Bedford County Chamber Honors Local Businesses, Individuals During Annual Dinner & Award Celebration
Bedford County, PA — The Bedford County Chamber of Commerce invited more than 330 guests All Aboard the Bedford County Business Express for the organization’s 2023 Annual Dinner and Awards Celebration, held at the Bedford County Airport September 21st.
Seventeen awards were presented to outstanding businesses, organizations, and individuals of the Bedford County region, recognizing a variety of accomplishments, including: excellence in business (small, medium and large categories), community service, historical preservation, property improvement, agri-business, education, and servant leadership, as well as the prestigious Athena Award, sponsored by Bedford BPW and Thomas Dealerships. The Chamber partners with BCDA, the Bedford County Visitors Bureau and Bedford County Community Connections to present awards for economic development, excellence in tourism and a commitment to hiring people with disabilities.
“The Chamber’s Annual Dinner is the signature celebration of our diverse and outstanding business community,” said President/CEO Kellie Goodman Shaffer. “This year’s honorees represent a wide variety of businesses, and communities within the Bedford County region, and are so thrilled to celebrate their accomplishments.”
2023 Honorees’ Acceptance Speeches:
2023 Bedford County Chamber of Commerce Award Honorees
JOHN ANDERSON AWARD: Read to Feed Bookstore
ATHENA AWARD: Joan LaSalle
PRESIDENT’S AWARD: Everett Lions Club (for Medal of Honor Memorial Project)
EXCELLENCE IN BUSINESS AWARD (3 Categories)
Small (no more than 10 employees): Earp’s Barber Shop
Medium (no more than 49 employees): Fisher’s Country Store
Large (50 or more employees): Wessel & Co. CPA’s
VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR: Troy & Susie Mickle, Jr Fair Board Advisors
INNOVATION AWARD: Aesthetics by Kell
PROPERTY IMPROVEMENT AWARD: Weaver’s Sanitation
HERITAGE PRESERVATION AWARD: Juniata Trading Co.
EMPLOYER COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD: M&T Bank
EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION: Reynoldsdale Fish Hatchery
EXCELLENCE IN AGRI-BUSINESS AWARD: Jus-Den Farms
EXCELLENCE IN TOURISM (in partnership w/ Bedford Co. CVB) – The Orchards of Bedford County (Boyer, Ridgetop, Sleek’s, McCoy)
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AWARD (in partnership w/ BCDA): Mission Critical Solutions
SERVANT LEADERSHIP (Graduate of Leadership Bedford Co.): Tina Imes, ACM
COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS AWARD (w. Bedford Co. Transition Council): Long’s Outpost