The Association of Washington Business (AWB) has presented thirteen of its members with the Heavy Lifter Award, an honor which recognizes their efforts on behalf of AWB.

“Much of the AWB’s success has come from the efforts of its members who volunteer thousands of hours to the organization throughout the year,” said AWB President Don Brunell. “While the Heavy Lifter Award recognizes individual effort, it also recognizes the contributions and dedication of all of our members.”

This year’s award recipients are:

Brad Carlson, Evergreen Memorial Gardens (Vancouver), for his help with membership recruitment and work on donations for AWB’s building;

David Quiring, Quiring Monuments Inc. (Seattle), for providing the granite monument for AWB’s flag pavilion;

Brad Marten, Marten Law Group PLLC (Seattle), for being the managing director of AWB’s environmental desk book;

Bill Meacham, The Meacham Group (Kirkland), for assisting with AWB’s Health Choice program;

Jeff Gingold, Lane, Powell, Spears, Lubersky LLP (Vancouver), for assisting with AWB’s Health Choice program;

Bob Ulin, AQP Publishing, Inc. (Alaska), for AQP’s partnership with AWB in creating and distributing AWB’s Washington Business Magazine;

Bruce Beckett, Weyerhaeuser Company (Federal Way), for playing a key role in negotiating and getting SB 6415 (stormwater) through the 2004 Legislature;

Ken Johnson, Weyerhaeuser Company (Federal Way), for playing a key role in negotiating and getting SB 6415 (stormwater) through the 2004 Legislature;

Mel Oleson, The Boeing Company (Everett), for playing a key role in negotiating and getting SB 6415 (stormwater) through the 2004 Legislature;

Collins Sprague, Avista Corporation (Spokane), for co-chairing and founding AWB’s energy committee.

Tim Boyd, The TSB Group (Olympia), for co-chairing and founding AWB’s energy committee;

Sarah Mack, Mentor Law Group PLLC (Seattle), for being the chair of AWB’s Water Resources Community and spending hundreds of unpaid (billable) hours negotiating a relinquishment bill with the Locke administration;

Gus Kiss, The Meacham Group (Kirkland), for assisting in the initiation of AWB’s Health Choice program which offers discounted health care to small business owners and their employees;

AWB is Washington’s oldest and largest statewide business association. It was formed in 1904. Its 4,000 members employ over 600,000 workers. AWB also is the state’s Chamber of Commerce and umbrella organization for more than 125 trade and professional organizations. While AWB’s membership includes the states major employers like Boeing, Microsoft, and Weyerhaeuser, more than 85 percent of AWB members employ fewer than 100, and 33 percent of AWB members hire fewer than 10.