EDITOR’S NOTE: South King Media Founder/Publisher Scott Schaefer serves on the Board of Directors for the Seattle Southside Chamber of Commerce.

The Seattle Southside Chamber of Commerce announced this week that nominations are now open for its 2020 Business Awards, which includes new categories.

“The way we do business has most certainly changed a lot this year as our community has been forced to deal with the human and economic challenges of COVID-19,” said Andrea Reay, President and CEO. “However, even during challenges—and perhaps even more so now—it’s paramount that we celebrate businesses and individuals that go above and beyond.”

Each year, the Chamber invites the public to nominate member businesses, organizations, and individuals who have gone above and beyond in their field.

This year the award categories have shifted in recognition of the unique challenges our community currently faces.

This year’s categories are:

    • Community Contributor of the Year – Recognizes an individual or small business that has demonstrated an exemplary level of leadership and community engagement to assist the needs of its community, and to service the needs of its customers, employees, and neighbors during the coronavirus pandemic.
    • Corporate Citizen of the Year – Awarded for a program, initiative, or company that demonstrates a significant impact or strong commitment to uplifting and improving their community.
    • Stronger Together Award – Acknowledges companies whose leadership and operations demonstrate forward-thinking in creating alliances and collaborating to unite other organizations or stakeholders in order to benefit the community they serve.
    • Small Business Resiliency Award – Recognizes a small business that has demonstrated a strategic pivot as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic to meet new consumer needs, while remaining true to their core values.
    • Best Community Resilience & Disaster Response – Awarded to a strategic program or initiative focused on community resilience and disaster response. Eligible initiatives could focus on topics including (but not limited to): individual and community preparedness, pre-disaster mitigation, immediate response (especially for those most vulnerable), or long-term recovery.
    • Economic Equity Champion – Recognizes an individual who advocates and fights for economic equity in our region. Nominees will have been instrumental in actively supporting, increasing, or creating opportunities for the economically underserved.
    • Best Economic Empowerment Program – Awarded to a single strategic initiative focused on economic empowerment. Eligible initiatives could focus on global or domestic topics including (but not limited to): financial inclusion and literacy, entrepreneurship, diversity, and inclusion, and workforce development.

Nominations can be made online here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/sscc-awards2020  and must be received by 11:59pm on Sunday, September 13, 2020.

Any business, individual, or non-profit that is a member in good standing of the Chamber is eligible for nomination. There is no limit to the number of nominations a person can submit, and self-nominations are accepted. For a full Member list, please visit our online directory at www.seattlesouthsidechamber.com/list/.

Then, join us in celebrating our award nominees at the VIRTUAL Watch Party for the Business Awards, November 4, 2020 at 5:00pm by registering through Zoom. In addition to announcing the winners, the Chamber will also be hosting an online silent auction, with proceeds to benefit The Success Foundation. Stay tuned for additional information and registration details.

Special thanks to our Media Sponsor South King Media. Sponsorship opportunities are still available. If you are interested in sponsoring, please contact [email protected].

About the Seattle Southside Chamber of Commerce
The Seattle Southside Chamber of Commerce is a non-profit business organization that has served the communities of Burien, Des Moines, Normandy Park, SeaTac, and Tukwila since 1988. The Chamber focuses on business advancement in the region by helping to build and maintain a strong economic environment.

About the Success Foundation
Founded in 2017, the Success Foundation promotes and improves the economic development opportunities of the region by participating in education, workforce, and community engagement and development projects and research.