Ilsa Miner | Daily Press Nicholas R. Bink, general manager of Bink’s Coca-Cola, speaks while accepting the Business of the Year award at the Delta County Chamber of Commerce Annual Dinner on Thursday. did. See page 7A for event details.
HARRIS — The sound of music filled the Conference Center at Island Resort and Casino Thursday during the Delta County Chamber of Commerce Annual Dinner. This year’s theme was a tribute to the Escanaba City Band, which celebrated its 100th season this summer.
Following the opening remarks, the evening began with Daily Press Editor-in-Chief Brian Rowell giving a Delta Talk to Vicki Griggs, Entertainment Manager at Island Resort and Casino, who graduated from the Delta Force Leadership Program 12 years ago. The event began with the presentation of the Force Outstanding Alumni Award.
“I don’t think of myself as a jack-of-all-trades kind of gal. I do the work I do because it’s needed, wanted, or just because…it’s fun. I’m doing it,” Griggs said, explaining that he was surprised to be nominated for this honor.
After a brief business meeting of the Delta County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, during which the new board was sworn in, attention turned to the newest class of the Delta Force Leadership Program. and from Delta County government, media, community and businesses. The short graduation ceremony for the Delta Force Class of 2024 was moderated by U.S. Sen. Ed McBroom and featured a speech by Kelly Getzloff.
“If there’s one thing I learned from this program, it’s that it takes a village. I have always enjoyed helping others, and this program opened my eyes to the many opportunities to serve in Delta County,” Getzloff said of the program.
After the ceremony, dinner was served and the recognition program began.
The first award of the night was the Athena Award, which recognizes someone who has demonstrated professional excellence, outstanding leadership, and a deep commitment to the advancement of women. This year, the award was presented by past recipient Karen Crawford to Embers Credit Union President Brenda Lippens, who was anonymously nominated for the award and has served on the chamber board for nearly 20 years.
“I’m really, really humbled,” said Lippens, who first learned of the award a few hours before the dinner.
The next award was the Educational Excellence Award, presented by Doug Reisenring of Delta Schoolcraft ISD and sponsored by the Delta County Community Foundation. This year’s recipient was Lori Neuroa, Elementary School Principal at Gladstone Area Schools.
“Teaching has always been more than a profession for me; it is truly a calling. I walk into the classroom every day not just with one goal in mind, but as an individual, not just as a learner. It’s about connecting with students,” she said.
Next up was the Community Ambassador Award, sponsored by Billerud and presented by Pam Versailles, Billerud’s Health and Safety Director. The award was presented to novelist J.L. Hyde for his “Delta County” series of novels.
“I spent the year feeling so grateful to be back in the place where I grew up. My creativity has been off the rails over the past year since I moved home. I published three books in the year I was at home just because it was so inspirational to me,” Hyde said.
The next award was the first for our chamber of commerce. The “Non-Profit of the Year Award,” sponsored by Radio Results Network and presented by RRN General Manager Jesse Huff, was presented to the Delta County Community Foundation.
“We will continue to do our best to continue and be stronger, be better, be bigger and help more,” said Cheryl Andzejewski, executive director of the Delta County Community Foundation. He said the foundation’s goal is to help the community every day.
This year’s Business Partner of the Year award was presented to three organizations that helped respond to the catastrophic power outage during the Upper Peninsula State Fair: Sunbelt Rentals, the City of Escanaba, and Freedom Electric. . Accepting the awards were Tom Wagner and Marco Velasco of Sunbelt Rentals, Jim McNeil of Escanaba City Manager, and Rob Leveille and Ali Leveille of Freedom Electric.
Sunbelt Rentals provided a variety of equipment to the show, including barn cooling equipment and high-voltage generators for power outages. The city’s electric department was on the scene within minutes of the power outage, working with Freedom Electric to isolate the problem and prevent it from spreading.
This year’s Century Award, given to a company or organization with 100 years of community roots, went to the Escanaba City Band. Band conductors Bruce Cassel and Joe Helberg accepted the award presented by the Delta County EDA and the Upper Peninsula Michigan Plant.
“It will take people’s cooperation to make this last 100 years. On behalf of all those who came before me and all those who will come after us, we accept this and express our gratitude. ,” Cassel said.
The final ward of the night won the Business of the Year award sponsored by Upper Peninsula Michigan Works. The award was presented to Binks Coca-Cola, and general manager Nicholas R. Binks accepted the award, saying it was a credit to both his father’s dedication to the business and Binks’ staff.
“If you have a culture where you have enough people who really care about each other and care about their customers, there’s an opportunity,” he said.
