LAYTON — This year’s Davis Chamber of Commerce recognition evening drew nearly four-times as many as attended in 2008.

The Academy Awards- style event was believed to be the largest Chamber event ever hosted in the county. It took place late last month at the Davis Conference Center, here.

“Last year we had 170 people and that was a record high,” said outgoing membership chair Brad Wilson, CEO of Destination Homes.

Event organizers wanted to emphasize the good things its members are doing, even in a bad economy.

That’s why they honored businesses for different ways of being good. For example, a business can be good to its employees, good for the environment, and good for its community.

A different twist was taken in giving out awards, with new categories created, and finalists announced by a local celebrity, Davis County resident and KSL sportscaster Rod Zundel.

Representatives from Adams and Petersen, LLC, CPAs, handed Zundel an envelope, which held the name of the winners.

Award presentations were interspersed with entertainment by local performers, including the Rocky Mountain Cloggers, barbershop quartet ToneDEF and J.D. Duman, a Lagoon entertainer.

Zundel acted as master of ceremonies and shared the podium with Wilson, and Chamber President/CEO Jim Smith.

“There have been some very trying times in 2009,” said Wilson as the evening began. “But we all have found great opportunities emerging right now thanks to dedication and volunteerism.

“This is an opportunity to bring people together for the betterment of our communities.”

As previously announced, Lakeview Hospital received Employer of the Year award. CEO Rand Kerr was credited with a leadership philosophy that “has allowed for increased employee input and has reduced turnover from 30 percent to 10 percent.”

Your Valet received the green award for being one of the first dry cleaners in America to use cleaning solutions that are environmentally friendly and reduce their carbon footprint.

Applegate HomeCare & Hospice received the innovation award. It was cited as a company that has improved communication through electronic software, resulting in better patient care.

The Mandarin Restaurant was awarded business of the year, while NorthFront Business Resource Center was honored as new business of the year. The chamber advocacy award went to Julie Batchelor. The annual legacy award went to Davis Hospital and Medical Center “for service and leadership in the Davis County community.” Hospital CEO Mike Jensen accepted the award.

“The original legacy award was a beautiful box made from the wood of some apricot trees that arrived with some of the early settlers,” explained Wilson.

He said the trees flourished and gave fruit “to generations of Utahns over a period of 150 years. Like those trees, the legacy award is designed to recognize those whose lifetime of service to the residents of Davis County will impact our community for years to come.”

It was conceived by the chamber’s first CEO, Chris Dallin, who continues to be active in chamber affairs. He is now director of public relations for McKay-Dee Hospital in Ogden.

Wilson praised Davis Hospital as well as Jensen, who chairs a number of boards and whose support of a children’s charity “was instrumental in keeping the doors open.”

Incoming membership chair Shelly Nettesheim, who was featured in last week’s Clipper, received an oversized gavel from Wilson.

“It was a challenging year,” he said of 2009. “There were a lot of challenges because of the economy and challenges in individual businesses. There were head winds that businesses hadn’t faced before.”