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Photo by Jon Anderson
Mike Jackson of Jackson, Howard & Whatley, CPAs, at left, receives the Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce award for 2024 Service Business of the Year. He is pictured with chamber President and CEO Michelle Hawkins and 2024 chamber Chairman Clabe Dobbs.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Bill Brunson, the senior pastor at Vestavia Hills Methodist Church, center, receives the Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce's 2024 Nonprofit Organization of the Year award. he is pictured with chamber Chairman Clabe Dobbs and chamber President and CEO Michelle Hawkins.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Dr. Edgar Luna of Vestavia Dental, center, receives the Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce's 2024 Member of the Year award. Luna is pictured with 2024 Chamber Chairman Clabe Dobbs and Michelle Hawkins, the president and CEO of the chember.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Kelly Atchison of Two Men and a Truck, at left, is honored as the Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce's 2024 Board Member of the Year. She is pictured with chamber President and CEO Michelle Hawkins and 2024 chamber Chairman Clabe Dobbs.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Kevin Wade of ITAC Solutions, center, receives the Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce's 2024 Volunteer of the Year award. Wade is pictured with 2024 Chamber Chairman Clabe Dobbs and Michelle Hawkins, the president and CEO of the chember.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Tracy Thornton, the Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce's director of membership and marketing (center), receives the chamber's 2024 Dr. Charles A. "Scotty" McCallum Leadership Award. She is pictured with chamber President and CEO Michelle Hawkins and 2024 chamber Chairman Clabe Dobbs.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Christina Babineaux of IRA Innovations, center, receives the Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce's 2024 President's Choice Award. Babineaux is pictured with 2024 Chamber Chairman Clabe Dobbs and Michelle Hawkins, the president and CEO of the chember.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Clabe Dobbs of People's Bank of Alabama, left, receives the 2024 Chairman's Award for his service as 2024 chairman of the Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce. He is pictured with 2023 Chamber Chairman Donnie Dobbins.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Ben Chambliss of Jackson, Howard & Whatley, CPAs receives the Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce Lifetime Membership Award on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. Chambliss is pictured with chamber President and CEO Michelle Hawkins and 2024 chamber Chairman Clabe Dobbs.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Clabe Dobbs, the 2024 chairman of the Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce, gives farewell remarks at the chamber's luncheon at the Vestavia County Club on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Board members departing from the Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce board of directors include, from left, Scott Perry of RealtySouth, Donnie Dobbins of First Horizon Bank, Sandra Cleveland of BCR Wealth Strategies and Ben Chambliss of Jackson, Howard & Whatley, CPAS. Standing with them at right are chamber President and CEO Michelle Hawkins and 2024 chamber Chairman Clabe Dobbs of People's Bank of Alabama.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Michelle Hawkins, the president and CEO of the Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce, speaks at the chamber's luncheon at the Vestavia Country Club on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Keri Bates, the 2025 chairwoman of the Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce, introduces other members of the chamber's 2025 board of directors during the chamber's luncheon at the Vestavia Country Club on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
The Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce's 2025 board of directors poses for photo after the chamber's monthly luncheon at the Vestavia Country Club on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025.
The Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday gave out multiple awards for its top businesses, members and volunteers of 2024.
The awards were presented at the chamber’s monthly luncheon at the Vestavia Country Club.
Here’s a rundown:
- Retail Business of the Year — Mudtown and The Ridge Eat & Drink
- Service Business of the Year — Jackson, Howard & Whatley, CPAs
- Nonprofit Organization of the Year — Vestavia Hills Methodist Church
- Member of the Year — Vestavia Dental
- Board Member of the Year — Kelly Atchison, Two Men and a Truck
- Volunteer of the Year — Kevin Wade, ITAC Solutions
- Dr. Charles A. “Scotty” McCallum Leadership Award — Tracy Thornton, Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce director of membership and marketing
- Chair’s Choice Award — Katherine McRee, Lili Pad & Gigi’s
- President’s Choice Award — Christina Babineaux, IRA Innovations
- Chairman’s Award — Clabe Dobbs, People’s Bank of Alabama
- Lifetime Membership Award — Ben Chambliss, Jackson, Howard & Whatley, CPAs
Dobbs, who served as chairman of the board for the chamber in 2024, thanked the chamber for the opportunity to serve as chairman this past year and credited fellow board and chamber members, the chamber staff and volunteers, and city and school system leaders for making this past year a success for the chamber.
Michelle Hawkins, the chamber’s president and CEO, said Dobbs has been a light to the chamber as a leader and one of the best things about the past year. Dobbs always brings positivity and excitement and has been very organized as he helped move the chamber forward last year, Hawkins said.
Donnie Dobbins, the chamber’s 2023 chairman, said it has been a pleasure working with Dobbs over the last 10 years. Dobbs is someone who is dedicated to taking care of his clients in the banking industry and providing exceptional service and is always looking to make people’s day better.
Dobbs has been active with the chamber for 11 years, serving as a director for three years, chairman of community affairs for 2022, chairman-elect in 2023 and chairman this past year. Dobbins thanked Dobbs for his hard work, enthusiasm and leadership.
Dobbs then handed over the chairman’s gavel to Keri Bates of Rocky Ridge Drug Co., who will lead the chamber’s board in 2025.
Here’s a complete list of chamber board members for 2025:
- Chairwoman — Keri Bates, Rocky Ridge Drug Co.
- Chairman-elect — Taylor Burton, Taylor Burton Co.
- Vice Chairwoman of Membership Development — Christina Babineaux, IRA Innovations
- Vice Chairman of Business Development — Andrew Burke, General Informatics
- Vice Chairwoman of Community Affairs — Kelly Atchison, Two Men and a Truck
- Vice Chairwoman of Programming — McDonald’s/Black Family Restaurants
- Vice Chairwoman of Public Education — Ashley Moss, Village Dermatology
- Immediate Past Chairman — Clabe Dobbs, People’s Bank of Alabama
- Director — Bob Barker, Big Color
- Director — Brian Fisher, Community Bank
- Director — Bridget Glasgow, ERA King Real Estate
- Director — Tyler Kime, Standard Heating, Cooling & Plumbing
- Director — Katherine McRee, Lili Pad & Gigi’s
- Director — Roger Steur, Method Mortgage
- Director — Grant Thomas, Thomas & Associates
- Director — Kevin Wade, ITAC Solutions
- Treasurer — Roger Jackson, Jackson, Howard & Whatley, CPAs
- Secretary/Legal Counsel — Mark Macoy
The next chamber luncheon is scheduled for Feb. 11 at the Vestavia Country Club.