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It's the biggest night of the year for the Greater Vernon area business community.
Tonight the Greater Vernon Chamber of Commerce presents the 34th Annual Business Excellence Awards Gala.
General manager Dionne Chambers says with a laugh, "a lot" goes into pulling off such an anticipated and popular event.
"It is a big undertaking. There are a lot of moving pieces."
The chamber staff start putting those pieces in motion around the middle of December with online nominations from the public.
From there the nominees are contacted, congratulated and fill out a business profile, which goes to a judging committee.
The judging committee picks the three finalists as well as the winners. And the finalists are the announced at a February luncheon and the winners will be announced tonight.
The profiles, the awards gala, all of it, help to provide an opportunity to recognize some of the businesses that have been around for a long time and also to keep a watch on new businesses.
"It gives them a chance to celebrate themselves and their staff," says Chambers. "And, I think even just recognizing how much they bring to the overall economy to the region and shining a spotlight on them."
The Business Excellence Awards will be hosted at the Vernon Lodge. The gala begins at 6 p.m. and this year's theme is the Kentucky Derby.
