Big O Tires Wins Business of the Year at Rifle Chamber Awards

The Roaring ’20s theme hit you the moment you walked into Grand River Health in Rifle. Guests in sequins and suspenders mingled under the chandeliers, a stark contrast to the sterile medical hallway that usually defines the building. It was Saturday night, and the Colorado River Valley Chamber of Commerce had turned a healthcare facility into a speakeasy-style banquet hall for its annual awards ceremony.

Hundreds of locals showed up. They ate. They bid on silent auctions. They watched a skit. And somewhere in the middle of the noise, the Chamber handed out plaques to people who, according to the organization, keep the valley running.

The big news, if you can call it that, is who won. Big O Tires took home the Business of the Year award. Bill Mitchell and Randy Marquez represented the tire shop when they accepted the honor. The criteria were specific: you had to be a member in good standing, actively participate in local events, show strong customer service, and maintain a community image that didn’t suck. Big O cleared that bar. Other nominees included Grand Valley Recreation Center and Alpine Bank, but the tire shop won.

Not exactly a surprise for a place that sells tires. But it’s a signal. In a valley where businesses often struggle to justify their existence beyond selling goods, winning a chamber award is a badge of civic engagement. It means you’re not just taking money out of the register; you’re putting money into the community pot.

The Non-Profit Organization of the Year went to the Riding Institute for Disabled Equestrians, known as RIDE. Brandi Smythe and Poke accepted the award. The chamber looked at how these nonprofits allocate their budgets and whether they engage with the community in ways that set them apart. RIDE beat out the Parachute/Grand Valley Kiwanis Club and the Garfield County Public Library District. That’s a competitive field. Libraries and Kiwanis clubs are the backbone of Western Slope civic life. Beating them suggests RIDE is doing something distinct, something that resonates with the specific needs of Rifle and its surroundings.

Michael Churchill won Community Champion of the Year. He’s a current chamber member or employee who contributes to positive change and has completed significant volunteer work. He shared the spotlight with Lydia Allen and Alex Bernal-Garcia, who were also recognized for their local impact.

Jack Kirkpatrick got the Board Member Appreciation award. He’s been dedicated to the board service, which is the engine room of the chamber. Without people like Kirkpatrick showing up to meetings and making decisions, the chamber is just a website with a logo.

Adrian Botting, the membership and operations coordinator, called the evening "fun and memorable." She said it was a celebration of the individuals and businesses that make the community special. That’s the official line. The practical line is that this event raised funds. Money that goes back into the chamber’s mission: to be a catalyst, collaborator, and champion for local businesses.

Rib City in Rifle presented the toast. Kevin Atchison with Property Professionals sponsored the event and served as the presenter. Their support, along with other sponsors, made the night "truly exceptional," according to Botting.

It’s easy to roll your eyes at chamber awards. They’re shiny plaques. They’re certificates framed in wood. They don’t fix potholes on Main Street. They don’t lower property taxes. But they do create a network. They connect the tire shop to the library to the equestrian center. They force businesses to look at each other, to acknowledge that their success is tied to the health of the valley.

The Roaring ’20s theme was a costume contest. People dressed up. They drank. They won raffle prizes. But underneath the sequins, the chamber was doing what it always does: identifying the players who matter and giving them a platform.

The room emptied out. The chairs were stacked. The silence returned to Grand River Health, replacing the laughter and the clinking of glasses. The awards were packed into boxes. The businesses went back to work. The nonprofits went back to serving. And the chamber went back to planning for next year, when they’ll probably do it all over again, in a different building, with a different theme, honoring the same people who keep the valley moving.