Chamber creating manufacturing, agri-business awards

The Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce is adding two awards to those it will present to chamber members on Jan. 26.

Candance Brake, chamber president, said the Manufacturing Business of the Year and the Rick Kamuf Agri-Business of the Year awards were created in an effort to include all segments of the business community in the awards program.

“We have so many star manufacturers,” she said. “It’s great to celebrate their success and we want to honor them with an annual award.”

The Rick Kamuf Agri-Business of the Year award is designed to honor both agri-business and the memory of Kamuf, a chamber board member who died earlier this year.

“Our community was founded on agriculture,” Brake said. “It’s important to celebrate our farming community. And we wanted to honor Rick, his memory and the impact he had on both the chamber and the community.”

Other awards to be presented in January are the Business of the Year (1-10 Employees); Business of the Year (11-50 Employees); Business of the Year (51+ Employees); Emerging Business of the Year; Non-Profit of the Year; and the Education and Workforce Development Program of the Year.

The deadline for nominations is noon on Dec. 8.

Nominees have to be chamber members.

Nomination forms are on the chamber’s website — www.owensboro.com.

This year’s winners were:

• Dalishas Desserts — emerging business.

• Blossoms Apparel & Gifts — 1 to 10 employees.

• Keller Williams-Kelly Anne Harris Team — 11 to 50 employees.

• Independence Bank — 51-plus employees.

• Boulware Mission — Nonprofit of the year

• Owensboro Community & Technical College — Education and workforce development

By Keith Lawrence Messenger-Inquirer