100th Annual Awards Banquet

The Ruston-Lincoln Chamber of Commerce 100th Annual Awards Banquet, presented by First National Bank will be held Thursday, January 23, 2020 at the Ruston Civic Center.

Awards to be presented by Chamber
Robert E. Russ: Mary Ann Woods 
Business of the Year: Lincoln Builders 
Young Business Leader of the Year: Anthony Tchakounte (Ruston Cleaning Services) 
Ambassador of the Year: Victoria Sexton (Centric FCU) 
Origin Bank Student Entrepreneur of the Year: Olivia Cuthbert (A Work of heART)
Recognition of Top Five Young Business Leaders to Watch:
Chelsea Belcher (Movement Mortgage), Kristi Hardaway (Princeton Place), Jodie Morphew (Crumbs Catering), Lisa Post (Montessori School of Ruston), Bruce Rushing (Origin Bank)

Awards to be presented on behalf of Ruston-Lincoln Organizations
Rotary Club of Ruston - Bill Best Humanitarian: Beulah Brown Laster (Posthumously)
Kiwanis of Ruston -
    Firefighter of the Year: Driver/Operator Dillon Lockwood, Ruston Fire Dept.,
    Law Enforcement Officer of the Year: Lieutenant Henry Wood, Ruston Police Dept., 
    Educator of the Year: Dustin Whitlock, LP School Board 
LP School Board - Distinguished Partners in Education: 2High Trampoline Park and Lincoln Health Foundation
Ruston Lincoln Convention and Visitors Bureau - Hospitality: Haley Perot & Dixie Youth World Series Volunteers
Junior Auxiliary of Ruston - Betty Robbins Volunteer of the Year: Rosy Bromell 
The Exchange - Non-Profit of the Year: Family Counseling Center 
The Banquet will begin at 6 pm. with a wine-and-cheese social. Dinner will be served at 6:45 pm. Attire is business or semi-formal. This event is sponsored in part by Origin Bank, Hunt Guillot & Associates, with special thanks to Gumbeaux Productions & Summiteer Creative. Tickets are $45 each for Chamber members, and $55 for non-members. A reserved table of eight, for Chamber members is $365, non-members is $445.
 
This event also serves as a time for the Chamber to recognize its outgoing board members as well as inducting the incoming board members. Having completed their terms are Cathan Brooks, Henderson Financial Services; Kristi Hardaway, Princeton Place; Jessica Hughes, Southern Grace Events & Blessings; and Michelle Tolar, United Way of NELA. Joining the 2020 Board are Brent Causey, Lincoln Builders; Morgan Garrison Thornhill, Uptown Downtown; Doug Postel, Ruston Gameday Grill; and Anthony Tchakounte, Ruston Cleaning Services. Chamber board members serve three-year terms.
 
The 2020 Executive board appointments are as follows: Chair: Marisol O’Neal, Origin Bank; Chair Elect & Legislative Development: Ryan Madden, Napper & Madden; Membership Development Vice Chair: Ron Veitch, Anti Pest & Veitch; Events Planning & Development Vice Chair: Callie Grubb, Century Next Bank; Community Development Vice Chair: April McGuirt, First National Bank; Organizational Development Vice Chair: Chad Ginn, Hi-Tech Computers; Finance Vice Chair: Eric McCulloch, Edward Jones; and Immediate Past Chair: Earl Smith, Wells Fargo Advisors.


In addition to the executive team, continuing directors are John Deason, Fairfield Inn & Suites; Summer Hammons (MY HAPPY PLACE, Vintage Market); Tyler Graham Storms, Tyler Graham Storms Law Office; Grace Tirado, Individual; and Elizabeth Turnley, Northern Louisiana Medical Center.

Ex-officio Directors are Sheila Bordelon (LP Crime Stoppers), Andy Durrett (Ruston Lincoln Convention & Visitors Bureau), Dr. Les Guice, (Louisiana Tech University), Kevin Klepzig (LP Police Jury), Kristi Lumpkin (City of Ruston, Economic Development), Marc Newman (Grambling State University), Lindsay Tomlinson (Origin Bank, elite level member); Ronny Walker (Mayor, City of Ruston), Stephen Williams (LP Sheriff's Department); and TBD (Louisiana Delta Community College).