Sometimes, If I’m a good intern, Kelly would take me out on a walk. Just kidding. No but seriously. On wednesday, Kelly invited me to go the 2008 Anaheim Business Awards Luncheon. It’s an event where local businesses and business owners are awarded for different things. Not ‘gonna’ lie, I was puh-rett-ty excited. If nothing else, at least for the lunch.
Upon arriving there, I learned that the Gardenwalk won the award for Tourism Business of the Year! At least that’s whats printed the 24 x 12 styrofoam board. Complete with Bill Stone’s (our developer/principal) picture.
The luncheon itself was held at Disneyland Hotel Grand Ballroom. It’s a beautiful ballroom, straight out of a Disney movie. Complete with a frighteningly huge chandelier in the center of the ceiling. Our table was located in the middle of the ballroom, right underneath the giant chandelier. We get our own table and special seatings due to our sponsorship. It was pretty neat.
The table setting was awesome, the food ( I had a delicious steak) was even better, ANNDDD we get to take home a delicious caramel apple courtesy of Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory. Yummy. Although I gave mine away to my mother. I had to watch my bodybuilder’s physique.
That's Mr. Stone...the guy you couldn't see.
After the lunch, the award ceremony began. It was supposed to be hosted by Mayor Pringle, but he was away on a conference. In Maui. Wish he’d let me tag along. The way, the award is given out is a video of the business/business owner would play and afterwards, the recipient or a representative would walk across the stage to receive it. Well, when Bill Stone came up, I tried to take a picture of him with my phone…FAIL. So there’s that.
Although, when he got back to the table he passed around the award for all to see. Including me! This time I tried incospicuously to take the picture of the award (Didn’t want people to think I was the immature intern who never seen a business award before). Kellie C (Assistant Marketing Director) was laughing at me the whole time.
Hero #1
All of the recipients were great, but some stood out in my mind. One of them is Coach Hugh McCutcheon of the USA Men’s Volleyball gold medal champions who won the Man Of The Year award. He wooed the ladies in the crowd by saying:
“You can’t be a man of the year without being married to the woman of the century”
and with that, comes the sighs and aww. By that time he was every woman’s Man of the Year. He became my hero in an instant.
Hero #2
Another person that became my hero in instant is Greg Smith; Anaheim Convention Center Executive Director. Mr. Smith started his career with the convention center as a ticket seller. When he got his accounting degree from Cal State Fullerton (At this time, Kellie C and I proceded to silent yell *Titan*) he became an accountant for the convention center and from then, he worked his way up to where he is now. He won the Lifetime Achievement award.
The luncheon was really inspiring for me. I hope that one day, I too can be like them. I even told Kellie C that I will be Anaheim’s Business Champion Award recipient one day! But that’s only because I like the title of the award…and so people can call me ‘Champ.’
-Ed
