakeside Beach Grill, Roy Testa/Welcome's Auto Body, Scott Craig/Riva Grill, Sierra Athletic Club, Tommy Gunnell/Embassy Suites, and Zion Finck/TechTastic.

Customer Service (Public Agency) – An Individual providing quality service in the not so usual places: Bobbi Thompson/Minden-Tahoe Airport, Brandy Johns/Kingsbury Grade Improvement District, Dee Kline/El Dorado County, and Judy Finn/City of South Lake Tahoe.

Photos by Greg Pisarski