Robert Anderson of Granby said he was surprised by he and his wife JoAnn’s recognition recently at a Granby Chamber of Commerce awards ceremony.

“I didn’t figure they honored anybody over 60,” the 71 year-old said with a laugh.

For a lifetime of business achievement, the Granby Chamber of Commerce applauded the Andersons of R&J Liquor for not only being pillars in the business community, but for their endless devotion to volunteer efforts.

“I don’t play golf and don’t fish,” Bob said. “The next best thing, I guess, is being active in other things.”

Bob’s long list of community-service affiliations speaks for itself. He has been active in the Granby Rotary, served 22-plus years in the local fire department, was a founding member of the Middle Park Panther Sports Booster Club, served as a Grand County commissioner for District II, serves on the regional Judicial Selection and the regional Victims Compensation citizen boards, volunteered time on boards such as the State Emergency Medical Trauma Services Advisory Council, the Northwest Colorado Council of Governments and the Rural Resort Region Board as well as the I-70 Colorado Workforce Board, the Foothills Regional Emergency Trauma Advisory Council, the Aeronautical Board, and the Grand County Rural Health Network Board.

“I didn’t really think it took up that much time. It’s better than watching TV,” he said.

In 1974, JoAnn became an Emergency Medical Technician, working for the Grand County ambulance service. She remained in the field for 27 years and completed extensive crisis intervention counseling to better serve the community.

“Both have donated thousands of dollars and hours to the community over their 40-plus years as Greater Granby Area business and community leaders and volunteers,” said Granby Chamber Executive Director Sharon Brenner. “As with many successful longtime area business owners, the Andersons have always worked two or three jobs at the same time.”

Before opening the liquor store that has become a Granby mainstay, the Andersons owned R.F. Anderson Company, which for 30 years, reported electric meter readings in rural areas of Grand County.

The couple moved to Granby from Ord, Neb. in 1964 upon Robert’s job opportunity at Mountain Parks Electric.

“Granby had a lot of potential back then, and it still does,” Robert said. “It’s not explosive growth, but it’s been a steady growth through the years,” he said.

Semi-retired, Robert and JoAnn can still be found at the liquor store some days and evenings, although their daughter Kimberly Cautrell now runs the operation.

“We have time to travel now,” Robert said, adding, “We don’t want to be totally retired.”

Business Person of the Year, Frank DeLay

Frank DeLay “gives generously in time and talents in numerous ways,” said the Chamber’s Brenner. “He is an involved citizen who cares about the community and the individual needs of citizens in the region.”

President of Granby’s Grand Mountain Bank, DeLay is involved with not only the Granby Chamber of Commerce where he has been a member since 2003, he is involved with the town’s downtown economic restructuring committee, is a Granby Rotary member, a soccer coach and is on the advisory committee for local Cub Scouts.

“Frank participates in community events such as the Parade of Lights, Fourth of July parade and the Buffalo Barbecue,” Brenner added.

A father to children Ethan and Will, and a husband to wife Kristy, DeLay also devotes energies to school and club fundraising events.

The eighth of nine children in his family, DeLay received a bachelor’s degree in finance at the University of Colorado, then was employed as an examiner for the Office of Thrift Supervision. Beyond that, we was employed at Salida Bank and Trust before becoming integral to a newly built Grand Mountain Bank that has grown to encompass five locations throughout the county. “I probably like my job too much,” said DeLay. “I enjoy working.”

Yet he still finds time for other pursuits, such as running, biking, skiing and spending time with family.

For being an involved Granby chamber member, for showing countywide involvement, for maintaining ethical and moral business practices, he was a solid candidate, Brenner said.

“I feel honored to be named,” DeLay said.

“I look at the people who won the award recently, and I guess through business and volunteer efforts in the community, we’re trying to make our community a better place to live in, as well as to do business in.”

Volunteer of the Year, Steve Brenner

Although his wife is Chamber CEO Sharon Brenner, Chamber “2009 Volunteer of the Year” recipient husband Steve Brenner said volunteering for chamber events has always been on his own accord.

A chamber member since 1994, he has volunteered each year for all fishing tournaments plus most other chamber events, averaging 120 hours per year in volunteer time.

“He has given up winning the big fish money to be a volunteer during those times,” Sharon said.

According to her, criteria for being selected as Granby Chamber’s most notable volunteer is to “volunteer in a cheerful and productive way and put in large amounts of time in service to the chamber.”

For that, Steve, who was picked by a Chamber selection committee, qualifies.

Besides organizing fishing tournaments, he has helped chamber staff move large items when needed and has donated to the silent auction each year.

Away from the Chamber, working with the Sheriff’s department in the years he owned a Granby motel, Steve donated rooms to help battered women or indigents.

A former employee with the Denver Newspaper Agency, Steve, who is now the circulation manager at the Sky-Hi Daily News, still volunteers for the Agency’s “Baskets of Joy” campaign, which served to donate baskets of food to homebound elderly during the holidays.

— Tonya Bina can be reached at 887-3334 ext. 19603 or e-mail tbina@skyhidailynews.com.