Chamber recognizes business champions
After a yearlong hiatus due to COVID-19, the Butler County Chamber of Commerce held its annual “Celebrate Business” and Leadership Butler County class graduation Wednesday at the Slippery Rock Golf Club and Events Center.
Obviously glad to see one another after the long break, about 200 participants at the gala often exchanged knowing glances as well as laughed or cried during the presentations.
Jordan Grady, executive director of the Butler County Chamber of Commerce, presided, and Keith Graham, the chamber's board chairman and vice president of advertising at the Butler Eagle, welcomed participants for the evening event.
In his remarks, Grady tipped his hat to Dr. Christopher Cole, 2020 Chamber board chairman, for his response to COVID-19 and the 2020 quarantine.
“That first (telephone) call post-world-shutting-down was something that still sticks with me today,” Grady said. “You helped me collect myself and set a plan for this chamber to not only survive a pandemic, but be a truly invaluable resource for the members we serve.”
Grady elaborated, saying, “The last 18 months or so are a time we would like to forget. For a lot of us in this room, this has been the most difficult time we have ever experienced. But we can't just forget 2020. In fact, we should remember it all and learn from it. We should be inspired with all the resilience and creativity we all witnessed. We should build off these great partnerships that formed. We should take advantage of these opportunities and continue to move Butler County forward.”
He concluded that, “During the past two years, we have worked hard to be a vessel of information to our members, bring back in-person events, both educational and social, and worked alongside other entities through the Butler County Growth Collaborative with one mission in mind — help make Butler County a great place to live, work and play.”
Stating that the chamber's members and sponsors allow the chamber “to be so effective in promoting free enterprise,” Grady praised staffers Jan Painter, Tiffany Horstman, Caitlin Blum and Joe Saeler for their help with day-to-day operations as well as for gala preparations.
In his remarks for the gala, Graham also referenced COVID-19.
“Tonight's dinner will be twice as nice as we will have the privilege to recognize and hear from the (combined) 2020 and 2021 chamber award recipients,” he said. “I am also glad that we have been able to return to some sense of normalcy with regard to events in 2021 — this is one of my personal favorites.”
Butler County Commissioners Leslie Osche, Kim Geyer and Kevin Boozel and director of economic development Mark Gordon presented the awards.
The award winners are:The SpringHill Suites by Marriott is the 2020 Chamber Business Champion Award recipient;Bill Kennihan of Kennihan Plumbing and Heating Inc., is the 2020 William A. Morgan Jr. Entrepreneur of the Year;NexTier Bank won the 2021 Chamber Business Champion Award;Kenny Bonus of Bonus Accounting won the 2021 William A. Morgan Jr. Entrepreneur of the Year Award.In his brief remarks, Graham referred to Audrianna Bly, manager of the Marriott, as “a young manager who seems to be everywhere and first in line to serve others ... a fine example of our young professionals at work in Butler County.”NexTier Bank, Graham noted, “proved they aptly represent their name as they took it to the next level this year, facilitating countless paycheck protection loans that saved local businesses.”Clem Rosenberger, representing the bank, commented that the room was “full of doers and people of passion.”Speaking of Kennihan, Graham said, “We will hear from a man who built his family business from nothing and has warmed the hearts of those around him with his genuine and honest nature.”Graham then quipped about Bonus, “As a bonus, we'll throw in another guy whose dedication to the community, his family and his growing business is really starting to add up.”Charlie Johns, chairman of the Leadership Butler County Board of Directors, handled the Leadership graduation. He represents the county's Children and Youth Services.State Sen. Scott Hutchinson, R-21st, John Fazio, representing U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly, R-16th, and Nicole Collins, representing state Rep. Marci Mustello, R-11th, offered words of congratulation and resolutions.Sponsors of the event were the Butler County Tourism and Convention Bureau, C.W. Howard Insurance Agency, WesBanco, NexTier Bank, Thompson-Miller Funeral Home, Minuteman Press, Ligo Architects, Armstrong, Community Development Corporation, Butler Health System, Edward Jones Financial Advisor: Jeff Geibel, the Butler Eagle, HRG Engineering and First Energy.Notably, the County of Butler won the Chamber Business Champion Award in 2019.
Members of the proud 2020-21 graduating class of Leadership Butler are:Ryan Campbell, Calumet Specialty Products; Ken Clowes, Care Center of Butler County Community College; John Duncan, Penn United Technologies; Carrie Ferguson, Butler Veterans Administration; Amy Franz, United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania; Amy Furey, Office of Personnel Management; Jeff Geibel, Edward Jones; Christine Grossman, on behalf of Butler Health System; Christina Hough, Glade Run Lutheran Services; Mary Jones, Armstrong; Michele Konyha, on behalf of BCCC; Robert Lagnese, Slippery Rock University; Eric Lunn, Stantec; John Mauthe, Armstrong; Mikayla Moretti, BCCC; Nick Serafine and Hannah Shannon, both of NexTier Bank; Ashley Steighner, Office of Personnel Management; Rhonda Tack, Sunnyview; Janna Unik, on behalf of Butler Health System; Kimberly van Driel, First English Lutheran Church; and Tracey Williams, on behalf of Mars Bank.
