[January 28, 2013]
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This year the Pride and Progress Award winners
were: Beautification award; Deron Powell, Business of the
Year: Seth Goodman, Excellence in Service; Prairie Engineers
of Central Illinois, Volunteer of the Year; Chris Graue, New
Business; Logan County Herald.
Pictures by Nila Smith |
Executive Director Andi Hake kicks off the hourlong program that included the Pride and Progress
Awards and
presentations from a number of past presidents.
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Eric Graue, immediate past president, spoke
about the 2012 year and the work of the chamber during the year. |
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Deron Powell received the Beautification
Award. In 2012 Powell had a ribbon- cut for his new State Farm
Insurance office in Mount Pulaski. When his historic building
suddenly collapsed in 2011, Powell rebuilt on the same spot, adding
a beautiful new structure to the downtown area of Mount Pulaski and
helping to keep the town square a thriving business center for the
community. |
Seth Goodman of ME Realty was awarded the
Business of the Year. In 2012 Goodman made the roll call of
Realtor Magazine's 30 Under 30: the top 30 Realtors under the age of
30 years old nationwide. Goodman's real estate transactions in
2012 topped $20,000,000, a remarkable feat for a community the size
of Lincoln, and a new Logan County record. The previous record
was also held by Goodman and achieved in 2011. |
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Chris Graue was awarded the 2012 Mike Abbott
Volunteer of the Year Award. Graue is well known in the
Lincoln and Logan County community as a supporter of many community
projects and a reliable "go-to" person for the chamber. He
was heavily involved in creating the annual Up in Smoke barbecue competition at the
annual Lincoln Art &and Balloon Festival and has
worked diligently to grow that program into a great success for the
chamber. |
Eric Graue, immediate past president, looks on
as the new 2013 president of the chamber, Don Peasley, introduces this
year's retiring board members.
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Departing board members included Donna Boyd,
pictured second from the left, who's been on the board since 2006. Marty Ahrends,
standing to the right of Boyd, has also been on the board since 2007.
Not present for the evening were departing
members Dave Schonauer, who has served since 2007, and Kevin Kurtz,
who has also served since 2007. |
Bill Gossett was the president of the chamber
of commerce in 1962. Gossett is a dynamic speaker who kept the
audience in stitches for the first few minutes of his talk. He
noted the highlight of his year of presidency was in getting the
railroad taken out of the middle of Chicago Street.
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