The Wallaceburg and District Chamber of Commerce held their annual Business & Community Excellence Awards event on Thursday night at the CBD Club in Wallaceburg.
Outgoing Wallaceburg Coun. Jeff Wesley was named Citizen of the Year.
Wesley has served the community as the former Mayor, Deputy Reeve and Councillor for the Town of Wallaceburg and served three terms as a Chatham-Kent Councillor as well.
Wesley has been involved in Chatham-Kent as both an elected official and volunteer since 1985.
Prior to the most recent Municipal election, Wesley announced he would not be seeking re-election and would instead be focusing on his legal career, taking a position with Carscallen Reinhart Mathany Maslak Anderson Law in Wallaceburg.
He also set to retire from Union Gas next month, after serving as Manager of Municipal Relations for the company since 1984.
He was joined by his wife Michelle and their four children at Thursday night’s awards ceremony.
Jamie Knight, a long time lacrosse coach in Wallaceburg, was named as the winner of the Chamber Choice Award.
The nominees for the Chamber Choice Award, which will be given out for the second year in a row, were nominated and voted on exclusively by the community.
Chamber officials say this award recognizes the best of the best when it comes to an individual who is dedicated to the Wallaceburg & District area. Nominees exemplify excellence through dedication, community leadership and achievements.
McBrayne’s Feed & Supply captured the Agricultural/Industrial Award.
YourTV was the winner of the Technology Award.
The Wallaceburg & Area Wind Concerns group were named as the winners of the Environmental Award.
The Business of the Year was Tom & Al’s Furniture.
Melissa Gaylard and Jeremy Siddall, who own the Clubhouse at Baldoon, were named Entrepreneurs of the Year.
The Wallaceburg Antique Motor and Boat Outing captured the Chip Gordon Community Builder Award.
The Community Inclusion Award went to Badder Bus Lines.
Eleena deBakker, who took over ownership of Westbrook’s Flower Shoppe this year, won the Young Professional award.
Sandra & Eric Johnston were named Volunteers of the Year.
The Wallaceburg BIA Award went to the Sydenham Challenge Dragon Boat Festival.
Chamber officials say this year the nominations were made by a committee who also served as the judging panel.
“We had a fabulous nominations committee which included a few, well-connected lifetime residents of the C-K community who wish to remain anonymous,” stated Jill Misselbrook, membership coordinator for the
Wallaceburg & District Chamber of Commerce, in a media release.
“Each member of this panel complimented each other in terms of the industries and areas of the community they were familiar with, and they each took these nominations very seriously.”
The event, which will be emceed by CKXS, recognizes businesses and individuals in the Wallaceburg and district area on an annual basis.
“We simply feel this awards presentation is something that should be done annually as there are so many dedicated members of our community that are not recognized for their ongoing devotion to making this a better place to live and work,” Misselbrook added.
