Phil Castle, The Business Times

Janie VanWinkle and her family received more recognition for their ranching operation and advocacy efforts.

VanWinkle received the Citizen of the Year award from the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce, while the VanWinkle Ranch was named Small Business of the Year.

Fisher’s Liquor Barn received the Large Business of the Year Award and retired chamber executive Diane Schwenke received the Lifetime Achievement Award. Andrea Lopez was named the Young Professionals Network of Mesa County Young Professional of the Year.

The chamber presented the awards during its annual banquet, an event attended by 675 people.

Candace Carnahan, president and chief executive officer of the chamber, said the awards recognize individuals and business that not only do well in their industries, but also do good in helping the community and inspriring civic engagement.

The selection of VanWinkle as Citizen of the Year and her family ranch as Small Business of the Year was unprecedented, Carnahan said, but also deserved.

A selection committee comprised of former chamber award winners deemed VanWinkle and the VanWinkle Ranch both contribute to industry and the community in separate ways.

VanWinkle was recognized for her advocacy for the agriculture industry and her efforts to educate people about the importance of sustained food production.

She served on the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association board of directors, including a term as president.

She recently was selected as a fellow for what’s billed as the AgriWest initiative and will provide planning and technical assistance over the course of a 30-month term. The Business Incubator Center in Grand Junction launched the initiative with a federal grant from the Economic Recovery Corps to bolster the agriculture industry and food security in the region.

The VanWinkle family oversees a cow-calf operation, selling calves to feedlots as well as beef directly to consumers. Their operation includes not only the property at their home near Fruita, but also property they lease east of Whitewater as well as federal grazing allotments on the Grand Mesa and Uncompahgre Plateau.

Earlier this year, the VanWinkle Ranch received a National Beef Quality Assurance Award in the cow-calf category. The awards recognize animal care and handling principles as part of day-to-day activities as well as a commitment to improving operations while also encouraging others to implement the producer education program.

Colorado Parks & Wildlife honored the VanWinkle Ranch as the CCA 2019 Landowner of the Year for efforts to improve resources that also benefit wildlife.

Fisher’s Liquor Barn started in 1980 in Grand Junction on the site of a former dairy farm and since has grown into one of the largest operations of its kind in the region.

The business participates in fund-raising events benefits a range of local causes and organizations, including Catholic Outreach Community Hospital, Family Health West, HopeWest and the Riverside Education Centers.

Until her retirement in 2022, Schwenke served more than 30 years as president and CEO of the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce. The award also recognized her advocacy, collaboration and leadership on a statewide level.

Lopez works as the external affairs manager of the Ute Water Conservancy District in Grand Junction. She also serves as a member of the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce and Eureka Science Museum boards.