Mills Named Citizen of the Year
Salinas chamber presents awards

By Annette Arreola
February 20, 2004

For Dave Mills, the "highest calling" is finding something you like to do -- and then doing it for somebody else.

Mills' record of doing things for other people, including raising record amounts of money to fight cancer, won him recognition Thursday as the Salinas Valley Chamber of Commerce's citizen of the year for 2003.

"I was stunned, speechless and honored to be considered for the award," he said after accepting the award before hundreds of chamber members and civic leaders.

Mills, senior vice president of Mills Family Farms in Salinas, was one of several Salinas-area business people honored at the Salinas Valley Chamber of Commerce's 83rd awards lunch.

The event was held at the California Rodeo Banquet Hall at the Salinas Sports Complex.

Living by his motto -- "service with integrity in business and the community" -- Mills helped raise $1.9 million in last year's Salinas Relay for Life, which he co-chaired with Athena Tracy. The event, which funds education, research and patient care for the American Cancer Society, raised more money than any other relay in California and ranked third nationwide.

Mills thanked his father, Basil, for being a role model for "what an exceptional gentleman should be."
The chamber honored Vickie Dixon, vice president of sales and marketing for KION/KCBA-TV, as its member of the year.

A chamber board member for four years, Dixon is now vice chairwoman of the chamber's marketing committee.

"Whatever you're interested in, the chamber has a niche for you," she told the packed room.
Like Mills, Dixon is involved in Salinas Relay for Life, as well as the Salinas Rotary Club and the YMCA marketing committee.

Catherine Kobrinsky Evans said she's "been walking on air" since learning she'd won the ATHENA award, which recognizes the businesswoman of the year.

Evans, president of the Oldtown Association board, said she's lucky to work in Salinas because people can make a difference here.

"In Salinas," she said, "we like to do things people say we can't."

The chamber also presented a new award this year, for "spirit of community," going to the Harden Foundation. The foundation, established in 1963 by Gene and Ercia Harden, has donated more than $40 million to nonprofit organizations throughout Monterey County.

Involved in the produce business in the 1920s, the Hardens never had children, and their assets were placed in a foundation that makes grants to the community.

"We're a small but mighty team," said Joe Grainger, executive director of the foundation.