Chamber Celebration set for Friday
The 2023 Chamber Celebration is set for Friday night at the RiverPark Center.
The night begins at 6 p.m. with a reception and the awards show begins at 7:30 p.m. with an after-party following.
“A highlight for the event is that we do specific awards and categories for Chamber members,” said Candance Castlen Brake, chamber president. “They’re nominated and then awarded for excellence in their different categories.”
In the past, the event has attracted around 800 people.
In 2021, it was canceled by the COVID pandemic and then it was brought back in March of last year.
However, its return to January puts it back to the month it was typically held prior to the pandemic.
The chamber awards began in 1986, when the chamber presented its first “small business person of the year” award.
In 2002, the chamber split the small business honor into two categories.
Now, there are four categories of businesses.
Since then, the program has grown to include 17 categories but the Legacy Award, which is not given annually, will be an extra award this year, putting the total at 18.
rake said the purpose of the event is to highlight members within the community and people who have achieved excellence over the last year.
“This is a small businesses celebration,” she said. “We celebrate every thing from people’s specific contributions to our community to people and their businesses and how well they’re doing.”
2023 Chamber Celebration award categories
- Emerging Business of the Year
- Business of the Year — 1-10 Employees
- Business of the Year — 11-50 Employees
- Business of the Year — 51-500 Employees
- Business of the Year — Over 500 Employees
- Nonprofit of the Year — Fine Arts
- Nonprofit of the Year — Human Services
- Legacy Award
- Education & Workforce Development Institution of the Year
- Manufacturer of the Year
- Rick Kamuf Agri-Business of the Year
- Ambassador of the Year
- Director of the Year
- CYP Member of the Year
- Class Member of the Year
- Member of the Year
- Minority Business Leader of the Year
- Bill Young Leadership Award
By Karah Wilson Messenger-Inquirer