Six Whatcom County businesses and entrepreneurs recognized at local awards ceremony
The 37th Whatcom Business Awards Black & Gold gala took place Friday, March 15, and recognized local businesses, entrepreneurs and public servants in the community.
The awards gala, hosted by the Whatcom Business Alliance and Bellingham based Business Pulse magazine, gave out six awards, according to a news release from the alliance:
▪ Start-up Business of the Year
▪ Small Business of the Year
▪ Business Person of the Year
▪ Whatcom Lifetime Achievement
▪ Jon B. Strong Employee of the Year
▪ Public Service Award
Neeter House of Luxury, a jeweler in Bellingham was named the Start-Up Business of the Year, and finalists were Black Noise Records, Plantage, and Sasquatch Pest Control.
Elements Hospitality, an environment general contractor in Lynden was named Small Business of the Year, and finalists were Comphy Co., HighCraft Cabinets, and Northwest Navigation.
The Business Person of the Year was named Billy VanZanten of Western Refinery Services, a specialty contractor in Ferndale. Other finalists were Kent Bouma of WECU, Ty McClellan of Hardware Sales and Tiera Nipges of Pacific Facility Solutions.
The Jon B. Strong Employee of the Year award was given to Karen Dykstra of Western Refinery Services.
Steven Sundin, an employee for the City of Bellingham was awarded the Public Service Award.
The Whatcom Lifetime Achievement award was awarded to John and Mimi (Brooks) Ferlin of Brooks Manufacturing Company, a cross arms, braces and transmission product manufacturer based out of Bellingham.
