Slu Chamber Names Winners Of The 2016 Business & Community Awards

SEATTLE - Jan. 14, 2017 - PRLog -- The SLU Chamber announced the winners of the 2016 Business and Community Awards at a ceremony on Wednesday, January 11, at the South Lake Union Buca di Beppo location. Close to 100 attendees celebrated the accomplishments of South Lake Union's vibrant community and toasted the evening's big winners.

This year's event was presented by Amazon.com, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance and WeWork and represents the 8th year the SLU Chamber has recognized the contributions of businesses, non-profits and community members to the South Lake Union neighborhood.

Awards were presented for the following categories: Restaurant of the Year, Retailer of the Year, Nonprofit of the Year, Small Business of the Year, New Business of the Year, Good Neighbor of the Year, and Changemaker of the Year.

The 2016 Business & Community Awards winners are:

SLU Restaurant of the Year: Portage Bay Café

Portage Bay Cafe serves local, organic, sustainable breakfast, lunch and brunch in four Seattle neighborhoods with favorites like Dungeness crab benedict, bananas foster french toast and an unrivaled breakfast bar with selections of seasonal fruits, nuts and whipped cream. They also host private dinners and support the community through sponsored events. Their largest neighborhood event sponsorship is in partnership with the annual Lake Union 10K which benefits Girls on the Run of Puget Sound. This year's event was the largest race to date and the largest donation to Girls on the Run. Portage Bay Café's support helps make this possible and feeds all participants after the race with a gourmet pancake breakfast.

SLU Retailer of the Year: Shine

Let your spending work wonders at Shine, where an array of locally sourced and unique gifts, apparel and home goods await you. Purchases at Shine help support patient and family services at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance. That's right, it's retail therapy that helps others. As part of that support, the professional staff at Shine provide several important services in a beautiful, sensitive environment including: complimentary wig trims, head shaves by licensed cosmetologists and private fittings with certified mastectomy and compression fitters. Shine's team can also help customers with specialty oncology products, services and guidance. You can visit them in South Lake Union around the corner from REI.

SLU Nonprofit of the Year: Fred Hutch

Since 1975, Seattle's Fred Hutch has saved countless lives with bold discoveries, starting with Dr. E. Donnall Thomas' Nobel Prize-winning development of bone marrow transplantation as a cure for certain blood cancers. Here, scientists study the disease process from every angle to uncover the factors that influence a person's likelihood of getting cancer and use this knowledge to reduce risk and save lives. Today, Fred Hutch researchers lead the way in harnessing the immune system to eradicate cancers and are producing some of the most important breakthroughs in the prevention, early detection and treatment of cancer, HIV/AIDS and other diseases.

SLU Small Business of the Year: Kenmore Air – Lake Union

When three high school friends reunited after World War II in 1946, Kenmore Air was founded. With just one airplane and a single hangar near a swamp at the North end of Lake Washington, Bob Munro, Reg Collins and Jack Mines created what was to become one of the largest and most respected seaplane operations. From the beginning, Kenmore Air's business philosophy was based on the foundation of integrity and exceptional customer service. The company kept it simple: "Do the right thing". Today, Kenmore Air continues to set the standard by which seaplanes are judged and is renowned for its superior expertise in aircraft maintenance and construction.

SLU New Business of the Year: Facebook – Seattle

Founded in 2004, and having a presence in Seattle for over 6 years, Facebook gives people the power to share and make the world more open and connected. In May 2016, Facebook moved into a new building on Dexter Avenue, making South Lake Union their new home. Facebook Seattle is one of the company's largest engineering offices outside of California, employing more than 1,000 people, and is excited about continued investment in the community, having just announced the development of two additional buildings in Seattle into which they will expand.

SLU Good Neighbor of the Year: PEMCO

Founded in 1949 PEMCO Insurance's original purpose was to insure teachers who were members of School Employees Credit Union of Washington. PEMCO strives to improve the quality of life in the communities it serves. This is the foundation of their corporate citizenship philosophy and each year PEMCO donates 5% of its increase in surplus, to Northwest charities that benefit education, youth, public safety, and health. Examples include Washington DECA, Junior Achievement, Crime stoppers, and Harborview Medical Center. PEMCO has earned a national reputation for delivering on its promises by focusing its attention on responsible individuals living in Washington and Oregon. And since they're a mutual, their policyholders are also their owners. They live and work in the same communities we live and work in and they support many of the same causes.

SLU Changemaker of the Year: Seattle Police Department Officer Sam Cook

Sam Cook is a long-time Seattle Police Department officer and member of the Community Police Team. Officer Cook has become a trusted resource and neighborhood friend to South Lake Union. He builds relationships, provides invaluable crime-prevention information and works with neighbors toward a safer, more collaborative community. Officer Cook is a passionate public servant and valuable contributor at community events, including the Neighborhood Night Out in Cascade and Dexter.

The SLU Chamber was formed to drive, expand and preserve the economic, civic and cultural development of the South Lake Union area for the prosperity of its people.

If you would like more information about this topic, please contact Danah Abarr – Executive Director at 206.547.2577 or email at info@sluchamber.org.

http://www.sluchamber.org/annual-business-awards