Photos: The Governors Gold Awards 2013 at Oregon Convention Center

It's not often that you can see four Oregon governors together at an event?  The 2013 Governors' Gold Awards offered that rare opportunity.  Gov. Kitzhaber joined with former Govs. Vic Atiyeh, Ted Kulongoski and Barbara Roberts, at the Oregon Convention Center, to honor a diverse group of Oregon people and businesses for their contributions to the state.

Receiving Governors' Gold Awards this year were:

Esco Corporation, which celebrated a century of manufacturing steel in Oregon. Today ESCO employs 4,700 people at 28 sites around the world, making  mining, rigging and construction equipment for the oil and gas industries.

Mark Ganz of Cambia Health Solutions, who has spent the last 10 years working to make health care better, sustainable, and more affordable. Ganz also has served on numerous boards including PGE, Jesuit High School, the University of Portland Board of Regents, Oregon Business Council and Greater Portland.

Bob Moore, founder of Bob's Red Mill Natural Foods. Based in Oregon City, the company exports whole grains to 80 countries and employs 350 people. In 2010, Moore announced he would convert his company to an employee-owned enterprise.

Arlene Schnitzer, who has championed art and artists since founding the Fountain Gallery of Art in 1961. Since 1993, Arlene and her late husband Harold Schnitzer, supported Portland Art Museum, the harold Schnitzer Diabetes Health Center at OHSU, and the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall.

Dutch Bros. Coffee, which started out in Grants Pass as a coffee cart and grew into a 202-store, drive-through coffee chain. Travis Boersma, who started the company with his late brother Dane, contributes through philanthropy to the communities that support Dutch Bros.

A Special Achievement went to sports broadcaster Bill Schonely who invented the phrase Rip City to describe the Trailblazers winning streak. Schonely was the voice of the trailblazers games for more than three decades.

The Al and Pat Reser Civic Achievement Award went to longtime state Senator Margaret Carter.  As a senator, Carter was behind landmark civil rights legislation and helped found the Oregon Youth Conservation Corps. After more than 20 years in the Oregon Legislature, Carter now serves at Oregon Department of Human Services.

The Gert Boyle Greatness Award went to the Oregon Delegation of Team USA to the 2013 Special Olympics World Winter Games.