Tigard’s 2012 Shining Stars Community Awards Chamber Volunteer of the Year Recipient Named

Brian Castellanos, an Associate Agency Manager with COUNTRY Financial®, is the 2012 Tigard Chamber Volunteer of the Year Award recipient.  The Chamber Volunteer of the Year Award honors a Chamber member who has volunteered many hours of time, talent and energy to the success and growth of the Tigard Chamber.  Bert Tousey and his example of Chamber volunteerism is commitment at its best.  The award recipient is an example of an active member who has sustained their efforts on behalf of the Chamber over a long period of time.  By their efforts, they have made the Tigard Chamber more effective in serving the Tigard community. Brian exemplifies this award through his numerous volunteer activities with the Tigard Chamber.  Brian quickly engaged with the chamber after joining in May 2010.  His volunteer contributions to the Tigard Chamber are numerous and include:Helped repaint the chamber meeting room in September of 2010, along with several other volunteers, giving up part of his Saturday.
Leveraged his connections to get the chamber a landscaper who provided a cost effective solution for removal of a dead hedge in the chamber landscaping.  That landscaper has since joined the chamber and maintains our landscaping on a semi-annual basis.
Since 2010, Brian has served on the newly formed Fundraising Subcommittee whose role is to look for creative ways to generate additional funds that the chamber can put towards member programs. This has resulted in some residual for the chamber.
Was the Title Sponsor for the Sept 2010 Tigard Chamber Annual Golf Tournament  and also joined the Golf Committee.
In 2011 Brian stepped up again as the Title Sponsor for the chamber Golf Tournament, and acted as the unofficial chair of the committee. In this role he spent countless hours connecting with the golf course, negotiating tournament pricing/deposits, pro shop credits, clarifying details on cart sponsorships etc.  He also engaged other members in sponsoring, injected some new game holes to enhance the tourney and gathered high value raffle prizes.  Brian set a personal goal to really blow the doors off the tourney. The results were a significant increase in per player and sponsor income as compared to the 2010 tourney.
Despite a recent move to a Beaverton office location, Brian has agreed to chair the Golf Committee for 2012 and planning for this years event has already begun.
In keeping with his ambassadorial role with the chamber, Brian also became a Member of the Chamber Board of Directors  for the 2011-2012 fiscal year, attending monthly board meetings to review and discuss chamber business in addition to his other chamber volunteer activities.
In his tenure with the Tigard Chamber, Brian has recruited 4 businesses into the chamber.  He is always connecting and advocating on behalf of the chamber and has expanded this to include advocacy of the Tigard Area Farmers markets to businesses interested in sponsorship.
Brian always brings great energy and a positive outlook to all his interactions with the chamber.  Without volunteers like Brian, the Tigard Chamber would not be the vital, growing organization it is today. The Bert Tousey, Tigard Chamber Volunteer of the Year award will be formally presented with other Tigard volunteer and business awards at Tigard’s 2012 Shining Stars Community Awards Celebration sponsored by Platinum Title Sponsor West Coast Bank and held on Friday, April 27th from 6-9 p.m. at Embassy Suites –Washington Square, event location host.  With a theme of “Escape to a Night in the Caribbean”, thisCaribbeanthemed dinner event includes dinner, silent auction, steel drum music, limbo, awards, and more.  Tickets are only $35/person, dress is casual, tropical.  Come Join Us and celebrate Tigard. For further details about Shining Stars, please contact the Tigard Area Chamber of Commerce at 503-639-1656 or at info@tigardchamber.org  or go to our webpage at www.tigardchamber.org About Tigard Area Chamber of Commerce (TACC) The TACC, established in 1955, is a forward thinking membership organization which provides opportunities for consistent and sustainable long-term business growth!  The TACC is creating a strong, interconnected business community where strength through collaboration and power through partnerships makes Business Soar.  We do this by building a strong local economy, providing business networking, being involved in our community and representing the interests of business with government. About Country Financial® For more than 80 years, we’ve been helping people like you balance your need to protect what you have with your desire to build for the future. Our COUNTRY Financial® representatives are local people you know and trust. They’re knowledgeable, down to earth and backed by a team of professionals. Whether you’re starting your first job, raising a family, putting your children through college or nearing retirement, we can provide a tangible plan for your future financial security. Let us put our experience and financial strength to work for you. http://www.countryfinancial.com/