Madison County Chamber's Annual Awards Celebration spotlights accomplishments, looks to future
ANDERSON — The Madison County Chamber of Commerce's Annual Awards Celebration was an occasion to both reflect on a host of accomplishments from the past year and cast vision for the future.
'This is really special for us,' said Clayton Whitson, president and CEO of the Madison County Chamber of Commerce. 'This is an opportunity for us to pause and reflect on all the activities and programs we have been a part of over the past year, while getting to celebrate the businesses we are advocating for on a daily basis.'
The Chamber's annual awards celebration Thursday evening drew hundreds of business owners, employees and government officials to the third-floor ballroom in the Paramount Theatre. The evening's accolades included honors for nine individuals in the community and recognition of the anniversaries of 16 local businesses.
Kim Townsend, the CEO and executive director of the Anderson Housing Authority and a Chamber board member, said the event provides a good reminder of what others are doing in the community and what motivates them.
'I think it encourages people to continue doing what they are doing,' Townsend said. 'There are some unsung heroes in the community that may be overlooked, and even though there might be some for profits in here and nonprofits and government, people enjoy being acknowledged and celebrated for what they do.'
Townsend also presented the Public Servant of the Year award to Madison County Engineer Jessica Bastin. In her remarks, Townsend mentioned that Bastin has 'broken the glass ceiling when it comes to women being in municipal government engineering.'
Addyson Gick, a freshman at Anderson University, was awarded the Dickmann Scholarship. The scholarship is worth between $1,000 to $6,000, depending on financial need, and is awarded to a full-time student in the Falls School of Business who lives in Madison County. Gick is currently majoring in marketing with a minor in sports marketing.
'It feels great,' Gick said. 'I have never gotten a scholarship like this before. In high school, I got (scholarships), but I have never been somewhere so amazing like this, so I am a little nervous but excited.'
Whitson said that, while it is important to recognize individual success, it's also vital to recognize those businesses that have become mainstays in the community.
'We give a lot of awards throughout the year recognizing various sectors,' Whitson said. 'It is really important to us that we honor and celebrate those who made the longevity play in Madison County.
'That impact and investment over time and the jobs and stability within our economy is something that absolutely needs to be celebrated,' he added. 'We are honored to play a role in that.'
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