Five receive Business Alliance awards at annual luncheon
ALLIANCE − An overjoyed Lisa Trummer, fighting back tears, said she doesn't generally like surprises.
The one she got Monday was a "great surprise," she said afterward.
Trummer, an agent at Tanner Real Estate, received the prestigious Athena Leadership Award from the Women's Division of the Alliance Area Chamber of Commerce.
She was one of five award recipients honored during Monday's Business Alliance Awards luncheon at University of Mount Union's Hoover-Price Campus Center.
About 200 community, school and business leaders attended the event.
"I'm blessed and humbled by this award," Trummer told the group.
The Athena Leadership award is given to a woman who embodies the highest level of professional excellence in her business or profession, devotes time into the community and actively assists other women in fostering their leadership potential.
More award winners
The following also received awards from the chamber:
Small Business of the Year (Less than 20 employees) − YWCA of Alliance. The agency was honored for its outreach services and mission to end racism, empower women and combat social injustice.
"It means so much that people are recognizing the work that we do. We have a mission and we do not stop because people think hate belongs in our Alliance community," said Stacie Weimer, executive director and CEO of the YWCA of Alliance.
Large Business of the Year (More than 20 employees) − Grove Appliance, TV, Furniture and Mattresses. It was awarded for its four generations of retail service and giving back to the community.
"It's so good to live in a small town," said Dave Mitchell, president of Grove Appliance. "In Alliance, we always know who to go to (with a problem). It's so wonderful. And the small businesses in our town make the quality of our lives so much better."
Spirit of Enterprise Award - Nancy Castellucci of Cassaday-Turkle-Christian Funeral and Cremation Services. The award honors an individual who demonstrates commitment to the Alliance-area business community.
"This community is great, and everyone works together when they need to do something," Castellucci said. "I'm so blessed to have grown up in this community."
The ceremony ended with another surprise.
R. Mark Locke, the chamber's president and CEO, who is retiring in April after 20 years, received an Lifetime Service Award. Shocked, Locke said this award wasn't on the agenda.
Locke received the special recognition from Rick Baxter, president of Alliance Area Development, to close out the festivities.
"I was involved in any facet of today's event. When I made the agenda, this was not on the agenda," Locke said, smiling. "Thank you. It has been an incredible 20 years."
Reach Benjamin Duer at 330-580-8567 or ben.duer@cantonrep.com. Follow on Twitter: @bduerREP.
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Alliance Area Chamber of Commerce recognizes five business leaders
