Non Profit of the Year

Love INC of Benton County

In business, “Inc.” is the abbreviation for “incorporated” – designating a unique financial entity. In community service, INC is an acronym for “In the Name of Christ” – designating a unique spiritual entity. Love INC of Benton County calls together volunteers from 40 local churches to work together to help people in need. In the nine years since it was formed, Love INC has served more than 10,000 adults and almost 7,000 children. On a privately-funded budget of $100,000, Love INC repairs homes, delivers meals, tutors children, fixes bicycles, donates cars, gives rides to doctors and dentists and much more. Love INC teaches a weekly “Managing Your Money” class and holds an annual “Down by the Riverside” event. Love INC carries on the legacy of love from the “prince of peace.”

Future First Citizen

Evan Wu 

Evan Wu, an accomplished piano and cello player at Crescent Valley High School, has made music a centerpiece of his 300 hours of community service. He is the principal cellist in the Corvallis Camerata String Orchestra and was selected for the All-State Honor Orchestra for three years. On many Sundays, you may find him at the Stone Soup kitchen, playing music for the homeless with other students he has recruited. Evan volunteered last summer at the mayor’s office as an intern working on homelessness. He says, “I’ve won many piano and cello competitions, but of all my musical achievements, I am most proud of my soup kitchen performances. I believe I have fulfilled my own definition of volunteerism.”

Patron of the Arts

Shirley Wirth

A Corvallis native, Shirley Wirth has been on the board of the Arts Center since 2004. For most of her life she has been supporting and promoting the arts in our community. During her 25 year career as a teacher, Shirley worked to keep art in the curriculum, and used it to enhance the teaching of science and history. Now retired from teaching, Shirley has become an effective fundraiser for the Arts Center, personally raising $25,000 through the Chocolate Fantasy art auction and over-indulgence. The event supports Arts Center programs including Arts Care (bringing art to ailing patients) and the Globetrotter’s Arts & Culture Camps for children. To broaden her own artistic horizons, Shirley is an active member of theoutdoor painting group Vistas & Vineyards.

Green Business of the Year

Metzger Green Build

Ben Metzger, a Corvallis native and building contractor, has used his knowledge of local building codes to push for the adoption of greener building materials and techniques. He built the first straw-bale house in Corvallis. He installed a rain catchment system at the Co-op that prevents pollutants from entering storm drains. His 3-person company, Metzger Green Build – MGB for short – uses lumber certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. He selects materials that use a minimum of artificial glues and volatile organic finishes to ensure a healthy indoor environment. His crews are as careful in taking down an old structure as they are in putting up a new one, reclaiming and reusing materials whenever possible. The initial cost of green building is often offset by on-going savings on energy costs. Metzger Green Build is located on Southeast Bridgeway Ave., just south of the Highway 20 overpass near the First Alternative Co-op. 

Junior First Citizen

Michelle Davis of Davis Enterprises

Michelle Davis was honored as the Michaelean Alpha Phi Volunteer of the Year at the National conference in Scottsdale, AZ last year.  This year she is a contender for Junior First Citizen. Most up-and-coming business leaders are pressed to juggle work, family and a couple of volunteer activities. Michelle, owner of Davis Enterprises, has raised the bar by juggling half a dozen major volunteer commitments. Michelle is a member of the Corvallis Benton Chamber Coalition, Downtown Corvallis Association and serves on the board of directors of the Sister Cities Association and the Fall Festival. She is an active advisor to Alpha Phi sorority and is a member of both the Corvallis Rotary and the Corvallis Lions clubs. Corvallis Rotary honored Michelle as its 2009 Rotary Hero. Michelle reminds others, “the more you love, the more you help, the more you learn, the more you enjoy life, the more you are, the more you have left to share with others”. Her strong commitment to help others has lead to a “life changing” Rotary project in Ethiopia this past Fall giving thousands of Ethiopians access to water.

Entrepreneur of the Year

Chris Vitello and Paul Nash - Nominated by Anne Schuster

Chris Vitello and Paul Nash, whose careers were shaped by the do-right philosophies of Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard, are themselves doing well by doing right. In 2008, they founded EcNow Tech to reduce trash be making plates, cups, forks and spoons out of materials that could be composted, instead of thrown into the garbage. After less than two years, they have customers from Alaska to California to New Jersey. In Corvallis, you can see their ever expanding product line at the Earth Smart Store, which opened in July on Jackson Street in the former Avalon Cinema building. With EcNow Tech products, you can throw a party without throwing anything away.

Business Person of the Year

Nancy Kneisel

Nancy Kneisel, owner of Second Glance and The Annex, found herself in the national spotlight for her contributions to sustainable industry. In 2008, she was invited to deliver the keynote address at the National Association of Resale and Thrift Stores annual conference held in Indianapolis.  Nancy is a founding member of the Corvallis Independent Business Alliance and just celebrated her 25th anniversary in business. Nancy has demonstrated that a business owners most important attribute is attitude.  On the wall of her store, Nancy has posted a mission statement: “Second Glance strives to provide quality fashion-forward women’s resale clothing in a socially responsible manner for a guaranteed value and delightful customer experience.” 

Senior First Citizen

Dr. Kenneth Johnson 

Dr. Kenneth Johnson, a retired dentist, has used Corvallis as home base and staging area for a global campaign for healthy teeth. He started by establishing a pre-dental program at OSU in 1968. Since he retired, Dr. Johnson has given almost $1.5 million in free dental services. He set up two dental clinics in the Grenadine Islands in 1998, and delivered dental care in Guatemala, Mexico City, the Marshall Islands and Truk Islands. Closer to home he covered the state with the Northwest Medical Team’s dental van and started the Boys & Girls Club Dental Clinic with an endowment to ensure its ongoing operation. Dr. Johnson has been a member of the Rotary Club of Corvallis since 1975.

Business of the Year

Fitzpatrick Painting

With their ubiquitous advertising, Tim and Kelli Fitzpatrick has made their company and young family the face of house painting in Benton and Linn County. Although Fitzpatrick Painting has only 15 employees, the company has donated more than $10,000 to community organizations – $750 per employee. Tim and Kelli’s family approach to business made Fitzpatrick Painting a finalist in the OSU Austin Family Business Awards last year.  With his civic-minded efforts, Tim was awarded the Junior First Citizen of Albany in 2008 and was a finalist for Junior First Citizen in Corvallis in 2007 and 2008.

First Citizen

David Gilbert

David Gilbert is Development Director for Cornerstone Associates, which finds meaningful jobs and community involvement for people with developmental disabilities. Cornerstone has placed clients at Taylor Street Ovens, Packaging Plus, Crystal Lake Janitorial, Colorwheel Gardens, Cornerstone Wood Products and B&J Bookbinding. In the current economic downturn, David has led Cornerstone to focus on “grass roots” giving through special events like “Christmas at Cornerstone” and “Music on the Lawn.” David spent five years leading the fundraising campaign for the new Community Outreach building, located on Reiman St., just east of Baja Fresh and Napa Auto Parts on 9^th Street. David is also proud of his service as financial advisor to the OSU chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity.