Moraga Chamber Names Bill Snider Business Person of the Year

Moraga City Council will honor Bill Snider, Moraga Chamber's Business Person of the Year, at its meeting Wednesday.

Below is the full text of the proclamation, which notes many of Snider's winning qualities and asks a pertinent question about the current whereabouts of the chocolate statuette award he received after winning Best Performance by an Actor in the Iron Filmmaker competition. 

WHEREAS, the  Moraga  Chamber of Commerce has  quite rightly  selected Bill Snider, owner of Moraga Hardware and Lumber and Across the Way, as Moraga’s 2013 Business Person of the Year; and

WHEREAS, the Chamber  historically has  bestowed this honor on people, like  Bill, who have significantly  contributed  to the betterment of the Moraga business  community; and  

WHEREAS, Bill and his wife, Vel, came to the Lamorinda area in 1985, initially
settling in the Burton Valley area of Lafayette, but eventually saw the light and moved to
Moraga in 1990; and

WHEREAS,  seeing an  opportunity to own and operate a customer service-oriented business in Moraga, Bill purchased Moraga Hardware in 2000; and

WHEREAS, Bill followed that up in 2002 by opening a companion, upscale and aptly named lifestyle store, “Across the Way” from his hardware store; and

WHEREAS, Bill has competed, persevered and survived numerous challenges to his hardware business over the past decade, thanks to a  combination of hard-nosed grit, leavened by good humor, intelligent marketing and business decisions, the hiring and training of courteous and knowledgeable staff, and loyal support from the people of this Town; and

WHEREAS, Bill played an instrumental role in helping to create and promote the Shop Moraga First campaign encouraging local residents to support local merchants and buy their goods and services here in Moraga wherever possible; and  

WHEREAS,  despite being a registered Republican, Bill was an early endorser and supporter of Measure K, Moraga’s local sales tax to repair our roads and critical infrastructure, and campaigned tirelessly for its recent successful passage (70 percent pro vote) as a key member of the “Yes on K” committee; and   

WHEREAS, some people know that Bill is natural actor and awarding-winning film idol.  Indeed, his riveting, 15-second “You must change” speech to a hapless fictional employee  received the highly coveted “chocolate statuette” for Best Performance by an Actor in the Iron Filmmaker competition at the inaugural California Independent Film Festival held at the New Rheem Theatre in 2011; and

WHEREAS, the chocolate statuette has not been seen in public for some time now, and inquiring minds in Moraga would like to know if Bill was unable to resist the temptation of actually eating it; and

WHEREAS, Bill has indicated that he wishes to take a leading role in the future in getting the upstairs screens open and preserving the New Rheem Theatre as an critical Moraga community asset – for which this Town is (and will be) grateful; and

WHEREAS,  the owners of hardware store owners have a way of telling long stories and jokes (occasionally funny, even) from time to time, and Bill is no exception, having brilliantly entertained his customers for years and left them in stitches and wanting more; and

WHEREAS,  Bill and Vel, with their friend Tom Constable, donated Moraga Hardware team benches to Campolindo High School for use by the football teams; and

WHEREAS,  Bill  has made it his business to donate goods and services for fundraisers  of many local service and community organizations in Moraga, including our local elementary and high schools, MEF, Campolindo Grad Night, Kiwanis, Lions, Rotary, the Chamber of Commerce, Lamorinda Ballet and Orinda Ballet, and other worthy causes far too numerous to mention and properly acknowledge here; and

WHEREAS, Bill guides and consults with individual Eagle Scouts to help them achieve their required merit badges, and provides pointers to teachers on how to help students develop job interviewing skills and prepare to for the job market; and

WHEREAS, Bill truly lives his mantra of service to the arts, the community and the business world; and

WHEREAS, Bill is now serving on the board of directors of the Moraga Chamber of Commerce – yet another way in which Bill volunteers his time to the community; and

WHEREAS,  for these and many other reasons too numerous and profound to mention here, Bill Snider exemplifies the qualities that make the Moraga Chamber of Commerce and the Town of Moraga proud to award him the honor of being Moraga’s 2013 Business Person of the Year.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that I, Dave Trotter, Mayor of the Town of Moraga, along with my fellow Councilmembers, are very pleased to congratulate Bill Snider  for being named  Moraga’s 2013  Business Person of the Year, and  wish to express  special  appreciation for his many contributions to enhance  the Moraga community.