■ The Soldotna Chamber of Commerce will not meet this week.
At noon on Jan. 26, the chamber of commerce will met at Froso’s Restaurant. A presentation from Rick Davis, CEO of Central Peninsula Hospital, is planned. RSVP to 907-262-9814.
■ The Kenai Chamber of Commerce meets Wednesday at noon at the Kenai Visitor Center. A project update from Larry Burgess of Blue Crest Energy is planned. RSVP to 283-1991.
The Soldotna Chamber of Commerce held its annual awards luncheon on Jan. 13. Award winners recognized by the chamber include:
Person of the Year — Tim Navarre
Chamber Business of the Year — Pizza Boys
Volunteer of the Year — Mike Crawford
Commitment to Customer Service — Lambert Lavea, Printer’s Ink
Excellence in Profession — Joel Todd, Soldotna Parks & Rec
Pioneer Award — Dave Keating
Small Business of the Year — Mountain Mama Originals
Government and Civic Affairs — Senator Peter Micciche
Commitment to Youth — Vergine Hedberg
The outgoing chamber board president is Ryan Kapp of Edward Jones Investments; the new chamber board president is Steve Manley of Wells Fargo Bank. The President’s Choice Award went to Becky Hutchinson of Alaska USA Federal Credit Union.
The 2016 chamber board of directors includes: President Steve Manley, Wells Fargo Bank; Past President Ryan Kapp, Edward Jones Investments; Monica Adams, Peninsula Community Health Services of Alaska; Sara Pozonsky, Alaska Waste; Mary Hart, GCI; Robert Ruffner, Kenai Watershed Forum; Esther Chambers, CENTURY 21 Realty Solutions Freedom Realty; Kelli Johnson, Aspen Hotels; Jim Stogsdill, Fish Happens Guide Service; Becky Foster, Foster Construction; Laura West, First American Title Insurance Company; Shanon Davis, Kenai Peninsula Tourism Marketing Council (KPTMC); Linda Murphy, City Council Representative, City of Soldotna.
Are you thinking about starting your own business? The Alaska Small Business Development Center’s Start A Business Workshop was built for you. The workshop is 10 a.m.-noon Jan. 26 and will cover basic issues faced when starting a small business such as business licensing, legal forms of business, business record-keeping, hiring employees, business planning and access to financing. Let the Alaska SBDC help guide you through the process of starting a small business. The deadline to register online for this free workshop at www.aksbdc.org is Jan. 21 by 5 p.m. Call Bunny at 260-5629 if you have any questions.
For more information, contact the Small Business Development Center in Soldotna at 260-5629.
The University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service will offer three-day training sessions for pesticide applicators in February and in April.
The first session will be offered by videoconference Feb. 8-10 in Fairbanks, Anchorage, Soldotna, Palmer, Delta Junction and other communities as requested. Classes will meet from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with an exam scheduled after the training. The training will also be offered April 25-27 in the same communities. Extension agents and Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation personnel will teach the classes.
The state requires certification for anyone who uses or sells restricted pesticides. Certification is also required for anyone who is a pesticide consultant, engages in the commercial or contract use of pesticides or supervises their use at a public location.
The training costs $55 and includes the exam and necessary study materials, which are available at Extension offices or by mail. Register for either class online at http://bit.ly/ces-workshops or at local Extension offices. Participants are encouraged to become familiar with the materials and math needed prior to the training.
For more information and to request another training location, contact Janice Chumley at 907-262-5824 or jichumley@alaska.edu.
The annual winter conference of the Alaska Peony Growers Association will take place in Homer at Land’s End January 28-30. With over 27 sessions and 23 speakers, there is certainly something for everyone from the experienced peony grower to Grower Schools for the beginners.
Speakers include Don Hollingsworth, world renowned peony grower, Gay Smith from Chrysal with 35 years’ experience in cold chain management and marketing, local grower panels, web construction classes, and several sessions on field maintenance including pest and disease management. Sign up at http://www.alaskaperonyconference.com/. Questions, call Rita Jo 907-235-8116 or Wayne Floyd 907-741-0204.
Have you opened a new business, moved to a new location, hired a new person or promoted an employee? Send us your information at news@peninsulaclarion.com, fax it to 907-283-3299, or drop it by the Clarion at 150 Trading Bay in Kenai.
Questions? Call 907-335-1251.
Business announcements may be submitted to news@peninsulaclarion.com. Items should be submitted by 5 p.m. on the Friday prior to publication.
