Vancouver Chamber to present awards

The Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce announced the recipients of its Business and Leadership Awards. The awards aim to honor businesses and people in the community who “go above the call of duty to move business forward in Clark County.” The winners will be honored at the chamber’s Annual Dinner: Officer Installation and Awards Event, which starts at 4:30 p.m. Sept. 25. Tickets are available at www.vancouverusa.com.

The six winners and their awards include:

• Business of the Year (Large Business): Silicon Forest Electronics, Frank Nichols, CEO. Nichols started Silicon Forest Electronics, which specializes in manufacturing custom electronic goods, in 1999. Currently, he’s focusing on the company’s efforts to have more of a global presence. Nichols is a board member of the Pacific Northwest Aerospace Alliance, the Pacific Northwest Defense Coalition, Center for Excellence for Aerospace and Advanced Manufacturing and a member of Gov. Jay Inslee’s Aerospace Pipeline Committee. The company, at 6204 E. 18th St., has hosted various activities for youth, including STEMfest, Manufacturing Day and the Business After School Engineering week. It employs more than 96 employees. Find out more at www.siliconforestelectronics.com.

• Business of the Year (Small Business): Matrix Roofing, Wendy Marvin, CEO. Matrix Roofing started in 2007 and has since grown to 25 employees. Located at 6000 N.E. 88th St. Suite D102, It offers new construction, roof replacement, recovers, maintenance, roof and gutter cleaning, certifications and inspections, and more. Matrix Roofing also participates in the Oregon Tradeswomen Career Fair, is a member of National Women in Roofing, and is the only company in Washington that participates in No Roof Left Behind, a program that helps homeowners who are experiencing financial difficulties. Find out more at www.matrixroof.com.

• Statesman of the Year: Greg Kimsey, Clark County auditor. Kimsey and the auditor’s office were recognized for their work to improve the statewide voter registration system and doing more with fewer employees. Previously, Kimsey, a Republican, was recognized by Washington’s Secretary of State as the County Auditor of the Year and by the Mainstream Republicans of Washington as the Local Government Official of the Year.

• Startup to Watch (a business in its first five years of operation): Why Racing Events, Sherri McMillan, CEO. Why Racing Events, at 2310 E. Second St., as the name suggests, organizes and hosts various types of racing events, including marathons, triathalons, fun runs and more. On Sept. 15, it hosted its inaugural Appletree Boston-qualifying marathon, half-marathon and Sunset 5K. Starting with four events, Why Racing now produces 12. According to a news release, the company has raised more than $300,000 for the community in two years. It offers free race entries to certain groups, such as children, military members, breast cancer survivors and people going through alcohol and drug therapy. Learn more at www.whyracingevents.com.

• Community Champion: Dellan Redjou, Share’s director of volunteers. In her position at Share, a nonprofit organization that provides services to people and families who are experiencing homelessness, Redjou manages nearly 4,000 volunteers annually. She has spent 26 years as a member of the Hazel Dell Salmon Creek Business Association and more than 25 years as a member of the Greater Clark County Rotary Club. This year she and her late husband, Wayne, were inducted by the Rotary Club of Vancouver Sunrise into the Clark County Hall of Fame. Find out more about Share at www.sharevancouver.org.

• John S. McKibbin Leadership Legacy Award: Brent Grening, Port of Ridgefield CEO. Grening was honored for his work on various transportation and infrastructure improvements around the new Discovery Corridor concept, an area along Interstate 5 from Northeast 134th Street to Northeast 319th Street targeted for development. He also was integral to the placing of the Washington State Department of Fish & Wildlife Regional Headquarters building on Port of Ridgefield property, and the approval of the Pioneer Street rail overpass to Ridgefield waterfront, among many other past and future projects.