For over 50 years, the Chamber has honored Citizens, Businesses and Nonprofit Organizations who have made a difference in our lives and in the community. The Awards Selection is a process that starts with nominations by peers and finishes with a review of all nominations by an independent selection committee.
Nomination forms are submitted to the Chamber of Commerce by the end of each Awards year (November/December).
Citizen of the Year
John Dexter (1968)
Francis Newcombe (1969)
Gyneth Smith (1970)
Dr. Robert Voy, M.D. (1971)
Ernest “Bud” Dowlin (1972)
Ray Ceniceros (1973)
Dr. Richard Anderson (1974)
Gene Newcombe (1975)
Audrey McKay (1976)
Ralph Wagner (1977)
Jack Forney (1978)
Lucy Kelley (1979)
Hal Pearce (1980)
Fay Boileau (1981)
George Anderson (1982)
Ross Johnstone (1983)
George T. Akin (1984)
George B. Hesemann (1985)
Duane Banner (1986)
Jeleane & Dick Nelson (1987)
Joseph V. Matthews (1988)
Joe Harich (1989)
Ann Stewart (1990)
Dick Pretzinger (1991)
Cynthia Thomson Altmeyer (1992)
Shirley Snow (1993)
Stephen B. Shore (1994,
Gail Weatherwax (1995)
Helen Meyers (1996)
Terry Smith (1997)
Pat & JoAnne Welsh (1998)
Gene and Billie Yeager (1999)
Don Findley (2000)
J. Putnam Henck (2001)
Carol Banner (2002)
Hon. Michael M. Dest (2003)
Ira Maser (2004)
Kirk Colt (2005)
Bob Spoeneman (2006)
Bob & Irene Wirtenberger (2007)
Holland Lowe (2008)
Dr. Patrick & Jo Bonita Rains (2009)
Butch Baumann (2010)
Neal & Patricia Perkins (2011)
Dr. Hugh Bialecki (2012)
Harry Sherman (2013)
Tracy Lenocker (2014)
Billie & Harold Weiss (2015)
Penny Shubnell (2016)
David Caine (2017)
Ron & Barbara Doutt (2018)
Bill and Michelle Johnson (2019)
Business of the Year
LouEddie’s Pizza (2015)
UCLA Conference Center Lake Arrowhead (2016)
Snow Valley Mountain Resort (2017)
Coldwell Banker Skyridge Realty (2018)
Mountains News (2019)
Volunteer of the Year
Dennis Parker (2014)
Jack Cooperman (2013)
Leaders of the Year
Andrea & Bill Willerth (2013)
Non-Profit of the Year
Rim of the World Education Foundation (2015)
Lake Arrowhead Classical Ballet Company (2016)
Rim of the World Historical Society (2017)
Rebuilding Mountain Communities (2018)
Wildhaven Ranch Wildlife Sanctuary (2019)
Lifetime Achievement
Posthumous, John Wood (2014)