Thirty years after Gilbert's Community Excellence Awards began under a tent on a dirt lot, the annual celebration honored another generation of people helping shape the town's future.
The Gilbert Chamber of Commerce hosted the 30th annual awards Nov. 12 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Phoenix-Gilbert, recognizing contributions in education, business, volunteerism, municipal government and public safety.
The anniversary offered an opportunity to reflect on Gilbert's transformation from about 67,000 residents in 1996 to nearly 300,000 today.
