Editor’s note: The following is a press release from the Chamber of Commerce. Bloom has republished it here with minor edits for style and clarity.
The Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce held its 106th Annual Meeting and Community Awards this afternoon. This year the Chamber used a hybrid model for the celebration, with sponsors, board members, and award recipients attending in-person at the Monroe County Convention Center and Chamber members participating virtually.
“This past year has been a challenging experience for many of our members as we continue to deal with the COVID pandemic,” says Erin Predmore, president & CEO of the Chamber. “Here at the Chamber, we are glad to be a steady resource for our members as we navigate the situation together, and we are grateful to have opportunities like our annual meeting to connect with you, even if in a hybrid setting.”
Outgoing board chair and regional president of German American Bank, Cindy Kinnarney, called the meeting to order and noted her gratitude for the Chamber staff and her fellow board members during her time as chair. She also kicked off the Community Awards ceremony, honoring a variety of business owners and community leaders from the past year.
Kinnarney later officially passed the gavel to Amy Somers-Kopp, the incoming board chair for the Chamber and a Realtor with RE/MAX Acclaimed Properties. Kopp presented the final awards for the afternoon and adjourned the annual meeting as her first action as board chair.
The Chamber recognized several honorees during the awards portion of the event. The 2021 Community Award honorees included:
New Business of the Year: Switchyard Brewing Company
Lloyd Olcott Community Service Award: Bethany Penrod, Middle Way House
Success School Golden Key Award: Jerry Hays, Owen County State Bank
Nancy Howard Diversity Award: Big Brothers Big Sisters South Central Indiana
Community Anchor Award: Downtown Bloomington, Inc.
Morgan Hutton Visionary Award: Jane Kupersmith, City of Bloomington
Diane Breeden-Lee Catalyst Award: Emily Pike, New Hope for Families
Lifetime Achievement Award: Melanie Walker, TASUS, and Mick Renneisen, City of Bloomington
Chamber Ambassador of the Year: Pamela Boswell-Dike
Additional photos and videos from the Annual Meeting and Community Awards may be found soon on the Chamber’s website, www.ChamberBloomington.org.
