PORT TOWNSEND — Small collaborations were heralded as the cause of Port Townsend’s big successes as the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce revealed its annual award winners Sunday.
“This community resonates around enthusiasm, collective action, ideas and passion,” said Northwest Maritime Center Executive Director Jake Beattie after being awarded the chamber’s first Director’s Award for Innovation.
“Business leaders are here not only for the profit — the profit is a mechanism for making a difference in the community and deciding what kind of place we want it to be.”
More than 160 people filled a banquet room brunch at Fort Worden State Park to honor and support nominees for Citizen, Business Leader and Young Professional of the Year, and to find out what kind of award Beattie was going to receive.
Prior to the event, the chamber said Beattie would be honored with an award but did not disclose what it would be.
“Not knowing what the award was made it a bit difficult to prepare remarks,” Beattie, 39, said. “But it’s clear that I’m no longer young because I wasn’t considered for the [Young Professional] award.”
Aside from unveiling a new award, this was the first of the events to include a keynote speaker, U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer, D-Gig Harbor, who said he was “generally very protective of my Sundays because I have two little kids and I like them.”
“I wanted to be here because your community leaders, and everyone in this room, are just cool,” Kilmer said.
Kilmer said the event was special because of its positive atmosphere.
“The easiest thing in the world is to tear things down and be negative,” he said. “It’s a little harder to solve problems, to build someone up and to collaborate.”
Kilmer lauded the positive celebration and that it takes place in the midst of chaotic and negative discourse.
“There is a Russian proverb saying that if you want to go fast, go alone, but if you want to go far, go together,” he said. “You have shown that you can go really far together.”
Marianne Walters, who has worked as a volunteer in the educational field, received the first award of the day, the Citizen of the Year honor.
“I was born and raised here, so it’s only fitting that I give back to the community,” Walters said.
“It made me what I am and there is nothing better than giving back to the community that gave you everything.”
Other nominees in the category were educator Gabriella Ashford; volunteers Karen and Rich Ciccarone; music promoter Norm Johnson; volunteers Laurie Liske and Kelly Liske, supporters who donate their time to such organizations as Toys for Tots; UGN board director Steve Rafoth; and education activists Shelly and Jeff Randall.
Rose Theatre owner Rocky Freedman was selected as Tim Caldwell Business Leader of the Year, joking that the award made him “turn 50 shades of red.”
“Living in this place is stunning and gorgeous,” Friedman said. “But it is the people, all of you in this room, that make Port Townsend the wonderful place that it is that I so cherish.”
Other nominees in that category were Puget Sound Express owners Sherri and Pete Henke and Sunrise Coffee owners Sue Ohlson and Bill Curtsinger.
Dominic Svornich, the Port Townsend branch manager of Kitsap Bank and the co-owner of the Cellar Door, was recognized as Young Professional of the Year.
Other nominees were Boiler Room Executive Director Amy Smith Howard, who serves on the Port Townsend City Council, and entrepreneur Danny Milholland.
“I have never been so impressed with this community,” said chamber Executive Director Teresa Verraes.
“We bring each other to the table and really know how to complement each other’s programs and projects.”
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Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
