Debbie Lurie-Smith debbie@jcnews.com
ACitizen of the Year and three Businesses of the year in different categories were recognized at the Jones County/Gray Chamber of Commerce Members Association Awards event.
The annual awards banquet took place Jan. 17 at Butler Hall and included a dinner catered by Trish Ann’s Antiques and Tea Room in Haddock. The dinner was sponsored by Morris Bank.
Casey Gallagher was selected as the Citizen of the Year, and 1st Choice Heating and Air was the Business of the Year. Hometown Orthopedics and Sports Medicine was announced as the Emerging Business of the Year, and Treasures By The Tracks was the Main Street Business of the Year.
Outgoing Chamber of Commerce Board Chairman Steve Johnson served as the master of ceremonies for the event. Johnson started with the welcome and blessing of the meal and was back to start the awards ceremony.
At the conclusion of the awards, Johnson passed the chairman’s gavel to incoming chairman Wes Casteel.
As attendees were finishing up their meals, Johnson started the awards ceremony with an overview of 2024. He said while he was serving as chairman, he witnessed the meaning of community.
The chairman said he watched people serve each other, work on fundraisers and give of their time. He said 34 chamber members were added in 2024, and 10 ribbon cuttings for new businesses were held.
“It was a pleasure to work with board members who go above and beyond,” Johnson said.
He thanked Amber Ayers, who was the previous chairman, and the incoming chairman, Casteel.
The chairman said he learned under Ayers’ leadership and added a quote by John Quincy Adams.
“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader,” he said. “Amber, you are a leader.”
Johnson thanked Casteel for his new ideas and said he is looking forward to the coming year.
“2025 is going to be a great year,” he added.
Jones County Development Authority Executive Director Haley Watson and Main Street Gray Director Ashley Roberson have been sharing the duties of chamber director as the search goes on for the right person for the position.
Watson was the next on the program to announce the winner of Citizen of the Year. She explained there were three nominees selected for each award. Videos of their bios were created by Walter Reynolds with Old Capital productions and available to view on the chamber Facebook page.
Watson said the Citizen of the Year is a person who consistently demonstrates excellent community leadership through involvement in the community and gives frequently of their time and energy.
“She gives her time, money, emotional support, coaches basketball teams, works on boards and tries to help, even if not on boards,” Watson said. “The Citizen of the Year is my friend, Casey Gallagher.”
Gallagher expressed her appreciation.
“I love Jones County and everything it represents,” she said.
Ava Dunlapp, who won the Emerging Business of the Year award last year, presented this year’s award to Kimberlyn Wilson and Heath Mills with Hometown Orthopedic and Sports Medicine.
Both Wilson and Mills accepted the award. Wilson said the business had been blessed the past few years.
Mills said they were humbled and honored to receive the award.
“We are so glad to be here,” he said.
Roberson presented the Main Street Gray Business of the Year to Rick and Paige Childs of Treasures By the Tracks.
“After 17 years, they are not just part of Main Street Gray, they are Main Street Gray,” the director said.
Both Rick and Paige accepted the award.
“Thank you,” Rick said. “Looking around Gray, Georgia, I can’t imagine a better place to grow up and live. We are blessed to have so many good friends and customers. It’s nice to work with so many dedicated people.”
The Business of the Year Award was presented to Michael and Stevi Tidwell and 1st Choice Heating and Air by Amber Ayers.
“1st Choice Heating and Air stood out as a cornerstone of the community due to their unwavering commitment to their customers to ensure their comfort and peace of mind,” she said.
Ayers said the company has a constant presence at community events and sponsors almost every event and ball team.
Michael Tidwell thanked the community for its support and credited their employees for the company’s success.
“It all because of the people sitting at that table. They show up every day,” he said.
Greg Mullis, chief operating officer for Tri-CoGo, had a special presentation.
“Every community needs a special champion who make things happen, has a unique vision and sees a different finish line. We are lucky to have one such person who happens to be home grown, and it’s taken some twists of fate and determination for them to get there,” he said.
Mullis read several quotes about the honoree, including a quote from Alan Childs.
“She is dedicated with a desire to see the community flourish and grow, a tremendous asset to others in sharing her knowledge and vision and taking pride in helping other succeed.”
Shawn Dobson, manager of site development at Georgia EMC, said she has been an outstanding partner and colleague in their work with Jones County.
“Her dedication, responsiveness and willingness to go above and beyond has been valuable. Professionalism and commitment to fostering growth in Jones County makes her a true asset to this community,” Dobson said.
Bradley Harris, manager of economic development at Georgia EMC, said creating strong local partnerships and being able to navigate challenges are some of the reasons Georgia has been successful to economic growth.
“For me, she is Jones County,” he said. “She has the perfect temperament to be the face of economic development in Jones County.
Mullis announced the recipient of the “Catalyst to Development Award,” Haley Watson.
In accepting the award, Watson said she appreciated the award and was caught totally off guard. She stated that she tries to stay behind the scenes.
“Thank you all for helping me grow into the person I am today,” Watson said.
The final portion of the program was the passing of the gavel from the outgoing to incoming chairperson.
“We are here to support you,” Johnson said.
After being presented the gavel, Casteel said he hoped the ceremony showed the direction the chamber is going.
“2024 felt like a year of putting a rocket together. It was a lot of hard work. You don’t know what you’re doing all the time. You just hope it gets off the ground. But 2025 is about that rocket taking off,” he said. “That’s where we are at.”
