Email
Print
Chamber hands out Citizen of the Year award
ADVERTISEMENT
Published: January 25, 2009
William Long thought he was at the Greater Statesville Chamber of Commerce Annual Gala on Friday to cheer on someone else.
By the time chamber President David Bradley introduced Mitchell Community College President Douglas Eason to present the Citizen of the Year Award, Long had pretty much decided that no one he knew actually won anything.
"He is a visionary," said Eason of the award recipient. "People within his institution look to him for guidance, support, a pat on the back and the occasional — but always professional — admonishment to maintain focus."
It was a surprise when Eason, the chamber's 2007 Citizen of the Year, started rattling off a list of accomplishments that sounded similar to Long's.
"I'm shocked," he said. "I can't tell you how much this community has meant to (wife) Suezi and me."
Long, president and CEO of the Yadkin Valley Financial Corp., is a past chairman of the chamber board, Iredell-Statesville School Board and the Greater Statesville Development Corp. Committee of 100. He's worked with the American Red Cross of Statesville, the Greater Carolinas American Red Cross, Iredell Memorial Hospital, Davis Hospital Foundation and the Board of Barium Springs Home for Children.
He has also been awarded the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, the highest honor bestowed upon a citizen by the State of North Carolina.
Long's award was the last of six awards the chamber handed out to various members in between dances and taking photos at the prom-themed event.
Complete with crushed velvet lapel jackets, the night stirred memories of real proms past. The chamber even crowned Jill Baker and Craig Morrow as prom queen and king.
Saying the first seven or eight months of 2008 were prosperous for Statesville, Bradley encouraged chamber members to celebrate their accomplishments.
In 2008, the Young Professionals of Statesville, Professional Women of Statesville and the first Youth Leadership program were established. Chamber officials are looking forward to Toastmasters International starting up in the next week.
Bradley said the chamber hosted three Iredell County commissioner forums in 2008, including one co-sponsored by the Mooresville-South Iredell Chamber of Commerce.
One of his goals after accepting his position was creating better partnerships within the community, he said. The Friday After Five Summer Concert Series is a good example, he said, of the developing partnerships in the community, particularly between the chamber and the Downtown Statesville Development Corp.
"Our partnerships are better than they've ever been," he said.
Other award given out at the gala included:
+ Ambassador of the Year: Maggie Shoobridge;
+ Farmers of the Year: Charles and Brian Pope;
+ Large Business of the Year: Home Instead Senior Care;
+ Small Business of the Year: Trophy House Treasures; and
+ Industry of the Year: Southern Prestige Industries
Email
Print
ADVERTISEMENT
Advertisement
