Gresham Chamber celebrates police dog champion with rarefied ‘Exceptional Mission Award’

Published 5:00 am Wednesday, May 21, 2025

By Christopher Keizur

A roomful of business leaders were howling in approval during an annual awards ceremony that celebrates the best and brightest across the city.

The 2024 Business Excellence Awards honors many folks, but this year was extra special. For only the third time ever the Gresham Area Chamber of Commerce presented the Exceptional Mission Award.

The recipient was Hung Nguyen, a former officer with the Gresham Police Department. The feather in his cap, and impetuous for the trophy, was the creation of a regionally-celebrated K9 Police Program from the ground up.

“Thank you for this award,” Nguyen said. “I wasn’t expecting this — everyone kept it a secret until I sat down at the table and saw my name on the program.”

The Chamber holds the Business Excellence Awards annually. The gathering was Tuesday, May 20, at Mountainview Christian Church ,1890 N.E. Cleveland Ave. The awards are peer-nominated and voted, recognizing those who’ve made a major impact across various categories.

The 2025 Business Excellence Awards

Volunteer of the Year: Kayla Viramontes

It can be exhausting taking in all that Kayla Viramontes does across Gresham. The owner of the Bold Orange seems to pop-up on boards and organizations everywhere you look. She is the president of the Gresham-Barlow Youth Baseball/Softball Association; incoming president of the Gresham Soroptimists, where she has helmed the Teddy Bear Parade the last few years; member of the Breakfast Lions and Historic Downtown Association; volunteer at schools including the Reynolds Learning Academy and Butler Elementary; and probably a dozen other things.

It is just what Viramontes has done since first volunteering at 12 years old.

“We can mold and build community as volunteers,” she said. “You just have to find something you love and pursue it.”

Nonprofit of the Year: Center for the Arts Foundation

The events helmed by the Center for the Arts Foundation annually is dizzying. Music Mondays, Wednesday Music in the Parks, Spirit of Christmas, Spirit of Channukah, Día de los Muertos, the Festival of Arts in Gresham. All of it blends culture and community, while drawing tens of thousands to the city every year.

“This is such a great city,” said Sue O’Halloran, board president. “By us opening the doors to artists and musicians, it makes Gresham that much better.”

Rising Star: Lloyd Anderson

There was a big push to rename this award “Shooting Star,” because it more accurately encapsulated what Lloyd Anderson is all about. Be it volunteering to drive the entire Chamber Leadership Team down to Salem, to staying late to help cleanup following a gathering, Anderson is a willing volunteer. He is the owner of Armadas Exterior, an exterior remodeling company that provides roofing, solar installation, siding and gutter solutions.

“Thank you — I have to get off the stage now before I pass out,” he said.

Try Local First: Centennial School District

When the Centennial School District passed a major $65 million infrastructure bond five years ago, the immediate focus was on ensuring those dollars circulated locally. The bond, which positively impacted every school within the district, had 98.7% of the work done by contractors within 30 miles. That equated to $73 million spent (more money was granted through matching dollars from the state) in this community.

“Strong schools and strong economies go hand-in-hand,” said Centennial Superintendent James Owens. “At every step we focused on maximizing those benefits by awarding to local contracts.”

It made a difference. The Chamber estimates every $1 spent locally gets circulated 7 times in the community. That is a whole lot of dollars thanks to the Eagles.

Family Business: Bean Counting & Consulting LLC

A family business in Gresham lives up to that designation. At Bean Counting & Consulting LLC, which provides customized bookkeeping and accounting services for business, family is baked into every aspect. Owner Michelle Blevins’ daughter works remote while in college, and her son is a jack-of-all-trades ensuring everything runs smoothly. But its more than just blood relatives that makes up the “Bean Team.”

“I couldn’t do this without my whole team who are like family to me,” Blevins said.

Small Business: Hive Recovery Collective

A group of professionals committed to helping folks recover, rejuvenate and thrive were celebrated with an award. The Hive Recovery Collective specializes in massage therapy, cupping, and injury recovery, with an approach rooted in holistic practices.

“If your car is getting an oil change more often than you are getting a massage, you are maintaining the wrong vehicle,” said Alta Ulrich, founder.

“I am truly thankful — not often you take a leap, follow your dream and get recognized like this,” she added.

Medium Business: Snap Fitness

Gresham is the fourth largest city in Oregon. The local Snap Fitness is the fourth largest franchise in the country. A match made in heaven. The locally-owned fitness facility is all about fostering a supportive community to move bodies and improve moods. There is a wide array of cardio, strength and functional training equipment; classes; unique workout spaces; and more.

“Thank you everyone,” said Kimberly Hopper, owner and general manager of the Gresham gym. “This journey would not be possible without my amazing team — they make my dreams into reality.”

Large Business: onsemi

onsemi specializes in delivering industry-leading products to solve challenging problems, be it the technology in your phone or life-saving innovations in the medical field. The Gresham manufacturing plant recently made a groundbreaking development for the many people with diabetes. The local team created a “Continuous Glucose Monitor” which allows those diagnosed to easily track their blood sugar levels without the discomfort of frequent pinpricks.

“Our connection to the local community and the engagement of our employees is what makes this special,” said Doug Clark, general manager of Gresham onsemi. “The things we are doing is making a difference, and this award recognizes that.”

Exceptional Mission: Hung Nguyen

Nguyen had a long and storied career as a Gresham officer — he retired last year during a celebration that left many of his peers teary eyed. He was a patrol officer; member of SWAT and school resource officers; trained new recruits for nearly a decade; and created “Police Family 101” to help ease the transition for the loved ones of officers; and supporting the annual Adopt a Cop program.

But it was his work with police dogs that truly earned him the recognition. He was instrumental in bringing a comfort dog to the department — Officer Tagg, a black labrador, joined him on stage to accept the award.

Nguyen joins rarefied air, this award has only been granted twice before — Alix Bemis for her youth reading program and the city of Gresham for its nimble approach to small business grants during the pandemic.

Honoree of the Year: Karen Johnston

The final award of the afternoon is considered by many to be the most prestigious, and is kept a surprise until glowing praises are sung upon the stage. Johnston is a rallying force within the community, and she was celebrated because of the many ways she gives back. The owner of All About Automotive spends countless hours supporting various groups. She is a board member of the Gresham Historical Society and major supporter of Eastside Timbers.

“I’m overwhelmed and shocked,” Johnston said. “Thank you for this. I just want to make our community better.”

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