Chamber holds annual dinner
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HARRIS -- It was an evening of awards and celebration Thursday as the Delta County Chamber Annual Dinner returned to the Island Resort and Casino for an Oktoberfest-themed night of honors.
"Once again, we are under the Schottenhamel tent, where the fun of Oktoberfest begins and all the VIPs gather. That's what we have here tonight, a room filled with VIPs. Every one of you in this audience who, year after year, event after event, support the Chamber of Commerce and all of our members, you are our VIPs," said Vickie Micheau, executive director of the Delta County Chamber of Commerce to kick off the night.
Following a brief business meeting led by Jesse Huff, chair of the Chamber's board of directors, the graduates of the Delta Force leadership program for 2020, 2021 and 2022, were recognized. Rachel Strand of Northern Insurance, who recently completed the program, gave a speech on its impact.
After the graduation ceremony, dinner was served and the main attraction of the evening -- the awards recognizing community members that have made an impact on Delta County -- began.
First to be recognized was Traci Tardiff, a first-grade teacher in the Rapid River School District, who was honored with the "Excellence in Education Award," sponsored by the Community Foundation for Delta County.
Tardiff was recognized for building rapport with her students and families in the district, setting high standards for learning in her classroom, and for putting in extra efforts to reach reluctant learners. She was selected by the Delta Schoolcraft Intermediate School District's Superintendent Roundtable for the honor.
Next to be recognized was Peninsula Federal Credit Union, which was honored with the "Community Ambassador Award." The award is given to individuals or businesses that are aware of the needs of the community and serve as the "welcoming arm" of the Chamber by using their skills to connect others to resources and volunteering for events. The credit union was selected for the award, which is sponsored by the Chamber itself, because of its history of supporting activities that benefit the community.
Pam Versailles was awarded the Outstanding Delta Force Alum Award. The award recognizes those who have participated in the Delta Force Leadership program, which exposes participants to things like the inner workings of the court system in the county to interacting with local news media.
Versailles was an active participant in the Delta Force Class of 2013. She has since gone on to facilitate sessions for new Delta Force students during their Environmental Awareness Day, encourage others to enroll in the program, and become a member of the Delta County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.
The Outstanding Delta Force Alum Award is sponsored by the Daily Press.
Embers Credit Union was selected to receive the Business Partner of the Year Award. The award, which honors those who support local tourism, is sponsored by Visit Escanaba.
Embers was chosen for the award because of the time and financial resources the credit union has used to support activities and events like the Upper Peninsula State Fair and to support tourism related activities and ventures, like waterfront development.
The 2022 Delta County Century Award, which is sponsored by the Delta County Economic Development Alliance and recognizes businesses and organizations that have been staples of the Delta County community for at least 100 years, was presented to the Rotary Club of Escanaba.
The Escanaba Rotary Club was founded on May 1, 1920 and remains one of the oldest and largest service clubs for business and professional leaders in the area. The club supports a number of projects, including scholarships, a foreign exchange student program, and the operation of Camp Harstad, a summer camp for children with special needs.
The 2022 Philanthropy Award, sponsored by OSF St. Francis Hospital, was awarded to the Daniel J. Kobasic Foundation, in recognition of the $2.5 million in contributions and generous acts made in the late businessman's name.
Kobasic died in November of 2017. At the time, he was one of the top 20 employers in Delta County through his many business ventures.
The 2022 Business of the Year Award, which is sponsored by Upper Peninsula Michigan Works, was presented to Bay College.
The college was recognized for both its educational excellence and for being a major employer in the Delta County area since its founding in 1963. Currently, the college has more than 270 employees.
The final award of the night was also tied to Bay College. The 2022 ATHENA Leadership Award, was presented to Laura Coleman, who currently serves as the president of Bay College. Coleman has served as the college's president since 2006 and recently announced she will be retiring in the spring.
In addition to recognizing her work as the college's president, Coleman was presented the award by the Delta County Chamber of Commerce Board for her service on the Delta County Economic Development Alliance, the EDA Executive Committee, the Central U.P. Regional Prosperity Collaborative and Rural Wage Study Committee, the Michigan Early Middle College Association Board and her membership and contributions to other groups and organizations.