Awards Criteria

Each award has five key criteria used to select the winner in each category. Nominating forms (sent to the nominees) address each of these criteria. The selection committees evaluate each candidate based on the identified criteria assigning a point value adding up to 100 points.

BUSINESS AWARDS

Robert C. Ingalls Business Person of the Year

o Integrity, Fairness and Hotnesty (15)

o Busienss and Community Leadership

o Customer Service (10)

o Employee Development, including promotion of diversity, employee recoginition and support of opportunities for training and education (20)

o Community Service (15)

Business of the Year

o Community Service (10)

o Customer Service (10)

o Sound/Innovative Business Practices (20)

o Employee Development (20)

o Significant contributions to the economic health of the community, including financial contributions, business growth, and the introduction of a new of innovative product or service (40)

Entrepreneur of the Year

o Creation of a new business within 3 years

o Creativity of new product or service (20)

o Innovative business practices (20)

o Business and financial growth (40)

o Impact on economic health of the community, including creation of new jobs and attraction of revenue from outside the area (20)

Good Steward of the Planet Award

This award honors a local business that has made a significant contribution to improving the environmental health of Benton County, through exemplary achievement in business practices using natural, financial, and human resources in a responsible manner that meets existing needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

o Leadership in effective sustainability practices in the community, including reduction in demand on infrastructure (roads, water, wastewater and energy). (20)

o Encouraging the reuse and recycling of materials and resources and reduction of unnecessary waste or pre-engineering greener alternatives to traditional methods, building, etc. (15)

o Reducing pollution by keeping toxins out of our air, water, soil, or decreasing noise, visual, air, water, odor, and chemical pollution. (15)

o Ensuring the integrity of the ecosystems of our hillsides, floodplains, streams wetlands, and other natural areas are protected. (15)

o Effective training, education and communication of employees and/or community regarding key sustainability practices. (15)

o Financial commitment to implementing effective sustainability practices, with the goal of showing benefits to the business bottom line. (20)

Business Giving Recognition

The Business Giving Recognition are not part of the Celebrate Corvallis awards presentation. Businesses qualifying for the Business Giving Recognition will be noted in the program for their community contributions. The Business Giving Recognition acknowledges businesses who donate at least 1% of their pretax earnings to the community or provide the equivalent in donations of time through community volunteerism.

CIVIC AWARDS

Jim & Ruth Howland Lifetime Achievement Criteria

Named after Jim & Ruth Howland, this award is to honor long standing service to our community. Jim Howland was one of the founders of CH2MHill and longtime Chamber member. He and his wife Ruth provided leadership, time and money to important community projects such as the Riverfront Park, CH2MHILL Alumni building.

o Long-standing service to the community in a variety of areas (30)

o Long-standing community leadership (30)

o Lasting impact on quality of life in Corvallis (10)

o Enhancement of the overall perception of the community (10)

o Positive Reflection of Chamber Coalition Mission (20)

First Citizen Awards Criteria

o Leadership: in promoting causes and organizations that enhance and stimulate growth and development of such causes and organizations (40)

o Diversity: participation in numerous volunteer activities in the community that helps to stimulate and inspire others (15)

o Longevity: has made a significant commitment to the community over time (15)

o Community Impact: contributions and efforts have made a significant difference to our community (20)

o Overcoming adversity: either personally or professionally, has shown the fortitude and persistence to overcome obstacles to achieve success (10)

Patron of the Arts

This award originated with the Arts Center and the staff continues to coordinate the award on behalf of the Corvallis Benton Chamber Coalition and the entire arts community. This award recognizes significant contributions to the arts disciplines based on the following criteria:

o Leadership in the arts community (30)

o Education or promotion of arts values, projects and organizations (20)

o Innovative and creative ideas that improve participation in the arts (20)

o Donation of time through volunteerism to the arts community (20)

o Donation of financial resources to the arts community (10)

Community Organization/Non-profit of the Year

This award recognizes a community organization that has made a significant contribution to the overall health and livability of Benton County. Community organizations play a central role to help us retain and recruit businesses in Benton County, and improve our quality of life.

o Positive impact on a significant number of people in Corvallis (15)

o Benefit to underserved, underrepresented or disaffected members of the community, including children, seniors and those in poverty (20)

o Significant impact that improves the economic, medical, educational or financial health of individuals in our community (30)

o Significant impact in helping people to learn necessary knowledge and skills that will enable them to improve their quality of life (30)

o Customer Service: High quality treatment of employees and members of the public (5)

NOMINATING AND SELECTION PROCESSES

1. Nomination Process

   1. All award descriptions and criteria are listed on the Chamber Website’s Celebrate Corvallis page.
   2. A person or organization can only be nominated for one award. If a person or business is nominated for more than one award, they will be asked to choose which award they would most like to be nominated for.
   3. No person or organization can make more than 2 nominations.
   4. No one may be nominated for a category in which they have previously won. See list below of previous recipients.
   5. The Chamber Coalition staff and Board of Directors will work to ensure at least 5 qualified candidates are nominated for each award by reaching out to the community as broadly as possible.
   6. Nominators complete the online link to nominate a person, company or organization.
   7. Nominees will be notified and sent a nomination form based on the criteria for the award with a completion deadline.
   8. All nomination forms must address the 5 specific criteria with examples of how the nominee has met each criterion. There is a word/character limits. General information on the candidates should be limited.
   9. Nomination forms are to be returned electronically to the Chamber Coalition.
   10. The Chamber Coalition will forward all nomination forms to the appropriate Selection Committee.

1. Selection Committees

1. 1. There are five selection committees.
   2. Chamber Coalition staff will screen all nominations for initial qualification based on the identified criteria.

First Round Selections

a. The goal of First Round Selections is to identify the top three (3) candidates for each award.

b. Anyone nominated for an award will be asked not to participate in the selection process.

c. The compilation of responses will be provided to selection committee members prior to the first meeting .

d. First round selections will be made based on the identified criteria by selection committee members who agree to participate and are willing to review the materials carefully.

e. Individual Selection Committee members should rate nominees prior to participating in the selection committee meeting (Second Round).

*All nominees will be mentioned during Celebrate Corvallis. Only the top three (3) candidates will be profiled.

Second Round Selections

a. The goal of the Second Round Selections is to confirm three finalists and identify the recipient/winner.

b. The Selection Committee will to share their scores for each nominee in each award the selection committee will be making decisions on.

c. If a candidate receives the first position vote from 75% of the committee, they will be named the recipient. If a candidate does not receive at least 75% of the votes the selection committee will identify a method of selection that is fair and equitable. Each selection committee member will be encouraged to participate fully in the discussion until a decision is reached.