PRESCOTT – Prescott Area Chamber members were a bunch of happy campers at the organization’s Annual Dinner Wednesday, Jan. 18 at the Old Ptacek’s Event Center.

“One Happy Camper” was the theme of the event, and attendees dressed for a night around the campfire.

Incoming Chamber President will be Lisa Johnson, who couldn’t attend the event, and outgoing president Chad Steger joked that the standing ovation when Johnson was announced was because she wasn’t there to give a speech.

Steger touted the new Prescott Tourism Commission and its efforts to draw more people to Prescott.

“We are going to try to increase tourism. We’re going to increase our visibility across the board,” he said. “We’re going to try to increase the dollars spent in town at all businesses.

“This is going to be a really nice program,” he said. “They did a wonderful job setting up the Oktoberfest in partnership with some of the businesses downtown, and they also partnered with businesses for the Winter Fest that we had last weekend that had just a wonderful turnout. It was just a cool event all around.”

The award for Community Member of the Year Award went to Megan Langer, who owns the Port of Prescott, The Cove and The Harbor Hotel, that used to be the River Heights Motel. She still makes time to donate her time and efforts back to the community.

Educator of the Year was Prescott High School Principal Josh Fiege. He took the top job at the high school in 2017 and was lauded for his leadership and advocacy for students, colleagues and the administration. He also works hard for the community.

Fiege credited the school staff for the great things going on at PHS.

“We have an amazing team that I work with at the high school and the school district. They make what we do for kids possible,” he said. “I was fortunate to step into a great community in my first-ever administrative job, and I really don’t want to leave this one because Prescott is so spectacular.”

Business of the Year went to Cernohous Chevrolet, which celebrated its 90th anniversary in 2022. The company has been a mainstay in supporting the community for all of those nine decades.

Ron Murphy of Cernohous commented, “Prescott is a fantastic place to live. We’ve been fortunate. I’m going to thank two groups. Number one, all of our customers are the reason we can be here. Number two, all of our employees over the years, we’ve had just a ton of really great employees. Those are the people that have made it work. We’re very thankful for all of them and thanks for being a great community.”

Amber Hanson of Westconsin Credit Union congratulated Ron Murphy of Cernohous Chevrolet, which was honored as Business of the Year at the Prescott Area Chamber of Commerce Annual Dinner on Jan. 18 at the Old Ptacek Event Center. Photo by Hannah Mae Thomes, Hanna Mae Photography

Prescott High School Principal thanked the Prescott School District staff and administration team in remarks after he was honored as Educator of the Year at the Prescott Area Chamber of Commerce Annual Dinner Jan. 18 at the Old Ptacek Event Center. Photo by Hannah Mae Thomes, Hanna Mae Photography

Julie Moe of Westconsin Credit Union (left) presented the Community Member of the Year Award to Megan Langer, owner of the Port of Prescott, The Cove and The Harbor Hotel at the Prescott Area Chamber of Commerce Annual Dinner Jan. 18.Photo by Hannah Mae Thomes, Hanna Mae Photography