The Arcadia Chamber of Commerce announces the recipients of the awards for Corporate Community Contributor of the Year and Citizen of the Year. Matt Denny’s Ale House Restaurant will be honored as the Corporate Community Contributor of the Year and Bruce McCallum as the Citizen of the Year at the Chamber’s Annual Installation Dinner on March 31 at the DoubleTree by the Hilton Hotel, 924 W. Huntington Drive in Monrovia. Along with the two honored guests, Chamber President Andrew Gregson of the Executive Factor will also be recognized at the dinner.
Matt Denny’s Ale House Restaurant named Corporate Community Contributor of the Year.
Matt McSweeny and his friend, Dennis Hartman, opened Matt Denny’s Ale House Restaurant in 1999. Since its opening, the 17-year-old restaurant has supported dozens of local organizations each year and produced two of its own charities benefit fundraisers. For the past 14 years, Matt Denny’s and partner Sol Salon’s annual St. Baldrick’s Day event raised $600,000 for children’s cancer research with the support of Arcadia Police and Fire Departments, Monrovia Police and Fire Department, Kids Groups, Corporate Leaders and City officials. The restaurant’s Bob Mac Classic” Golf Tournament has raised more than $50,000 in over 13 years to help support the American Red Cross Arcadia Chapter, Foothill Unity Center, Special Olympics, St. Baldrick’s Foundation and Wounded Warrior Project. Matt Denny’s continues to support groups such as the Arcadia Seniors, Arcadia Republicans, Arcadia Chinese Association, Arcadia Police and Fire Department, Arcadia Performing Arts Foundation and donates gift certificates to many charities around the San Gabriel Valley. The restaurant also sponsors the Santa Anita Little League, Arcadia American Little League, Arcadia National Little League, AYSO Region 2 and several sports programs in Arcadia High School.
The owner, McSweeny says, “Meeting so many great people over the years has been one of the best parts of my job and I look forward to continue building those wonderful relationships.”
Bruce McCallum named Citizen of the Year.
The honoree for Citizen of the Year, Bruce McCallum, is a longtime resident of Arcadia. He headed the massive Host Town Arcadia committee for the Special Olympics World Games in 2015. McCallum is also recognized for his efforts as the Chief Taste Officer of the volunteer committee overseeing the huge Taste of Arcadia which he led for three years.
Bruce McCallum was born in Miami, a small town in Arizona and has received numerous honors for this volunteer efforts since he retired in 1999, including the Arcadia Chamber of Commerce Service Award in 2014. McCallum led the Host Town Arcadia committee which hosted nearly 100 Special Olympics athletes and coaches from Trinidad & Tobago and The Kyrgyz Republic. The committee was responsible for entertaining, housing, feeding and arranging training facilities for four days prior to their World Games competitions in Los Angeles during the games in July and August 2015. Moreover, the 2015 Taste of Arcadia and Business Showcase of the Taste was the most successful ever and exceeded the record for ticket sales and attendance under Bruce’s leadership.
If anyone is interested in attending the Chamber’s Annual Installation Dinner, tickets for members will be $65 and $75 for non-members. You may also purchase sponsored tables and ads in the “Shop” area of the Chamber website at www.ArcadiaCaChamber.org or by calling the Chamber at (626) 447-2159.