Gala celebration to honor all six winners slated for Feb. 27

Published in the December 9 – 22, 2015 issue of Morgan Hill Life

By Marty Cheek

Photo by Marty Cheek  Gene, Gary and George Guglielmo display the certificate announcing the family winery as the Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce’s Business of the Year for 2016.

Photo by Marty Cheek
Gene, Gary and George Guglielmo display the certificate announcing the family winery as the Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce’s Business of the Year for 2016.

With bouquets of bright flowers, short speeches of congratulations, and hugs and handshaking, members of the Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce surprised several individuals last week by presenting them with the news they will be honored at the business organization’s 2016 Celebrate gala in February.

Guglielmo Winery’s brothers George, Gary and Gene found out that their family-run company is the 2016 Business of the Year. RE/MAX real estate agent Marian Tankersley learned she is the 2016 Volunteer of the Year. And Heritage Bank Senior Vice President Jeff Perkins discovered he was selected the 2016 Man of the Year.

Inside the tasting room at Guglielmo Winery, the group of Chamber members and staff waited for the three brothers to arrive for a “meeting.” George and Gene walked through the door and looked confused when they saw the group. (Gary didn’t know about the “meeting,” so didn’t show up.) Chamber President/CEO John Horner presented the two with a certificate while Chamber Ambassador Leonette Stafford gave them flowers.
“I think it’s literally true that Morgan Hill wouldn’t be Morgan Hill without Guglielmo Winery,” Horner told them.

Guglielmo Winery celebrated its 90th year in operation in September with a birthday gala. The founders Emile and Emilia came from Italy and lived in San Francisco but worked their winery until moving to Morgan Hill after World War II.

“It’s quite an accomplishment with our grandparents and our parents and we’re just really appreciative of what they did,” Gene said.
He also said the professionalism of the staff has helped build the winery’s reputation for good customer service.

“We look at our employees as family and we hope that this feeling goes all the way down to our employees — our feelings and tradition is doing the best that you can in treating people,” he said.

The winery is also involved in community-building activities, contributing wine and its outdoor facilities for fundraising events for schools and nonprofit organizations.

“I think it’s special that we get recognized by the community, but the community is special to us,” Gene said. We’ve lived here all of our lives and we’ve tried to be a part of the community because that’s what makes a community, it’s people being involved. We don’t do it because we have to, we’re doing it because we want to.”

From left, Marian Tankersley is surprised by Chamber Ambassadors Cecelia Ponzini and Ann Horner along with Chamber CEO John Horner.  Photo by Marty Cheek

From left, Marian Tankersley is surprised by Chamber Ambassadors Cecelia Ponzini and Ann Horner along with Chamber CEO John Horner. Photo by Marty Cheek

Marian Tankersley has lived in Morgan Hill for 41 years and is “absolutely in love” with the community.

She gave a hard hug to fellow RE/MAX co-worker Terry Moriyama, who in 2015 received the same honor with her husband Tom.

It never crossed her mind she would be honored, said Tankersley who has been a member of the Chamber of Commerce since 2007. She did two three-year terms on the board starting in 2008. She has also served two terms on the Leadership Morgan Hill board of directors and is now on the board of the South County Realtors Association. She also volunteers with Moriyama’s Air For Paws nonprofit.

“I was working with the Women in Business program, that was my passion, women in business, and I wanted to see if I could augment that program,” she said about her reason for joining the Chamber. For several years she organized the annual Taste of Morgan Hill’s wine tent. She praised her husband Rich for playing a supportive role in this endeavor, she said.

“The wine tent is so much fun. We’ve got great volunteers, everyone enjoys themselves,” she said.

Jeff Perkins accepts his honor from Ponzini, Ambassador Leonette Stafford and Horner. Photo by Marty Cheek

Jeff Perkins accepts his honor from Ponzini, Ambassador Leonette Stafford and Horner.
Photo by Marty Cheek

Heritage Bank employee Katie Garcia set up a fake meeting for Jeff Perkins Dec. 1. When the Chamber members and staff streamed into his office, a puzzled look crossed his face. He received the flowers and certificate and looked dumb-founded as Horner told him he was the 2016 Man of the Year.

“I don’t know what to say,” he said to the group. Then he pointed at Garcia and said jokingly, “You’ll pay!” Then he said, “I’m kind of overwhelmed, really. That’s a very nice award. I’m very appreciative.”

Next year, Perkins and his wife Mary will celebrate making their home in Morgan Hill for 20 years. They have two children and seven grandchildren. In 2014 Heritage Bank was selected as the Chamber’s business of the year. Perkins received the honor of Volunteer of the Year in 2006.

Perkins has been involved with the Morgan Hill Community Foundation since joining the board in 2001. He is also involved with the Rotary Club of Morgan Hill as its service project coordinator. He coached the basketball team at Live Oak High School for eight years. He’s now involved in the new Junior Achievement club at Live Oak that helps young people learn entrepreneur skills.

His philosophy of involvement comes from years working at a community bank, he said.

“It’s important to see the community flourish,” he said. “These things (opportunities for volunteering) come up, you get involved and you’re surrounded by great people and the people we work with side by side. Everybody is trying to do their part to make the community better. It’s easy to get involved.”