McMinnville Chamber announces annual award winners

McMinnville High School cheerleaders welcomed all those attending the annual McMinnville Area Chamber of Awards dinner at the McMinnville Community Center on Thursday where a host of awards were presented to individuals for their leadership, community support and volunteerism throughout the year.

Steve Patterson, who just completed his year as board chair for the chamber, was named as the Coach of the Year, honoring the year's business leader. Grand Champion, or the Business of the Year, was presented to Hagan Hamilton. The Field of Dreams beautification award was given to Headwater Investments, which completed a new office in downtown McMinnville this year.

Earning the title of Best Team Mascot, or Ambassador of the Year, was James Tate of NW Food & Gifts. Named as Cheerleader! for excellence in volunteerism, was Kathleen Bernards, a certified public accountant. The Top All-Star, celebrating an individual business-education partnership, went to Brad Lunt of OnPoint Community Credit Union. The award for the Top All-Star Team, which honors a company for the business-education partnership went to Meggitt Polymers & Composites

Patterson gave Hall of Fame or chair of the board awards to both Jody Christensen of the McMinnville Economic Development Partnership and Spirit Mountain Casino, which was unable to have a representative present.

Kristen Dollarhide of Freelin-Wade was presented with the director of the year award.

Special recognition plaques for their efforts in getting the Newberg-Dundee Bypass to the reality stage were given to Yamhill County Commissioner Leslie Lewis and McMinnville attorney Dave Haugeberg, who has chaired the Yamhill County Parkway Committee that has worked for 25 years on the project.

Jody Christensen, executive director for the McMinnville Economic Development Partnership, also presented awards. Jeremy Lodge of Meggitt Polymers & Composites was named as the manufacturing leader of the year. Betty Lou's Inc. was honored as the manufacturer of the year and Business Oregon, which works under the Oregon Business Development Commission, was honored as the partner of the year for MEDP's board of directors. Business Oregon had several representatives present at the awards idnner, including director Tim McCabe.