Tompkins Chamber honors four at dinner - Ithaca Journal Staff reports

The Tompkins County Chamber of Commerce recognized four local residents at its annual meeting and dinner Thursday evening. The event, held at the Statler Hotel on the Cornell campus, also marked the organization's 120th year. About 275 business and civic leaders were expected to attend. The awards ranged from small business of the year to lifetime achievement:

Rachel Lampert, of the Kitchen Theatre Company, won the David R. Strong Memorial Small Business of the Year Award, according to a Chamber press release.

Located in the Clinton House in downtown Ithaca, the Kitchen Theatre has been running for 15 years featuring “an ecelectic mix of regional and world-premiere plays and musicals” in its 73-seat theatre.

“Bold, intimate and always engaging, the Kitchen Theatre has grown from a small local company into an award-winning, nationally recognized leader in professional community theater,” Chamber officials said.

Mark Campagnolo of the Boatyard Grill was honored with the New Business of the Year Award. After opening in January 2001, the Boatyard, Chamber officials said, has “quite simply redefined the way Ithaca views its waterfront.”

The restaurant, located on Inlet Island, employs more than 100 people and has fed thousands, officials said.

The Boatyard's community-oriented philosophy was also recognized. The restaurant donates food and money to support area agencies and organizations, including the Chamber.

Laurie A. Linn, of Communique Design, drew the distinction of Key Person of the Year Award. With more than 20 years of marketing experience, Linn has led the design and marketing firm to numerous awards and accolades from clients, the Chamber said.

Other ways Linn earned the Key Person award were her past chairwomanship of the Chamber and initiating the CEO Roundtable. She is currently president of the TC3 Foundation Board, and has served or volunteered with the Museum of the Earth, SPCA and the Tompkins County Public Library.

Howard Cogan, of Howard Cogan & Associates, was honored Thursday with the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Celebrating his 50-year career, the Chamber also recognized Cogan as the man who coined “Ithaca is Gorges” during the late 1970s. At the time he declined trademark rights, according to the Chamber, allowing the community free use of the slogan for promotional purposes. Over the years, the “Ithaca is Gorges” line has become emblematic of Ithaca, and has exploded in popularity.

After graduating from Cornell University in 1950, Cogan opened his ad agency, Cogan and Associates, in 1955. Three years later, he started the downtown newspaper “The Town Crier,” which was published through 1968.

Chamber officials also noted that at age 50, with his agency thriving, he returned to Cornell for a graduate degree, then joined Ithaca College as a professor of advertising.

While at Ithaca College, Cogan created the school's award-winning AdLab, and earned the American Advertising Federation's Distinguished Advertising Educator Award, among other accolades.

Throughout his career, the Chamber said, Cogan was a tireless promoter of local business and a respected advocate for the Ithaca community.

His extensive radio work and frequent public speaking engagements made his voice synonymous with Ithaca for much of the past half century.

Cogan will be recognized by the creation of the Howard Cogan Tourism Award, which will, in future years, honor individuals who make outstanding contributions to the community through excellence in tourism and travel promotion.

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