Harold Matzner named ‘Business Person Of The Year’

One of Palm Springs’ most successful restaurateurs and business owners will be honored as “Business Person of the Year,” according to a statement by the Palm Springs Chamber of Commerce.

Harold Matzner, owner of Spencer’s Restaurant at the revitalized Palm Springs Tennis Club, will be honored at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday at the Renaissance Palm Springs, 888 Tahquitz Canyon Drive.

“Harold Matzner is one of our City’s most business and community-minded citizens,” said chamber CEO Nona Watson. “Our members are thrilled to honor him with this special award and we thank him for his tremendous contributions to the success of Palm Springs.”

Watson said Matzner is well known throughout the Coachella Valley and beyond as a successful entrepreneur, humanitarian and philanthropist.

He is perhaps best known locally, she said, as the chairman of the star-studded Palm Springs International Film Festival.

Matzner is credited with revitalizing the festival and founding the successful business concept of targeted “shared mail.”

Other award recipients will include: Large Business of the Year: Palm Springs Disposal, Medium Business of the Year: Desert AIDS Project and Small Business of the Year: PartyLab.

In addition, Michael Potts of the Spa Resort Casino was unanimously selected as the Chamber Ambassador of the Year.

Tim Ellis, General Manager of the Palm Mountain Resort, will be turning over the Chamber President’s gavel to Andrew Starke, General Manager of the Palm Springs Power baseball team.