Jason Adamson and Michelle Steinhebel were named Man and Woman of the Year at the Lebanon Chamber of Commerce’s Distinguished Service Awards banquet Friday, March 6.
Volunteer and dance coach Megan Lofton was named Junior First Citizen, while local volunteer Dale Hall was named Senior First Citizen.
Recipient of the Frankie Gray “Answering the Call” award was Paul Aziz.
Chris Breshears, manager at Best Western Premier Boulder Falls Inn, was named Business Leader of the Year. The Small Business of the Year was T-Mobile of Lebanon, and Knife River Training Center was named Large Business of the Year.
The Nonprofit of the Year was awarded to The River Center, which received a $500 check from Columbia Bank.
The Lebanon Chamber of Commerce hosts the Distinguished Service Award banquet every year to recognize individuals and organizations that make Lebanon and the community a better place through their service, leadership and support.
In addition to awards presented by the chamber, other organizations took the opportunity to present their own recognitions. This year, Lebanon New Business Generations, Lebanon Rotary, Boys and Girls Club of the Greater Santiam, Lebanon Ambassadors, Lebanon Community School District, and a Lebanon resident presented awards.
The awards banquet, held at the Boulder Falls Event Center, provided a comfortably-formal backdrop topped with a sense of humor that the chamber’s emcees usually bring. This year’s emcee was Scott Ingalls.
The Strawberry Court was present, as well as state Rep. Jami Cate, City Manager Ron Whitlatch, Mayor Ken Jackola, city councilors David McClain and Michelle Steinhebel, and several others representing WesternU and other leading businesses in town.
Distinguished Service Awards
Man of the Year Jason Adamson
Adamson, deputy fire marshall at Lebanon Fire District and owner of Santiam CPR, was nominated for his “unwavering commitment” to serve the community, according to one who nominated him.
He started as a volunteer firefighter more than 20 years ago and worked his way up to his current position, proving himself to be a “consistent presence and leader, ensuring the safety and preparedness of our community.”
During his career in fire service, Adamson became co-owner of Santiam CPR, through which he trains people how to perform life-saving skills in an effort to expand the public’s knowledge in emergency preparedness.
Also, in his current role as the district’s union vice president, Adamson is behind an effort to get the union more involved in the community.
Adamson’s “passion for both community engagement and fire service history” is also seen in his efforts to help return Lebanon’s 1936 Seagrave fire engine to LFD, said Steven Hodges, who presented the award.
He was described as a dedicated person who exemplifies leadership through resilience, integrity and a forward-looking spirit, with a commitment to public education and community safety.
Woman of the Year Michelle Steinhebel
Steinhebel, city councilor for Lebanon and director of communications for the Lebanon Community School District, is said by her nominator to be one who “approaches every challenge with integrity and a genuine desire to make Lebanon a better place for all its residents.”
Jenny Sheldon, last year’s winner, noted that after graduating high school, Steinhebel chose to build her life here and invest her time and leadership back into “the community that helped shape her.”
Through her career, Steinhebel has “used her voice and her skills to inform, connect and support the communities she serves,” and for more than a decade she’s been active in organizations that strengthen the community.
Some of her involvements outside of work include the Lebanon Oregon Legacy Club (formerly Optimists), Lebanon Schools Foundation, Pioneer Elementary PTA, Lebanon Strawberrians and strategic taskforce for the Lebanon 2040 Vision.
“What stands out most about her, I believe, is not just the number of roles she had, but the heart behind them,” Sheldon said. “She shows up, she volunteers, she collaborates and she consistently works to bring people together to move Lebanon forward.”
“Tonight we recognize a woman who represents the very best of Lebanon, someone who grew up here, believes deeply in this community and continues to work every day to help it thrive,” Sheldon said. “She is truly a Lebanon girl.”
Junior First Citizen Megan Lofton
Lofton, a nurse, volunteer and Lebanon Explosion dance coach, was nominated for her role helping lead the dance team to several state wins, her mentorship to young women and her community volunteerism.
Last year’s winner, Steve Patterson, said Lofton has been mentoring Lebanon’s youth for almost two decades and “beyond that, she’s quietly stepped up and infused creativity into our local and cherished traditions.”
Lofton participates in key events in the community, such as the Strawberry Festival parade and downtown events through the Lebanon Downtown Association. She also volunteers with an elementary school multiple times a week, all while working full time and raising her two young children.
“This individual’s passion in everything that they do inspires local youth to be more involved and expect more from themselves,” Patterson said. “This person has given so much back to their community and is very deserving of this award.”
Senior First Citizen Dale Hall
Hall was nominated for his active volunteerism through a variety of organizations in the community, and his willingness to serve where needed.
He supports Dala’s Blue Angels with their Walk A Mile for A Child, sets up Christmas decorations for Holidays in the Park, and assists with National Night Out.
Hall also supports the library through volunteering for Friends of the Lebanon Public Library, and was “instrumental” in rebuilding the Optimist Club into the Lebanon Oregon Legacy Club.
Presenter Heather McDaniel said he’s “the person that volunteers the most.”
Frankie Gray “Answering the Call” – Paul Aziz
Presenter Dale Hall said this year’s recipient of the Frankie Gray award, former mayor Paul Aziz, made a decision long ago that Lebanon deserved something special at Christmas.
“Some people decorate for Christmas, and then there are people who rewire the grid,” he said.
the DSA awards banquet as the event begins.
For 15 years, Aziz has been spending “thousands of hours” year after year planning and programming a Christmas production for the community that not only lights up the neighborhood, but also “lights up the community.”
His Cascade Christmas Lights show draws families to his home every year where children can be seen dancing in the driveway while an animated light display illuminates the yard. The show has raised more than $16,000, 3,476 pounds of food, and warm clothing for the Lebanon Soup Kitchen and other nonprofits.
After Aziz served as mayor for 10 years, his service to the community didn’t stop.
He helped form the Lebanon Museum Foundation and, more recently, Aziz did not hesitate to say ‘yes’ when an opportunity arose to program the new lighted “mega tree” for Holidays in the Park.
The light shows are consistent, generous and joyful, “built on an incredible amount of behind-the-scenes work that most people never see.”
Business Awards
Business Leader of the Year Chris Breshears
Breshears was named Business Leader of the Year not only for the numerous leadership roles he serves to support Lebanon, but also for his ability to serve them well, Grizzle said.
She noted that leadership is not about power or titles, or about seeking recognition, and that’s just a few reasons why Breshears was selected as business leader.
He serves as vice president of the Lebanon Downtown Association, vice president of the Legacy Club, board member for the 4th of July Celebration, committee member for the hospital foundation’s garden and president of the chamber board.
It’s the latter position that seemed to irk Grizzle the most, in a not-so-serious way (as the two share a special bantering relationship).
“While he does enjoy reminding me that he is, in fact, ‘the boss of me,’ what he really does is lead with steadiness and intention,” she said.
Grizzle described her boss as a reliable leader who asks good questions, pushes for clarity, cares deeply about governance, shows up prepared, and supports the chamber, the downtown, youth programs and nonprofits.
Breshears was also described as a coach, volunteer and “professional meeting-attender,” and if there’s a board in Lebanon, “he’s either on it or considering it.”
Everything he does, Grizzle said, he does “because he believes in his community,” and “Lebanon is stronger because of his willingness to step up again and again.”
Small Business of the Year – T-Mobile
T-Mobile was honored as Small Business of the Year for helping “power” last year’s push in a national contest that ultimately landed Lebanon High School as runner-up.
Competing against 2,100 schools, the local T-Mobile team led the charge bringing the Lebanon community together in a way that earned its school nearly 1.5 million votes and a $100,000 check to go toward Heath Stadium upgrades.
Small businesses such as T-Mobile are honored for being the “heartbeat of our communities,” showing up loud, proud and in magenta, Grizzle said. In this case, they rallied an entire community for a “huge win.”
“They showed every one of us what it looks like when a business believes in its community so much it helps shine on a national stage,” she said.
Large Business of the Year – Knife River Training Center
Knife River, with its state-of-the-art training center, was honored for “shaping the future workforce” in the region, Grizzle said.
The skilled trades training center provides opportunities for the area’s men and women to find success in family-wage careers, jobs that “keep our communities running.” But that’s not the only reason they were awarded this year.
It’s the things Knife River does beyond that – opening doors to nonprofits, hosting community events, partnering with schools, supporting CASA, collaborating with workforce groups – that earned them the spotlight.
“They invest in Lebanon,” Grizzle said. “Leadership like that doesn’t happen by accident. It takes intentional culture. It takes vision.”
Kris Latimer, director at Knife River, “understands that business success and community success are not separate things – they rise together,” Grizzle said. “This organization models what corporate citizenship should look like.”
Columbia Bank Nonprofit of the Year – The River Center
The River Center was awarded with a $500 check from Columbia Bank for the “quiet work” they do every week to help someone in need.
The River Center offers breakfast and a variety of resources to help people move forward when they need it most, including mental health or recovery programs, emergency assistance and dental help.
Grizzle described the organization as a place that offers practical help, guidance, hope and a welcoming smile.
“Communities are measured by how they take care of people when life gets difficult,” Grizzle said. “What makes this work so meaningful is the way it’s done: with dignity, with compassion and with a deep belief that every person deserves support and a path forward.”
Community Awards
Lebanon New Business Generations presented its Business of the Year award to Gateway Imprints.
Lebanon Ambassadors named Adrienne Irwin its Ambassador of the Year award.
Lebanon Rotary Club presented its Member of the Year award to Brandy O’Bannon.
Boys Club and Girls Club named Tanea Straub as Volunteer of the Year, John Segar as Volunteer Coach of the Year, and Drew Briese as Supporter of the Year.
Lebanon Community School District announced recent Apple Award recipients, who were Mike Wilson, Kim Mynar, Laurie Regalado, Bart Baldwin, Mindy Hoeckle and Erin Forrest.
And local resident Mary Thorp honored Robert “Smitty” Smith with a Servant’s Heart Award.
