The Benton Area Chamber of Commerce held its annual awards luncheon for members on Thursday, January 11, 2018 at the Benton Event Center. Around 200 were in attendance. The list of honorees is a long one, and there are a lot of pictures too, so here’s a list and a couple of galleries. Congrats to the winners!
Benton Area Chamber of Commerce 2018 Board of Directors (l. to r.) Teresa Middlebrooks , Middlebrooks Electric; Chris Rollins, Rollins Performance Group; Jordan Woolbright (Treasurer), Jordan C. Woolbright CPA P.A.; Brent Jones, Edward Jones Investments; Valerie MacEntee, Ray Baggett Agency; Steve Brown (Vice Chairman), Alcoa Community Federal Credit Union; Toby Hirscheider, Carson Physical Therapy; Kelly Freudensprung, Saline Courier; Lisa Roth, First Security Bank; Doug Robinson, Baxley-Penfield-Moudy Realtors; Leeanne Crowson, Natural State Drug & Alcohol Testing; Jeff Richardson (Chairman), Bank of the Ozarks; Mitchell Bolding, Simmons Bank; Karen Carter, Roller-Ballard Funeral Home; and Leigha Jones (Past Chairman), The Bent Lily. Not pictured are Rick Bellinger (Secretary), Riverside Grocery & Catering; Laryssa Calley, Shelter Insurance; and Justin McCauley, McCauley Services.
THE AWARDS:
- Past Chairman – Leigha Jones, The Bent Lily
- Retiring Board Members – Lisa Presnall, Arkansas Health Center; Dee Everett, Everett Buick GMC; Lita Gattis, Benton School District; Cheryl Cook, Retired from Landers of Saline County; Paul White, Law Office of Paul D. White
- Ambassador of the Year – Valerie MacEntee, Ray Baggett Agency/Farmers Insurance
- Entrepreneurship Award – Brook Plack, Empire Cheerleading & Connect AFC
- Volunteer of the Year – Mark Fikes, KFC & Rib Crib
- Then, Now & Toward the Future Award – Brad Jordan, City of Benton
- Citizen of the Year – Dorcas Holicer
- Legacy Award – Dr. Bill Simmons
- Community Spirit Award – Benton Police Department
