Six Leaders Recognized at Business Leadership Awards
The Milgard School of Business is celebrating Evie Lynn, Gordon Naccarato, Brad Cheney, Kathi Littmann, Jim Milgard Jr. and Bill Weyerhaeuser at its annual recognition gala.
On July 29, UW Tacoma and the Milgard School of Business will open their doors for the Business Leadership Awards, the first face-to-face public event on the campus since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The awards, first given in 2001 and presented almost every year since then, recognize South Sound business leaders for outstanding service to their company and the community.
This year’s cohort (see below) were originally to be recognized in May of 2020, but the event was postponed as the region, the nation and the world pivoted to address the COVID-19 pandemic.
Over the years, 85 individuals have been recognized through this awards program, in categories such as Business, Small Business and Non-profit Leader of the Year and Lifetime Achievements (both for- and non-profit). New this year are categories recognizing Entrepreneur of the Year and Sustainable Business Leader of the Year.
Business Leader of the Year
Evie Lynn, ‘61
Careage Corporation
Entrepreneur of the Year
Gordon Naccarato, ‘77
Pacific Grill
Lifetime Achievements - Non-Profit
Brad Cheney
Ben B. Cheney Foundation
Non-Profit Business Leader of the Year
Kathi Littmann
Greater Tacoma Community Foundation
Sustainable Business Leader of the Year
Jim Milgard, Jr.
Continental Floral Greens
Lifetime Achievements – For Profit
Bill Weyerhaeuser
Columbia Bank