Chamber celebrates local businesses
The Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce held its annual Chamber Celebration on Friday night to honor local businesses for their work in the community.
“The Chamber Celebration is an opportunity to recognize the members who are leading and excelling in our community. Our business community is like no other,” said Chamber President Candance Castlen Brake. “The nominees and award recipients are true examples of excellence. The Chamber of Commerce is proud to serve our members and see their growth, innovation and pride in all they do.”
Mark Marsh, Owensboro Health president and CEO, gave an opening night address to the audience.
“There are over 700 people here tonight to celebrate,” he said. “ … Thank you for having us here tonight to celebrate with you.”
2022 Chamber Board Chair Brenda Clayton passed the gavel to the upcoming chair, Sarah Murphy Ford.
“What a year we’ve had at the Chamber. Owensboro is really moving forward,” Clayton said. “This past year has been amazing. Our events were so well attended and I think everyone was just excited to be out.”
The Diocese of Owensboro Catholic Charities received the award for nonprofit of the year in human services, and director Susan Montalvo-Gesser said their work could not have been done without the support of other nonprofits in the area.
“Owensboro showed up for those tornado survivors and the Afghan refugees,” Montalvo-Gesser said. “I want to thank our employees who give way too much of their lives to other people.”
Bart Darrell was one of two recipients of the director of the year award.
“Without the Chamber of Commerce, we wouldn’t have a lot of things in this community,” he said.
Keith Lawrence, who retired last year from the Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer, received the Legacy Award, an honor that is not given annually.
“Every 10 years or so, there is an individual who has had such a profound impact on the community that the Chamber decides to honor them with the prestigious Owensboro Chamber Legacy Award,” said Kirk Kirkpatrick, who presented the award.
Kirkpatrick described Lawrence as a “mild-mannered reporter” whose “super wordsmith powers include the ability to tell a mesmerizing story, or explain a controversy, or make his readers smile.”
“A Keith Lawrence byline means this is an article you’ve got to read because when you finish, you’ll be better informed, you’ll have a better understanding of the issue and the people involved,” Kirkpatrick said.
Lawrence said he did not feel like he was deserving of receiving the award.
“All I did for 50 years was show up for work every day and I loved it so much that I never took a sick day,” he said. “I’ve met so many wonderful people and been able to tell more than 2,800 stories about this community.”
Any award Lawerence has received, half of it has gone to his wife, Sandy, he said.
“When we came here, the Messenger-Inquirer wouldn’t hire two people with the same name unless it was Hager,” he said. “She gave up her dreams so I could chase mine, and I’ll always be grateful for that.”
In 1975, Lawrence said the Messenger-Inquirer fired him and said he was not cut out to be a reporter.
“Sandy had just had surgery and our son, Chris, was just 2 years old,” he said. “They felt sorry for me and let me stay until I found another job but that was their mistake because I never found another job.”
Lawrence said he was thankful it turned out that way.
“We love this community,” he said. “Our son was born here; we found our foster daughter here. People like you make this a great place to live and raise a family.”
Lawrence, who now freelances for the newspaper, will celebrate 51 years at the Messenger-Inquirer on Tuesday.
Karah Wilson Messenger-Inquirer
