A thousand business people and civic leaders will gather at the Sacramento Metro Chamber's 115th Annual Dinner & Business Awards tonight at the Hyatt Regency Sacramento. The event is sold out.

During the evening, 2010 Metro Chamber Board Chair Randy Sater of StoneBridge Properties will be inducted, and the Metro Chamber will recognize business leaders for their entrepreneurial and civic accomplishments.

SACRAMENTAN OF THE YEAR—David M. Higgins Sr., Retired President of Harbison-Mahony-Higgins Builders Inc.
AS THE FORMER CEO OF HARBISON-MAHONY-HIGGINS BUILDERS INC., MR HIGGINS IS A TRUE ICON IN OUR REGION’S COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS. HIS WORK – INCLUDING THE OUTSTANDING RESTORATION OF THE CATHEDRAL OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT – IS A TESTAMENT TO HIS ONGOING COMMITMENT TO PROMOTING THE QUALITY GROWTH OF SACRAMENTO. HE HAS DEDICATED HIS LIFE’S WORK AND PHILANTHROPY TO OUR REGION.

BUSINESSMAN OF THE YEAR— Ron J. Mittelstaedt, Chairman & CEO of Waste Connections, Inc.
MR. MITTELSTAEDT HAS ESTABLISHED A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED LEADER IN THE SOLID WASTE INDUSTRY, WITH STEWARDSHIP OF THE COMPANY BASED UPON THE INTEGRITY TO “DO THE RIGHT THING, AT THE RIGHT TIME, FOR THE RIGHT REASON.” THE METRO CHAMBER APPLAUDS HIS BUSINESS ETHIC AS A MODEL FOR ALL COMPANIES IN THE REGION.

BUSINESSWOMAN OF THE YEAR—Jonna Ward, CEO of VIP – Visionary Integration Professionals
JONNA WARD FOUNDED ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING TECHNOLOGY CONSULTING COMPANIES IN THE NATION FROM A SPARE BEDROOM, AND WHOSE CONTINUED SUCCESS IS MADE POSSIBLE BY AN ORGANIZATIONAL ETHIC THAT MOTIVATES EMPLOYEES TO “ROLL UP THEIR SLEEVES AND WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH CLIENT PARTNERS TO DELIVER THE BEST VALUE POSSIBLE.”

AL GEIGER MEMORIAL AWARD—Robert V. Tobin, MPA, President & CEO, Cottage Housing Inc.  
HONORS AN INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS UNIQUELY SERVED AS A ROLE MODEL FOR BUSINESS, REACHING OUT TO MINORITY OR DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES.  

COTTAGE HOUSING INC WAS FORMED IN 1994 BY A COALITION OF CIVIC LEADERS SEEKING INNOVATIVE ALTERNATIVES TO SHORT-TERM, CRISIS ORIENTED RESPONSE TO THE HOMELESS DILEMMA. LEADING THIS NONPROFIT THAT HAS BEEN NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED FOR ITS FOCUS ON RESILIENCY IS ROBERT TOBIN–WHOSE PASSION FOR HIS WORK IS ONLY OUTDONE BY HIS FIRM GROUNDING IN THE PRINCIPLES THAT BUSINESS PEOPLE UPHOLD: SELF-RELIANCE, PERSONAL FREEDOM AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS.

PETER McCUEN AWARD FOR CIVIC ENTREPRENEURS—Rick Fowler, President & CEO, The Community College Foundation
ESTABLISHED IN 2000, THIS AWARD RECOGNIZES A BUSINESSPERSON WHO HAS BECOME EXTENSIVELY INVOLVED IN PROMOTING CIVIC AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT, AND WHO BRINGS BUSINESS AND ENTREPRENEURIAL SKILLS TO THEIR PERSONAL INTERESTS AND COMMITMENTS.

FORMER AIR FORCE COMMAND PILOT, PENTAGON OFFICIAL AND SENIOR USAA CORPORATON EXECUTIVE, RICK FOWLER LEADS A NONPROFIT WITH A MISSION TO PROVIDE SERVICES FOR FOSTER YOUTH, K-12 STUDENTS AND COLLEGE STUDENTS.

SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR—Mulvaney’s B&L
THIS YEAR’S RECIPIENT HAS NOT ONLY SUCCEEDED AT BUILDING A FLOURISHING BUSINESS IN A VERY DIFFICULT CLIMATE, PATRICK MULVANEY REMAINS CONSTANTLY AWARE OF SUSTAINABILITY, PRIDING HIMSELF ON USING LOCALLY SOURCED MEATS AND PRODUCE IN HIS WORK–ALL WHILE GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY AND ENRICHING THE LIVES OF OTHERS.

BUSINESS HALL OF FAME
—Centennial Inductee: Lionakis
—Hall of Fame Inductees: Kronick, Moskovitz, Tiedemann & Girard, Owen-Dunn Insurance Services, SAFE Credit Union and Western Contract

METRO CHAMBER VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR—Martha Clark Lofgren, Partner, Brewer Lofgren LLP

AMBASSADOR OF THE YEAR —Steve Raymond, Advisor, 20/20 Financial Advisers