Entering its 65th year, the Santee Chamber of Commerce held its Annual Awards Night Celebration at the Barona Resort & Casino Golf Events Center on Feb. 20. After weeks of voting, the event featured food, networking and highlighting businesses and people that made a significant impact in Santee’s business community.
Before heading into the people’s choice awards, the Chamber recognized two board members, Bobbie Jo Lewis and Darcy Fagerwood for outstanding contributions. Dan O’Brien of O’Brien Insurance Agency earned the Achievement Award, Curtis Young of Salon Thrive earned the Santee Young Professionals Award of the Year and Santee’s 2019 Business of the Year went to Chick-Fil-A Santee.
Chamber CEO Kristen Dare said Curtis Anderson of Salon Drive has an entrepreneur’s heart through and through.
“There are things I think about when I think about Curtis,” Dare said. “Obvious things like integrity, honesty, a hard worker, super service oriented. He’s constantly going above and beyond. He’s not just an amazing business owner of multiple businesses, but he’s an amazing husband, a really great dad and showing that he’s a family man. He’s a follower of God and there is nothing not to respect about that.”
Anderson said it was an honor for Salon Thrive to be recognized by the Chamber and that he and his wife Katie have put a lot of blood, sweat and tears in their businesses to make them what they are today.
“We are in the midst of a great journey and though there is plenty more to do it is a great privilege to be acknowledged at this point in our career,” Anderson said. “Last but not least, I to all of our great employees, thank you. The only way to be successful at anything in life is to have a great team and I definitely have that. I only thrive when they thrive.”
Dare said this is the second year for the Business of the Year award. “They like to support, they like to encourage, they like to elevate, they like to give,” Dare said. These are the qualities that are needed to qualify in this group.”
This is why Chick-Fil-A Santee was chosen as this year’s recipient, Dare said. She said that Chick-Fil-A’s mission is to have a positive impact in the community and over the past year its involvement and partnerships last year placed more than $50,000 back into the Santee community that they donated through fundraising activities, partnerships as they “helped people help themselves.”
Chick-Fil-A owner and operator Kyle Steck said they were humbled in the midst of all the incredible people and businesses that surrounded him in the room this night.
“I’m so grateful to The Chamber in honoring us,” Steck said. “There are a few sitting at our table, but this is nothing compared to our 80 plus team members. We talk about caring and giving back to our community and it is so much more than a chicken sandwich. An award like this validates all of our efforts. When I take this award back to my team and say, ‘Look guys, when you wake up, come to work and make a chicken sandwich, get that order right, and give them a smile, it makes a difference. I was born in San Diego and if you would have told me I was going to be a chicken salesman in Santee, I might have been a little uncomfortable. But I honestly couldn’t picture a more perfect place, perfect community and a more perfect group of people to surround us.”
Awards
2019 Chairperson of the Board-Santee Chamber of Commerce Bobbie Jo Lewis
2019 Chairman’s Award-Darcy Fagerwood, Expressions Dance and Movement Center, 2020 Chairperson of the Board, Santee Chamber of Commerce
Achievement Award, Dan O’Brien-O’Brien Insurance Agency
2019 Santee Young Professionals Award of the Year-Curtis Anderson, Salon Thrive
2019 Business of the Year-Chick-Fil-A Santee
People’s Choice
Business Awards
Automotive-Lloyd’s Collision & Paint Center
Banking Institution-Navy Federal Credit Union
Beauty & Salon Services-Raymond’s Barber Shop
Brewing & Distilling-Pacific Islander Beer Company
Business Resources-East County Magazine
Construction & Contracting-Raceway Electric & Solar
Dental & Orthodontic Services-Santee Children’s Dentistry
Education-Santee School District
Entertainment & Performing Arts-Expressions Dance & Movement Center
Financial Services-Movement Mortgage
Government & Utilities-Santee Sheriff’s Department
Health & Wellness-CKO Kickboxing Santee
Hospitality & Recreation-Santee Lakes Recreation Preserve
Insurance Services-Farmers Insurance, Mike and Maria Clinkenbeard
Medical Services-Sharp Grossmont Hospital
Professional Services-Furology Pet SPaw
Property Management & Services-Santee Trolley Square/KIMCO Realty
Restaurant Full Service-Eastbound Bar & Grill
Restaurant Quick Service – Chick-Fil-A Santee
Real Estate-Mission Realty Group
Retail-Al’s Sport Shop
Specialty Food & Beverage-Mary’s Donuts
Specialty Promotions & Advertising-The UPS Store Santee
