144th Annual Recognition Dinner Award Winners Announced!

The La Crosse Area Chamber of Commerce will hold its 144^th Annual Recognition Dinner on Monday, March 5, in South Hall A & B of the La Crosse Center.  The social hour will begin at 5:15 p.m., with dinner at 6:30 p.m., and the program to follow.

During the program, the Chamber will present the following awards:  Chamber Leadership Award, Chamber Volunteer of the Year Award, Regional Progress Award and the Chair’s Community Service Award.

Don Weber, Chairman and CEO of Logistics Health Incorporated, will be awarded the Chair’s Community Service Award. Weber will be honored for his commitment to many causes in La Crosse including area Veterans, United Way and the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse. He has built Logistics Health Incorporated into a major La Crosse employer, employing over 800 people.

Dave Skogen, Chairman of Festival Foods will be awarded the Chamber’s Regional Progress Award. Festival Foods acquired several Quillin’s grocery store locations in 2011 and most recently built a new Festival Foods store at the Village location on the south side of La Crosse, causing Festival Foods to be the leading grocery store company in the greater La Crosse area, employing 800 plus associates.

Rick Artman, PhD, President of Viterbo University will be awarded the Chamber’s Leadership Award. Artman is a member of the Chamber Board of Directors and has contributed to the Chamber in various capacities this past year. He has been a significant participant in the Chamber’s review of an accreditation overview, in which all the programs, services and operations of the Chamber were reviewed. Additionally, Artman served the Chamber in key roles through a revised planning process to chart the course for the five-year plan the Chamber undertook.

Shirley Krause, formerly of M&I, A Part of BMO Financial Group, will be presented with the Chamber’s Volunteer of the Year Award. Krause retired from M&I, A Part of BMO Financial Group in 2011, but continued to serve in her role as chair of the Chamber’s Ambassadors. Looking at her retirement, she easily could have passed on her commitment she made in 2010, but she gave her time and talents to continue her work on behalf of the Chamber.

Chuck Thoftne of Kwik Trip will be presented with the Past Chair Award for 2011 by this year’s Chair of the Chamber’s Board of Directors, Dyanne Brudos of US Bank National Association.