Our Annual Dinner was held on Tuesday, June 15th! We normally hold this celebration in January but are so glad we waited until now based on the great response from the business community. With nearly 350 people in attendance, we were able to recognize amazing people and businesses in Portage County for their achievements over the past year! Our night kicked off with over 60 Silent Auction items followed by a wonderful dinner provided by the Holiday Inn. We ended the evening with Jeff Thelen WSAW presenting our awards.
The Decree of Excellence Award was given to Worzalla to celebrate their contributions to the economic vitality of Portage County through their growth & expansion by making capital improvements, increasing their local workforce along with their significant contributions to the community. Worzalla, an employee-owed printing company, has been in business for nearly 130 years! They recently announced Phase III of their modernization plan which will add another 40 new positions!
Bria Bella & Co. was awarded the Small Business of the Year Award for their incredible growth, which can be attributed to their strong work ethic, integrity and collaboration, in addition to their support of the community, and an ongoing goal to provide a positive environment in their store. Bria Bella & Company is much more than just a boutique and a brand. It is vision and a mission for Tara. That mission aims to inspire, empower and encourage women to build confidence in themselves by defining a personal style that makes them look and feel amazing.
Craig Gerlach, Superintendent of Stevens Point Area Public School District, received the President’s Award and was chosen by Derek Nest, PCBC’s 2020 Board President. The President’s Award is presented to someone who helps to improve the quality of life in Portage County and demonstrates a spirit of cooperation and commitment to the Portage County Business Council and the Portage County business community. This year’s recipient has done an extraordinary job leading our community through a great deal of change and uncertainty.
The 2020 Ambassadors Award, which celebrates the most active and engaged volunteer of the year, was given to the entire Club for their commitment to PCBC with more than 1,500 hours of volunteer time in 2020! The Ambassadors Club, which consists of 28 individuals, are the most active volunteers for the PCBC. The members of this group enthusiastically lend a hand whenever they see something that needs doing. Despite the pandemic, last year was no exception.
Teresa Van Horn of Van Horn Nissan of Stevens Point also awarded the Pay It Forward Award. This award is given to one winner in the audience who then has the honor to bestow $1,000 to a local non-profit organization of their choice.
We would like to thank TDS, our Presenting Sponsor for their generosity and continued support, we are truly appreciated..
Thank you to our Award Sponsors:
- Delta Dental of Wisconsin
- Sentry
- Simplicity Credit Union
- WoodTrust Bank
- Van Horn Nissan Stevens Point
To our Reception & Silent Auction Sponsors:
- Ascension
- CliftonLarsonAllen
- Herrschners
- Investors Community Bank
- Keller Inc
- KerberRose Certified Public Accountants
- Steel King Industries
- And The Dirks Group
Thanks to our Media Sponsor and our Master of Ceremonies
- Jeff Thelen and WSAW Channel 7
And thanks to the Holiday Inn Hotel & Convention Center staff for their patience and flexibility with this event.