The Robins Regional Chamber Pinnacle Awards was created to recognize the height of excellence in our organization and community. It is our pleasure to recognize the following:
BUSINESS EXCELLENCE AWARDS
The Business Excellence Awards recognize achievement and business success in our community. This year, thanks to the support of Cox Communications and the outstanding businesses nominated for the awards, we are pleased to share that we have expanded what was traditionally a Small Business of the Year award into multiple awards by business size.
While our finalists represent a broad range of business sectors, they all have successfully demonstrated the criteria set out for this esteemed recognition. Nominees were required to complete a business profile and were evaluated in the following areas. In business for 5 or more years and a chamber member in good standing for the past 3 years:
- Staying Power
- Commitment to Local Economy
- Sustainability
- Business Integrity
- Adaptation
- Response to Challenges
- Community Contribution
- Leadership
2016 BUSINESS EXCELLENCE AWARDS FINALISTS
Clean Control
Gottwals Books
Rigby’s Entertainment Complex
Total Computer Solutions
Uncle Maddio’s Pizza Joint
2016 SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
The Small Business of the Year award recognizes achievement and business success in our community. This award is given in memory of the late Charles K. Shaheen, Jr and Barbara Shaheen for their remarkable legacy of service to our community.
Recipient: Ocmulgee, Inc.
2016 BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
Recipient: Clean Control Corporation
2016 RISING STAR
New to the Pinnacle Awards, the 2016 Rising Star Award specifically honors a member who has been in business less than 3 years.
Recipient: Uncle Maddio’s Pizza Joint
ROBINS REGIONAL ROCKSTAR
Formerly known as the Robins Regional Chamber Employee of the Year honoring Edward Bayer, this award is about the people in business who make our days a little brighter or an experience a little more enjoyable. They are passionate about their work and they love the Robins Region. Ed believed in putting people first – investing in his employees and empowering them to do great work. The 2016 Robins Regional Rockstar Award is sponsored by Spherion Staffing Services.
FINALISTS
Each of our 8 finalists was nominated by their employers, their customers, their patients, and friends. They represent a wide variety of positions and industries with the shared quality of providing exceptional service.
Leslie Davis, McNeal Insurance Agency
Alan Hoppe, Xact Computer Services
Alan Johnson, Five Star Chevrolet
Amy Mathis, Mathis Group Realty
Dave Razo, Family Promise of Greater Houston County
Gracie Rigby, Rigby’s Entertainment Complex
Christy Rozier, Gottwals Books
Recipient: Alan Hoppe, Xact Computer Services
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes the community’s most outstanding citizen for sustained and superior service the community. The Charlie L. Jones Memorial Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to an individual whose service spans a significant number of years and may involve a combination of business, civic, governmental, cultural, and/or religious activities. Past recipients are a who’s who of Warner Robins and Houston County. Names like Osigian, Cowart, Wiggins, Callahan, Bayer, Greenway, Talton, and even a World War Two legend. This is the highest individual honor that the Robins Regional Chamber presents each year.
Recipient: Jimmy Autry, Flint Energies
GOOD GOVERNMENT AWARD
The Good Government Award was established in memory of former Houston County Commission Chairman and former Mayor of the City of Centerville Mr. Sherrill Stafford. Historically, it is presented to the community’s most outstanding elected or appointed official employee of a governmental agency. The award recognizes exceptional service in the performance of duty. Intended for individual recognition, the previous recipients of this award include some of the most notable names in the history of Houston County. In many regards, the Robins Region is the envy of our peers across the state – bringing together cities, county, development partners, educational institutions and the business community all for the greater good for our community and the state.
Recipient: VECTR Center
CHAMBER CHAMPION AWARD
The success of our chamber is made possible, first and foremost by our members, but also by our tremendous team of volunteers. Each year we recognize an individual for their contribution to the Chamber with the Chamber Champion Award given in memory of A.C. “Dick” Walden who served as President & Executive Director of the Robins Regional Chamber for an amazing 16 years.
Recipient: Gary Garrard, Appraisal Services
AMBASSADOR OF THE YEAR AWARD
Presented to a 2016 Chamber Ambassador who has shown dedication to their community and excellence in their role as ambassador.
Recipient: Elizabeth Collins, Hunt-Miller Insurance Agency
OUTSTANDING LEADER AWARD
The 2016 LRR Class – a class of leaders, has selected one of their own, to receive a very special recognition – the Community Leadership Award in memory of Dr. Dan Callahan. Dr. Dan was a longtime resident of the Robins Region who lived the credo service before self. He served in the Army Medical Department during WWII and again as a volunteer physician during the Vietnam conflict. He was instrumental in founding of Happy Hour and the Houston County Volunteer Medical Clinic. Dr. Dan embodied the characteristics of outstanding community leadership. The members of the class of 2016 have selected one of their classmates to be named the recipient of the 2016 Dr. Dan Callahan Community Leadership Award.
Recipient: Lisa Marie Pierce, American Pride Bank
SPECIAL RECOGNITION
Presented by the Warner Robins Convention & Visitor’s Bureau.
Recipient: Pastor Jerry Walls, Southside Baptist Church