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Chamber honors top businesses
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Published: February 21, 2009
NEW PORT RICHEY - The West Pasco Chamber of Commerce honored Pasco Camera Exchange and Genesis School as top businesses while electing Kathryn "Kat" Sille as the honorary Governor of West Pasco.
During a Business Development Week Banquet held Thursday night, Pasco Camera was chosen Business of the Year among companies with 25 or fewer employees. Jim and Annette Smetzer started the camera and photo supply business on Main Street in 1995.
The Smetzers are members of Greater New Port Richey Main Street and the West Pasco Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors. They volunteer at many community events, including the Seafood Festival, Night in the Tropics, Chasco Fiesta and Founders Day, to name just a few. They sponsor the West Pasco Shutterbugs Camera Club.
Other nominees in the category were No Naked Walls, Tampa Bay Property Management, Windsong Charters and Women to Women, P.A.
Among firms with more than 25 employees, Genesis School claimed the top honor.
The school started in 1977 with four employees and grew to the current staff roster of 70. The academic foundation for students includes citizenship training.
The Genesis School is involved with the West Pasco Chamber, New Port Richey Rotary and Morton Plant North Bay Hospital. The school participates in the Chasco Fiesta Street Parade, Boat Parade and the Arbor Day program at Sims Park.
Genesis students also regularly raise money for the American Heart Association through "Jump Rope for Heart" and yearly collect truckloads of food and toys for the children of Abba Farms, The Salvation Army, and others.
Other nominees in the 25-employees-plus category were H & R Block, Monticciolo Family and Sedation Dentistry and Sioux City Steakhouse.
In the race for Governor of West Pasco, Kat Sille was sponsored by Trinity Rotary Club and her charity of choice was Healthy Families/Pasco Kids First. Each dollar raised counted as a vote and Sille got the most "votes."
The runner-up, Cindy Ewald, was sponsored by Pace Center for Girls, which was her charity of choice.
The two candidates raised a total of $25,448 this year. This event has raised a total of $174,892.74 over the past 12 years. The money benefits the chamber and the charities.
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