Brissendens of Sorensen’s win Sierra Business Council honors

Editor’s note: John and Patty Brissenden of Sorensen’s Resort this week were named lifetime achievement winners by the Sierra Business Council. “They have owned and operated the iconic Sorensen’s Resort for the past 35 years and have generously supported a wide range of organizations and causes aimed at preserving and restoring the Sierra Nevada.” The press release is here.

Our Sierra FoodWineArt magazine has regularly featured the Brissenden’s and Sorensen’s. We last featured them in an article “Stewards of the Sierra: Meet the owners of Carmel Gallery and Sorensen’s Resort.” An excerpt from our article is here: 

John and Patty Brissenden
The Brissendens live in beautiful Hope Valley, home to Sorensen’s Resort, which they have owned for over 35 years. They have revitalized Sorensen’s, opened in 1926 by a Danish immigrant, into a year-round playground for outdoor lovers with cozy bed-and-breakfast cottages, fully outfitted cabins, even a wood-fired sauna.

Patty also is credited with helping found Friends of Hope Valley, which worked with other non-profit organizations to garner $25 million in state and federal funds to put 25,000 acres of private ranch lands into public ownership over a 10-year effort.

She is founder and former board member/chair of the Sierra Nevada Alliance and serves as former chair and board member of The Sierra Fund.

John was elected to the Alpine County Board of Supervisors. He serves on the Sierra Nevada Conservancy. Before moving to the Sierra, John and Patty lived in Santa Cruz County, where John was field representative to Congressman Leon Panetta, and he helped with the founding of the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County. Patty served as the chief of staff to then Assemblymember Sam Farr (now a Congressman).

During a year-long sojourn in Washington D.C. in the early 1990s, John and Patty volunteered for the Clinton White House. The Brissendens met with President Obama when he spoke at the Tahoe Summit this summer. “Our Hope Valley home remains an immense amount of enjoyment,” says John. “Our guests continue to inspire us to preserve and protect this special area of the Sierra.”