LOGAN – The Cache Valley Chamber of Commerce presented its 2026 Gala Awards to outstanding members of the public and local businesses on Thursday, Mar. 26.
With a theme of “Growing Cache Valley,” the annual event at the Riverwoods Conference Center was intended to honor the businesses and individuals who make Cache Valley thrive, according to Kerry Bringhurst, the incoming 2026 chair of the Chamber Board of Directors.
“These awards are a reflection of the incredible progress and momentum shaping our region,” Bringhurst explained.
“Growth is happening all around us …” she added, “from the energy and innovation in downtown Logan to the peaks of Logan Canyon at Beaver Mountain, from the campuses of Utah State University and Bridgerland Technical College to the expanding network of trails and parks throughout our communities.”
Leading off a new category of Chamber awards, the recent addition of “the Cabin” at Beaver Mountain Ski Resort was recognized as the business expansion project of the year.
Also known as “Marge’s Cabin” in honor of co-owner Marge Seeholzer, the sprawling new lodge was completed after nearly three years of construction thanks to the monumental effort of hauling 27,000 tons of building materials up Logan Canyon. Featuring a wide array of new hospitality services, every detail of the new lodge reflects its commitment to connection, comfort and community.
Among other new categories of Chamber awards, Mountain States Properties was recognized as having Cache Valley’s best workplace culture and Bree Gnehm of Mountain States Properties was named Human Resource leader of the year.
The late Dr. Mike Wolf was posthumously honored as the Unsung Hero of Cache Valley.
As a USU professor, Wolf impacted the education of thousands of students and influenced wildlife management practices by reshaping commonly-held ideas about conservation and human interact with the natural world.
Also hailing from USU, Dr. Crescencio López-González was honored with the Distinguished Leadership, Resilience ad Community Impact Award.
López-González was recognized for his teaching, research and public engagement that have worked to strengthen connections between the university and its broader community.
The Chamber’s award for the best Start-Up Business went to Lifestyle Medical, a Main Street medical device business that supports innovation, manufacturing and long-term job creation.
Providence Mayor Kathleen Alder was cited as the Woman of the Year by the Chamber’s Women in Business group.
Finally, the Chamber’s Citizen of the Year Award went to Holly Daines, the former mayor of Logan.
A Cache Valley native, Daines graduated from Utah State University and received a master’s degree in Arts Administration from the University of Utah. Prior to returning to Logan with her husband Peter in 1989, she worked for arts organizations in Salt Lake City and New York City.
Daines served as Logan’s mayor from 2017 to 2025 and previously served on the Logan City council for eight years.
The Chamber Gala event also provided the opportunity to introduce the new members of the Chamber’s boards of directors and governors to the local business community.