The Grays Harbor County business community let its collective hair down at the Greater Grays Harbor, Inc. (GGHI) Leaders’ Banquet Friday night at the Quinault Beach Resort and Casino in Ocean Shores.
The event, titled From Tides to Timber: Honoring Leadership in Grays Harbor, featured an evening filled with awards, live auctions, raffles, refreshments, photo opportunities and speeches.
KXRO’s Pat Anderson served as the master of ceremonies while Larry Burgher handled auctioneer duties.
GGHI CEO Darrin Raines said recognizing Grays Harbor businesses for the successes and contributions to the community is at the core of GGHI’s mission. Raines also said that raising awareness for businesses in the region is critical.
“Without our businesses, we don’t exist; without our businesses, we don’t have our public utilities, we don’t have our public facilities, we don’t have our emergency services. They are all a vital part of our community. To be able to honor them for what they’re doing, the jobs they’re creating, what they’re putting back into the community is at the forefront of our mission,” Raines said. “Raising awareness is one of the most important things we need to be doing. We’re always striving to find better ways to recognize our new businesses, not even our members, we want to support all businesses.”
The highlight of the evening came with the very first award, GGHI Ambassador of the Year, which, of course, went to none other than Betsy Seidel, who recently announced her retirement after 31 years of service. She was gifted a gold jacket akin to those presented to Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees, and the Ambassador of the Year Award was named in her honor.
“Betsy Seidel is GGHI. She has been here longer than anyone, longer than my CFO, Candie Gleason,” Raines said. “Betsy is a rock star, and she does so much above and beyond. Her personality, her willingness to help in any form or fashion, she is going to be missed.”
Spivey Realty Group took home multiple awards, including Best Dressed Table and Large Business of the Year. The Music Project: Unplugged earned New Business of the Year, Casa Mia Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria cooked up Small Business of the Year, North Beach PAWS was selected as Non-Profit of the Year, Grays Harbor College scored Government/Municipality of the Year and Summit Pacific Medical Center was named GGHI Member of the Year.
Summit Pacific Medical Center’s Chief Executive Officer, Josh Martin, stated that business initiatives help build a healthier community, and membership in GGHI facilitates this goal.
“It means we’re going in the right direction, it shows we’re on the right track,” Martin said. “I’m a member because we can’t build a healthier community without a thriving business, a thriving workforce, and creating access to housing. For all those reasons, we need to empower a healthier Grays Harbor through business. That’s why I’m a member. I think a vote from Greater Grays Harbor’s membership shows that Summit Pacific is helping to create and build a thriving community.”
In all, 24 organizations were nominated for the six major awards.
Aberdeen School District Co-Superintendent Lynn Green and Aberdeen Rotary Business Week Program Chair Christy Vessey gave a speech about Business Week as a lead-in to the live auction, the proceeds of which benefit the Greater Grays Harbor, Inc., Foundation, a 501(c)(3) “dedicated to supporting entrepreneurship and career opportunities for high school students in Grays Harbor.”
Live auction items included Domino’s Pizza and YMCA membership for a year; Lake Quinault Rainforest Retreat; Endless Family Fun Package (Great Wolf Lodge, Domino’s Pizza, Hands on Children’s Museum, Coastal Interpretive Center, and a kids beach gift basket); Lucky Eagle Overnight Date Night; opportunity to host a December 2025 Business After Hours; and much more.
New Business of the Year:
CMD Sign & Electric
Solid Coffee
The Refined Man
Winner: The Music Project
Small Business of the Year:
Bryan & Son
Game Freaks
La Spiaggia Ristorante
Winner: Casa Mia Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria
Large Business of the Year:
Westport Winery Garden Resort
Timberland Bank
Vaughan
Winner: Spivey Realty Group^
Non-Profit of the Year:
7th Street Theatre
The YMCA
Coastal Community Action Program
Winner: North Beach PAWS
Government/Municipality of the Year:
Port of Grays Harbor
Grays Harbor County Fair & Event Center
Grays Harbor PUD
Winner: Grays Harbor College
GGHI Member of the Year:
Ag Processing, Inc.
Hoquiam Timberland Library
TwinStar Credit Union
Winner: Summit Pacific Medical Center
Mayor of Montesano Tyler Trimble shows off his raffle prize basket at the GGHI Leader’s Banquet at the Quinault Beach Resort and Casino in Ocean Shores.
Summit Pacific Medical Center took home the Member of the Year Prize at the GGHI Leader’s Banquet at the Quinault Beach Resort and Casino in Ocean Shores.
Grays Harbor County Administrator Sam Kim and County Commissioner Georgia Miller pose for a photo at the GGHI Leader’s Banquet at the Quinault Beach Resort and Casino in Ocean Shores.
Dani and Lee Bacon accept the award for New Business of the Year at the GGHI Leader’s Banquet at the Quinault Beach Resort and Casino in Ocean Shores.
North Beach PAWS President Carol Jamroz gives an acceptance speech for Non-Profit of the Year at the GGHI Leader’s Banquet at the Quinault Beach Resort and Casino in Ocean Shores.
