Tickets now available for awards banquet

Tickets are on sale now for the Fairfield Area Chamber of Commerce?s Annual Awards Banquet. 

A load of new awards, an emcee with a law degree and an improved slate of programming awaits those attending the celebration and dinner March 19 at the Best Western Fairfield Inn, said Brent Willett, chamber executive director.

?We?ll be recognizing excellence in local business like we have for a long time, but we?re doing it a bit more creatively this year,? he said.

New to the 2009 annual banquet, emcee?d this year by local attorney and chamber board member Myron Gookin, are honors in the ?Fresh. New. Awards.? category, which recognize excellence beyond the banquet?s traditional renovation/construction and community improvement award.

The Fresh. New. Awards. include recognition for excellence in Web design, business transformation and long-time contributions to the business community. In addition to Business Improvement and Community Improvement awards, businesses will be recognized in: 

? New Young Business Awards ? those chamber member businesses which entered their first year of operation in 2008.

? Progress Award ? business improvement or new, young business of the year.

? Rising Star Award ? chamber member in its second or third year which has made outstanding early contributions to the Fairfield Area Chamber of Commerce.

? Adaptation Award ? a business which has redefined itself in the community or its marketplace over the last year.

? Interactive Media Award ? Web site/blog of the year.

? Impact Award ? recognizing a longtime chamber member who has made outstanding contributions to the chamber and the community.

In addition to the Business and Community Improvement Awards and the Fresh. New. Awards., the chamber will name a 2009 Citizen of the Year. The honor is awarded each year to the most outstanding Fairfield citizen. In 2008, Lane Bush and Keevin Koch were named co-citizens of the year. Past winners of the prestigious honor determine the honorees each year.

Reservations to the annual banquet, which sold out in 2008, are required.  Tickets to the banquet, which begins with a cocktail hour and includes dinner, are $30 and are available at the chamber office. 

For the complete article, see the Monday, March 9, 2009, Fairfield Ledger.