Oct. 6, 2020 (South Lake Tahoe, Calif./Nev.) – The Tahoe Chamber collected 190 nominations from the community for the 13th annual Blue Ribbon Award to celebrate the businesses, non-profits and individuals that make the South Shore of Lake Tahoe so unique. Local businesses have been a resilient backbone of the community throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and honoring their contributions, achievements and milestones is more important than ever before.
New award categories were introduced to this year’s event, and nominations were solicited in eight key categories that represent the breadth of business on the South Shore. Each nomination will be carefully considered by the Blue Ribbon Awards Committee and after weighting each nomination against the award criteria, eight award winners will be honored on November 19th through the Tahoe Chamber’s Facebook page and on TahoeChamber.org.
Congratulations to our 2020 nominees;
Tourism Award
Innovative program, promotion, or product for our visitors
- Action Water Sports, Roundhill Pines and Water Taxi
- Base Camp Pizza
- Basecamp Hotel
- Blue Granite Climbing Gym
- Clearly Tahoe
- Hell’s Kitchen
- Lake Tahoe Balloons
- Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority
- Sierra Bride Magazine
- Tahoe Sport Fishing
- Tahoe Tastings
- Take Care Tahoe
- US Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management
Entrepreneur Award
An innovative individual who assumed the risk of starting a new business.
- Andrea Drew / Drew Consulting Inc.
- Aubrey Pierce / Knits and Knots Tahoe
- Clayton Humphries / Montara Media Group
- Cody Bass / Tahoe Wellness Center
- Debbie Brown / Cold Water Brewery
- Drea Thornhill / High Mountain Greenery
- Jared Marquez / Refuge Coffee
- John Benko / Benko Art Gallery
- Kyle McSparron / Blue Sky Electrical Solutions
- Matthew Grime / Fox and Hound
- Melinda Choy / Elevate Wellness Center
- Rachel and Greg Carlson / Black Bear Lodge
- Ray Villaman / Azul Latin Kitchen and Base Camp Pizza
- Robin Bender / Revive Coffee & Wine
- Steve Durham / Idle Hour, Welcome Home, Safari Rose, Tahoe Bike Company, and Tahoe Ski Company
Customer Service Award
An individual who consistently provides quality service.
- Arturo Beyeler / Mountain West
- Barbara Parina / Sidestreet Boutique
- Belen Urrutia / Sierra at Tahoe
- Brandon Trudelle / Holiday Market
- Cassidy Hoehn / Barton Memorial Hospital
- Chrystal Kennedy`/ Macduff’s Public House
- Crazy Good Bakery Team / Crazy Good Bakery
- Dan Kramer / Lake Tahoe Boat Rides
- Debbie Neall / Harrah’s and Harveys Casinos
- Diane Guth / The Getaway Cafe
- Diane Imbach / Bank of America
- Elisha Scott / Yellow Submarine
- Jenay Aiksnoras / Lake Tahoe Yoga
- Jessica Albee / Tahoe Beach Club
- Jon Martinez / Ten Crows BBQ
- Kerry Walker / Base Camp Pizza
- Lauren Lappin / Azul Latin Kitchen
- Macduff’s Public House Team / Macduff’s Public House
- Mary – The Stitch Witch / Mary’s Alterations
- Nico Ambra / Gastromaniac
- Peter Borrmann / MontBleu Resort Casino & Spa
- Savannah Mendoza / South of North Brewing Co.
- Scott Morton / Postmarc Hotel and Spa Suites
- Scott Peter / MUN CPAs
- Shannon Witt / Deb Howard & Co
Customer Service (Public Agency) Award
An individual that provides quality service in the not so usual places (Police, Fire, DMV, City, County, TRPA, etc.).
- Brad Zlendick / Lake Valley Fire Protection District
- Chris Fiore / City of South Lake Tahoe
- Devin Middlebrook / Tahoe Regional Planning Agency
- Emily Abernathy / Tahoe Chamber
- Kelley Edwards / City of South Lake Tahoe
- Meghan Kelly / Nevada Tahoe Conservation District
- Nicole Cartwright / Tahoe Resource Conservation District
- Robert Becker / US Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit
- Shelly Thomson / South Tahoe Public Utility District
- Susan Blankenship / City of South Lake Tahoe
Excellence in Business Award (NEW)
A business that has made a substantial contributions to the overall good of business and the economic well-being of the community. (Business must be established and in operation for at least three (3) years)
- Anderson’s Bicycle Rental
- Azul Latin Kitchen
- Base Camp Pizza
- Blue Sky Electrical Solutions
- Drew Consulting Inc.
- Edgewood Tahoe
- Gaialicious
- Lake Tahoe Computers
- Lake Tahoe Resort Hotel
- Lake Tahoe Yoga
- Macduff’s Public House
- Overland Meat & Seafood Co.
- Raptor Pest Control
- Sierra at Tahoe
- South of North Brewing Co.
- Tahoe Wellness Center
Community Enrichment Award (NEW)
A business, non-profit, or agency that has worked to improve the South Shore community.
- ADVANCE
- Azul Latin Kitchen
- Boys & Girls Club of Lake Tahoe
- Bread & Broth
- City of South Lake Tahoe
- Clean Tahoe Program
- Clean Up the Lake
- El Dorado Community Foundation
- Humane Society of Truckee Tahoe
- Lake Tahoe Bicycle Coalition
- Lake Tahoe Community College
- Lake Tahoe Unified School District
- Phoenix Food Pantry
- South Tahoe Now
- Tahoe Climbing Coalition
- Tahoe Coalition for the Homeless
- Tahoe Heritage Foundation
- Tahoe Prosperity Center
- Tahoe Wellness Center
- Temple Bat Yam
- Zephyr Point Presbyterian Conference Center
New Business of the Year Award (NEW)
A new business that has gained an increasingly positive reputation and who exhibits distinction.
(Business must have been in operation for less than three (3) years)
- Bare Roots Coffee Roasting Company
- Blue Granite Climbing Gym
- Cafe Disque
- Cuppa Tahoe
- Embarc
- Gastromaniac
- Hell’s Kitchen at Harveys Lake Tahoe
- High Mountain Greenery
- Luna Lending
- PT Revolution
- Tahoe Heartbeat
- Tahoe Tavern and Grill
Volunteer of the Year Award (NEW)
An individual dedicated to making a positive impact on the agency they serve and on the community at large.
- Ben Fish
- Carol Gerard
- Colin West
- Eva Salyer
- Greg Felton
- Jen Dawn
- Joanne Shope
- Katie Keith
- Laure Tolstad
- Liesbeth Melis
- Meg Peart
- Paula Peterson
- Susan Baumflek
- Wendy David
The Tahoe Chamber would like to thank the sponsors of the 13th annual Blue Ribbon Awards; Presenting Sponsor, the South Tahoe Alliance of Resorts, Spotlight Sponsor, Tahoe Beach Club, Tallac Achievement Award Sponsor, Zephyr Cove Resort, and Award Sponsors, Heavenly Mountain Resort, Kirkwood Mountain Resort, South Tahoe Refuse & Recycling Services, Getaway Reno-Tahoe, Marriott Grand Residence Club, Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority, and Montbleu Resort Casino & Spa.
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The Lake Tahoe South Shore Chamber of Commerce (Tahoe Chamber) is dedicated to developing, promoting and representing the South Shore business community on both sides of the state line as the local chamber of commerce. The Tahoe Chamber provides resources, programs, services and opportunities to members with the goal to sustain a high quality of life for the community by achieving economic vitality. For more information about Tahoe Chamber, visit www.tahoechamber.org.