By Ines Bebea
Gary Falati speaks about the contributions of McNaughton President Foy S. McNaughton, second from left, that made him the Fairfield Chamber of CommerceÕs Citizen of the Year as his wife, Barbara, and son, T. Burt McNaughton look on. The Daily Republic was named business of the year by the chamber. (Photo by Mike McCoy)
FAIRFIELD - Foy S. McNaughton, president and CEO of McNaughton Newspapers, was recognized as Citizen of the Year, and the Daily Republic was honored as the Business of the Year by the Fairfield Suisun Chamber of Commerce during its 60th anniversary celebration on Thursday.
The annual installment luncheon drew more than 200 guests from the business community and elected officials from Fairfield, Suisun City and Solano County to the Courtyard by Marriott.
"We've survived in this business because we believe in having a connection with he community," McNaughton said. "If the owner of a paper doesn't live or interact with the community, there is no connection. We are committed to community journalism, and it's a great honor to be recognized for that."
After Bill James, publisher of the Daily Republic, accepted the Business of the Year award, he spoke of the newspaper's commitment to the community. He added that in an industry driven by companies with stockholders, the Daily Republic has remained independent.
"I want to thank the McNaughton family for their commitment to community journalism," James said. "We are an independently owned company whose staff is very involved in the community that we cover."
During the luncheon, T. Burt McNaughton of the Daily Republic, Sue Vaccaro of Solano Garbage Co. and Ralph Berumen of Fairfield Collision Center were installed as officers to the board of directors.
"It has been a challenging 18 months, but the Chamber has made strides in helping your business be more profitable," said Leslie Fay, who became president and CEO of the Fairfield Suisun Chamber of Commerce last January. "Our 60th anniversary exemplifies our mark of excellence, growth and continued support from the community."
Keynote speaker Wil Cason challenged those in attendance to take part in making Fairfield the most desirable city in the United States.
"It takes leadership and dedication from the Chamber and the mayor to create a city where lives, businesses, families and youth can thrive," said Cason, a motivational speaker and founder of Positive Steps Consulting. "We all need to create a vision beyond today. We need to think about what difference we can provide to make that vision a reality."
Cason referred to companies such as Copart Inc., Travis Credit Union, and Bryan-Braker Funeral Home that have thrived in Fairfield. This week, Copart Inc. was named one of the top 100 Small Businesses by Business Week magazine.
"The Chamber's celebration is significant because if you look at the economy, it is not created by government or housing," said Mike Reagan chairman of the Solano County Board of Supervisors. "The economy is created by employers who begin their community involvement through the Chamber. The Chamber is the gateway to other involvement. It is through their leadership and mentoring efforts that new visionaries are made and make the community viable."
Reach Ines Bebea at 427-6934 or ibebea@dailyrepublic.net.
