SEASIDE — Clatsop Economic Development Resources, the local business advocacy group, on Thursday honored the economic and community impact of several local businesses.
Nate and Zach Adamson, owners of Adamson Bros. Jiu Jitsu Academy in Seaside, were honored for strengthening the community and promoting personal development through martial arts since 2008. The brothers commented on how they grew up in Clatsop County and are proud to help locals grow and improve themselves.
“We have about 200 active students right now,” Zach Adamson said. “These are people who are preventing bullying in school. They’re losing weight. They’re going home and being better husbands, better kids. We’re just very proud to be able to make that environment where it’s inspiring people to be better.”
Winning an award for economic impact was GreenWood Resources Inc., manager of 140,000 acres of the Lewis and Clark Timberlands. The company employs 16 full-time staff and indirectly 250 contractors while adding $1 million in property tax revenue for the county each year, said Kevin Leahy, executive director of the business group.
Trails End Recovery, the building materials and debris recycler in Warrenton, was honored for customer service, processing and diverting about 800,000 tons of material from landfills. The company is run by Dean and Evie Larson, who also own Custom Excavating.
Joel Bergeman, owner of Bergeman Construction, was honored for his entrepreneurship. He started his own construction company in the mid-2000s specializing in restoration and stabilizing the foundations of buildings.
“We want to empower our employees,” he said. “We want to give them living-wage jobs. I’m proud to say we provide health insurance accounts and try and help them along. A lot of people end up in construction as an accident. We want to empower them and make it a professional choice for them.”
Diane Berry, who opened Bloomin’ Crazy Floral in the Sanborn Building in Astoria in 2009, was also honored for her entrepreneurship.
Main St. Market in Warrenton was honored for its service to the community, from such efforts as sponsoring local youth baseball, local teens in need and Coast Guard families during the recent federal government shutdown.
Stephanie Stevenson, of the Cotton Club clothing store, was also honored for her service to downtown Seaside.
Traci Williams, of the Sweet Shop Gearhart, was honored for her innovation in rehabilitating a boarded-up storefront into a dessert eatery that employs more than 10 people in the summertime.
Gib and Deanna Hammond, who took over Cannon Beach Bakery last year, were also honored for their customer service.
Warrenton took home an award for business and community building in honor of its recent accomplishments, such as moving the Warrenton Community Library downtown, beginning a downtown revitalization and becoming a Main Street City. Mayor Henry Balensifer and City Manager Linda Engbretson accepted the award.
“Mayor Balensifer has talked about a culture change in Warrenton,” Engbretson said. “I see it as a culture of teamwork and support from the (City) Commission, from staff, from volunteers and from our generous business community like the Main St. Market. All of this support results in the energy and enthusiasm to provide quality service and community outreach.”
The awards were presented at the Seaside Civic and Convention Center.
