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Gold Pan Awards

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2023 GOLD PAN AWARD FINALISTS & WINNERS

Community Service Large

WINNER! Alaska Military Youth Academy VIDEO

Fred Meyer VIDEO

Orthopedic Physicians Alaska VIDEO

Community Service Small

WINNER! Wilderness Adventures for Kids Everywhere VIDEO

Alaska Escape Rooms, Inc. VIDEO

Anchorage School Business Partnership VIDEO

Business Excellence

WINNER! LifeMed Alaska VIDEO

PIP Marketing, Signs, and Print VIDEO

SteamDot Coffee Roasters VIDEO

Entrepreneurial Excellence

WINNER! Alaska Chip Company VIDEO

Snowy Berry Cafe VIDEO

Alaskan Sights and Bites VIDEO

Non-Profit Above & Beyond

WINNER! Hospice of Anchorage VIDEO

Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center VIDEO

VOA Alaska VIDEO

Gold Pan Awards Category Criteria

Business Excellence
  • The nominee (businesses only) must have provided excellent goods or services, contributed to the economic vitality of Anchorage, and have a proven record of adaptability and sustainability.
  • The nominee must have been in operation for at least five years by July 2022
Entrepreneurial Excellence

  • The nominee (business or individual) must have started, organized, and managed a successful business, exemplifying creative vision, talent, and innovative thinking that creates business opportunities.

  • People are allowed to nominate themselves.

Non-Profit Above & Beyond

  • Nominees (organizations only) must aim to significantly improve the city of Anchorage outside of their daily operations by helping the business community succeed through growth and quality performance.

  • The organization must have work that exemplifies its mission and has evolved to meet the needs of its members or the community.

Community Service - Large Business

  • Nominees (businesses only) must be active participants in the community who demonstrate outstanding community service, creativity, and excellence and have significantly improved the city of Anchorage by achieving success in its business through growth and quality performance.

  • The company must have more than 50 employees.

Community Service - Small Business

  • Nominees (businesses only) must be active participants in the community who demonstrate outstanding community service, creativity, and excellence and have significantly improved the city of Anchorage by achieving success in its business through growth and quality performance.

  • The company must have less than 50 employees.

What does the selection process look like?

This event aims to highlight local businesses of excellence, and the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce strives to keep the integrity of this process by implementing a selection committee every year. The committee signs an agreement stipulating the following requirements and procedures.

Committee Objective:

The Anchorage Chamber Gold Pan Selection Committee reviews all Gold Pan Award nominations and decides the finalists and winners in each category. They are responsible for picking the best candidates from the nominations submitted to be honored at the Gold Pan Awards. The Gold Pan Awards honors the best in the following categories: Distinguished Community Service for Large Business, Distinguished Community Service for Small Business, Entrepreneurial Excellence, Business Excellence, and Non-Profit Above & Beyond. A Chairman's Award and Ambassador of the Year may be awarded per the staff and Chamber President's recommendations. The Gold Pan Award event is typically held on a Friday in November.

Requirements:

  • Committee members will include:
    • Chamber staff members (at least three, including the President)
    • Members of the Board of Directors (5 including the chairman and both D.E.I. committee chairs)
    • Members of the Young Professionals Group Executive Board (Chair and Vice Chair)
  • The nomination submission deadline will be at least one month before the Gold Pan Awards.
  • Chamber staff will download and email all nomination forms to each committee member one month before the event.
  • Committee members will have one week to review all nomination submissions.
  • All committee members will meet virtually to discuss the nominations and vote for the finalists and winners. It is each participating member's responsibility to come prepared to discuss their favorite nominees.
  • The committee should only consider information expressed in the nomination form when deciding (unless there are extenuating adverse circumstances in the press).
  • The committee should also strive to diversify award finalists and winners.

Voting Process:

  • There will be two rounds of voting:
    • First, each committee member will place three votes in each category. 
    • The three companies with the highest number of votes are the finalists for each category
    • Then, from the list of 3 finalists, each committee member will cast their vote for first place and second place 
      • a first-place choice receives 2 points, and a second-place pick gets 1 point
  • The company with the highest number of points is the Gold Pan winner
  • The Anchorage Chamber President will break any ties
  • Gold Pan Finalists are announced to the public, but Gold Pan winners are to remain secret and will be revealed at the Gold Pan Awards Event
NOMINATIONS FOR 2024 COMING SOON

For sponsorship information, contact Erica Schneider at (907) 677-7111 or events@anchoragechamber.org.

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