2012 Community Awards: San Ramon Chamber Announces Finalists

The San Ramon Chamber of Commerce recently announced the finalists for its 28th Annual Night of the Stars Community Awards.

The San Ramon Chamber will present five awards Thursday, Dec. 6: Citizen of the Year, Business Person of the Year, Educator of the Year, Employee of the Year, and the Green Company of the Year. The finalists are the following:

Citizen of the Year Award

• Lynnette and Scott Gerbert - Girl Scout Volunteers. Lynnette and Scott have volunteered as Girl Scout troop leaders, and assisted with the Diablo Day Camp for many years.
• Bekki Livingston - Parent-Teacher Association. Bekki is the President of the PTA for the San Ramon Valley Unified School District.
• Hermann Welm – Former City of San Ramon Mayor and Community Volunteer. Hermann has served the community in elected positions, including the San Ramon City Council and the Planning Commission. He is a long-time youth soccer coach, volunteer at the San Ramon Historic Foundation, Lindsey Wildlife Museum, and San Ramon Regional Medical Center.

Business Person of the Year

• Scott Heller – Founder and owner of Heller Jewelers in San Ramon since 1996.
• Steve and Tracy Renfro – Owners of San Ramon Insurance Agency, Inc.
• Mary C. Whipple – Attorney at The Law Offices of Mary C. Whipple, specializing in family law.

Educator of the Year

• Mark Corti – Principal at California High School.
• Sarah Frank – First Grade Teacher at Walt Disney Elementary School.
• Mona Keeler – Mathematics Teacher at Iron Horse Middle School.

Employee of the Year

• Darlene Kittredge – Community Resources and Youth Service Unit at the San Ramon Police Department. Darlene works as a Crime Prevention Specialist, and facilitates many programs, including the Crime Free Multi-Housing, Neighborhood Watch, National Night Out, Coffee with the Cops, and Stranger Danger education for children.
• Dina Olson, PT, MSPT – Director at San Ramon Regional Medical Center. A Physical Therapist by training, Dina directs three major hospital departments: Therapy Services, Sports Performance Institute, and WellWorks, Occupational Medicine Program.
• Andy Swartzell, RN, BSN, CMO– Emergency Medical Coordinator and Chief Medical Officer for the San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District. Andy manages Quality Improvement at the Fire District, and serves as the chair of the HeartSafe Community Committee.

Green Company of the Year

• Sunset Development Company/Bishop Ranch
• Sustainable San Ramon
• Your Energy Solutions

“The Community Awards recognize individuals in our community who strive to make a difference,” said San Ramon Chamber of Commerce Chair, Laura O'Brien, Summit Financial Group. “Although there can be only one winner in each category, a nomination is a significant recognition of achievement and dedication to the improvement of our community.” 

Terry Koehne, communications and community relations director at the San Ramon Valley Unified School District, will host the awards program.

Awards will be presented at the San Ramon Chamber of Commerce A Night of Stars to be held Thursday, Dec. 6, 2012 at The Bridges Golf Club in San Ramon. The awards event will begin with networking at 5:30 p.m., and dinner will begin at 6:30 p.m. The evening will end by 9 p.m.

Tickets are available through the Chamber of Commerce at $75 each or $600 for a table for eight. Tickets are limited.

For any questions or tickets, please call Kathy Fanning at the Chamber office at 925-242-0600 or email at kathy.fanning@SanRamon.org.

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