Rick Graves Owner of Clutch Couriers Nominated for Nextie Award!

This feels a little like tooting my own horn, but it would be remiss not to mention that I was nominated by Jeremy Neuner for a Nextie award.

http://santacruznext.org/

http://santacruznext.org/2009/12/tickets-now-available-for-the-first-annual-nexties-awards/

This kind of recognition comes only from the hard work of our crew and the support of our community. Thanks Jeremy, Clutch Riders, Clutch Clients and Denizens of Santa Cruz. I am deeply honored, and see you at the Nexties!

"The NEXTies honor young people in Santa Cruz who are doing amazing things locally or globally. These inspiring individuals could live anywhere, but they choose Santa Cruz to apply their talent and passion. These individuals might include entrepreneurs, artists or volunteers who are leaders in their chosen field and are making an impact on the community or the world. Nominees live or work in Santa Cruz County, are between the ages of 22 and 45, and have an inspiring story to tell."

'Hey Rick, I thought you might want to see the write-up that I submitted for your nomination:'

"Rick Graves is the owner of Clutch Couriers, a bicycle-powered courier, legal, and messenger service with clients all over Santa Cruz County. He and his team have built a successful business by focusing on superior customer service, a trait that is (unfortunately) rather lacking in our town. I've worked with Rick in a variety of ways and I've always been impressed with his can-do attitude, good humor, and attention to detail. In a town that (again, unfortunately) is often characterized by its slacker attitude, Rick and his team at Clutch Couriers stand out as people who work hard and play hard.

Here's what impresses me most about Rick: he saw a need in our community for a reliable, high-quality, environmentally-minded courier service. Rick's business isn't high-tech and I doubt that he's getting rich from it. But he wanted to find a way to live and work in Santa Cruz. He wanted to raise his kid here. And, by leveraging his talents and working hard, he filled that community need and found a way to have the lifestyle that he wanted for himself and his family. Moreover, Rick's business is innovative, successful, and environmentally sustainable.

I think Rick Graves stands as a great role model for the entire Santa Cruz NEXT community. Rick has shown us that by being innovative, by working hard, and by sticking to a set of core values, we can succeed in this town and create the kind of economy and the kind of lifestyle that will sustain our community for decades to come.

Plus, Rick is a total stud. He rides his bike to Watsonville and back several times a day. He deserves a NEXTie just for that.....!"

Cheers,
Jeremy



Jeremy Neuner
Co-Founder and CEO
NextSpace Coworking + Innovation, Inc.
www.NextSpace.us