Public servant, business owners recognized for contributions

A public servant with more than four decades of service, a young and rapidly growing business and an entrepreneurial business giving back to the community were recognized when the Montcross Area Chamber of Commerce held its 62nd annual awards celebration on Thursday, March 30, 2023.

More than 180 Chamber members and friends attended the ceremony and were treated to bluegrass, brews and a low country boil at the Camelot Meadows event venue in Belmont.

Chamber Board Chair Todd Garrett of Holy Angels presided along with 2022 Board Chair Natasha Gilbert of Chick-fil-A Belmont and Chamber President Marc Jordan.

Jordan recognized event co-sponsors Duke Energy and Gaston College. Other sponsors were Camelot Meadows, Creative Solutions Special Events and Saltwater Markets. Entertainment by the Sassafras Bluegrass Band was sponsored by The Pointe Church.

“Nominations for our awards were submitted by our members as well as community partners who work closely with the chamber throughout the year,” Jordan said. “We have a special committee to review the nominations and make final recommendations.”

The Harley B. Gaston Jr. Public Service Award is named for a founder and president of the Belmont Chamber, now doing business as the Montcross Area Chamber, who served his community throughout his life in many ways, including as an attorney, county commissioner and judge.

The recipient of the award for 2022 is Regina Moody, who retired at year’s end after dedicating 40 years of her life and her professional career to Holy Angels, creating, as she often says, “a place of loving, living and learning for the differently able.”

Under her leadership, Holy Angels grew from a single building to 17 across two cities and multiple locations, with 350 employees and an annual budget of $19 million.

A Sacred Heart College graduate who started her career as a Gaston County special education teacher, she received a master’s degree in education from Winthrop University in 1982 and accepted a position with Holy Angels.

She has greatly extended the creative arts program at Holy Angels and created business enterprises that enrich the lives of residents by providing meaningful work opportunities at Cherub’s Café, Bliss Gallery and Cotton Candy Factory in downtown Belmont and Spruced Goose Station in McAdenville.

She has served on numerous local, regional and state boards and been recognized for her community contributions through many awards and honors including North Carolina’s highest honor the Order of The Long Leaf Pine and being named president emeritus at Holy Angels upon her retirement.

The chamber’s Business of The Year Award for 2022 was presented to ISI Elite Training and was accepted by owner Jasmina Dieter.

Since opening on South Point Road in Belmont in 2021, the training center has grown to 350 members, who participate in 50-minute workouts led by certified coaches giving one-on-one attention in a group setting.

The ISI in the business name stands for “Iron Sharpens Iron” from a verse in Proverbs. Nominations supporting the award focused on how ISI Elite Training has bult a community of members who encourage and cheer each other on and in many cases change lives.

“Starting ISI, I have always envisioned having a positive environment where people feel loved and encouraged without being judged,” said Dieter. “I want us to serve each other as well as the community.”

The chamber’s EPIC Award is presented to a business that has demonstrated it is entrepreneurial, progressive, innovative and collaborative. Receiving the award for 2022 is the Barajas Company of McAdenville, which is led by its founder Del Barajas.

The Barajas Company is a full-service marketing and sales company specializing in web development, media, communications, digital ads and data-driven campaigns.

Early in his career, which now spans 15 years, Barajas was instrumental in turning around his family restaurant in Topeka, Kansas, and built a mobile technology service business from the ground up. In addition to the restaurant and information technology industries, he has experience in the sales and service industry and in non-profit organizations.

Barajas has a degree in evangelism from Valor Christian College and is a youth minister in his church. He and his wife and three children live in McAdenville.

The Montcross Area Chamber of Commerce’s history dates to 1937 with the founding of the Belmont Merchants Association, which became the Belmont Chamber in 1960 and began operating as the Montcross Area Chamber in 2009. It serves member businesses and organizations of all types and sizes throughout Gaston County and in Mecklenburg County.

This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: Montcross Chamber honors public servant, business owners