Clear Lake Chamber Celebrates

CLEAR LAKE — The Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce held their annual meeting and awards celebration Thursday afternoon at the Surf Ballroom.

The event began with outgoing Board Chair Sarah Nielsen of First Citizens Bank passing the gavel to incoming Board Chair Mark Dodd of OneVision.

Chamber President and CEO Stacy Doughan reviewed the many accomplishments of the chamber to the crowd of 243. Doughan says the record crowd demonstrates that people are excited about everything happening in the community. “I think it’s just a really exciting time for Clear Lake. We have so many positives in the works. You know we’re right here in the Surf Ballroom, which is a National Historic Landmark, and next door is the Music Experience Center that will be opening later this year. So I think people were excited to get in there and see what it was all about and come here and celebrate what we have going on.”

After revealing the Chamber’s new 2025 visitor’s guide, the Chamber presented their annual awards:

== The Business of the Year was presented to OneVision

== The Larry Luker Volunteer of the Year Award went to The North Iowa Cultural Center and Museum Board of Directors, the non-profit organization that oversees the Surf Ballroom

== The Spirit of North Iowa Award was given to the NIACC John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center

== The Entrepreneur of the Year Award was given to The Funky Zebra Boutique

== The First Mate of the Year recognition was presented to Denise Etzel