The Eatonton-Putnam Chamber of Commerce (EPCC) held its 43rd annual Awards Banquet on Monday night at Rock Eagle Pavilion, north of Eatonton.
In front of about 230 Chamber members and guests, Chamber President and CEO Maggie Milner emceed the event, which recognized several outstanding businesses and individuals.
“This was the biggest turnout I think we’ve ever had and it’s a very diverse group of individuals and investors from all walks of life; new and old with the Chamber,” Milner observed.
“The annual dinner is the most involved I am as president, as far as a night of getting up and speaking and making sure that everybody stays on schedule,” she added. “But it’s been wonderful.”
After briefly outlining the Chamber’s work and accomplishments throughout 2022, Milner introduced Tri-County EMC District 2 Board Member George “Buck” Comer, who presented the Youth in Excellence award to Karlie Horton, a Gatewood Schools senior who received the Scholastic Achievement Award to acknowledge achieving the highest GPA in her class three years straight. Horton also has served as class president, and treasurer for the entire student body is a member of the Hugh O’Brien Youth Leadership Program, and is involved with the American Red Cross, Life Source Food Drive, and the Putnam County Recreation Department.
Next, McKenzie Davenport, CFO for Fowler Flemister Concrete, presented for the first time in EPCC history, Citizen of the Year awards to both Grady Jones and Hank Raehn.
Jones was described in his introduction as “a small business owner with a gentle and quiet spirit, but a bold dedication to (his) passions.” Jones, of Jones Master Cuts, a barbershop in downtown Eatonton, lost his parents at a young age and was inspired to create a mentoring program for middle- and high school-aged boys who may not have a male role model at home with them. He also sat on the inaugural Leadership Putnam Board.
Raehn, meanwhile, was mentioned as a “meticulous, methodical and thorough individual,” who is always ready to volunteer to help organize various events or fundraising efforts. Raehn also was recognized for his leadership in several organizations, including Neighbors to Neighbors and ATLAS ministries, along with being on the Board for Tri-County EMC’s Operation Roundup, among other humanitarian efforts.
Throughout the evening several videos were shown highlighting the operations and missions of several local companies being considered for Business of the Year honors before Farmers and Merchants Bank eventually was revealed as this year’s recipient. Somewhat ironically, FMB Vice President and Board member Amy McElhaney joined The Peoples Bank President Chuck Haley onstage as presenters of the honor, with McElhaney herself making the announcement.
“It was different, but it was fun because our employees, our board of directors were here, a lot of our employees, and so it was a real honor,” McElhaney said. “But it was hard, very hard to not tell anyone, to keep my mouth closed,” she admitted. “But I did, so I’m proud of that. But I’m really proud of the bank and everyone I work with there, and I’m just sorry that our owner, Chip Benton, he couldn’t be here. He’s in Texas right now, but I know he’ll be thrilled.”
The Breakout Business of the Year honor was presented by Andrew Patton, head of Business Development for BankSouth, to business owners Sidney and Christina Benton of Benton’s Welding Supply, an industrial gas supplier on Harmony Road.
The highlight of the evening quite fittingly came at the end, though, as Eatonton’s own Georgia Benjamin-Smith of Uncle Remus Museum fame was announced as the inaugural recipient of the Roddie Anne Blackwell Leadership Award, named for the previous longtime EPCC president who was known for her tireless promotion of Eatonton-Putnam and surrounding communities.
When Benjamin-Smith’s name was announced the crowd rose as one in a standing ovation as she picked her way through a sea of well-wishers to reach the stage.
Once there, Benjamin-Smith beamed with happiness and immediately launched into the kind of speech she’s made hundreds, thousands, maybe tens of thousands of times in the past, praising Eatonton and Putnam County, along with the businesses and people she said makes the area “the best place in the world to live” and exactly represented why she was bestowed the Chamber’s honor in the first place.
“You can’t measure your progress if you erase the past,” Benjamin-Smith said to those gathered around her. “You need to know where you started from to see how far you’ve come, and I know I’m blessed. I’m blessed because I got friends like y’all. Thank you all so much. I love you.”