It was a dark and stormy night but that didn’t deter Woodland business and community leaders from honoring those who have made a difference.

Held within a porcelain-white tent at Velocity Island, the gaiety of the 93rd Annual Dinner and recognition ceremony was in stark contrast to the steady downpour outside as the first of two major winter storms moved through the region.

The Friday night event celebrated Astound Business Solutions, Laugenour & Meikle, Jayne Williams and the Woodland Volunteer Food Closet for their efforts to support local businesses and the community at large.

Emceed by Craig Jones, the celebration also introduced the new leadership for the Woodland Chamber of Commerce in 2025. Installed were President Kelley Jacobsen of Yolo Federal Credit Union; First Vice President Katie Curran of Dignity Health; Treasurer Bryson Reynoso of Tri Counties Bank and Immediate Past President Josh Yarbrough of Pacific Coast Producers.

Aniek Pflager, of Van Beurden Insurance Services and past president of the chamber, conducted the oath of office ceremony.

Cynthia Evans serves as the chamber’s executive director.

Jayne Williams was recognized as the 2024 Member of the Year. Williams is the executive director of All Leaders Must Service and is a member of the chamber’s board of directors.

Through All Leaders Must Serve, Williams works with at-risk youth and potential employers. The agency has been in operation for 10 years and just created a partnership with the Woodland Joint Unified School District and Cache Creek High School.

This year, the agency also partnered with Yolo Federal Credit Union to help students open bank accounts. In 2024, All Leaders Must Service also provided financial assistance for 50 at-risk students who achieved perfect attendance over a two-week period.

Honored as the 2024 Nonprofit of the Year was the Woodland Food Closet. Presented with the award was Tania Garcia-Cadena, a city councilwoman and former mayor, who has been leading the agency for more than 15 years.

The Food Closet, Jones said, was established in 1968 to provide emergency assistance to those facing food insecurity and was formed following a Yolo County Grand Jury report that found people in Woodland needed a food distribution system.

“Their primary focus is to provide three days of nutritionally balanced groceries to anyone in need, once a month,” said Jones, “and works with other organizations and individuals to obtain food before it becomes unusable.”

Winner of the 2024 Small Business Award was Laugenour & Meikle for its decades of service to the community and the chamber. It was received by Matthew Souza.

Founded in 1953, Laugenour and Meikle is a full-service firm that has been delivering expert, and state-of-the-art civil engineering, land surveying, and planning and entitlement services.

A member of the chamber for 68 years, Laugenour and Meikle, regularly supports local events such as Dinner on Main, the annual Golf Tournament along with a tour of local businesses, and various youth-oriented programs.

Astound Business Solutions was honored as the 2024 Business of the Year, with the award presented to Bobbilyn Westbrook.

Jones said Astound regularly supports the community through donations and sponsorships and has been a member of the chamber for 31 years.

Astound is also a major sponsor of chamber events such as the Golf Tournament, Farm City Dinner, and the annual Chamber Open House.