News and Events

 Burgeson's receives award from governor

Redlands Daily Facts

http://www.redlandsdailyfacts.com/news/ci_10806281

October 24, 2008

Michelle E. Ramos, Staff Writer

REDLANDS - Burgeson's Heating and Air Conditioning Inc. of Redlands received the Governor's Spotlight Award from the Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports.

Representatives of the Burgeson family business, winner of the statewide award, received a check for $10,000 from the Anthem Blue Cross Foundation and presented the check Thursday to the YMCA of the East Valley Thursday.

Burgeson's Heating and Air Conditioning was named the gold medal winner in the business category of the Governor's Council for its continuous contributions to various community groups and the encouragement of youth sports and fitness.

The Burgeson family has played an active role in the Redlands YMCA for generations, beginning withYMCA director Ken Stein, Assemblyman Bill Emmerson, Mayor Jon Harrison and Dianne Burgeson with the award check. (MICHELLE E. RAMOS / Redlands Daily Facts)

E.C. Burgeson, founder of Burgeson's Heating and Air Conditioning.

"My father started his support for the Y over 50 years ago with work he did at Camp Edwards. He tried to raise money for the Y when he first came to Redlands in 1949, four generations ago," said Dianne Burgeson, president and CEO of Burgeson's Heating and Air Conditioning.

The recipient of the award was determined by a group of gold medalist athletes including Lisa Fernandez, Michelle Kwan, Jack LaLanne and Serena Williams. Out of 600 nominated businesses across the state, Burgeson's was honored with the award.

"They were certainly not the largest company nominated - we had multi-million-dollar companies - but small companies are the backbone of California, and we loved that the whole family was involved with a love for physical activity," said Kenny Rogers, executive director of the Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports.

In September, Burgeson's Heating and Air Conditioning CFO Brian Burgeson and Andrew Tejeda, great-grandson of E.C. Burgeson, traveled to Sacramento to accept the Governor's Spotlight Award from Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and were introduced as "a San Bernardino County small business with a big heart."

"The Burgesons are a great example that not only donates funds to the youth circus, Camp Edwards and other Y programs, but they also donate their time," said Ken Stein, general director of the YMCA of the East Valley. "They have also asked that funds benefit programs in Highland and San Bernardino.

"This is the first time that a business in San Bernardino County has been honored with a Governor's Spotlight Award and the last year the Council on Physical Fitness and Sports will honor a business," Stein said.

"The Burgesons have played a remarkable role in their support of the Y for 60 years."

The generosity and support of the Burgesons is evident within the walls of the YMCA's Roy Coble gymnasium in Redlands. The scoreboard bearing the Burgeson name stood above as the Burgeson family presented the award to the YMCA as a symbol that future Burgesons will continue the legacy that was created by E.C. Burgeson.