Coachella Chamber of Commerce 3rd Annual Business Awards Gala
Staff/La Prensa Hispana
The Coachella Chamber led by Chairman President Debbie Garcia and Executive Director Cynthia Tinoco, presented their 3rd Annual Business Awards on October 23rd, in Coachella, Ca.
Thirteen recognitions were given out including Business of the Year – Forest Lawn Memorial Parks and Mortuaries, Business Leader of the Year – W. Gene Mays, Community Partnership Award – Augustine Casino, and Home Town Hero – Lee Espinoza. Bea Gonzalez was the Mistress of Ceremonies and presented the awards.
The presentations read in part: Forest Lawn Memorial Parks and Mortuaries have for more than a century been committed to providing outstanding service and beautiful environments for family outings, remembering loved ones and commemorating holidays. Their newest location is in Coachella.
Business Leader of the Year W. Gene Mays, is a commercial Real Estate Broker and Owner of Mays Real Estate. He is President of MGM Retail Properties, Inc., Developer and Partner/Manager of Coachella’s Plaza Harrison Shopping Center as well as Founder and CEO of Pizza Pai USA in Coachella. Since relocating in the Coachella Valley in 1997, Mr. Mays was GM of the Indio Fashion Mall for five years and is currently the GM and Leasing Agent of the Esplanade Center on Date Palm in Cathedral City. Augustine Casino received the Award for Community Partnership and is seen as the home of one of the most creative and successful marketing teams in the valley. It boasts of being the most popular and entertaining environment in the East Valley with 800 of the newest and most popular slot machines, including state of the art video games. Lee Espinoza was honored as the Home Town Hero. Lee started coaching boxing 32 years ago. Lee has trained many of the valleys’ youth in sports and has 3 students who have become world champions. Lee was inducted into the California Boxing Hall of Fame in 2005.
Miguel Tristan De LA Gloria provided the entertainment. Photos by: Ben Saiz/La Prensa Hispana
