Danville Area Chamber of Commerce Awards Honor Tri-Valley Residents

The Danville Area Chamber of Commerce held its annual installation dinner last week, with Danville Mayor Mike Doyle swearing in the chamber's 2010 Board of Directors.

The chamber also honored a citizen, business person, educator and charitable organization of the year. At the end of the dinner and auction -- complete with a performance by harp soloist and Monte Vista High School School student Shannon Polley -- Chamber CEO Melony Newman presented a new award, hero of the year, to honor Danville pilot Chesley Burnett "Sully" Sullenberger III.

This is the first year the chamber honored a hero of the year at the awards dinner. Newman said it was a "special year." She added that the chamber wanted to honor the pilot for saving 155 lives Jan. 15, 2009, when he made an emergency landing of U.S. Airways flight 1549 on the Hudson River.

Danville town council member Newell Arnercih accepted the award for Sullenberger, who was unable to attend the event.  "They have no plans of moving," Arnerich said of Sullenberger and his wife. "Danville is their home."

Others recognized at the Bridges Golf Club on Feb. 18  included Connie Forslind as educator of the year. Forslind has taught at Rancho Romero Elementary in Alamo for the last 38 years.

Forslind, who was nomiated for the award once before, thanked the crowd of San Ramon Valley Unified School District parents for "sharing their children with her." Forslind will retire at the end of the school year and said she will look for volunteer opportunities to continue helping children through education and music.

The citizen of the year award was presented to Scott Heller, a San Ramon jeweler and longtime Danville resident involved in the popular downtown Danville Fourth of July parade.

Guy A. Greco, of Heritage Bank, was honored as business person of the year. Greco, who is also the new chair for the Crow Canyon Country Club, has lived in the San Ramon Valley for over 35 years.

The San Ramon Valley Education Foundation was honored as charitable organization of the year. This year, due in large part to the Primo's Run for Education in October, the foundation raised $180,000 for schools.

The event, attended by 135 people, was the Danville Area Chamber of Commerce's 62nd dinner installing officers and directors.