SPOKANE VALLEY, WA. – The Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce proudly recognized six outstanding organizations during the 2026 Business Awards on March 4 at CenterPlace Regional Event Center. The awards celebrated businesses and nonprofits that are driving innovation, cultivating inspiring workplaces, and strengthening the Spokane Valley community.
The annual awards highlight organizations whose leadership, impact, and forward-thinking work are helping shape the region’s economic and community future. Winners were selected from a pool of applicants by an independent judging committee and honored in three categories, with one small business and one large business chosen for each category.
Business Innovation
Large Business: Jubilant HollisterStier
In 2025, Jubilant HollisterStier launched its third sterile fill-finish manufacturing line right here in Spokane Valley. By integrating advanced isolator technology and AI-predictive systems, Jubilant increased its capacity to help deliver life-saving injectable medicines and vaccines to serve over 300 million patients per year around the world. Jubilant’s innovation created more than 400 new jobs locally, positioned itself for an upcoming fourth line expansion, and strengthened Spokane Valley’s role in the global pharmaceutical industry. In this time, Jubilant also launched a biotechnology certification program with Spokane Colleges where the first cohort graduated June 2025, furthering a sustainable local talent pipeline while creating high-quality jobs. Jubilant HollisterStier demonstrates innovation at industrial, workforce, and community scale with exceptional outcomes. The integration of advanced manufacturing technology, AI, and workforce development, represents transformative innovation for Spokane Valley.
Small Business: Victory Media
Victory Media introduced advanced marketing systems using first-party data that tracked real performance across media, broadcast, and digital channels — helping local businesses see what truly drives growth. By building AI-powered workflows across their creative and media teams, they increased speed, clarity, accountability, and results for clients without increasing overhead. Their approach worked so well that Victory Media reached its annual goals across every department by July 2025. Victory Media re-engineered their entire agency operating model and delivered enterprise-level marketing to regional clients. This innovation resulted in improved campaign efficiency while reducing wasted spend amid rising media costs. Victory also enabled employee benefits such as extended paid time off without sacrificing performance and elevating local brands to broader markets.
Inspiring Workplace
Large Business: Canopy Credit Union
At Canopy Credit Union, leadership is rooted in service, authenticity, and a deep commitment to people. What sets Canopy apart is its belief in nurturing the person, not just the employee. Beyond social connection, Canopy supports well-being through generous paid time off, milestone sabbaticals for long-term employees, and intentional leadership development, such as its Link to Leadership program, and employee-led Culture Crew. These programs create ongoing connection, joy, and recognition while providing job shadowing across departments to support empathy and career mobility. Canopy Credit Union’s approach ensures well-being isn’t a one-time initiative, it’s woven into the everyday employee experience. Through intentional leadership development, embedded well-being practices, and a culture that treats people as humans first and employees second, Canopy Credit Union exemplifies an Inspiring Workplace.
Small Business: Spokane HOPE
Spokane HOPE creates a supportive learning environment for Deaf and Hard of Hearing children ages 0-5 while intentionally building a workplace that prioritizes professional growth and staff well-being. By investing in their team’s education and creating a culture of trust, collaboration, and purpose, they ensure educators can focus on what matters most — helping children and families succeed. Spokane HOPE does not charge tuition and is deeply committed to keeping its program accessible so that every child can develop listening and spoken language skills, regardless of financial circumstances. Spokane HOPE demonstrates deeply authentic leadership and exceptional alignment with a mission-driven workplace that is inspiring. Their commitment to balancing excellence with sustainability has helped them retain specialized talent and continue delivering life-changing education for families across our region.
Community Stewardship
Large Business: Avista
Avista launched the Named Communities Investment Fund, committing up to $5 million each year to help nonprofits and communities improve energy efficiency and reduce energy costs — with direct, ongoing impact in Spokane Valley. Through this program, more than 50 partners across Eastern Washington are receiving support that strengthens community facilities and expands access to clean energy solutions. Avista’s stewardship is intentional and community driven. Whether improving buildings, empowering local organizations, or amplifying critical energy information, Avista remains steadfast in its mission to strengthen the Greater Spokane Valley—and the broader region—in ways that are meaningful, measurable, and lasting. The NCIF is not episodic philanthropy. It is system-level investment with documented outcomes, broad partnerships, long-term funding, and measurable equity impact making Avista a community steward in 2025.
Small Business: Spokane Conservation District
The Spokane Conservation District helped transform the Quarry Campus into a vibrant community hub through the launch of the Scale House Market, a year-round destination supporting local farmers, food producers, and small businesses. In its first six months, the market welcomed more than 35,000 visitors, supported 125 local vendors, and generated more than $1.2 million in sales for local entrepreneurs. The Scale House Market strengthened local food security, reduced barriers for small farms and food entrepreneurs to scale sustainably, and created a visible, inclusive community gathering place in Spokane Valley Through educational youth programs, food access initiatives, and strong partnerships, the project is strengthening Spokane Valley’s local food system and community connections. Delivering both immediate outcomes with 15 new jobs, and long-term, system-level community benefit, the Spokane Conservation District is a true community steward.
“The Valley Chamber Business Awards celebrate organizations that are not only succeeding in business, but also investing in people, innovation, and the strength of our community,” said Georgia Oxford, Vice President of the Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce. “This year’s winners demonstrate the leadership and commitment that continue to move Spokane Valley forward.”
The 2026 Business Awards event was made possible by the following sponsors: ICCU, Modern Electric Water Company, Gesa Credit Union, Business Health Trust, Nothing Bundt Cakes, and Decade Awards.
Since 1921, the Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce has been the catalyst for building relationships, driving collaboration, and championing opportunity for the Greater Spokane Valley. Today, the Valley Chamber serves businesses and organization members throughout the Greater Spokane Valley, including the cities of Spokane Valley, Millwood, Liberty Lake, and unincorporated areas of Spokane County.
