Nominations Open for Downtown Kennewick Awards

Nominations are being sought for businesses, volunteers and individuals to be recognized for their efforts to champion Historic Downtown Kennewick for the 2021 award year. The community is invited to nominate advocates who made an impact downtown in 2021 through their commitments of time, expertise and resources. Nominations are due November 11, 2022.
 
Selection committees will review nominations for the Business, Volunteer, Revitalization, and Kennewick Downtowner of the Year award categories, and the winners will be announced at the Historic Downtown Kennewick Partnership Annual Meeting and Breakfast on December 9.
 
Eligibility criteria for each award category and nomination information is available at https://www.historickennewick.org/nominations.
 
The Business of the Year Award recognizes an active business located or operating in the downtown Kennewick area (located between the Blue Bridge and Cable Bridge and between the waterfront and 10th Ave) that has demonstrated exceptional performance and growth, outstanding employment practices, innovative products or services, exemplary customer service, and/or response to adversity or community involvement. The nominee must have been in business at least 3 years and be a member in good standing with the Historic Downtown Kennewick Partnership. Past recipients are not eligible to receive the award a second time. The award recipient is selected by the Historic Downtown Kennewick Partnership Organization Committee.
 
The Ralph & Jo Benton Volunteer of the Year Award recognizes the activities and accomplishments of a person(s) whose efforts have directly benefited downtown Kennewick over an extended period of time. There is no requirement that the nominee(s) be a resident of the City of Kennewick, work in the city of Kennewick, or own property in the City of Kennewick, only that their contributions have positively impacted the area. The recipient(s) are selected by the Historic Downtown Kennewick Partnership Organization Committee.
 
The Revitalization Award recognizes the hard work and investment of those who have improved properties, places and storefronts in the downtown area. Projects may serve as an inspiration to other downtown property and business owners and signify momentum and positive energy in the district. If applicable, multiple projects may be recognized by the selection committee, the HDKP Design Committee. The 2020 recipient, Layered Cake Artistry and Cake Studio, was recognized for interior and exterior renovations at 117 W. Kennewick Ave. which reflected positively on an entire block.
 
The Ken Silliman Downtowner Award is the Partnership’s highest honor, recognizing significant contributions made to the downtown Kennewick area over an extended period of time. Named in honor of the first recipient in 1989, past recipients have demonstrated visionary efforts that support economic prosperity, build consensus, and meet needs. There is no requirement that the nominee(s) be a resident of the City of Kennewick, work in the city of Kennewick, or own property in the City of Kennewick, only a history of contributions benefitting the downtown area. Past recipients are not eligible to receive the award a second time. Final selection of the Kennewick Downtown of the Year is made by past award recipients.
 
For 2020, Ken Hohenberg was honored for his over 40-year history of serving the downtown Kennewick and Columbia Drive community, most recently as the police chief. Hohenberg’s attributes of integrity, community-mindedness, friendliness, and collaboration with residents, property owners, businesses, and stakeholders supported revitalization of the historic downtown and waterfront.