On Tuesday evening, January 16, 2024, the Statesboro-Bulloch Chamber of Commerce hosted its annual meeting and awards celebration at The Foxhall in the West District.
The Western-style theme, "Raising the Bar & Celebrating Trailblazers," spoke to the Chamber's goal of not only celebrating the accomplishments of the past year with the presentation of awards to deserving volunteers and businesses, but also to sharing expectations and goals for their new vision for 2024.
The sold out event was sponsored by Bulloch Solutions, and the food was catered by Honey Specialties, with Tandoor & Tap providing the Bourbon Bar and drinks. Virginia Luxe hosted a custom hat and boot bar befitting of the Western theme, and music was provided by Dan Larkin. Jeremy Wilburn served as official photographer of the event, and the program was emceed by Bo Broadwell.
Chad Wiggins, 2023 Board Chair, welcomed the crowd before David McClendon, pastor at New Covenant Church, led the invocation and pledge.
Stuart Gregory of Bulloch Solutions, presenting sponsor of the event, spoke on behalf of the business, before Wiggins recognized both the Gold & Silver Investors in the Chamber, as well as outgoing board members Allen Davis, Stephanie Neal, and April Miller, who he thanked for their service to the Chamber.
Allen Davis, 2023 Past Chair, introduced the 2024 board before the awards presentation.
Annual Awards
Awards were presented for StartUp of the Year, Small Business of the Year, Employer of the Year, Nonprofit of the Year, Chamber Ambassador of the Year, and Leadership Bulloch Alumni of the Year, as well as a Lifetime Achievement Award.
Congratulations to the winners of this year's awards!
StartUp of the Year: Juve
Presented by Dr. Kyle Marrero, Georgia Southern University
Charanne Pittman accepted the award on behalf of Juve and said their goal as a business is for people to leave feeling better and more beautiful than they did when they walked in. She added that all their work is in service to the Lord.
Small Business of the Year: Pioneer Design & Marketing
Presented by Amber Stewart, Renasant Bank
Sean Fox accepted the award on behalf of Pioneer. Fox said Pioneer aims to make Statesboro better and a little more beautiful with each project they complete.
Employer of the Year: Sack Company
Presented by Charanne Pittman, Juve
Paul Roesel and Madison Roesel accepted the award on behalf of the Sack Company. The senior Roesel said their team members are their greatest asset and they work diligently to create a positive work environment for them every day.
Nonprofit of the Year: United Way of Southeast Georgia
Presented by John Roach, Morris Bank
Carey Cassedy accepted the United Way's award. She said the United Way SEGA aims to be there for every stage of life from cradle to career to senior citizenship through a collective effort in our community.
Ambassador of the Year: Sara Russell (Unable to attend)
Presented by Stuart Gregory, Bulloch Solutions; Accepted by Caroline Nelson
Russell sent remarks to be read in her absence, in which she said she was proud to carry on the tradition of community service that her parents exemplified to her growing up.
Leadership Bulloch Alumni of the Year: Jeremy Wilburn
Presented by Chad Wiggins, Synovus
Wilburn took a break from photographing the event to accept his award. He said he was humbled by the award and encouraged everyone to get out and serve the community with all their hearts.
Bruce Yawn Lifetime Achievement Award: Ray Hendley (Unable to attend)
Presented by Stuart Gregory, Bulloch Solutions; Accepted by Ginny Hendley
Gregory introduced the winner of this prestigious award by saying it would be difficult to find someone whose visionary leadership has had more of an impact on our community than Ray Hendley. Hendley is "the example of development done right."
Hendley pre-recorded his remarks, which were played for the audience before his daughter, Ginny, accepted the award on his behalf, saying she would not be the person she is today without him. They both thanked the Lord for His hand in their work.
Chamber Updates & Vision for 2024
Following the award presentations, Chamber President Jennifer Davis recapped the year's accomplishments, including seeing the opening of more than 30 new businesses in Statesboro, hosting 9 Business After Hours events and three Lunch & Learns, and moving 66 youth and adults through 14 community class days in the Leadership Bulloch program.
In addition, the Chamber hosted a healthcare forum, educational summit, the State of the Region, and the annual golf tournament this year. The Chamber also secured a new storefront in the West District, and Davis said that in the last two years, the Chamber's overall operations budget has nearly doubled, thanks to the hard work of its staff and board. In the coming year, they will invest time in a 501c3 arm of the Chamber, which will allow them to increase their reach in business development.
Davis thanked outgoing board chair Chad Wiggins and the Chamber staff including Mandy Broadwell, Landon Haralson, and Kaitlyn Gordon, for making it a successful year.
Incoming board chair Michelle Davis then outlined priorities for 2024. The Chamber plans to leverage the new nonprofit foundation to increase services and will, in turn, grow the staff. In addition, the Chamber will be launching its "Why Belong?" social media campaign to better demonstrate the benefits of Chamber membership to businesses in our community.
Wiggins offered closing remarks, and the meeting was adjourned.
About the Statesboro-Bulloch Chamber of Commerce
Founded in 1921, the Statesboro Bulloch Chamber of Commerce is a nonprofit membership organization of more than 500 businesses committed to strengthening businesses and the economic environment for those who work, live, and do business in Bulloch County. The Chamber supports our members through networking, advocacy, professional development, and community engagement. For more information or to become a member, visit www.statesborochamber.com.