SEKY Chamber of Commerce honors community leaders
PIKE COUNTY, Ky. (WYMT) - The Southeast Kentucky Chamber of Commerce hosted its annual awards night in Pikeville on Thursday.
Leaders from across the region packed into Appalachian Wireless Arena to celebrate the accomplishments of their peers.
“It’s about us, and when us shows up, great things happen in our communities and our region,” Casey Lequire said.
The President and CEO of the Southeast Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Jordan Gibson said the event is designed to recognize the hard work of members and service organizations.
“It’s great to look around the room and see all the people smiling, have a good time, and so this is a great opportunity to get together and network,” Gibson explained.
The 2023 graduates of the Patton Leadership Institute were also honored during the ceremony.
“Leadership is important for any time. Leadership can be more effective for training, such as this program by the Chamber of Commerce,” former Governor Paul Patton said.
While recipients said they do not do it for awards, they said events like this help to keep them going.
“It’s so, like, reassuring that ‘hey this is what we’re meant to do. We made an impact in our community, and it’s something I will never forget, so I’m grateful to the community, to the chamber and to everybody had to do with this. Be home because we’re happy to be home, we’re happy to be in Appalachia, and I’ll never forget this award,” Turner Altman said.
The keynote speaker was Governor Andy Beshear’s Senior Advisor Rocky Adkins.
The following received awards from the Southeast Kentucky Chamber of Commerce for their dedication to the Big Sandy Region:
- Distinguished service award -Pam Mullins
- Citizen of the year-Dusty Layne
- Outstanding contribution by an organization- Mountain Comprehensive Health Corp
- Outstanding contribution by an organization- Pikeville Medical Center: Ava Center and Mettu Children’s
- Small Business of the year-Altman Eye Center
- Service organization - Casting 4 Kids
- Business of the Year- Gearheart Communications
- Business person of the year- Rachelle Burchett
- Junior Williamson, East Kentucky Ambassador -Jerry Fultz
- Lon B. & Mary Evelyn Rogers Lifetime Achievement - Darrell Maynard
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