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Nominations open for 2025’s Citizen of the Year, Emerging Leader

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, January 14, 2026

By Sequim Gazette staff

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Sequim Gazette file photo by Emily Matthiessen| In 2025, volunteer events photographer Ron Stecker, left, was named the Sequim-Dungeness Valley Chamber of Commerce’s Citizen and the Year. Philanthropist George Brown, right, was presented the Bill & Esther Littlejohn Humanitarian Award. Clallam County Fire District 3 volunteer Blaine Zechenelly, second from left, and Sequim Wheelers founder Nicole Lepping, second from right, were among the Citizen of the Year finalists.

The Sequim-Dungeness Valley Chamber of Commerce is currently accepting nominations for its 2025 Citizen of the Year and Humanitarian awards as well as a new honor: Emerging Leader.

Nominations must be received no later than midnight on Sunday, Feb. 1. The application and guidelines can be picked up in paper form from the Visitor Information Center at 1192 E. Washington St. or online at sequimchamber.com/coty/. This year, the form on the website is electronic. Contest rules are included on the web page.

Results will be announced on Feb. 24 at a luncheon event hosted by the chamber.

Created in 1968, the Citizen of the Year award was established to recognize individuals who, through volunteer efforts, have made the Sequim-Dungeness Valley a better place to live.

The original award went to former mayor Peter Black in 1968. For 2024, the award was given to Ron Stecker for his volunteerism as an event photographer, especially for Lavender Festival, and his service to the Port Angeles Symphony Orchestra. The entire recipients list can be found at sequimchamber.com/coty/.

In 2017, the chamber created a new award, the Bill & Esther Littlejohn Humanitarian Award. Not given every year, this award has specific criteria for charitable giving during the year, and has been awarded six times, including in 2025 to George Brown for his contributions to the Boys & Girls Club.

The Sequim-Dungeness Valley chamber’s board of directors voted to add a new award in 2026: the Emerging Leader Award. This award is for outstanding young people age 16-24 who, during the award year, made significant contributions to the community that go beyond their educational or employment requirements. Unlike the other two awards, voting will be done by a committee selected by the chamber board.

The Citizen of the Year Committee, which votes on Citizen of the Year and the Humanitarian Award, is made up of former winners of the award. The program is chaired by the chamber’s immediate past president. For this year, that seat is held by Colleen Robinson, CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Clallam County.

Each of these awards will have up to three finalists, but only one winner.

For more information, email director@sequimchamber.com or call 360-683-6197.

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