The Sun
Sunnyvale's Newspaper

Chamber honors Sunnyvale businesses

By Justin Berton

After they had worked in advertising for 14 years, the nature of the business started to wear on Jeff and Jill Lerner.

"We wanted to take more control of our lives," Jeff Lerner said, "and open up our own business."

Now, after being open for 10 months, the Lerners' copy and printing business, Alphagraphics, is being honored as New Business of the Year at the Chamber of Commerce's annual Showcase Awards Friday night at the historic Del Monte building.

The annual awards ceremony honors local businesses and residents of Sunnyvale that have had a positive impact on the community.

Lerner said the couple searched all over Silicon Valley to find the best location for a high-volume copy and printing shop that caters to businesses, not students and walk-in traffic.

"We are very much unlike Kinko's," Lerner said. "We are more like, 'Give me 500 training manuals and 1,000 data sheets.' "

After learning that their business won the equivalent of the Rookie of the Year award, Lerner said, "We are very happy to be a part of Sunnyvale and look forward to serving the businesses in the area."

At the awards dinner, the Lerners may pick up some free advice from Donna and Brad Dreisbach. After 12 years of heading the fiscal management company Management Information for Tomorrow's Businesses, the couple is being honored as Chamber Business of the Year.

Like many Silicon Valley success stories, the Dreisbachs began their business out of their home.

"There was never a grand scheme in mind," Donna Dreisbach recalled. "It just grew from there."

Now, the company has 10 full-time employees and is on target to reach $3 million in annual revenues.

"Both us were born with an entrepreneurial spirit," she said. The Dreisbachs have been Sunnyvale residents since 1985 and took great pride in winning the award.

"There was much cheering and hugging going on in the office," Dreisbach said. "It is a great privilege and honor to win this award."

Others recipients of awards at the showcase event will include:

* Athena Award Recipient--Ms. Pat Castillo

* Leadership Sunnyvale Alumni of the Year--Willa and Gordon Markley

* Chamber Ambassador of the Year--Peter Lilley

* Onizuka Air Force Base Officer of the Year--1st Lt. Amy M. Funkhouser

* Onizuka Air Force Base Enlisted Member of the Year--Sr. Airman Michael J. Epper

* Sunnyvale Community Services Volunteer of the Year--Aldine Looney

* Showcase Sunnyvale Founder/ Pioneer Award--Leonard Williams, CPA

* Sunnyvale School District Teacher of the Year Award--Naomi Lyall.

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The Sun Sunnyvale's Newspaper

Chamber honors Sunnyvale businesses

The Sun
Sunnyvale's Newspaper