President’s Dinner was a red carpet event

This past Friday night, the chamber held its annual President’s Dinner and Chamber Celebration at Lake Wilderness Lodge. The evening was a red carpet event complete with awards, the extraordinary magic of Tim Flynn, fabulous catering by Scooter’s Custom Catering, and a fun and interactive live auction conducted by Brett Habenicht.

And the 2011 Business Award recipients are: Business of The Year, Flynn Development, Jim Flynn and the Economic Engine That Did Award, Thrive Community Fitness, Maple Valley!

The Business of the Year was chosen from 2011’s quarterly business award winners. The selection committee chaired by Dave Hall, Maple Valley Shell, uses the following criteria in judging the nominees: community involvement and collaboration; contributions to their respective industry & the business community as a whole; business performance and growth; personal leadership and courage; innovative practices, business strategies, and goals; response to changing conditions and flexibility in these economic times; achievement or awards in management, staff training and motivation, work place excellence; product and/or customer service innovation and creativity.

Here are just a few reasons Flynn Development was chosen: Jim made possible the chamber’s Small Business Development Center in the Maple Valley Center Building-a small business incubator and satellite office suites; collaborated with two other small business owners to provide space for a temporary Christmas décor store in Wilderness Village; provides leadership on the chamber’s board of directors and the Maple Valley Community Center; serves on numerous focus and study groups for the Tahoma School District; chairs the chamber’s Business Development Committee; instrumental in the development of GoMVPower.com-the shop local campaign; and his unrecognized donations of time, money and labor that likely exceed all of his other activities combined.

The Economic Engine that Did Award recognizes a company that has been in business for less than five years, that exhibits creativity, planning, and measureable success resulting in business growth, job creation and customer satisfaction. This year’s award went to Thrive Community Fitness, Maple Valley. Accepting the award on behalf of the ownership was manager Tanya Neilsen.

Thrive Community Fitness Maple Valley (“ThriveCF MV”) opened its doors in the midst of a struggling economy and continues to grow its membership and devotion to the community. In the two years that ThriveCF MV has been open, it has steadily increased membership, programs, and hired staff, instructors and trainers.

The Maple Valley location implemented a “Biggest Thriver” group weight loss and strength training program in the fall of 2010 that was so successful it served as a model for the other ThriveCF franchises and continues to grow and attract participants and members. The owners and managers have built classes based on the needs and desires of members and the community, offering a variety of classes at all hours of the day, including a parents’ night out that includes kids’ room activities, pizza and a movie one Saturday night per month. Finally, Thrive has created a strong presence in social media and offers online signups and interaction through Facebook notifications, incentives and blogging.

Thrive supports the community by sponsorship of the pee-wee T-ball and soccer leagues through Maple Valley Parks and Recreation as well as sponsoring a Maple Valley Pony League baseball team. It hosts an annual food drive from October through December to benefit the Maple Valley/Black Diamond Food Bank in addition to donating raffle from the fitness center to community organizations to support their respective fund raising opportunities. During the most recent snow and ice storm, it offered free guest passes to any resident in the community without power to come in exercise, shower, watch television, charge cell phones or just relax, with no absolutely no strings attached.

Also at the Friday night event, current board president Kevin Patterson presented Karen Crowe, with a past-president’s plaque of appreciation for her years of leadership. Karen shares the skills of most board chairs --- organized, decisive, articulate, and she runs a darn good meeting. She stepped up to that position after serving only one year on the board. In that short time, she was instrumental in the development of the new tiered membership investment structures and worked tirelessly and effectively with a no-nonsense approach while being open to new ideas and opinions to ‘build community and seek solutions’.

The success of this celebration depends a great deal on our member sponsors. Many thanks to our Presidential Sponsors, UW Medicine Valley Medical Center and Fred Meyer and all the sponsors including Puget Sound Energy, Yarrow Bay, Maple Valley Muffler & Auto Repair, Claffey’s Painting, Frankie’s Pizza, VOICE of the Valley, MultiCare, RE/MAX Select, Danielle Bricker; Drs. Bennion, Maple Valley Vision Clinic; Junior Junction Day School, DaVine Coffee & Wine Bar along with all our generous auction donors. For a complete list of all the sponsors and auction donors, please go to our website.

Upcoming Events: February 15 Membership Luncheon. Mark your calendars for the 10th Annual ‘Hooked On Fishing”, April 27-28.

For more information on Chamber membership, a listing of local businesses, GOMVPower Businesses, a community calendar of events, and blog postings, visit www.maplevalleychamber.org and www.blackdiamondchamber.org or call 425.432.0222.

The Chamber – Growing Business, Building Community.