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The Juneau Chamber of Commerce won the 2008 Chamber of the Year Award at the state chamber conference in Fairbanks last week.

The chamber was credited with getting local businesses to conserve more than 30 percent of their normal electricity usage after avalanches destroyed the city's main source of energy.

"Juneau Chamber CEO Cathie Roemmich represented the business community's interests and helped them become part of the solution," said an Alaska State Chamber of Commerce statement.

The chamber also helped educate people on how to conserve energy, and worked with the city on ways to handle the crisis without relying on state or federal money.

Alaska Electric Light & Power Co. president and general manager Tim McLeod praised the chamber for providing a forum that helped the utility communicate with the city.

The chamber also was involved in the First Ladies' Tea earlier this year. Last year it worked with the Mayor's Task Force on Affordable Housing, the city comprehensive plan and ways to retain Juneau's youth.

The chamber is working on abolishing the city's business personal property tax or exempting smaller businesses and startups, and exempting all businesses from related-party sales tax on tangible personal property.