98th Annual Awards Banquet

The Ruston-Lincoln Chamber of Commerce 98th Annual Awards Banquet, presented by First National Bank will be held Tuesday, January 16, 2018 at the Ruston Civic Center.
 
Awards to be presented by Chamber
* Robert E. Russ Award – J.N. Walpole
* Business of the Year – The Cleaners of Ruston
* Young Business Leader of the Year - Summer Hammons & Jessica Slaughter
* Ambassador of the Year - Sonja Burris
* Origin Bank Young Entrepreneur - Autumn Downen, CEO, Fizz-n-Foam
* Recognition of Top Five Young Business Leaders to Watch - BJay Durrett, Henry McCoy, Marisol O'Neal, Jeff Parker & Paige Volentine
  
Awards to be presented on behalf of Ruston-Lincoln Organizations
* Ruston Rotary Club's Bill Best Humanitarian Award - David Abernathy
* Ruston Kiwanis' Awards
    Firefighter of the Year – Driver/Paramedic Jody Wainwright, Ruston Fire Dept.
    Law Enforcement Officer of the Year – Lieutenant Tony Holtzclaw, LP Sheriff’s Office
    Educator of the Year – Leeanne Bordelon, Cedar Creek School
* LP School District's Distinguished Partners in Education Awards – Hunt Guillot & Associates & Calvary Baptist Church
* Ruston Lincoln Convention and Visitors Bureau's Hospitality Award - LA Tech University College of Education
* Junior Auxiliary's Betty Robbins Volunteer of the Year Award – Lana Bullock


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. Tiered level sponsors of this event are Origin Bank and Hunt Guillot & Associates. Wine sponsor The Keg Package Store. Decorating sponsor Gumbeaux Productions. IT sponsor Hi-Tech Computers.
 
The banquet is also the time that the Chamber recognizes its outgoing board members as well as inducting the 2018 board members. Having completed their terms and rolling off the Board are Patrick Blanchard (Louisiana Methodist Children's Home), Sheila Bordelon (LP Assessor), Reverend Billy Harris (Retired), Randy Null (LA Tech), and Donna Ott (Hunt Guillot & Associates). Replacing the previous CVB representative Gregg Phillips is Andy Durrett. Also, we wish Renee Walley well as she has stepped down from Crime Stoppers due to a career move.
 
The 2018 Executive board appointments are as follows: Chair, Lee Denny (Bank of Ruston); Chair Elect & Membership Development, Brandon Sutherland (Hampton Inn); Community Development, Marisol O'Neal (Origin Bank); Organizational Development. Earl Smith, (Wells Fargo Advisors); Program Development, Jessica Hughes (Riverport Creative Group); and Immediate Past Chair, Cathi Cox-Boniol (Lincoln ACHIEVE).
 
Incoming board officers are Will Dearmon (Pierry Inc.), Chad Ginn (Hi-Tech Computers), Summer Hammons (My Happy Place Vintage Market), Ryan Madden (Napper & Madden), Eric McCulloch (Edward Jones) and April McGuirt (First National Bank). Continuing Directors are Michael Gahagan (Country Inn & Suites), Josh Perot (LA Tech Sports Properties), Cathan Brooks (Henderson Financial Services), Kristi Hardaway (Princeton Place), and Emily Gatlin (LOTS) and Michelle Tolar (United Way NELA). Continuing ex-officio members: Dr. Les Guice, (LA Tech University); Courtney Hall (LP Police Jury); Kristi Lumpkin (City of Ruston, Economic Development); Andy Durrett (Ruston Lincoln Convention & Visitors Bureau); Doug Postel (Louisiana Delta Community College); LP Sheriff, Mike Stone, Ruston Mayor, Ronny Walker, Marc Newman (Grambling State University); Lindsay Tomlinson (Origin Bank, elite level member) and TBA, Lincoln Parish Crime Stoppers. Chamber board members serve three-year terms.
 
Tickets are $40 each for Chamber members, and $50 for non-members. A reserved table for six, for Chamber members is $250, non-members is $325. Register online or drop by the Chamber office located at 2111 North Trenton Street.