Southeast Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Celebrates Another Successful Annual Awards Night

PIKEVILLE, KY (Sept. 25, 2023): The Southeast Kentucky Chamber hosted the Annual Awards Night 2023 on Thursday, September 21. This is the biggest celebration of the year for the members of the Southeast Kentucky Chamber of Commerce. Awards were presented to businesses and individuals who made invaluable contributions to Eastern Kentucky over this past year. Rocky Adkins, Senior Advisor to the Governor of Kentucky, delivered the keynote address.

This year’s Annual Awards Night was well attended, with more than 400 chamber members in attendance. During the event, Jordan Gibson, President and CEO of the Southeast Kentucky Chamber of Commerce remarked, “It’s great to look around the room and see all the people smiling, and having a good time, and so this is a great opportunity to get together and network.”

The evening began with a reception and networking, which was followed by dinner and the awards ceremony. Jordan Gibson and Casey Lequire, Chairman of Chamber’s Board of Directors, led the ceremony. With nine different categories, there were ten awards given to recipients.

The award for Small Business of the Year was given to Altman Eye Center. “We made an impact in our community, and it’s something I will never forget,” said Dr. Turner Altman. “I’m grateful to the community, to the Chamber and to everybody who had a part in this.”

Other awards include the Distinguished Service Award, presented to Ms. Pam Mullins for her dedication and 23 years of service to the Southeast Kentucky Chamber. Pam retired earlier this year. The full list of categories and award winners is below.

The following received awards from the Southeast Kentucky Chamber of Commerce:

· Distinguished Service Award: Pam Mullins

· Citizen of the Year: Dusty Layne

· Outstanding Contribution by an Organization: Mountain Comprehensive Health Corporation

· Outstanding Contribution by an Organization: Pikeville Medical Center; Appalachian Valley Autism Center and the Mettu Children’s Hospital

· Small Business of the Year: Altman Eye Center

· Service Organization of the Year: Casting 4 Kids

· Business of the Year: Gearheart Communications

· Business Person of the Year: Rachelle Burchett

· Junior Williamson, East Kentucky Ambassador: Jerry Fultz

· Lon B. & Mary Evelyn Rogers Lifetime Achievement: Darrell Maynard

The Southeast Kentucky Chamber of Commerce is located at 178 College Street in Pikeville and serves more than 500 businesses in eight Eastern Kentucky Counties: Floyd, Johnson, Knott, Lawrence, Letcher, Magoffin, Martin, and Pike. The Chamber’s mission is to serve the businesses of Southeastern Kentucky through a commitment to networking, advocacy, education, and collaboration as we partner together to enhance the business climate in our region.

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