The Woodland Chamber of Commerce honored the 2011 Citizen, Business, and Employee of the Year at the 57th Annual Installation Banquet Jan. 21, at the Kelso Red Lion Hotel.
Woodland City Council Member and area business owner John “J.J.” Burke received the Citizen of the Year award. Earl Keene, owner of the Woodland Burgerville, was awarded Business of the Year, and Heath Biddix, Mechanic Foreman for Chilton Logging, was named Employee of the Year.
Surprised, but honored
For Burke, being involved in the Woodland community is part of who he is, and he says it stems from his time as a young man in the U.S. Coast Guard.
“Our motto was ‘always be ready,’ and that’s been my approach to things,’’ Burke said. “When people needed my help, I made sure I was there.”
A member of the City Council since 2002, Burke was also president of the annual Planters Day celebration, an event which blossomed under his leadership, despite his early apprehension.
“I first got involved 10 years ago after a representative from the old car show told me if it weren’t for them, we wouldn’t have Planters Day in the first place,’’ Burke said. “I took him up on the challenge and was involved ever since.”
For Burke, his approach was simple. Appreciate the help his volunteers put in and respect what ideas they bring to the event.
“You have to praise people for the work they do, and in all the time I’ve been here, we’ve only lost two members of the staff, so I know it works,” Burke said.
On receiving the Citizen of the Year award, Burke was surprised, but it won’t change how he serves the City, even after two unsuccessful attempts at the mayor’s office.
“I do what I like to do,” Burke said.
Community comes first
For Earl Keene, general manager of the Woodland Burgerville, it was his second time being recognized by the Chamber for his charity and volunteer work in the area.
Like Burke, Keene is also an active supporter of Planters Day events, helping the Lions Club with their annual breakfast event, and donating product and time to the Fire Department for their Senior Barbecue.
Burgerville also supplies lunches for the workers on Make a Difference Day, and he’s currently working with the Rotary to raise funds for the new ballpark, as well as with the Library Foundation to raise funds for a new facility.
“For us, it’s all about supporting the community since they’re the ones who support us,” Keene said. “You have to be willing to change and grow with it as it changes.”
“What did I do?”
That was the first thing Heath Biddix of Chilton Logging thought when he found out he received the Employee of the Year award.
“I was suspicious because some of my friends let it slip a little bit before the banquet, but it wasn’t anything I’d really thought much about.” Biddix said. “Anyone who knows me will say I work a lot and you have to love your job to do it well. I certainly do love it here at Chilton.”
Coming to the Woodland logging company from Halton Trucking in Portland in 2001, Biddix says what he enjoys most is the atmosphere owner Craig Chilton provides for him and the rest of the staff.
“Craig is the best owner I’ve ever worked for,” Biddix said. “Everybody here is respectful, hard-working and it’s a different feel than you get with a lot of other companies in this business.”
Biddix is thankful to those who nominated him for the award, but admits he’s gotten some grief from his co-workers as of late.
“I have a lot of guys who said they have to tip their hats to me now as I’m the Employee of the Year,” Biddix said. “They’re a great group of guys, but at the end of the day, they’re still loggers too.”
