The SACC and Wicomico County Parks, Recreation and Tourism Host Annual Awards

The Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce Annual Awards Luncheon was a celebration of the individual, business, and organizational achievements of 2024.  The awards ceremony was held in partnership with the Wicomico County Tourism Awards on Thursday, October 24, at the Wicomico Civic Center in the Normandy Arena.

SACC President/CEO Bill Chambers welcomed guests, “The Annual Awards Luncheon is an opportunity for the Chamber and our members to come together and honor the extraordinary contributions and successes of individuals, companies, and organizations all across Delmarva.”

Wor-Wic Community College president Dr. Deborah Casey, “On behalf of the Wor-Wic Community College, we are truly honored to be a part of the celebration of Wicomico’s tourism and business industries and recognition of their contributions within the community and the Chamber.” Wor-Wic Community College was the luncheon sponsor.

Zach Evans, SACC Chair-Elect and Community Relations Manager at Mountaire Farms was the Master of Ceremonies.

The event started with a delicious buffet lunch, followed by the Wicomico Parks and Tourism Awards presentation with Zach Evans, Tourism Manager Justin Polizzi, and Senior Tourism Specialist Laura Soper.

During lunch, Eric Johnston of InFocus Financial Advisors spoke about the newly formed SACC Committee, the Eastern Shore Leadership Institute. The ESLI recruits the best instructors in the region and partners with local employers to help develop and train their employees, teams, and staff through a series of leadership classes and focus groups.

The Tourism Person of the Year Award was presented to Bill Atkinson, Eastern Shore Tournament Baseball; the Hospitality Award was presented to the Elks Lodge #817; the Business of the Year Award was presented to Piedmont Airlines; and the Tourism Partner of the Year was awarded to Salisbury University Athletics.

Following the Tourism Awards, Evans began the SACC portion of the ceremonies.

The first award was for the SACC Member Volunteer of the Year.  Christopher Hall of TidalHealth presented this award to Jennifer Lefebvre, The Talk of Delmarva.  Jennifer is a top sales and marketing representative for Datatech Digital, DBA as The Talk of Delmarva. Jennifer is a Chamber Ambassador and serves on both of the Chamber Golf Committees. She also volunteers her time and energy at other Chamber events throughout the year, including the Delmarva Eats Taste of the Town. Jennifer is a stalwart supporter of the Chamber and its mission and is always available to assist the business community at large.

The SACC Ambassador of the Year Award was presented to Christina Fuller, First Shore Federal Savings & Loan Association.  Christina joined the Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce in 2022, quickly becoming an indispensable friend and advocate with the Chamber Ambassadors. Her proactive approach and enthusiasm led her to assume the role of Vice Chair and the position of Chair of the Ambassadors starting in 2025. Christina actively participates in Ribbon Cuttings, Business After Hours, assisting at registration and constantly speaking about the Chamber to prospective new members. She and her husband Rob and son Ryder proudly call the eastern shore home.  The award was presented by Aaron Guy, Director of Community Partners for Pohanka of Salisbury.

Jim Fuss of BBSI presented the Small Business of the Year Award to Playa Bowls.  Playa Bowls was founded on the concept of bringing healthier food options to their communities through their delicious bowls, smoothies, and fresh pressed juices. They are committed to using only the finest and freshest products to support healthier lifestyles and inspire a world of fun, excitement, and togetherness. Playa Bowls Salisbury opened their doors in 2021 and has served thousands of delicious bowls, ONE at a time. They are a community-driven team that believes in mutual respect and inclusion for everyone. Integrity, quality, and friendly service help ensure that every guest that enters Playa Bowls leaves pleased with their experience. The award was accepted by Tony Martina, Ross Marvel, and Josh Parks.

Christopher Laznovsky from M&T Bank presented the Medium Business of the Year Award to D3.  The D3 team is a dynamic group of professionals serving Eastern Shore businesses and organizations. They work with their clients in a variety of services in developing long term marketing strategies that places their clients with a sustainable advantage over their competition, D3 specializes in website design and development, marketing, graphic design, print, custom development and multimedia. They listen to their clients’ goals, challenges, audiences, and competitors. The D3 team shares ideas, brainstorms with clients to create a vision, and then follows through on implementing through both digital and traditional platforms. D3 is a community partner supporting numerous organizations across the shore with their time, talents, and resources. The award was accepted by D3 Founder and President John Gehrig, Chief Operating Officer Jay Bosley, and Director of Public Relations Jenni Pastusak.

David Ryan of the Salisbury Wicomico Economic Development presented the Large Business of the Year Award was presented to Piedmont Airlines. Jacqueline Jennings, Vice President, accepted the award.

Piedmont Airlines is a wholly owned subsidiary of American Airlines Group, founded in 1931 by Richard Henson. Piedmont operates nearly 400 daily departures to 55+ cities throughout the eastern United States from Charlotte, Philadelphia, and Chicago. Headquartered in Salisbury, Maryland, Piedmont Airlines employs nearly 10,000 aviation professionals.

Jacqueline Jennings of Piedmont Airlines presented the SACC Business Professional of the Year award to Teri Monahan, General Manager of 47abc WMDT and Marquee Broadcasting, Inc..

Teri Monahan has been the General Manager at WMDT-TV since 2018. She joined WMDT in 1988, holding various positions, including General Sales Manager, Account Executive, and Creative Services Director. She began her career in broadcasting in 1982 in Pittsburgh, PA, where she held various positions at Public TV station WQED – known for being the home station of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood! Teri has been active with organizations including the Maryland-DC-Delaware Broadcasters Association, The Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce, Mission of Mercy, the Rotary Club of Wicomico County, Horse Lovers United, Junior Achievement and the Salisbury Zoo.

Seagull Disposal sponsored the Environmental Service Award and presented it to EEC Environmental. EEC Environmental has provided expert environmental consulting services to private and public clients on the shore and throughout the mid-Atlantic since 1995. They are one of the top environmental companies in the nation. EEC’s team of environmental engineers has focused on innovative, cost-effective solutions and complex environmental engineering challenges. EEC is a leader in the field of stormwater, wastewater, soil, vapor, groundwater assessment, remediation, and due diligence, which has made EEC the environmental consulting firm of choice for many Fortune 100 companies, nationally recognized law firms, business owners, and municipalities throughout the region and country. EEC Co-Founder and President Mike Zeko and Senior Project Geologist Justin Shirer accepted the award.

Kevin Dennis of Perdue Farms presented the Agriculture Ambassador of the Year Award to Horizon Farm Credit.

Serving the agriculture community for more than 100 years and clients in 5 states, the Horizon Farm Credit team are experts in agriculture, serving rural America through loans for farming, loans for land, home loans, and crop insurance. They are a cooperative which means they succeed as a company when their clients succeed! With 22,000 members across 5 states, they give their customers best-in-class solutions for their financial needs. Horizon Farm Credit has remained a dependable partner for this and future generations in good times and bad. The award was accepted by Ag Relationship Manager Doug Bennett.

The Non-Profit Organization of the Year Award was presented by John Petito of Delmarva Power to PAC-14.

For more than 25 years, the local public access channel, PAC 14, has been serving Wicomico County and Salisbury, Maryland communities. PAC 14 is a place for local residents to exchange thoughts, ideas, interests, and information within our community- free from commercial influences. The mission is to train Salisbury and Wicomico County residents to produce programs. YOU can let your voice be heard! Produce your own show and share the information that you believe our community needs to know about. PAC 14 is a true asset to the communities they serve. Chris Demone and Xavier Geraldes accepted the award.

The New Business of the Year Award was presented by Franklin P. School of Business to Eastern Shore Primary Care & Wellness.  This award recognizes a company prioritizing positive community impact and sustainability within the Delmarva business community and models a company culture of collaboration, innovation, and positive reinforcement amongst its team members.  The business must have been established on or after October 2021.  Eastern Shore Primary Care & Wellness opened its doors in early 2024. The existing clinic was completely renovated and currently has 9 treatment rooms, 3 full-time and 2 part-time nurse practitioners, with a 4th nurse practitioner starting in December of this year. They treat patients over the age of 13 and provide comprehensive primary care services, including DOT physicals, in-house lab services, suture and staple removals, women’s health services, COVID and flu testing, A1C testing, pulmonary function testing, and much more. Owners Sherry Byrd and Martin Melson accepted the award.

The Chamber Hall of Fame Award is not an annual award.  The award acknowledges an individual who has exhibited a demonstrated history of career achievement, a sustained commitment to the advancement of our region through their unselfish leadership, a commitment to making a difference, and unparalleled professionalism among their peers in the community.

Diane Turner, President of First Shore Federal Savings & Loan, presented the Hall of Fame Award to William “Bill” McCain, Founder and Chairman of W.R. McCain & Associates.

Bill McCain is the founder of W. R. McCain Associates, Inc. Established in 1988, the firm has since grown to become one of the largest comprehensive real estate valuation and consultation companies located in the Mid-Atlantic Region.

Bill is a Certified General Appraiser in MD, DE, and VA, and is a licensed real estate broker in MD. He holds the prestigious MAI designation with the Appraisal Institute, which indicates he is a specialist in all types of real estate valuation and one who possesses professional integrity and meets education qualifications, examinations, and standard requirements.

Bill has an Economics and Sociology degree from Washington College and an MBA degree from the Perdue School of Business at Salisbury University.

In addition to his success in business, he is active in community affairs and is a member of numerous civic and professional organizations. Elected to the Wicomico County Council in 2006, Bill served as Council Vice President and was elected a second time in November 2018 as Councilmember (At-Large). He completed 13 years on the Peninsula Regional Medical Center Board of Trustees, including a term as its Board Chair.

Bill was a past member of the YMCAs of the Chesapeake board and past Chair, a Member of the Greater Salisbury Committee, including having served as Chairman and recently chaired a GSC Housing Task Force that worked together to present possible solutions to our housing needs.

Currently, Bill serves on the Wicomico County Foundation Board of Trustees, where he will be instrumental in raising funds for the soon-to-be relocated main branch of the Wicomico Library.

Bill is a Past President of the Delaware Chapter of Appraisal Institute and is involved with numerous other community organizations for current and past service, including the Natural Resource Advisory Committee, Wicomico County Recreation and Parks Commission, Governor’s No Net Loss Task Force, Tri-County Council, Wicomico Economic Development Revolving Loan Committee, and the Salisbury Area Chamber

Citations were also presented to the award winners on behalf of the Maryland Senate and House of Delegates.

Congratulations to all this year’s awards winners and a special thank you to the award sponsors, 47abc WMDT, BBSI, Delmarva Power, First Shore Federal Savings & Loan, Franklin Perdue School of Business, M&T Bank, Perdue Farms, Piedmont Airlines, Pohanka of Salisbury, Salisbury Wicomico Economic Development, Seagull Disposal, TidalHealth, and Wor-Wic Community College; the SACC Patron Sponsors, the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center staff, and all those who attended to celebrate these outstanding individuals, businesses, and organizations.

(Photos by Wicomico County Recreation, Parks & Tourism and SACC staff)