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The Stanly County Chamber of Commerce will have its annual meeting and awards Feb. 20 in the Magnolia Room at Atrium Health Stanly.
Keynote speaker for the event will be North Carolina Secretary of Commerce Lee Lilley.
The evening will begin with the opportunity to network at 5:30 p.m., with dinner and the program beginning at 6 p.m. and including the passing of the gavel from 2023-2024 Chair of the Board Wil Huneycutt to 2025-2026 Chair of the Board James Baucom.
Lilley’s service as Secretary of Commerce began on Jan. 1. Appointed to the office by Gov. Josh Stein, Lilley brings extensive economic development experience to the role.
Immediately before joining the department, Lilley served as the director of economic and pandemic recovery for Gov. Roy Cooper. In that position, he coordinated statewide pandemic recovery efforts, served as state infrastructure coordinator and led economic development initiatives for the Cooper Administration. Lee also advised Cooper Administration leadership on strategy and communications.
In addition to awarding Ambassador of the Year and Citizen of the Year, two new awards will be added: 2024 Small Business of the Year (must have less than 25 employees) and 2024 Business of the Year (must have 25 employees or more).
The nominees for Small Business of the Year include: Emricci Pizzeria, Russ Hollins Realtors/Stanly4Rent, Norwood Hardware, Livi Bug’s, Starnes Bramlett Jewelers, Cadillac Signs, Granville Lane Farm, Beane Swaringen & Co, PLLC, Kluttz Tire and Service Center, Albemarle Sweet Shop and A.L. Lowder Inc.
The nominees for Business of the Year include: First Bank, B.E. Holbrook, Juneberry Ridge, Uwharrie Bank, Friendly Chevrolet, Preformed Line Products and BRS, Inc.
Individual tickets for the meeting are $50 per person and reservations can be made online at www.stanlychamber.org.