It was indeed an unforgettable night of glitz, glamour, and groovy vibes as the Kent Chamber of Commerce celebrated its 75th Birthday Gala on Friday night, Sept. 22, 2023 at Green River College.

Especially for us – as South King Media (independent publisher of I Love Kent and seven other local news/events websites) was named the chamber’s 2023 “Business of the Year“!

“We are truly humbled and grateful for this honor,” said South King Media Sales Manager Theresa Schaefer. “We would like to thank the board and staff of the Kent Chamber for this incredible honor. We applaud their commitment to the business community and look forward to a continued partnership to support local businesses both large and small.”

Guests wearing their finest attire enjoyed delectable cuisine, live entertainment, and bidding on exclusive auction items, all while enjoying exciting games and surprises.

At their annual gala fundraiser, the chamber toasted to 75 years of “success, memories, and a promising future for our business community.”

The 2023 award winners included:

  • Marge Williams Citizen of the Year: Randall & Chandra Smith of All Pro Building Maintenance
  • Chamber Member of the Year: Yvonne Walker, Heritage Bank
  • New Business of the Year: Just Poké
  • Business of the Year: South King Media (ILoveKent.net)

Thanks to Sponsors

Thanks to the Presenting Sponsor: Amazon, Gold Sponsors: Weatherly Inn & Port of Seattle, and our Silver Sponsors: Around the Clock, Inc., Cogir, Seattle Thunderbirds, Kent Station, Scully Agency, Heritage Bank, Harbor Stone Credit Union, MSC Multi-Service Center, Green River College, Piroshky Piroshky, and HireNow Staffing. 

About the Kent Chamber

The Kent Chamber of Commerce is celebrating its 75th anniversary, having been a business advocate since 1948 for the sixth largest city in Washington, with a population of 132,319.

In recent years, Kent has experienced impressive economic growth, and is nationally known as a prime location for manufacturing.

“At the Kent Chamber of Commerce, we bring the business community together in dynamic, profitable ways. Whether members are networking with one another, learning marketing tips, immersing themselves in issues that impact business, or tapping into an array of educational services, we give local business owners the tools to help them thrive. When members of the community have a problem and don’t know what to do, they call their local chamber, and the Kent Chamber receives thousands of those calls each year.”

Whether members are networking with one another, learning marketing tips, immersing themselves in issues that impact business, or tapping into an array of educational services, the chamber give local business owners the tools to help them thrive.

More info at https://kentchamber.com.

Scott Schaefer

Founder/Publisher/Editor. Three-time National Emmy Award winning Writer (“Bill Nye the Science Guy”), Director, Producer, Journalist and more...