Community Development

Poinsettia Awards

The Ventura Chamber of Commerce hosts its annual Poinsettia Awards each December with the goal of recognizing the outstanding achievements of businesses and individuals who make a difference in our community. 
 
Nominations are sought from the community and through the City of Ventura, Ventura Police and Fire Departments and the Ventura Unified School District.

We also support the Ventura Firefighters’ “Spark of Love” Holiday Toy Drive by inviting attendees to bring in a new, unwrapped toy to the luncheon.

We would like to thank our 2006 sponsors:

Platinum Sponsors

    

Gold Sponsors

Buenaventura Medical Group    

Silver Sponsors

Arc Ventura County, Cypress Place Active Senior Living, Pacific Coast Business Times, Sheeler Moving & Storage, Southern California Edison, Ventura Townehouse / The Venturan

Bronze Sponsors

AT&T, Brinkman & Company, Brooks Institute of Photography, United Planners Financial Services of America, Ventura College

Previous Poinsettia Awards Winners:

Small Business of the Year

2006    Bamieh & Erickson, PLC
2005    Window Products Management
2004    Signs of Distinction
2003    Victoria Village Cleaners
2002    Anchor Printing & Graphics Co.
2001    The Greek at the Harbor
2000    Gold Coast Security
1999    Villa Tasca
1998    451 Advertising
1997    Lyon Staffing & Training Services

Mid-Size Business of the Year New in 2005

2006    County Commerce Bank
2005    Sheeler Moving & Storage

Large Business of the Year

2006    Cypress Place Senior Living
2005    Community Memorial Hospital
2004    Hilford Moving & Storage
2003    Barber Ford
2002    Affinity Bank
2001    Buenaventura Medical Group
2000    The Pierpont Inn &       Racquet Club
1999    Affinity Group Inc.
1998    Crown Dodge
1997    Gold Coast Recycling

Environmental Excellence Award Nominated by the City of Ventura

2006    Agromin
2006    Stewart+Brown
2005    arketype architects inc.
2005    Weaver Wines, Inc.
2004    The Sidecar Restaurant
2003    Gold Coast Recycling

City Staff Person of the Year Nominated by the City of Ventura

2006    Veronica Ledesma
2005    Gene Hibberd
2004    Hilda Chavez de Marques
2003    Terri Vujea
2002    Steve Evans
2001    Ramiro Betancourt & Robert “Bob” MacInnes
2000    Greg Abille & Warren Gaston
1999    Will Santoyo
1998    Veronica Alvarado

Police Officer of the Year  Nominated by the Ventura Police Department

2005    Sergeant Rick Murray
2004    Jim Brittle
2003    Pat Stevens
2002    Russ Ronbinson
2001    Bob MacInnes
2000    Jerry Foreman
1999    Skip Young
1998    Glenn Utter
1997    Sean Conroy

Firefighter of the Year  Nominated by the Ventura Fire Department

2005    Eric Mukes
2004    Vern Alstot
2003    Don Saunders
2002    Dennis Robinson
2001    Steve Wilkins
2000    Tamara Crudo
1999    Myles Smith
1998    Jack Merrill Hansen II
1997    Jeff Wiens

Educator of the Year  Nominated by the Ventura Unified School District

2006    Rich Underhill
2005    EP Foster Fifth Grade - Tamara Mann, Logan Culp, Nancy Escamilla
2004    Cal Houston
2003    Peggy Maxick
2002    Loretta Galaviz
2001    Ken Coffey
2000    Dianne Hammond
1999    Dr. Beth Fruchey
1998    Diane Dowler
1997    Dr. Joseph Spirito

Female Student of the Year Nominated by the Ventura Unified School District

2006    Amelia Mathis
2005    Leslie Tong
2004    Vanessa Sousa
2003    Kelly Hewitt
2002    Diana Essex
2001    Megan Holbrook
2000    Ariele Keats
1999    Ailene Sankur
1998    Melissa Niednagel

Male Student of the Year  Nominated by the Ventura Unified School District

2006    Raul Hernandez
2005    Ben Horowitz
2004    Jeff Cordial
2003    Ricky Medrano
2002    Kyle Lawrence
2001    Skylar Fordahl
2000    Paul Johnsonbaugh
1999    John Hughes
1998    John Muldoon

Non-Profit of the Year

2006    Ventura County Family-to-Family
2005    FOODShare of Ventura COunty
2004    Project Understanding
2003    Ventura Kiwanis
2002    Assistance League of Ventura Co.
2001    Rotary Club of Ventura
2000    Ventura Family YMCA
1999    The Rotary Club of Ventura-East
1998    Ventura Downtown Lions Club

Citizen of the Year

2006    Lynn Mikelatos
2005    Mark Judson
2004    Myra Harrison
2003    Fred Robinson
2002    Mel Sheeler
2001    Doug Halter
2000    Loretta Merewether
1999    Edna Mills
1998    Donna DePaola

Ambassador of the Year

2006    Debra Frazier
2005    Alison Mizraji
2004    Jim Duran
2003    Lynn Weeks
2002    Don Williams
2001    Paul Shinn
2000    Saundra Zagaria
1999    Denise Stumbough
1998    Suz Montgomery
1997    James C. Nicoll

Jewel Key Award

2006    Bunnin of Ventura
2005    CSP Partners
2004    The Sidecar Restaurant
2003    Marriott Ventura Beach Hotel
2002    Mavericks Gym
2001    The Pierpont - Inn & Racquet Club
2000    Celtic Carma Salon
1999    Pacific View Mall
1998    The Becker Group
1997    Green Thumb