Union County Chamber Held 90th Annual Awards Banquet in La Grande

The Union County Chamber of Commerce presented awards at its 90th Annual Awards Banquet in La Grande, honoring seven local organizations and a lifetime achievement recipient. The banquet was held the evening of March 3, 2026, and the event listing showed a 5:30 PM to 9:00 PM (PST) window and a $65 ticket price.

The event listing posted by the Chamber used the Chamber office address at 207 Depot Street, La Grande, OR 97850, and listed the Chamber phone number as 541-963-8588. The listing appears on the county events platform for Tuesday, March 3, 2026, and does not name a separate banquet venue in the excerpted material.

The Chamber posted a winners list headed, "The 2025 award winners are:" and named the recipients as follows. Community Impact Award: Wow Supermarket. Employer of Choice Award: Union County Public Schools. Excellence in Business Award: ATI Specialty Materials. Excellence in Small Business Award: Mandi’s Tree Care. Nonprofit Innovation Award: Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. – Union County Alumnae Chapter. Rising Star Award: Camp Sutton Nursery. Lifetime Achievement Award: Helen Thomas.

Nominations for the awards came from Chamber members and the community, and nominees must be Chamber members in good standing, the Chamber said. The Chamber reported it had received a record number of nominations this year. "An independent award selection committee reviews all the nominations, selects finalists, and chooses the recipients. The committee is made up of former award winners, and other business leaders in our community," the Chamber noted.

The Chamber said each finalist receives a video produced by Chain Reaction Studios, led by the talented Jason Walle. Chamber President and CEO Pat Kahle, IOM, commented twice in the Chamber material: "This year was incredibly competitive. The large number of nominations speaks volumes about the strength of our business community," and "This year’s awards showcase the heart, innovation, and commitment of our business community."

The Awards Gala also served as the Chamber’s Annual Meeting; Chamber Board Chair Shane Fraser thanked the 2024 board members and introduced new members joining the board in 2025 at the ceremony. The Chamber material cites a prior Annual Excellence in Business Awards held Thursday, December 5, 2024, at the Union County Agricultural Center, where nearly 550 community and business leaders attended that event.

The Chamber’s listings and materials note the winners under the "2025 award winners" heading while the banquet was held March 3, 2026. For verification of the award-year labeling, attendance numbers for the March 3 banquet, or to request finalist videos produced by Chain Reaction Studios, contact the Union County Chamber of Commerce at 541-963-8588 or visit 207 Depot Street, La Grande.