Members of the Hamilton County Chamber gathered on Saturday to bestow the esteemed Business of the Year and the highly respected Ted Satterfield awards to truly deserving individuals.
Traditionally held at the beginning of the year, the Hamilton County Chamber board members decided to change the event’s timing.
The night began with a heartwarming moment as the annual business grant was presented to Main Street Diner, a well-deserved recipient. The $1,000 will help the diner with updated renovations and upgrades within their facility and will be a big help. Representatives from Main Street Diner could not attend the dinner but wrote a statement to the Chamber board members, expressing their gratitude for their support in achieving their goals for the diner.
The first award of the night was for Business of the Year. The award recognizes a local business in Hamilton County whose businesses and leaders share their commitment to professional excellence, business growth, and community. The 2024 Business of the Year went to Hometown Swirls. Tim Millenbine, in his acceptance speech, shared the team’s joy and gratitude for this prestigious recognition.
“When Josh approached us about opening an ice cream shop, it’s probably not the first thing I thought I would be doing again in my career. However, they convinced us and what was probably most amazing was just simply the support from the community that we received. A lot of lines at times, but what was great was the comments that we heard about the visit that they had, whether they were waiting in line or sitting at the table with someone they hadn’t seen in a long time. So thankfully, we were grateful to be a part of that and appreciate all the support.”
The Ted Satterfield Award was up next. This award is given to an individual who demonstrates the commitment and betterment of Hamilton County. Award presenter Holly Schuster shared some thoughtful words about the winner,
“The common qualities that this individual possess is most certainly a giving nature, concern for community, desire to make a difference, and the drive to see things to fruition.”
Sam Wilson was selected as the recipient of the Ted Satterfield Award.
Wilson commented,
“Throughout my life, community has always been something super important for me. Community not only in the business sense but also in everybody in the community.”
He shared a heartfelt story of how community played a vital role in his life and helped shape him into the man he is today.
To close out the night, the Chamber also presented another award to Sam Wilson, thanking him for his invaluable years of serving on the Chamber board. Wilson’s fifteen years of service, twice as President of the Chamber, have left a lasting impact on the board and the community. He shared his closing thoughts,
“Throughout (my time) I’ve had lots of good mentors on the board. Too many of them to name and you know if you have the desire to be on the board, we’d love to have you. And if you’re a business in the community that has anything that you’d like to add to the Chamber of Commerce or event that you think would be good for us, definitely let us know at any time.”
The Chamber ended the night by thanking Terry Wells for music for the event, the Ladies of Piopolis and Tom Anselment for cooking the delicious meal, and Irvin’s Jewelry Hidden Gems.
