'Look deep inside your heart to find your gifts'

COEUR d’ALENE — Coeur d'Alene Regional Chamber President and CEO Linda Coppess opened the chamber's 111th annual meeting and awards with a mention of the transformative work the chamber has planned as it looks ahead to the new year.

The Wednesday afternoon event at The Coeur d'Alene Resort was a mix of festive holiday cheer and acknowledgment of leadership in the Coeur d’Alene area in the last year, with Christmas musical accompaniment from Aspire Community Theatre. 

The chamber presented this year's awards like a televised show, having the winner from the previous year bestow the award on the next recipient.

The chamber Committee of the Year instead became Committees of the Year as the education and leadership committees were tied with votes for the win.

Children’s Village was named Nonprofit of the Year for its work with children and families.

Architects West was given the Small Business of the Year award, and The Coeur d'Alene Casino Resort Hotel was named Large Business of the Year.

Rick Rasmussen, CEO of Northwest Specialty Hospital, received a standing ovation when he was deemed the Ed Abbott Volunteer of the Year winner. The volunteer award was started in 1987 to honor former chamber board member Ed Abbott to celebrate members of the community who spread zeal and strong leadership with others. 

John Adams of Coeur d'Alene Tractor was met with a standing ovation of his own when he was named Citizen of the Year by Tony Berns of ignite cda. The Citizen of the Year award lauds the generosity and service of an individual who went beyond the call of duty through their actions on behalf of the community. 

Adams was interested in pitching riding on tractors during the 2024 Fourth of July parade alongside two of his fellow nominees for the award, Kootenai Health's Jon Ness and North Idaho College President Nick Swayne.

The meeting was Jody Azevedo’s final appearance as board chair. She said the goal when she was first handed the gavel in 2022 was to revitalize the chamber building to be more inviting to visitors and that work was now 90 percent complete. 

Azevedo noted the biggest change in the way they interact with the community is how they now cultivate more outreach and construct educational paths for the next generation to achieve their visions for the community.

The final standing ovation rang throughout the room as Azevedo officially ended her time as chairperson of the chamber board and received a plaque for the occasion. 

She introduced the new chair, Doug Elliott, and he accepted the ceremonial gavel for the role.

In closing out the event, Coppess encouraged everyone in the community to “look deep inside your heart to find your gifts” and to share them with others. 

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This story has been edited for accuracy.

    Linda Coppess opens the 11th annual meeting of the Cd'A Regional Chamber of Commerce.
  

    Rick Rasmussen, CEO of Northwest Specialty Hospital, left, was presented with the Ed Abbot Volunteer of the Year. Also pictured, Jody Azevedo, center and Troy Tymesen.
  

    As board chair of the Cd'A Chamber, Jody Azevedo hands off the gavel to the new chairperson, Doug Elliott.