Business & Tech

Brandon Chamber Set To Celebrate Another Year, Announce Awards

The Greater Brandon Chamber of Commerce meets for its annual membership dinner Feb. 3 at HCC at The Regent, with Bob Bivins the incoming chair. The Riverview Chamber met earlier this year at the International Independent Showmen's Association.


Members will meet tonight, Feb. 3, for a look back and a glance ahead as a new year gets under way for the Greater Brandon Chamber of Commerce. The annual event follows a similar night hosted by the Greater Riverview Chamber of Commerce for its members.

In both instances, awards are given and new chairs are seated.

Here’s a look ahead, for Brandon — and a look back, for Riverview.
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BRANDON CHAMBER DINNER PREVIEW

The event is scheduled to kick off tonight, Feb. 3, at 6:15 p.m., at HCC at The Regent, at 6437 Watson Road, in the southwest corner of the Winthrop community. Keep in mind:

  • Melissa Snively is stepping down as chamber chair and in her place will be chairman-elect Bob Bivins, a Bloomingdale attorney. The incoming chair-elect is Darren Dennington, owner of the , with locations in Brandon and Riverview. (See, Bloomingdale Attorney To Lead Brandon Chamber, posted at Bloomingdale Patch.)
  • The recipient will be announced. The award was first given in 1977 to Alice B. Tompkins and Julian Craft. Rounding out the first five recipients are Dick Stowers, namesake of Stowers Elementary School (1978), Ouida Gray (1979) and Patricia Odiorne (1980). The last six recipients: Becky Jordan (2010), Mark Proctor (2009), Randy Wolf (2008), Clifton C. Curry (2007), Margaret Wynn (2006) and Steven I. Saunders III (2005).
  • Also to be announced at the Feb. 3 dinner is the Ambassador of the Year, drawn from a pool of recipients named for each month of the prior year. Janice Miller received the award in 2010.
  • This year’s Greater Brandon Community Leadership Award also will be given. Last year it was awarded to Earl J. Lennard, a graduate (Class of ’63) and the namesake for Lennard High School in Ruskin. Lennard retired as Hillsborough County School Superintendent in 2005 and is serving his last year at Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections.

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RIVERVIEW CHAMBER DINNER RECAP

The Greater Riverview Chamber of Commerce held its Polynesian-style luau dinner at the International Independent Showmen's Association event space in Riverview.

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  • Ed Booth, of Huth and Booth Photography in Brandon, was seated as the incoming president. Outgoing president Sherri McLean-Walker, of Crane Tech, was honored for her year of service.
  • Honorary Mayor of Riverview Lisa Kennedy was formally introduced.
  • Erik Butler of TakeOutButler.com was named Business Person of the Year.
  • Business of the Year went to Four Paws Animal Hospital, owned by Kimberly Tyson.
  • The Shining Star Award was given to Gabby Moore of Mace Multimedia.
  • Ambassador of the Year is Mary Owens of Black Diamond Associates.
  • The Margy Watkins Volunteer of the Year award was received by Larry Brooks of A & A Mortgage Funding.
  • Named as Riverview Citizen of the Year: Barbara Jones, a community service officer with the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.


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