Bay County Chamber of Commerce hosts 109th Annual Dinner and Awards Ceremony

PANAMA CITY BEACH — The Bay County Chamber of Commerce held its 2022 Annual Dinner and Awards Ceremony Friday at Edgewater Beach and Golf Resort.

In a news release, Bay County Chamber of Commerce President/CEO Carol Roberts said the event is one of the most important of the year for the chamber.

The event began with a social and silent auction at 5 p.m. benefiting Junior Leadership Bay (JLB), a program of the Bay County Chamber Foundation. JLB prepares Bay County's youth and future business leaders to meet the challenges facing our area through hands-on activities and exciting discussions involving community leaders and motivational speakers.

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Community leaders and numerous elected officials gathered at 6:45 p.m. for the main event to celebrate the chamber’s successes of 2021 and to honor the outgoing chairman of the board, Chris Moore, General Dynamics Information Technology. Will Cramer, Bill Cramer Chevrolet, Buick, Cadillac, GMC, served as the master of ceremonies for the evening.

Moore passed the gavel to 2022 chair, Garrett Anderson of Anderson Construction Co. In his closing remarks, Moore stated his time serving on the chamber's Board of Directors has been the experience of a lifetime.

"Thank you for allowing me to serve," said Moore. "I've been fortunate to build relationships with all of you, our members. To say I've made lots of memories this year is an understatement. It's been an amazing roller coaster ride."

Moore then went on to commend the Board of Directors, investors and the many others who have continued to support the organization.

Also honored at this event was outgoing Military Affairs Committee (MAC) Chair Andrew Rowell, GAC Contractors. Rowell was the 2020 chair of the Board of Directors before becoming the 2021 MAC chairman. Rowell officially passed the gavel to Moore, who took over as the 2022 MAC chairman on Wednesday, Jan. 12, at the MAC passing of the gavel. During the event, Rowell commended the work of the local military installations of Bay County, stating had it not been for them, there would be no reason for him to serve as MAC chair, the release said.

"I have been extremely impressed with all aspects of our military installations here in Bay County," said Rowell. "To know some of the brightest individuals in the world work together here to bring a concept to birth, tested and used at our local Navy base is incredible. Knowing that our airspace is under constant diligent watch and protection under AFNORTH, and that we have the best fighter pilots and support personnel in the world, right here in our community."

Each year, the chamber recognizes an outstanding member with its Member of the Year award. Kyle Shoots, System Service & Engineering, was announced as the 2021 recipient. Moore, 2021 chair of the Bay County Board of Directors, introduced Shoots as the recipient, stating he was top of mind from the very beginning.

"From our first conversation, he stood out as a shining star," said Moore. "Rising in the ranks of our leadership, Kyle is a native of Bay County. He started his business in 2012 from his dining room table, he and his partner have grown the company to service Bay County and beyond and now uses his business to give back to the community that has given so much to him. This past summer, the Chamber's HVAC system was in need of repair. As the bids were coming in to have it replaced, a phone call was received and Shoots donated the unit. In addition, he also donated the new lighting for the recently revealed mural on the building and continues to volunteer his time at all levels in this organization and many others."

The chamber's highest honor of the night, the 2021 Lauren Merriam Memorial Award, was saved for last. Bill Cramer (who was the 2013 recipient of the award), presented the 2021 award to Dr. James Cook, who was chosen for devotion to the betterment of his community. He serves as a mentor for the Bay Education Foundation and is the secretary and treasurer of Bay Health Foundation, and vice chairman of the Panama City Port Authority, the release stated.

Anderson, the 2022 Bay County Chamber chairman, stated his vision for the organization includes aggressive priorities for 2022 and his key objectives for the year include: supporting the rebuild of the Marina Civic Center; researching the need for hired verses elected school superintendent; affordable workforce housing; trade education in high schools and lastly, the recruitment of partners to continue its relationship with NextSite to promote Bay County on a national level to investors, retailers and commercial development.

"As you can see, your Bay County Chamber continues to support and provide services to our community and our investors. We will continue to carry the torch and send the message that Bay County is open for business. Together we can continue to build this amazing community," Anderson said.

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This article originally appeared on The News Herald: Bay County Florida's chamber of commerce hosts annual awards dinner