The Rocky Mount Area Chamber of Commerce held its 106th annual meeting on Feb. 3, installing former longtime Mayor Fred Turnage as the 2010 chairman of the Chamber.

The evening began with the Presentation of Colors by the 849th Quartermaster Company, many of whom are preparing for deployment to Afghanistan in the coming days; and the National Anthem was inspiringly performed by junior and senior young ladies of the Tar River Children’s Chorus Ensemble.

This was a fitting beginning to the meeting that saw attendance reach 500 people and which featured keynote speaker retired Gen. Hugh Shelton, who delivered an important overview of the work of our brave men and women serving our country, as well as insightful glimpses of the history, background and environment in which this important work has been and is continuing to be conducted. Mayor David Combs was on hand to present a key to the city to this area native hero.

2009 Chairman John Kincheloe announced The Chamber’s annual service award recipients recognizing outstanding volunteer leadership for The Chamber and the community. The honorees were Lige Daughtridge, Daughtridge Sales, as the Woody Brown Award Winner — highlighting his service to the area through Reach Out Rocky Mount/Fun Run for Charities and the organization’s work to develop a comprehensive community calendar, as well as his important work on behalf of Chamber members in Small Business; and Ms. Dorothy High, Guardian Holdings, as Ambassador of the Year — highlighting the behind the scenes work of an Ambassador of The Chamber who has given many hours of volunteer time on behalf of the organization and its members.

Kincheloe shared an overview of his year leading The Chamber’s community work and in the passing of the gavel, introduced 2010 Chairman Turnage — a leader whose longstanding public service has benefitted our city, its citizens, our region, our state, and in several cases our nation, since he began his mayoral service as Rocky Mount’s youngest Mayor in 1973. Turnage gave brief remarks about the coming year at The Chamber helm and inspired attendees to continue to work together to capitalize on every opportunity that can strengthen our area.

“Businesses are linked to the overall economic prosperity of our region, and if businesses are to do well in a community, the community itself has to be strong enough to support economic growth — chamber’s cannot go it alone and have to bring in a broader group of stakeholders,” Turnage said. “Whether we lead or just serve as a partner, we need to be at the table when big policy issues are being discussed in community.”

Turnage recognized the 2010 Board of Directors and thanked them for their talents, dedication and service to The Chamber’s work, including the Executive Committee: Chairman-Elect, Jeffrey A. Batts, Batts, Batts & Bell LLP; Immediate Past-Chairman, John Kincheloe, Bulluck Furniture Company; Treasurer, Morris Wilder; Chamber CEO Eddie Baysden and COO Sherry Johnson; Division Vice Chairs: Reuben Blackwell, Opportunities Industrialization Center - Workforce Preparedness/Education; Lyn Brown, Providence Bank — Membership Services & Development; Lige Daughtridge, Daughtridge Sales Company — Business Services/Small Business; Randy Evans, Benchmark Management Group — Business Recruitment; Rick Isaza, Hospira — Business Services/Corporate & Industry; Bill Lehnes, Chick-fil-A of Cobb Corners — Events/Sponsorships; Matt Sperati, Keel, Lassiter, Duffy & Sperati — Public Policy; and Directors: Christina Barfield, B&M Roofing Contractors; Kim Bayless, Poyner Spruill LLP; Faye Beddingfield-Wiggs, Holiday Inn Rocky Mount; David Broyles, Battle, Winslow, Scott & Wiley; Peter Bynum, First Presbyterian Church; Lorenzo Carmon, Edgecombe County; Larry Chewning, Nash Health Care; Bob Crumley, Boddie-Noell Enterprises; John Gessaman, Carolinas Gateway Partnership; David Gooding — Eagle Press; Michael Goodmon, Capitol Broadcasting Company; Jim Gray, N.C. Wesleyan College; Ken Hunter, Young Professionals Network; Dr. Deborah Lamm, Edgecombe Community College; Sheila Martin, Dunn Center for the Performing Arts; Ginny Mohrbutter, United Way Tar River Region; Bob Murphy, Nash County; David Purinai, MSH Insurance; Steve Raper, City of Rocky Mount; Wayne Ripberger, Cummins Rocky Mount Engine Plant; Allison Sikes, Strategy Performance, LLC; Linda Skojec, Express Employment Professionals; Keith Smith, Nash Community College; Michael Smith, Allstate/Etheredge Associates; Will Solomon, Jr., The Solomon Law Firm; Mahler Thorp, RBC Bank; and Billy Wooten, Kanban Logistics.

The Rocky Mount Area Chamber of Commerce, a membership organization with more than 650 business members in the region, serves as the leading business advocate for sustaining and promoting economic prosperity in the region and exists to foster economic growth and to advance the commercial, industrial, and civic well being of the region through a strong, expanding business base.

RELATED SLIDESHOW

Chamber Annual Meeting