ARVADA, Co, April 20, 2022 – The Arvada Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce the 2021 Man and Woman of the Year, Pioneer Award, Image Award, Young Professional Leadership Award, and Rising Star Award winners. Recipients of these awards will be honored at the May 11, 2022 Arvada Chamber of Commerce 71st Annual Awards Luncheon from 11:30-1:00 pm at Arvada Center Event Spaces.
The Man and Woman of the Year Awards are a long-standing tradition in Arvada recognizing outstanding men and women in the community for their amazing community involvement, generosity and overall impact on Arvada. Nominations for this award are reviewed by a selection committee made up of previous winners. The 2021 winner of Man of the Year is Jeff Cannon and the 2021 winner of Woman of the Year is Gillian McCarron.
Additionally, Mike Litzau is being honored with the prestigious Pioneer Award for 2021. A Man of the Year recipient in 2014, Mike is well-deserving of this award thanks to his many community efforts and volunteer work throughout the years. Mike served on the Arvada Chamber Board of Directors and currently sits on the Advocacy KAPS Council and Legacy Board. He was also recognized by the Chamber in 2018 with a Behind the Scenes Award. Mike served on the Arvada Economic Development Association Board of Directors for 21 years, as President for four years and in 2010 won the Distinguished Service Award. Mike served on the Arvada Community Food Bank (Community Table) Board of Directors for 12 years; as President for six years. There he coordinated a capital campaign to renovate a former library building for the food bank in 2009. Mike has been a member of the Arvada Sunrise Rotary Club for 12 years, served as the Treasurer for nine years, and is currently serving as President.
The selection committee also names individuals and/or groups as Image Award Recipients. Image Award winners are selected for their commitment to Arvada and the overall positive image they portray within the community. The committee will honor Dan Quaratino as the Image Award winner at this year’s event. Dan Quaratino is the Assistant Principal and Athletic Director at Arvada High School. Dan is recognized for his passion and dedication to his students. He has provided opportunities for the athletes at the school such as field trips and participation in out-of-state tournaments. He has also spearheaded the Arvada Sports Institute which gives students the opportunity to work in the sports industry and gain real-world experience.
The recipients of the Young Professional Leadership Awards are April Lambatos and Emily Grace King.April is co-owner of Footers Catering and Social Capitol Events in Arvada. Under April’s leadership, Footers Catering has been named a ‘Best Place to Work’ by The Denver Post, Colorado Biz Magazine, The Denver Business Journal, and the ICC. April was recognized as a Titan 100, a 40 Under 40 winner by the Denver Business Journal and a top COO through the DBJ C-Suite awards. Emily Grace King is the Gallery Exhibition Manager at the Arvada Center for Arts & Humanities. In addition, she ensures equitable access to art through Art Drop Arvada and her works on the Arvada Arts and Culture Commission. Emily embodies a leadership style that is rooted in collaboration, sharing, and working to help lift others.
The Rising Star Award recognizes an outstanding high school student in Arvada who has exemplified extraordinary skills in entrepreneurship, innovation, community impact and/or leadership. This year’s Rising Star Award recipient is Genesis Rodriguez Esparza. Genesis is a senior at Pomona High School and she recently earned the prestigious Girl Scout Gold Award for encouraging more Latin and female aligned diversity in the STEM field by creating a bilingual program with activities and resources to help introduce more households to STEM, especially in the Hispanic community.
Man and Woman of the Year will be honored with a video of their accomplishments at the Awards Luncheon. Videos and more information about the wonderful work done by each of the recipients will be released after the event. For more information on attending the awards luncheon, please call 303-424-0313 or visit www.arvadachamber.org/events.
