The 2021 edition of the Golden Rotary Ethics in Business Awards program may look different, but the ideals it seeks to honor remains the same.

For the first quarter of 2021, the program honors Golden business couple Aimee and Dean Valdez for exemplifying strong ethics while conducting quite a few businesses in their community.

Aimee and Dean own five businesses in Golden: The Old Capitol Grill & Smokehouse, Bella Colibri, Miners Saloon, Ace Liquor and The Brick Room.

Together, they serve as directors on five local boards: Golden Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Development Authority, Miners Alley Playhouse, Golden Visitor & Information Center and the On Tap Credit Union.

EIB 2021

For the past 15 years the Rotary Club of Golden has held an Ethics in Business Awards program, which has honored businesses and nonprofits in the Goldenand broader Jefferson County community that display the highest standards of ethical behavior. Traditionally two recipients are chosen by the students in the ethics class at the Colorado School of Mines from nominations submitted by members of the community. Each nominee submits an essay about their business’ ethical practices, which is then evaluated by the students.

The program has normally featured a luncheon attended by 300 or more local businesspeople, government officials and community leaders to recognize the EIB award nominees and winners for their adherence to high ethical standards

MORE: Ethics in Business 2020 award recipients

Earlier this year, Golden Rotary decided that the outlook for the COVID situation was too uncertain, thus making any planning for such a celebration of the awards risky. Feeling that EIB nominees deserve much more than significantly reduced recognition, Golden Rotary decided to hold the ethics program in a modified form, meaning nominations will not be sought in 2021 and thus no awards ceremony will be held.

Instead, Golden Rotary plans a year-long Celebration of Ethics in Business in various ways during 2021. Each quarter the Club will honor a local person or organization that has made valuable contributions to the community and/or demonstrated particularly ethical business behavior. In addition a video will be produced and published in which these organizations describe their activities. Other forms of publicity will identify each quarter’s awardees, including various media and the Club’s website www.goldenrotary.org. Finally the Club plans to produce a video highlighting some of the past EIB award luncheons.

The club plans to return to the traditional form of Ethics in Business Awards program in 2022, with nominations being taken starting Jan. 1, 2022 and the awards luncheon currently scheduled for May 6, 2022.