By Jim Boyd, Executive Director, Cook County Chamber of Commerce - September 14, 2020

Message to Chamber of Commerce Members:

As I wrote to you in an email a week ago, there will be no Fall Gala this year, but we intend to award our annual business awards nonetheless. If ever a year called forth heroic and award-worthy actions by businesses, it is this year. This is a reminder to get your nominations in soon.

We are not certain yet how these awards will be presented. But while the Chamber Board works to figure that out, we’d like you to work on providing us with nominees you think most deserving of the awards for 2020. To be considered, your nomination must be received by the end of the day on Monday, Sept. 21, so please don’t delay.

Our criteria for the awards will be the same as in years past. But if there is a COVID-related reason for nominating a business or person – for example, outstanding leadership in responding to the COVID emergency – please do include that in  your nomination. Or perhaps you wish to nominate a group of businesses for a 2020 award because of their similar effort to address the COVID crisis. 

As you will recall, last year we awarded the “Norman Deschampe Community Service Award” for the first time. This is to be an occasional award, presented only when a business has clearly performed an outstanding community service. If you think you know of such a business this year, please include a nomination for it, explaining in detail why you think the Norman Deschampe award is deserved. We have set a high bar for bestowing this award.

Only Chamber members are allowed to nominate businesses or people for awards. Chamber membership will be taken into account in selecting award winners but is NOT required for a business or individual to be nominated.  

Entrepreneur of the Year

This award is presented to the person who has taken on significant risk and effort in the past year to launch a new enterprise or significantly expand an existing one. Previous winners include Sarah Hamilton for her Camp Chow business, Sid Backlund for his regional, frozen Sven & Ole’s pizza marketing effort, Kim and Chuck Corliss for developing the new North Shore Winery in Lutsen and Bruce Block for his work to transform the former Gopher Cabins into Village North, a development of affordable living spaces.

• NOMINEE for 2020 ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR:

• WHY THIS NOMINEE DESERVES TO BE RECOGNIZED AS 2020 ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR:

Business of the Year

This award goes to a business, not an individual, that has made large contributions to the prosperity and comfort of the Cook County community. Previous recipients include Hedstrom Lumber Company, G&G Septic for their critically important work to keep our community safe and sanitary, Johnson Foods for decades of dedicated service to and investment in the community, North Shore Waste for clearing away our waste and ensuring we have a healthy,  clean community and Java Moose as the year-round essential meeting place in Grand Marais.

• NOMINEE FOR 2020 BUSINESS OF THE YEAR

• WHY THIS BUSINESS DESERVES TO BE RECOGNIZED AS 2020 BUSINESS OF THE YEAR:

Community Business Leader of the Year

This award goes to the business leader who has made noteworthy contributions to the community by sitting on boards, serving as a volunteer and generally supporting efforts that make Cook County the great community it is. Previous recipients include Howard Hedstrom, Norman Deschampe, Sue and Bruce Kerfoot, Beth Kennedy, Jan Sivertson, and, in 2018, Nancy Burns and Scott Harrison.

• NOMINEE FOR 2020 COMMUNITY BUSINESS LEADER OF THE YEAR:

• WHY THIS PERSON(S) DESERVES TO BE RECOGNIZED AS 2020 COMMUNITY BUSINESS LEADER OF THE YEAR: