Day had his night.<\/p>\n
Kirby Day, port manager for Holland America Group, was named Citizen of the Year Saturday at the Greater Juneau Chamber of Commerce\u2019s annual dinner held in Centennial Hall.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been so fortunate to end up here,\u201d Day said after receiving his award. \u201cI love this community. I\u2019m humbled to be on the list of people who have stood up and received this award.\u201d<\/p>\n
Day, who helped start and shape Tourism Best Management Practices, said he\u2019s pleased to do his job and happy about where he does it.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been honored and blessed to be in this industry for 38 years, 31 of it in Juneau,\u201d Day said. \u201cI will always think of this as my home.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fittingly, the dinner\u2019s theme was Cruise the Night Away, and Day was greeted onstage by the opening of the Beatles\u2019 \u201cYellow Submarine.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIs that supposed to be my era of music?\u201d Day joked while shiny confetti fell.<\/p>\n
After the ceremony, Day said he was completely surprised to receive the award and credited his coworkers and opportunities that have allowed him to make decisions that have had a local impact.<\/p>\n
Day said hiring local has been \u201cnear and dear\u201d to his heart over the years, and there are people who started out holding signs for him who have gone on to become business owners.<\/p>\n
He said it might be contrived, but that takes a team effort.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not me, it\u2019s a number of people I\u2019ve worked with and learned from,\u201d Day said.<\/p>\n
Sztuk together<\/strong><\/p>\n Steve and Jean Sztuk were similarly surprised by the Lifetime Achievement Award the couple received during the dinner.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re absolutely honored, and I\u2019m stunned,\u201d said Jean Sztuk, longtime director for Juneau Fourth of July Parade Committee. \u201cUsually, when I start talking people say, \u2018Will she ever shut up?\u2019 But I\u2019m honored. I don\u2019t know what else to say.\u201d<\/p>\n Steve Sztuk, a World War II veteran who worked for Alaska Electric Light & Power for 42 years, thanked everyone for the award.<\/p>\n After the ceremony, Jean Sztuk said she had an inkling her husband might be receiving an award because she was asked by event organizers for some information about him, but when their names were read, it still came as a shock.<\/p>\n \u201cI just grabbed his hand and said to my angels, \u2018Thank you.\u2019\u201d Jean Sztuk said. \u201cI haven\u2019t cried in years, and I almost lost it.\u201d<\/p>\n The Sztuks weren\u2019t the only Lifetime Achievement Award recipients as an unprecedented third award winner was also announced.<\/p>\n State Sen. Dennis Egan, former Juneau mayor and a hall-of-fame broadcaster, also received the award.<\/p>\n Egan was unable to attend the dinner; however, presenters said he would be honored at an upcoming luncheon.<\/p>\n Gavel to gavel<\/strong><\/p>\n The dinner also served as a changing of the guard for the chamber.<\/p>\n Outgoing president Richard Burns passed the gavel to incoming president Mike Satre.<\/p>\n Satre outlined a couple of hopes for his term while addressing attendees, including increasing membership.<\/p>\n \u201cAs our membership strengthens and grows, we\u2019ll build our financial strength,\u201d Satre said.<\/p>\n He also said he wants to ensure existing members get as much as they can from the chamber.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s my one goal as president this year,\u201d Satre said.<\/p>\n
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