The South Valley Chamber hosted its annual State of the Chamber event Feb. 12 at Salt Lake Community College’s Gail Miller Conference Center in Sandy.

South Valley Chamber’s CEO Jay Francis commemorating a memorable year of the chamber. (Photo courtesy of Hulse Photography)

CEO of the Chamber Jay Francis recapped the year of the Chamber. In 2024, the Chamber hosted 52 ribbon cuttings and more events, launched its first magazine, added 196 new members, grew their Women in Business program, expanded education offerings, increased advocacy efforts and expanded tourism efforts.

In particular, the Chamber’s impact on economic development and tourism in the area has been “off the charts,” Francis said—10 events brought in more than 100,000 visitors/attendees which made a return of $24.7 million.

The chamber’s main goal is to “connect, educate, advocate, grow” local businesses in seven cities within the South Valley, including new city chamber members Herriman and Bluffdale.

At the event, six individuals within these recognized communities were honored for their work and positive impact on the community.

Heather Curtis of Swire Coca-Cola was awarded the Board Member of the Year. Rick Medina of the Mountain America Expo Center received the Tourism Award. Ashley Guymon from Adaptive Arena received the community service award. Beth Colosimo from the Mill Entrepreneurship Center at Salt Lake Community College was awarded the Business Education Award. Lew Cramer of Colliers International, Utah received the President’s Award. Mieka Sawatzki, director of sales at the City Journals was awarded the Chamber Service Award.

For her volunteer efforts in the community and for the Chamber, Cory Covington, director of Business Development for the South Valley Chamber, presented the award to Sawatzki and called her a “champion of the chamber.”

Jay Francis (left) awards Mieka Sawatzki (right) with the 2024 South Valley Chamber Service Award. (Photo courtesy of Hulse Photography)

 “The Chamber Service Award is meant to honor someone who has gone above and beyond to serve and promote the South Valley Chamber, Mieka Sawatzki exemplifies this as a member of our ambassadors committee,” he said. “She is supportive in so many ways, from attending ribbon cuttings to working with our new members in our chamber, 101 meetings and just being a champion of the chamber in our community, her passion is contagious. I'm honored to call her my friend and to recognize Mieka Sawatzki as the 2024 Chamber Service Award recipient.”

Sawatzki has been in the world of advertising and marketing for nearly 10 years while being at the City Journals for the past six, where she currently holds the title of director of sales. She has been a chamber ambassador for two and currently sits on the Chamber’s Ambassador Committee which meets once a month.

“It's a pleasure for me to rub shoulders with these ladies and gentlemen,” Francis said of the ambassadors. “They have to leave their businesses to come and help others open, but they get it—they were there and we appreciate them.”

As an ambassador, Sawatzki has attended and volunteered at chamber events such as lunches, award ceremonies, ribbon cuttings and more to help local businesses grow and thrive.

“With these businesses, a lot of them have no clue about marketing or advertising,” she said. “After doing sales and advertising for a long time, I have found that it is very rewarding to give them any and all of my knowledge on our products and other ways they can help themselves, whether it's with the chamber or free marketing.”

Awardees were handed a glass award by Jay Francis for a job well done in 2024. (Photo courtesy of Hulse Photography)

She said that when Francis told her she would be receiving the Chamber’s Service Award, she felt both surprised and validated.

“A lot of the ambassadors go to a lot of the events and give time to so that was a surprise,” she said. “It felt awesome when he told me, because I do feel like I work really hard with the Journals in partnership with the Chamber.”

In 2024, Sawatzki estimated she volunteered around 156 hours in the chamber and attended 15 to 20 ribbon cuttings.