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WILKES-BARRE, PA – The Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce will hold its Annual Business Awards Luncheon at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, June 24 at the Best Western Genetti Hotel and Convention Center in Downtown Wilkes-Barre.
At this annual event, the Chamber honors people and organizations that make a difference in the Greater Wilkes-Barre community and make it a better place to live, work and learn. This year area businesses and professionals will be honored in the following categories: ATHENA Award, “I Believe” Award, and Pride of Place Awards. Reservations for the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce Business Awards Luncheon are $35 and can be made with Jean Kile (570) 823-2101, ext. 113; jen@wilkes-barre.org; or online at www.wilkesbarre.org/calendar. The Pride of Place Awards, sponsored by Geisinger Health System and Geisinger Health Plan, honor businesses and individuals that improve the physical environments of the Greater Wilkes-Barre Area. The awards consist of the New Construction Award; the Restoration/Renovation Award; the Interior Design Award; The Community Award; and the Environmental Enhancement Award. Here is a list of this year's recipients: • New Construction: A building or complex recently designed from the ground up. o Misericordia University’s Insalaco Hall • Restoration/Renovation/Remodeling: An existing structure that has had its external surface improved, modernized, or returned to its former appearance. o Sundance Vacations • Interior Design: Original designs or improvement made to internal spaces of new or existing structure. o Dr. Loren Grossman’s Office • Environmental Enhancement/Green Award: Natural or "green" improvements to the areas in and/or reserving existing landscape around a new building or existing structure. o Shazam Realty/A. Pickett Construction/Selingo Law Offices • Community: Award or Awards: Projects that span multiple categories and have a significant positive impact on the community. o Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs o Luzerne County Community College’s Public Safety Training Institute Misericordia University will be honored with the New Construction Award for its new building: Insalaco Hall. Insalaco Hall will provide much-needed classrooms, an art gallery and studio space, as well as ample room for seminars through the Assistive Technology Research Institute (ATRI), a regional conference center, and a center for the performing visual arts. These spacious technologically capable classrooms will accommodate a variety of core academic programs that will take advantage of Misericordia’s strengths in community, service, leadership, and academic excellence. Insalaco Hall will also provide the artistic and technological resources necessary for the University community to move into the 21st century with a spirit of growth, entrepreneurship, and cultural awareness. Sundance Vacations, based in Wilkes-Barre, will receive the Restoration/Renovation/Remodeling Award for its building located on Highland Park Blvd. Changes include: restructure of the entire left side of the building from the foundation up, repair of defects, removal of unnecessary walks, new curbing, fresh landscaping and a repaved parking lot to complement the new exterior paint color.While the building was bought for the purpose of expanding Sundance’s corporate location, the new building has also become a warm, well-lit, and inviting space. Three companies that played a key role in the completion of the building included: Borton-Lawson, P&H Interiors of Coral Springs, Florida, and Champion Builders. Dr. Loren Grossman’s Office, located in Kingston, will receive the Interior Design Award for the creation of a a new waiting room and reception area, as well as two new dental procedure rooms. Changes include: a new reception desk, fresh paint, new electric, handicapped accommodating seating, some bariatric seating, as well as new finishes and furnishings to create a warm, comfortable and aesthetically pleasing area. Many companies and individuals were involved with the project including: the architectural firm of Rick Kornblau, Randy Ervin, Barbara Capone, Northern Cabinetry, and Benco Dental Supply. Shazam Realty/A. Pickett Construction/Selingo Law Offices, located at 345 Market Street in Kingston, in cooperation is receiving the Environmental Enhancement/Green Award for their efforts in making their business “Greener”. Their first step in “going green” was to re-use the underutilized 1930’s automobile showroom and adjoining service bays that had long ago become the home of an appliance store. Exterior materials were then selected with an eye to local manufactured and approved materials such as cementitious horizontal siding, and on the roof, a white thermo-plastic membrane to mitigate the heat-island effect as well as 18 solar collectors. The window glazing has a 2nd high-performance coating in addition to the normal low-E coating, resulting in higher solar transmissivity and reduced solar gain while maximizing day lighting. The interior finishes are largely recyclable and/or renewable materials such as polished concrete floors, bamboo wood flooring, paints and sealants that are low in VOC, acoustical ceilings that are high in post-industrial recycled content, and the carpeting meets LEED specification. Luzerne County Community College is receiving a Community Award for the creation of the Public Safety Training Institute. The Institute includes a Tactical/Structural Firefighting Tower/Burn Building, A Drafting/Water Retention and a Headquarters Building. The Burn Building is one of the largest more unique tactical burn buildings in the state. This five story building has eight rooms for training, and includes movable walls to make firefighting more challenging. The facility was also designed to recycle all water by installing a 100,000 gallon pond that will be used to capture all water used on the property as well as rain run off. The pond will also be available to the Nanticoke Fire Department should there be a broken water main. The Headquarters Building is the center of activity with two classrooms which can open as one, temporary administration offices, an apparatus bay, equipment storage and a maintenance shop. LCCC also worked with UGI-Penn Natural Gas to have a new gas main installed that will allow residents in that end of the city the opportunity to have natural gas put into their homes. Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs will also receive a Community Award for its overall impact to the Wilkes-Barre area. In September of 2005 Mohegan Sun renovated the existing Grandstand and Clubhouse, as well as built a new casino and entertainment venue. Mohegan Sun is designed to deliver an exceptional gaming and entertainment experience to residents of Northeast Pennsylvania and tourists traveling through the region. The leadership of the Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority and the Mohegan Tribe also helped the area by making a commitment to quality and the utilization of local craftsman. Mohegan features many locally made products including a signature architectural sculpture that pays tribute to the influence of the coal industry on the region. Mr. Bobby Soper, President and CEO, says “Our focus and intent was to create a memorable design and experience which celebrates Northeastern Pennsylvania.” 2009 Award Recipients • The ATHENA Award sponsored by MotorWorld Automotive Group CO- RECIPIENTS- ELIZABETH GRAHAM AND MARILYN MILLINGTON • “I Believe” Award SARTORIO & SONS BARBER SHOP • The Pride of Place Awards sponsored by Geisinger Health System and Geisinger Health Plan Environmental Enhancement: SHAZAM REALTY/SELINGO LAW OFFICES/A. PICKETT CONSTRUCTION Interior Design: DR. LOREN GROSSMAN’S OFFICE New Construction: MISERICORDIA UNIVERSITY’S INSALACO HALL Restoration/Renovation/Remodeling: SUNDANCE VACATIONS • Community Award: LUZERNE COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE & MOHEGAN SUN AT POCONO DOWNS -30- |
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