December - Wakulla County Chamber of Commerce

Wakulla Chamber and You: Partners For Success
PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY
December 2015
Wakulla County Chamber
OUR
PREMIER MEMBERS
Preserving the Past…….Planning for the Future
www.wakullacountychamber.com
President’s Message
Greetings Wakulla!
There is a difference in being thankful, and giving thanks. Being
thankful can be done by one person alone in a room. Giving
thanks is an action that one person perform to or for another.
I am thankful for many things: family, health, our troops and our freedom,
mentors, my job, and my safety. I will encourage everyone, myself included, to
perform an act of giving thanks this holiday season.
We had a record breaking attendance and participation at this year’s Business
Excellence Awards! We sold out of tickets early, and we had more nominations than
ever before! I would like to congratulate all of the businesses who were nominated,
and especially those who won their respective categories. I am completely humbled
by the success of this event and the efforts of our core volunteers who have gone
far above all expectations. Also, the Business Excellence Awards would not have
been as successful without the Title Sponsor, Ameris Bank, and all of the table
sponsors. Thank you all for your support and participation!
As always, I remind you that the Chamber is a service to our members. Please let
me know if there is anything that we can do to assist you!
As always, please let us know how we can help!
Respectfully,
Alan Wise
Member Spotlight
Title Sponsor
Our Story:
From the beginning, our founders envisioned a bank known for its steadfast combination
of character, service and value. Through the years we have held true to these core traits,
while also providing and capitalizing on innovative products and services. We understand
the power and importance of working together, speaking a common language and building
long lasting relationships.
Ameris Bank was founded in 1971 as American Banking Company. In 1979, our first
acquisition occurred, Toney Brothers Bank in Doerun, Georgia. Our growth strategy of
acquiring banks in communities throughout Georgia, Alabama, Florida and South Carolina
continues today, with the most recent acquisition of M & S Bank and the purchase of 18
Bank of America locations in early 2015. The year 1987 marked our first public stock
offering, and in 2006 we completed a mulit-charter collapse of all institutions into one
single brand—Ameris Bank.
Ameris Bank continues to experience progress, innovation and growth. Regardless of our
advancement and expansion, Ameris Bank will always stay true to our roots:
A high performing community bank
with an emphasis on providing exceptional customer experiences
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Sponsors:
Last Thursday evening the Chamber celebrated its annual Business Excellence Awards,
presented by Ameris Bank. We had a record setting attendance of 201 guests for the
ceremony that recognizes the chamber members nominated for their business excellence.
This year categories were expanded to capture a greater diversity of our membership.
In total, there were 158 nominees of Chamber member businesses, and 26 from throughout the businesses for the Wakulla County Business of the Year, sponsored by The
Wakulla News. Capital Health Plan joined us this year, and also supported this event with
a generous sponsorship.
The evening began by recognizing the oldest businesses in Wakulla County, highlighting
their importance and dedication in this community. This year the Chamber recognized
and thanked Myra Jean's, which opened in 1985 and The Wakulla News, which opened in
1897. Congratulations to our oldest businesses.
Those recognized and awarded for the 2015 Business Excellence Awards were:
Non-Profit Organization - Big Bend Hospice
Hospitality & Tourism - Flying Papi
Government & Schools - Wakulla Environmental Institute
Green Business - ESG Services, Inc.
Professional Service - VCA Wakulla Animal Hospital
Retail Business - Bay Leaf Market
Service Business - Capital City Bank
Volunteer - Kathie Ann Brown
Wakulla Area Business of the Year - Rockulla Music Emporium, LLC; and
President's Choice - John Shuff
Congratulations!
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The Winners and Special Recognition
Pictures Courtesy of Nicole Zema Roberts
Bay Leaf Market
Big Bend Hospice
John Shuff
VCA Wakulla Animal Hospital
Flying Papi
ESG Operations
Capital City Bank
Wakulla Environmental Institute
Kathie Brown
Rockulla
The Wakulla News
Myra Jean’s
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The nominees were:
Service Business : 3Y Outdoor Equipment, AirCon of Wakulla, Amazing Mail Solutions,
Inc., Ameris Bank, Bassett Events, LLC., Bevis Funeral Home, Harvey Young Chapel, Bluewater Realty Group, Body –Tek 24 Hours Fitness Center, Callaway Auto & Truck Repair,
Inc., Capital City Bank, Centennial Bank, Coastal Water Systems, Cook Insurance Agency,
Crawfordville Auto & Tire, Critter Control, Duke Energy, Eden Springs Nursing Home & Rehab Facility, Electronic Health Resources, Faircloth Automotive & A/C Specialist, Family
Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Healthsouth Rehabilitation, Lube XPERT, Mike’s Marine Supply, Residential Elevators, Revell Electric, Inc. & Automated Access Systems, Root
319 Cuts & Color, Sunshine Car Care, LLC., dba Super Lube, Tallahassee –Leon Federal
Credit Union, The Wakulla News, Wakulla Carpet Brokers, Wakulla Insurance, Wakulla
Sign Company, West Plumbing Services, Inc., Wetherton Marketing.
Retail Business : Ace Hardware, Arte Mexico, LLC., Bay Leaf Market, Crum’s Mini Mall,
Fairytales Wedding & Special Events Services, Florida Business Products, Front Porch Creations Florist, Genius Apparel, Homestead Imprinted Sportswear, Lee’s Liquor & Fine
Wine/Skybox Sports Bar, Maurices, Noshoe Firearms & Accessories, Sundance, That Vape
Place, The Garden Center by Gatortrax, Wakulla Diving Center, Walmart.
Hospitality & Tourism: Best Western Plus Garden Inn & Suites, Family Coastal Restaurant, Flying Papi, Hamaknockers, LTD. Co., The KastNet, Mike’s Marine Supply, Milk &
Honey Frozen Yogurt, Myra Jean’s Restaurant, Ouzts Too Oyster Bar & Grill, Panhandle
Pizza, Posey’s Steam Room and Oyster Bar, Riverside Café on the River, Shell Island Fish
Camp & Marina, Shield’s Marina, Inc., Stow Away Marine & More, The Cuban Mojo, LLC,
The Wilderness Way, T-N-T Hide-A-Way, Inc., Wildwood Country Club, LLC.
Professional Service : Carroll Appraisal Co., Inc., Traci B. Cash, CPA LLC, Ed Gardner,
O.D., Edwin G. Brown & Associates, Florida Environmental & Land Services, Inc., Frances
Casey Lowe, P.A./Guilday, Schwartz, Simpson, West, Hatch & Lowe, P.A., Hydra Engineering & Construction, LLC, North Florida Financial Corporation –Crawfordville, Shepard
Accounting & Tax Service, Smith, Thompson, Shaw, Minacci & Colón, P.A., MyEyeDr,
O.D., Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare, Thrivent Financial, Total Care Dental, VCA
Wakulla Animal Hospital, Wakulla Urgent Care & Diagnostic Center.
Non Profit Organizations: Big Bend Hospice, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Big Bend,
Capital Area Community Action Committee, Capital City Youth Services, Capital Health
Plan, CareerSource Capital Region, Covenant Hospice, Cowboy Country Church, Florida
Wild Mammal Association, Friends of the Wakulla County Public Library, Gulf Specimen
Marine Laboratories, Inc., Habitat for Humanity of Wakulla, Keep Wakulla County Beautiful, NAMI Wakulla, Paws of Wakulla, Inc., St. Marks Refuge Association, Inc., Tallahassee
Board of Realtors, Wakulla County Historical Society, Wakulla County Horseman’s Association, Wakulla Senior Citizens Council, Inc.
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Government & Schools: City of St. Marks, The Honorable Senator Bill
2015
Business
Excellence Winners
Retail
Bay Leaf Market
●
Professional Service
VCA Wakulla Animal
Hospital
●
Service Business
Capital City Bank
●
Hospitality & Tourism
Flying Papi
●
Non - Profit
Montford, Lively Technical Center, Savary Academy, Wakulla Environmental
Institute, US Forest Service, Wakulla Christian School, Wakulla Correctional
Institution, Wakulla County Clerk of Court, Wakulla County Health Department,
Wakulla County Property Appraiser, Wakulla County School Board, Wakulla
County Sheriff’s Department, Wakulla County Supervisor of Elections, Wakulla
Extension Office UF/IFAS.
Green
Business: Wakulla Environmental Institute, Gulf Specimen Marine
Laboratories, Best Western Plus Wakulla Inn & Suites, Hydra Engineering and
Construction LLC, Keep Wakulla County Beautiful, St. Marks Refuge Association,
ESG Operations, Inc.
Wakulla Area Business: Barksdale Custom Pools, Bay Leaf Market, Big Bend
Hospice, Inc., Christie Ann Photography, Cooter Stew Café, Dazzles Hair Studio,
Flying Papi, FSU Credit Union, Hydra Engineering & Construction, LLC, Mark
Wallheiser Photography, Posey’s Oyster Bar & Grill, Precious Years, Inc.,
Rockulla Music Emporium, Root 319 Cuts and Color, Savary Academy, Shepherd
Spring Animal Hospital, Sopchoppy Pizza Company, Southern Construction,
SuperLube, The Garden Center by Gatortrax, Total Care Dental, Wakulla Carpet
Brokers, Wakulla Dance Academy, We’re All So Precious Day Care, Zaxby’s.
Volunteer of the Year: Jeanette Burdette, Petra Shuff, John Shuff, Marc
Dickieson, Kathie Ann Brown.
Big Bend Hospice, Inc.
●
Welcome New Chamber Members
Green Business
ESG Operations, Inc.
●
Government & Schools
Wakulla Environmental
Institute
●
President’s Choice
John W. Shuff
●
Volunteer
Kathie Ann Brown
●
Wakulla Area Business
Welcome Christy Paul - Modern Woodmen of America - specializing in
Financial Planning
2236 Capital Circle NE STE 104, Tallahassee, FL 32308
(850) 765.5089
www.modern-woodmen.org
Welcome Sara Daw - North Florida Agents Network, Inc. - specializing in
the creation, retention, and growth of local independent insurance agencies
PO Box 12969, Tallahassee, FL 32317
(850) 510.4897
www.nfanflorida.com
Rockulla Music Emporium
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