Vancouver Chamber will honor six local civic stars

The Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce will honor six recipients of the 2016 Business & Leadership Awards during its annual officer installation dinner Sept. 15 at the Hilton.

Doors open at 4:30 p.m. for a reception featuring the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. The dinner, which is presented by the Port of Vancouver USA, is 5:30 p.m.

Tickets are $75 at vancouverusa.com.

This year, the Chamber’s top leadership award will go to John McKibbin, former Chamber CEO, elected official and head of Identity Clark County. McKibbin died this year in a private plane crash on the Columbia River. The Chamber will rename the award the “John S. McKibbin Excellence in Leadership Award.”

Other award recipients:

• Waste Connections, Large Business of the Year: Waste Connections gives directly to local nonprofits and community causes through sponsorship, in-kind hauling and disposal services, as well as community service hours. Direct contributions total more than $200,000 annually, and in-kind donations total more than $250,000 annually.

• Sweet Spot Skirts, Small Business of the Year: Owner Stephanie Lynn and her team strive to create local partnerships to help strengthen the local business community. Sweet Spot Skirts is a rapidly growing business in downtown Vancouver that has the philosophy, “Made in the USA,” specifically, Vancouver.

• High End Market Place, 2016 Startup to Watch: H.E.M.P. was the first cannabis business to take part in civic and community organizations, and also sponsors and donates time to various community events. It hosts monthly cultural events called Sunday Sessions, where it features live music, art, book launches and poetry readings.

• Commissioner Neil Kimsey of Clark Regional Wastewater District, Statesman of the Year: Kimsey has devoted more than 18 years of service to safeguard public health and the environment. The results of his efforts have been the safe, reliable and affordable provision of wastewater service for nearly 100,000 people today.

• Ben Bagherpour of SEH America, Community Champion: Ben Bagherpour is a champion of career development in the advanced manufacturing industry. Over the past five years, he has been the driving force in developing innovative, educational activities and projects to prepare youth for life after high school.

The Chamber, founded in 1890, is a nonprofit organization that aims to advance and strengthen the regional business community through member services, public affairs advocacy and community building.