Chamber honors award winners, welcomes new leadership
"Volunteerism is the civic rent we pay here on earth."
That is the proverb outgoing Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce board chair James Robinson shared at the first chamber luncheon of 2017
The Jan. 10 meeting was a time of celebrating the hard work of 2016, as well as the new beginnings of 2017.
After recognizing the 2016 committee chairs and board directors, several members were given awards for their commitment, leadership and service over the last year:
Board Member of the Year - Gary Jordan
Member of the Year - Abby McManus
Business of the Year: Retail - Fancy Goods Variety
Business of the Year: Service - Southmont Development/Morgan Properties
Ambassador of the Year - Betsy Frazer
Chair's Choice - Ben Chambliss & Mark Macoy
Robinson himself was awarded the President's Choice Award, because, a chamber president Karen Odle said, he was willing to go above and beyond his duties to make sure the employees of the chamber had the resources and man power to make Vestavia a better place to do business.
While he may not be able to make as many jokes about Alagasco now that he moves into the immediate-past chair role, Odle said she knows his time serving the chamber and the community are not over.
Awards from Viva Vestavia, which took place in October, were also announced, including Best Presentation, awarded to Snapper Grabbers, and Best Food, which was a tie between Grille 29 and Samurai Japan.
Odle thanked all of the members, ambassadors, board directors and chairs for their hard work in 2016, and congratulated the award winners on their accomplishment.
"They were very well deserved," she said.
In addition to the awards, the 2017 board directors and chairs were recognized, and were then sworn in by City Manager Jeff Downes.
2017 board chair Roger Steur gave brief remarks after taking the oath, thanking Robinson for leaving the chamber in such good condition, as well as thanking Odle and the chamber staff for the constant work they do and his family and work family for their support. He also said he is looking forward to the year to come and the many things the chamber will do in 2017.
Steur closed the meeting by, as he said he'd seen done at a John's Hopkins University commencement, taking a panorama photo of the crowd with his Blackberry.