Chamber of Commerce 2018 Annual Meeting & Installation Dinner at Monarch Beach Resort

Jay Styles Installed as New 2018 Chairman, Donna Kalez Named 2017 Citizen of the Year

Marketing Manager Ashley von Gremp, Executive Director Bev Jorgensen and Special Events and Sponsorship Coordinator Katie McGann. Photo: Daniel Ritz

Ambassador of the Year Regina McGrath. Photo: Mark Montgomery

Outgoing Chairwoman Kim Tilly hugs incoming Chairman Jay Styles. Photo: Mark Montgomery

Photo: Mark Montgomery

(Left to Right) Kelly Reenders of the City of Dana Point, City Council Member Paul Wyatt, Rachel Johnson from the City of Dana Point. Photo: Mark Montgomery

By Daniel Ritz

On Jan. 25, the Dana Point Chamber of Commerce held its Annual Meeting & Installation Dinner at the Monarch beach resort.

The banquet hall, full of elected officials, local business owners and Chamber members gathered to induct new Chamber of Commerce Board Members as well as honor outgoing members.

Jay Styles, of Wind & Sea Restaurant, was installed as the new Chamber Chairman in place of outgoing Chairwoman Kim Tilly of the Dana Point Harbor Association. The two embraced on stage before Styles gave a heartfelt speech acknowledging the big shoes Tilly left him to fill.

A series of awards to local businesses and business community members were awarded during the event including Monarch Beach Resort which was selected as 2017 Business of the Year. Other finalists for Business of the Year included The District Salon, Doheny Village Hand Car Wash and The Shwack Beach Grill.

Regina McGrath was named 2017 Ambassador of the Year and Donna Kalez, General Manager of Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching was named 2017 Dana Point Citizen of the Year.

“Being selected for Citizen of the Year is a huge honor because of the past (winners) that choose who it (Citizen of the Year) goes to. It’s inspiring to me to have these pillars of our community select me and it validates all the hard work because I love Dana Point so much!” Kalez said after the event.

This was Bev Jorgensen’s first Installment & Awards Dinner as Executive Director of the Dana Point Chamber of Commerce and she thought the evening went without a hitch.

“The dinner was more than installing our new Board and honoring the outgoing Board. It was about recognizing the businesses and people in our community that go above and beyond. Next year we will be incorporating more business award categories to honor all those who work so hard throughout the year.”

Outgoing Chamber Board Members recognized were Mits Arayama of Minuteman Press and Mike Powers from Greenfield Communications. New Board Members for 2018 included Tyler Douthitt of CR& R, Cyndi Elders from Team Elders, Keller Williams from OC Coastal Realty, Ziad Mahshi of 2^nd Hand Treasures and Stephen Rosen of Rosen Law Offices.

To view a photo gallery from this event, visit www.danapointtimes.com