On Saturday, February 24, the Temecula Valley Chamber of Commerce held its 41st Annual Awards Gala at Pechanga Resort & Casino. This premier event was a memorable night of elegance and excitement, with 800 attendees. The evening included dinner, an extravagant silent auction, live entertainment and an outstanding awards presentation.

The 2006 Citizen of the Year was Bruce Cripe, senior account executive, RKR Media Associates. Bruce’s community involvement includes: past board member of the Temecula Valley Chamber of Commerce, board member of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, board member of the Riverside County Red Cross, board member of the Temecula Valley Citizen’s Corps, past president of the Rotary Club of Temecula and assistant governor of Rotary District 5330.

The Lifetime Achievement winner for 2006 was Ruth Baker, referred to as "instrumental to the city of Temecula." Baker has been involved in the Temecula Valley Chamber of Commerce, the Rotary club and Sister Cities. In addition, she was the recipient of the Good Neighbor Award, has served as the grand marshall in the Fourth of July parade and has been immortalized in the city’s Wall of Fame.

The 2006 Platinum Business of the Year was Pechanga Resort & Casino. Pechanga – California’s only four-diamond resort and casino – offers the ultimate in a destination setting. Employing more than 5,000 people, Pechanga has a strong commitment to the Temecula Valley. They continually contribute to the betterment of their industry and the economic viability of the community.

The 2006 Gold Business of the Year was Bank of America, one of the world’s largest financial institutions serving individual consumers, small businesses and large to global corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial management products and services. Bank of America is the number one SBA lender to minority-owned small businesses.

The 2006 Bronze Business of the Year was the Law Offices Advertisement

[ Chatton and Associates ] of Rosenstein & Hitzeman, AAPLC, a law firm dedicated to providing high-quality services similar to those found in larger communities for clients in the community of Temecula. Rosenstein & Hitzeman, located in Old Town Temecula, "Under the Dome," provides legal services primarily to the business community.

The 2006 Sterling Business of the Year was Delytes Inc., a Temecula wine region-based fine foods company that has been wowing crowds with their signature cuisine and magical events since opening in 2002. Delytes supports local farmers and uses seasonal ingredients, from organics to locally picked and famed fresh produce to sustainable farmed meats and fish.

The 2006 Service Charitable Organization of the Year was Boys & Girls Club of Southwest Riverside County. As one of the fastest growing youth development agencies in Southwest Riverside County, it serves more than 600 young people each day. With sites located in Temecula and Murrieta, the Boys & Girls Clubs is "The Positive Place for Kids," offering innovative programs and fun activities to provide positive personal growth experiences for local youth.

The 2006 Chairman’s Choice Award winner was Janese Reyes, who served as a board director for six years and has been involved in the chamber for more than 15 years. Reyes is considered "an enthusiastic advocate of the chamber who believes in chamber-member-to-member business support."

The 2006 Ambassadors of the Year were Rosalyne Hall of Hall’s Plant Nursery and Adam Ruiz of AR Home Loans Direct, Inc. Hall attended 33 ribbon cuttings in 2006 and personally recruited three new businesses to the chamber. She volunteers at the mixers, networking breakfasts, networking luncheon and five-minute networking events.

Ruiz participates in the monthly Membership Committee meetings and attended 12 ribbon-cuttings in 2006. He acts as a host at all of the chamber mixers and assists in the running of other networking events. As a Membership Committee co-chair, his area of focus is the networking events.