Chamber board treasurer named volunteer of the year

Jenn Moutrie was named volunteer of the year by the Mt. Pleasant Area Chamber Alliance during their annual banquet on Jan. 24.

On the morning of the banquet, Moutrie emailed Kristi Ray, executive vice president of the Chamber Alliance, wishing them a great day and asking Ray to let her know if she could help.

'It's not an easy decision because we have so many good volunteers who are so deserving,” Ray said. 'Often, it's that one volunteer who stands out that many times you don't see, who's picking the Chamber staff up when we're down, who's the first to say, ‘Can I help?' And who's always working behind the scenes, never asking for any credit.”

The staff at the Chamber selects the volunteer of the year based on an individuals tireless efforts and commitment to the Chamber. It's something the Chamber staff takes very seriously, Ray said.

Ray said Moutrie always knows when the Chamber staff is frazzled, and she is the first person to celebrate with them when things go right.

Moutrie is the treasurer of the Chamber of Commerce board and has been a board member for three years.

Moutrie said she enjoys getting to build relationships with Mt. Pleasant residents through the Chamber and learning about businesses in town.

Moutrie is also an Ambassador with the Chamber, a role she says goes hand in hand with volunteering.

The Chamber Ambassadors are the welcoming arm of the Chamber, and they assist with all ribbon cuttings, grand openings and special events.

Moutrie said it's the energy of the Chamber staff that makes her want to volunteer more.

'It's great being a part of this community organization,” Moutrie said. 'They're here to support the community. They're important for the growth of Mt. Pleasant.”

Moutrie owns Moutrie Trucking with her husband in Mt. Pleasant. Being a business owner allows her the flexibility to volunteer more with the Chamber, she said. She enjoys attending everything from ribbon cuttings to Alive After Five.

'This community is built with heart,” Moutrie said, emphasizing the Chamber's new tagline. 'I've always lived in a small community. It's important to myself and to my family.”

Other awards during the Chamber banquet include Ambassador of the Year, Small Business of the Year and Main Street Mt. Pleasant 2017 volunteer of the year.

Jesse Aynes was named Ambassador of the Year. Aynes is the outsourcing manager at Innovairre. His picture will be hung on the wall in the Mt. Pleasant Area Chamber Alliance office and his name will be added to the Ambassadors of the Year plaque.

'Employers forget how much time ribbon cuttings take,” Ray said. 'If you are allowing your employees to be an ambassador, thank you so much. It's important to us. I look around at other Chambers, I see their pictures for ribbon cuttings and there's two or three people there. At our ribbon cuttings, there's 10 to 15 people there.”

Jean C. Wiley and Sons was named Small Business of the Year in May 2018.

Main Street Mt. Pleasant 2017 volunteer of the year is Paul Katsion.

The 2018 volunteer of the year will be announced in March.