Jan. 24, 2005 – The St. Croix Chamber of Commerce Saturday honored businesses and business at their first ever awards dinner. The Business of the Year award was given to Hovensa LLC; Sand Castles on the Beach Hotel and Restaurant was named New Business of the Year; businessman Noel Loftus was voted Advocate of the Year and the St. Croix Foundation was honored as Non-Profit Business of the Year.
The ceremony took place amid the elegance of the St. George Botanical Gardens, a reconstructed 16th century Danish sugar cane plantation great house. Over 150 Chamber members and guests paid tribute to their own, highlighting the contributions and civic involvement of 19 businesses to the economy and quality of life of St. Croix, according to Anna Marie Hector, Chamber president.
Hector, who was unanimously re-elected to a second term on Friday, (See "Chamber Leader Looks Back on the Business of 2004"), said the awards dinner was a way to show appreciation. Hector said community organizations solicit many of these businesses for donations and this was "just a way to say thank you."
Also nominated in the category of Business of the Year were Plaza Extra Supermarket, Banco Popular-Virgin Islands, Cruzan Rum and Caribbean Auto Mart.
Nominees for Best Business Advocate of the year were Julia Renfroe, Roger W. Morgan, Ann Abramson and Omer ErSelcuk.
Nominated for Non-Profit Business of the Year were the Women's Coalition of St. Croix, Court Appointed Special Advocates of the Virgin Islands, Virgin Islands Community Aids Resource & Education, and Golden Hook Challenge.
Nominees in the New Business of the Year category included Just–n-Case Deli, LaItaliana Shoe Boutique and Rustico.
The St. Croix Chamber of Commerce has been representing businesses in St. Croix for 80 years.

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