Southaven Chamber holds annual Awards Luncheon
Photo: The Southaven Chamber Awards Luncheon attracted hundreds to the Landers Center Wednesday afternoon. (Bob Bakken/desotocountynews.com)
The Southaven Chamber of Commerce presented its annual awards Wednesday during its Awards Luncheon at the Landers Center.Â
Following are the persons or businesses that were recognized as award winners:
- Man of the Year, Stacy Dodd, Vertava Health and the Hope Center
- Woman of the Year, Ashleigh Parker, Olive Branch Eye Care and DeSoto Hope
- Corporate Business of the Year, Chick-fil-A Southaven
- Small Business of the Year, Buff City Soap-Southaven
- Spirit of Main Street, Brown Missionary Baptist Church
- Nonprofit Leader of the Year, Debra Crum, Mississippi Wildlife Rehabilitation
- Southaven Human Resource Association Leader of the Year, April Strickland, Buff City Soap-Southaven
- Southaven Young Professional Leader of the Year, Hunter Riley, Contractors, Inc.
- Ambassador of the Year, Stacy Dodd
During the luncheon, Southaven Mayor Darren Musselwhite presented a proclamation to Chamber Executive Director Debbie King recognizing the Chamber during National Support Your Local Chamber of Commerce Day.
Musselwhite also briefly highlighted the past year in Southaven, a year that saw higher sales tax receipts and business permits, along with a return in building permit numbers to levels not seen since 2007.
King gave a Year in Review about Chamber activities, which included the addition of staff members Cristan Engelke and Shawntel Hibbler, the addition of 133 new members and a member retention rate of 86 percent.
King also mentioned that the Chamber has held 79 events in the past 12 months, including the Christmas parade.
A golf tournament was a first for the Chamber and it raised more than $10,000 toward a Chamber Foundation, which is being formed in the next year.
