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Thursday, Mar 28, 2024

UCC Honors Small Businesses In Gathering of Area Chambers

UCC Honors Small Businesses In Gathering of Area Chambers By JEFF WEISS Contributing Reporter With red, white, and blue balloons at every table and the recent death of President Ronald Reagan garnering mention at various junctures throughout the ceremony, the United Chambers of Commerce of the San Fernando Valley, held their annual Small Business Awards on Friday, June 11. Taking place at Woodland Hills’ Warner Center Hilton hotel, a total of 17 awards were handed to businesses deemed exemplary in their vision, accomplishments, and contribution to the quality of life in their communities, by 16 of the Valley’s Chambers of Commerce and the Valley Economic Development Center. Among others, California State Assemblymen Lloyd Levine and Paul Koretz, Los Angeles City Councilman Dennis Zine, and representatives of Congressman Brad Sherman, Councilman Greig Smith, Mayor James Hahn, and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger attended the festivities. UCC Chairman Joel M. Simon spoke at the ceremony, giving tribute to the award winners’ business abilities. “This year’s honorees are superior examples of excellence in the small business community. They have demonstrated perseverance, leadership, significant growth, service to their chambers and the communities of the San Fernando Valley,” Simon said. “We take great pride in honoring these outstanding small businesses. They each understand that their participation and volunteerism is, as Martin Luther King stated ‘The rent we pay for the space we occupy on this earth.’ These honorees represent the best of America’s most valuable but underutilized resources small business.” Each chamber nominated one business to receive an award. Businesses winning awards included: Thousand Oaks’ Cisco’s Restaurant, Calabasas’ Donald L. Lucove C.P.A., West Hills’ Henri’s Restaurant, Chatsworth’s A Symphony of Flowers, Encino’s Bearsworth Communications, Granada Hills’ White Oak Family Dentistry, the Northeast Valley’s Proforma Promotes Sales, Pacoima’s Wells Fargo Bank, Reseda’s Allen’s Flower Shop, Sherman Oaks’ Robert L. Cohen DDS, Sun Valley’s D M Graphics, Sunland’s Moore Bros. & Sons, Toluca Lake’s The Packaging Store, the Universal City/North Hollywood Chamber’s Blair Promotions, Winnetka’s Minuteman Press of Northridge, Woodland Hills’ Rocky Roaster, and Arleta’s Golden State Magnetic & Penetrant Lab Inc. Sharon Blair, owner of Blair Promotions, spoke highly of the ceremony. “I think the best thing about these awards is that it is a direct result of what my business does best, promoting and branding itself. The awards do the same. The association with the chambers has and should be a mainstay for any business, not just small businesses,” Blair said. UCC Chairman Simon came away pleased with the morning’s event. “I think the award went very well. It’s one of the most important activities the UCC does because it gives us a chance to single out the businesses that work day in and day out in the Valley and contribute to make this a better place,” Simon said. “It’s a unique experience to be able to single out the people doing the work. They aren’t selected by the UCC, each chamber picks their own recipient. It’s really a grassroots acknowledgement of people that do things and don’t normally get recognized. We really take a lot of pride in being able to help put that together.”

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