Apple Valley law firm Severson, Sheldon, Dougherty & Molenda was named business of the year by the Apple Valley Chamber of Commerce at the chamber’s annual awards luncheon earlier this month.

“This should have been done 20 years ago,” said Ed Kearney, president of the chamber.

Severson, Sheldon, Dougherty & Molenda has a long history with the Chamber of Commerce. The law firm has sponsored the chamber’s annual gala, the organization’s largest fundraiser, for the last 10 years. 

Consistently ranking as one of the top two businesses to donate sponsorships, the associates at the firm volunteer their time and expertise to the chamber, as well as their funds. Four members of the firm have chaired the chamber board of directors in the past and the firm’s representatives offered their legal knowledge to the chamber by assisting in rewriting the chamber bylaws, Kearney said.

“They’re just really involved in the chamber,” said Kearney. “I think they’ve been taken for granted all these years.”

Despite their extensive history with the chamber, it is particularly fitting that the firm should be named business of the year at the present time. Effective Jan. 1, the firm will change its name to Dougherty, Molenda, Solfest, Hills & Bauer, in conjunction with James Sheldon’s retirement and Larry Severson’s shift to working as an independent consultant with the firm.

“It means a great deal,” said Loren Solfest, an attorney and vice president of Severson, Sheldon, Dougherty & Molenda.

Solfest said the firm’s work with the chamber reflects the degree to which its members value the chamber and desire to give back to the community.

The finalists for business of the year included Anchor Bank, Flowerama, Gunners Garage, Warners’ Stellian Appliance and Severson, Sheldon, Dougherty & Molenda. Candidates typically are nominated by a fellow chamber business, although these nominations are technically suggestions. The titleholder is determined by several rounds of voting by the board of directors.