24-04-2025
Diamond Award winners recognized
CONNEAUT LAKE — Established and emerging community leaders gathered Wednesday night for the annual Meadville-Western Crawford County Chamber of Commerce Dinner and Diamond Awards.
Diamond Award winners included Gabe Panchura as emerging male leader and Virginia Dann as emerging female leader.
Panchura said when he began working at Hagan Business Machines of Meadville, coworkers encouraged him to go to some Chamber events, and he never stopped.
'I'm going to continue to do that,' he said. 'I'm very humbled and honored to win and we'll see what comes in the future.'
Christa Lundy, executive director of the Chamber, said Panchura is one of only two in her 12 years there to receive a perfect score in the award criteria from judges.
Dann, an account manager for Parker Lord at Acutec Precision Aerospace, also leads programming for young professionals and has been raising a young family of her own.
'It's an honor alone to be nominated but to be recognized for the award, it means a lot, especially with everything we all have going on in life,' she said, thanking Acutec, her husband and 'the village that supports us.'
For the other Diamond Awards, the small business award went to Lakeside Tranquility Massage & Spa with Finney's Chocolate Shoppe, Kathleen Layer Coaching LLC, Meadville Market House, Save Room for Dessert and Yoga Spot Meadville as other finalists.
Mid-size business honors went to ONE Federal Credit Union. Other nominees were Riverside Brewing Company and The Meadville Tribune.
Home Instead took the top spot for the large business category with Interim Health Care and Juniper Village at Meadville as other nominees this year.
New in town, Eternal Glow was named the winner of the new business category with 43 Artisan Co., Anchor Performance Clinic and Hello Sunshine Children's Boutique as runners-up.
The small nonprofit award went to Meadville Area Free Clinic. Other finalists were Crawford Central Community Foundation and The Learning Center K-8 School.
On the other end, the large nonprofit award went to Meadville Family YMCA. Other nominees were Crawford County Fair Association and United Way of Western Crawford County.
Top event sponsors of this years' awards were Allegheny College, Bayshore Homes, Shafer Law Firm and Starn Marketing Group.
