At its July 23 “Celebrate Coronado” event, the Coronado Chamber of Commerce honored members of the Coronado community who have added to its quality of life.
Coronado’s Police Officer of the Year, officer Sherri Mannello; Firefighter of the Year, Capt. Jayson Summers; and Lifeguard of the Year, Sgt. Evan Lowe, were honored by a grateful Coronado community.
San Diego County Supervisor Greg Cox emceed the event, which recognized six businesses and organizations that have supported the community and chamber over the past 30 years: Art & Frames by Wood Gallery, Avenue Liquor & Wine Shoppe, Crown Island Insurance, Union Bank of California, Coronado Historical Association and Southwestern College. Matt Pontes was honored as the chamber’s volunteer of the year, recognizing his achievement in organizing the chamber’s Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA), with Jerry Nutter of Hang 10 Shaved Ice, named the YEA Honoree of the Year.
Cindy Anderson, owner of Coronado Bliss salon, received the 2015 Lewis R. Hardy, Jr. award; the chamber’s highest award, recognizing her business and civic contributions to the chamber and the community over the past year. In addition to chairing the “Celebrate Coronado” awards — and bringing the event home to the city after several years of being held at a San Diego venue — Anderson also is spearheading the development of the first Coronado “Monopoly-themed” board game.
The event featured foods from some of Coronado’s finest restaurants — 1500 Ocean, Leroy’s Kitchen + Lounge, Stake Chophouse and Bar, Primavera, Loews Coronado Bay Resort and Il Fornaio. Andre Zotoff, vice president and general manager of Hotel del Coronado (a Michelin star-rated chef in his native Munich, Germany, before switching to hotel management) engaged the chefs in conversation about their culinary offerings.
The 2015 chamber board was installed: Chairman Matt Bartell, Vice Chairman Matt Pontes, Chairman Elect Cindy Farless, Vice Chairman/Administrator Cindy Horne, Chief Financial Officer Ruth Ann Fisher, Past Chairman Phil Hammett, and directors Cindy Anderson, Jane Braun, Carolyn Crane, Dean K. Eckenroth, Jr., Janet Francis, Wayne Harth, Renee Hinton, Kory Kavanewsky, Suzanne Lewis, Sara McClellan, Suzanne Popp, Jacques Spitzer, Gar Wright, Trisha Zetterberg and Ann Kirschner (emeritus).
