ASHLAND — The Ashland Area Chamber of Commerce had its 11th annual awards banquet Thursday and honored businesses and entities, the City of Ashland and UH Samaritan Medical Center among them.
The chamber awarded nine total members across all sectors of industry represented in Ashland County at Ashland University’s Convocation Center on March 3.
“The whole idea behind the awards is we’re celebrating all sectors of industry,” said Amy Daubenspeck, the chamber’s director of operations.
Daubenspeck said 375 registered for the banquet, which featured a dinner of chicken florentine paired with red-skinned potatoes, a salad and creme brulee for dessert.
The banquet was preceded by a business exposition, a chance for the event’s sponsors and other businesses to network.
“We weren’t able to (have an expo) last year because of COVID restrictions,” she said.
The awards banquet last year still attracted about 250 people, Daubenspeck said, but attendance that year was a far cry from 2020.
“We were the last large event that happened before the shutdown. We had 500 in attendance that year,” she said.
The chamber received 68 nominations for finalists before narrowing that list down to 31. The Holmes County Chamber of Commerce leadership team then chose the nine winners.
They are listed below:
• Agriculture: Sugar Grove Tree Farm
• Culture and Recreation: Ashland Main Street
• Health and Medical Services: UH Samaritan Medical Center
• Social Services: Ashland County Council on Aging
• Small Business: Mc. B Paving and Sealcoating
• Industrial Business: Pioneer National Latex
• Retail Business: Fin, Feather, Fur Outfitters
• Professional Services: City of Ashland
• Commercial and Residential Services: BCU Electric
Daubenspeck said she kept repeating throughout the evening that it’s “probably the best night of the year.”
“It’s a huge event and a wonderful way to celebrate our community, members and award winners. It showcases the wonderful things they do and share in their success,” she said.
Ashland Mayor Matt Miller was delighted the city received the honor and noted it was first time in the chamber’s award ceremony history that Ashland won anything.
“We want to become the standard of excellence for city governments,” Miller said. “Our goal is to become the standard by which other cities our size measure themselves upon high-quality services to their residents.”
He said this award shows the city’s 248 employees that “we’re making progress” toward that end.
“Business owners, nonprofit leaders and our citizens at large are making decisions and taking action in a way that will lead us to a more prosperous future,” Miller said.
