Sandusky County Chamber honors local businesses, Citizen of the Year

Special to the News-Messenger
·2 min read
Jenny Freeh received the Award of Excellence at the annual chamber dinner.
Jenny Freeh received the Award of Excellence at the annual chamber dinner.

FREMONT - The Chamber of Commerce of Sandusky County honored local businesses and individuals, including naming Andrea Gibson Citizen of the Year, at its 77th Annual Awards Banquet.

Gibson is Communications and Project Administrator of the Sandusky County Economic Development Corporation and President/Founder of Giving Birthdays. The award goes to an individual whose services have benefited this community or area by their devotion to the general welfare of the citizenry, exclusive and beyond their profession.

Finalists for the honor included Matt Maluchnik, Pam Hoesman, Edward Thurn Jr., David Thornbury, and Joseph Burkhart.

There were 200 guests in attendance at the Jan. 26 event, which recognized chamber members with Business of the Year Awards in the small, medium, and large divisions, as well as multiple individual community awards including Distinguished Service Award, Clark Ambassador Award, Award of Excellence, and Citizen of the Year.

Peggy Courtney was honored with the Clark Ambassador Award.
Peggy Courtney was honored with the Clark Ambassador Award.

The 2023 Business of the Year Award winners and finalists:

● Small Business Member of the Year Award — Winner — Vantage Brand Co.

Finalists were The Strand Theater and Backstage Lounge, The Party Starts Here, LLC, and Storage of America.

● Medium Business Member of the Year Award — Winner— BUBBAROCK Meat Co. (Bellevue).

Finalists were Compass Behavioral Health, GCM Truck, Trailer and Auto Repair, Wild Brew, Angie’s Angels Child Development.

● Large Business Member of the Year Award — Winner — Freeman Company.Finalist was Valley View Health Care Center.

David Thornbury received the Distinguished Service Award at the annual chamber dinner.
David Thornbury received the Distinguished Service Award at the annual chamber dinner.

The Individual Award winners and finalists:

● Distinguished Service Award — Winner — David Thornbury, Marketing Director of Sandusky County Visitors Bureau.

Finalists were Andrew Stainbrook and Mary Kate Strimpfel.

This award is given to an individual who, in the day-to-day practice of their profession or vocation, has served the community well, with special consideration to service over and above what other practitioners of the same profession or vocation would normally have done.

● Clark Ambassador Award — Winner — Peggy Courtney, Executive Director of Sandusky County Visitors Bureau.

Finalists were Arcadia Thurn and Tamara Mettler.

This award is given to a chamber member (either individual or an organization) that has supported the mission, vision, and values of the chamber with their time, talents, and dedication.● Award of Excellence — Winner — Jenny Freeh, Director of Development at Bishop Hoffman Catholic Schools.

Finalists for that award included David Amarante and Brenda Havens.

This award is given to an individual recognized not only for professional achievement and community service, but also for actively and generously mentoring others in the attainment of professional excellence and leadership skills.

During the ceremony, Past Chair Andrew Stainbrook celebrated the chamber’s 2022 accomplishments and welcomed the chamber’s new Board Chair, Ruthann House, who provided an outlook of 2023.

This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Sandusky County Chamber taps annual award winners, Citizen of the Year