17 Community, Business Leaders Win McLean Chamber of Commerce Awards

Seventeen business and community leaders, ranging from auxiliary police officers to the McLean Project for the Arts, won Business and Community Awards given annually by the Greater McLean Chamber of Commerce.

"This is truly humbling," said Beth Chung, a well-known McLean environmentalist, who won the Green Innovation Award, in part for helping to create the new rain garden at Longfellow Middle School.

Chung and the other winners received their awards Wednesday in a ceremony attended by more than 200 business and community leaders at the Pavilions at the Claude Moore Colonial Farm.

Peggy Fox, a reporter for WUSA-TV, winner of the Outstanding Community Partner Award, said, "This is a community that cares about community. I love living in McLean."

Fox recently moderated a candidates night sponsored by the Chamber and the McLean Citizens Association. She also emcees the annual Reindog Parade in December.

Former McLean resident Ted Leonsis, owner of the Washington Wizards and the Washington Capitals, sent a video to help honor Trang X (Janet) Nguyen, winner of the new Fulfilling American Dream award.

Leonsis thanked her "for taking care of my hands and feet." She owns the nail salon in the Langley Shopping Center.

Nguyen came to the United States from Vietnam in 1991 with her mother and her brother's two young children. No one spoke English. She had owned a nail salon in Vietnam. She got a similar job here, learning English from her customers and at night school, according to information from the chamber. She was working at the salon in McLean when the owner decided to sell. One of her customers helped her get a loan to buy the shop.

Sally Proto, of Capital One Bank, a long-time Chamber member, won the Woman Business Leader of the Year. She no longer works in McLean, she said. She and her husband own a new home on the Bay in Maryland so she now works in Prince George's County.

Andreas Maple, 19, was named Fireman of the Year. His parents, Marnie and Bill, accepted the award on his behalf -- he is starting a class at the fire academy and could not attend.

Margi Vanderhye, president of the board of directors of the Claude Moore Farm, accepted the Community Volunteers of the Year award won by the Claude Moore Colonial Farm Volunteers.

"They are connecting McLean today with McLean 200 years ago," Vanderhye said. Claude Moore Farm is a living history site that demonstrates the life of a poor farm family living on a small farm in northern Virginia just prior to the American Revolutionary War when small farms were the economy of Fairfax County.

Here is a complete list of winners:

Business Woman of the Year: Sally Proto, Capital One Bank

Chairman's Award: Rick Makely, Store Manager, Giant Food

Civic Pride: Auxiliary Police - 14 Officers Who Service McLean

Community Leadership: Ghassan Abukurah, A2 Design

Community Volunteers of the Year: Claude Moore Colonial Farm Volunteers

Fireman of the Year: Andreas Maple

Fulfilling American Dream: Trang X (Janet) Nguyen

Green Award: Beth Chung, My Green Expert

McLean Community Service Award: Chip Frederick of Flowers and Plants

Media Partner: Johnny Hanna, Viva Tysons

New Business of the Year: 1910 Restaurant

Non-Profit of the Year: McLean Project for the Arts - 5th Anniversary for Artfest

Outstanding Community Partner: Peggy Fox, McLean resident, WTOP Radio

Outstanding Fundraiser of the Year: Rebecca "Becca" Wilcox

Police Officer of the Year: POC-First Class Todd Owens

Restaurant of the Year: Harth Restaurant, Hilton McLean

Youth Recognition Award: Liam O'Neill Troop 652

Correction: McLean Patch incorrectly reported the station where Peggy Fox works. Her station is now correct. We deeply apologize to our readers.