Breaking News
Local News

Marietta Area Chamber of Commerce gives awards

Annual celebration was postponed by COVID-19

By Michele Newbanks 5 min read

Awards were given out Monday night during the 106th annual Marietta Area Chamber of Commerce dinner at the Dyson Baudo Recreation Center at Marietta College, more than a year and a half after the event was last held.

Usually scheduled for March, the dinner was postponed this year due to COVID restrictions.

The chamber gave out four awards, while Building Bridges 2 Careers handed out the Outstanding Business Partner of the Year Award to Memorial Health Systems.

The four chamber awards were the Washington County Council of Cooperatives Agricultural Award, the Elizabeth A. Hadler ZONTA Woman of the Year Award, the Gabe Zide Citizen of the Year Award, and the Marietta Area Chamber of Commerce Business Leader of the Year Award.

¯ The agricultural award was presented to Stacy Family Farm by the 2020 award recipients, Kurt and Amanda Bohlen.

Amanda said the farm demonstrates agriculture, education and family, with the fourth and fifth generations of the Stacy family farming in Washington County. She said not only strawberries are the family's focus, it's also agriculture as a whole. School children come from up to two hours away to take a field trip to Stacy's farm for the educational experience.

"This is quite an honor," Bill Stacy said. "I couldn't have done it without my family."

He said businesses are always looking for the ROI, the rate of return, but for their family, it's a little different.

"This business has ROI plus family and that really works for us," he said.

¯ The ZONTA Woman of the Year Award was given to Barb Moberg, although she could not attend the dinner.

Keri Dunn, president of the local ZONTA chapter, called Moberg "energetic, tireless and dedicated" and was a key educator in Marietta. Moberg is a retired elementary school and physical education teacher.

"In 2010, she was the Ohio Elementary Physical Education Teacher of the Year," Dunn said.

¯ The citizen of the year award was given to Tasha Werry, director of Building Bridges 2 Careers. George Broughton, last year's winner, said the award was chosen by six area service groups.

"Gosh, I really don't know what to say," Werry said. "It takes a village to do this."

She said the award wasn't just for her, but for everyone in the room who helped out BB2C over the years.

¯ The last award given out went to Scott Cantley, CEO of Memorial Health Systems, for business leader of the year. He became president and CEO in 2009 and has grown the business from several hundred employees to more than 3,200.

"They are the largest employer in Washington County," said Jerry Brock, 2020 award recipient.

There are five campuses and 38 complex facilities in the system.

Brock said Cantley was chosen in part because he led his employees through the global pandemic.

"I'm not prepared at all to say anything," Cantley said. "It takes a lot of people to make this successful. I've never been more proud to be a part of an organization."

¯ The keynote speaker for the event was Wally Kandel, senior vice-president and North America director of Solvay Group.

Kandel worked for 14 years at the Solvay plant in Marietta and is a founding member of Shale Crescent USA. He was back in Marietta for the dinner, but relocated last week to South Carolina to be closer to family.

The seventh of eight children, he and his siblings were told they had to find a way to get along. He said they were told to work it out, make the best of it and treat each other the way they wanted to be treated.

Kandel said when he's asked where his favorite place is, he always says Marietta.

"We have community and we have something special called the pioneer spirit," he said. "It's something we have in our heritage."

The pioneers who settled Marietta built bridges, wide streets and colleges in preparing for future generations. He said the pioneer spirit asked "what can I do to prepare my community for generations?"

He said for 34 years, he's tried to lead in the community.

"If the next generation isn't prepared, look in the mirror," he said. "It's your fault."

But he said there will be a bright future if people kindle the pioneer spirit. He challenged the dinner attendees by asking them "what can you do to prepare the community for coming generations?"

***

Chamber of Commerce Winners:

¯ Marietta Area Chamber of Commerce Business Leader of the Year – Scott Cantley, CEO of Memorial Health Systems.

¯ Washington County Council of Cooperative Agriculture Award – Stacy Family Farm.

¯ Gabe Zide Citizen of the Year Award – Tasha Werry, executive director of Building Bridges 2 Careers.

¯ Elizabeth A. Hadler ZONTA Woman of the Year Award – Barb Moberg.

Source: Marietta Area Chamber of Commerce.

Starting at /week.