Businesses honored by Vancouver Chamber

The business owners behind a massage studio and a choir group that sings to the elderly and disabled took home honors recently from the Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce.

Teresa Bonawitz, co-owner of Self Balance Massage, was named the 2016 Ambassador of the Year from the coalition of Vancouver businesses. The chamber — which refers to its members as ambassadors — said the top award-winner had to show community involvement, active mentorship of younger members and volunteer efforts. The winner is selected by a vote of fellow ambassadors.

“I am honored to be part of the GVCC Ambassador team as I feel we have an amazing business community and I enjoy connecting business owners to Chamber resources,” Bonawitz said in her prepared statement. Self Balance Massage is at 8221 N.E. Hazel Dell Ave.

The Rookie of the Year award winner was Beth Anderson, who runs Life Tunes Vancouver, a choir that sings to people grappling with dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. The Chamber said the choir gives them “a voice with purpose and dignity.” It was the first year of the award.

“Bonawitz and Anderson (are) two of the 23 notable red coat Chamber Ambassadors who provide fanfare and prestige at over 70 engagements per year and work to elevate the profile of each Chamber business year-round,” the chamber said. “They are integral to the success of ribbon cuttings, morning and evening networking and signature events where you will always find them front and center.”

The Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce was founded in 1890. It is Southwest Washington’s largest business organization, with an estimated 1,200 members.