Chamber

to local businesses and to the chamber. Recipients are chamber members whose service and performance positively reflects excellence as demonstrated through their work ethic and contributions to the Powhatan community.

In announcing the award, Melton praised Cabell’s extraordinary leadership attributes, perseverance and ambition.

Cabell ensured top performance in herself and inspired the same in others; worked to maintain success despite adversity in the past few years; excelled at pushing the envelope and dreaming big whenever possible; and made small business owners and county residents feel welcomed with her motto, “there’s always room at the table,” Melton said.

Cabell expressed deep gratitude for the honor but said it was possible only because of the hard work and dedication of the members.

Also awarded at the event was the Susan Ash Award, an existing honor that hasn’t been given in several years. Longtime board member Ash presented the award to Jamie Babcock and praised him for working diligently behind the scenes; volunteering at major community events like the Festival of the Grape and the Powhatan Christmas Parade; and serving as a “role model for leadership, service and a passion for helping others.”

Babcock, who was completely surprised with the award, offered a simple thanks for the recognition.

Ash was then surprised with a new Service Award presented by past president Ed Velasquez to honor her for 25 years of service. The award is meant to showcase the immense commitment of contribution, support and dedication demonstrated by Ash to the Powhatan Chamber.

Ash, who has been involved with the chamber since 1997, said it was a “labor of love and I have enjoyed every minute of it.”

Speaking to newer members, she said the most important piece of advice she could give to them would be “you only get out of an organization what you put into it.”

“Paying your dues is the first step and the easy step. Put time into it, get to know the people and you have a wonderful chamber of really caring people,” she told the crowd.

Ash, who recently stepped back from the chamber after many years of leadership, said in a separate interview that she has loved watching the organization grow and develop through the years. She hopes as it grows and attracts new members that it never loses the personal touch, she said.

“It is a caring group of people. It is not just an organization where people don’t care about you; we all care about each other. The people who volunteer are doing it out of the goodness of their hearts. There is just a real human element to it that other organizations don’t have because they are too big or impersonal,” she said.

Budner became executive director in 1992, which was four years after it was started by a group of Powhatan businessmen advocating to make sure Powhatan didn’t adopt BPOL taxes. She served in the position until 2008. More than three decades after it started, she said the chamber has grown and developed but still retains its tradition of a mix of monthly meetings and social gatherings that bond local business people and gives them a place to connect and learn.

“It feels very rewarding and very fulfilling. The chamber still means so much to me as far as having something not totally as my own but it was sort of my baby. To see it develop has been really rewarding,” she said.

In a separate interview, executive director Nicole Riley pointed out what an incredible achievement it is for the Powhatan Chamber of Commerce to have reached 35 years, saying “it is not a small feat to make it 35 years in business.”

“Powhatan is small but mighty. We have a lot of small businesses, we have a lot of growing businesses in the county. People are just excited to get out there and offer their expertise,” she said.

Looking ahead to 2023, she is eagerly anticipating milestones such as the 20th annual Festival of the Grape; a business summit they are trying to organize for the spring; further collaboration with the Small Business Development Center; continued emphasis on quality monthly meetings known as the Food for Thought luncheons; and helping connect members with needed resources.

“Thankfully I have had a really good foundation from some pretty amazing women leaders in business before me, so honestly, I am just looking to continue on that path,” she said. “I am hoping to continue the vision Angie put in place. I think there is a lot of work still to do. Business is changing and evolving and I am excited to evolve the chamber to be current for businesses.”

For more information about the Powhatan Chamber of Commerce, visit www.powhatanchamber. org or contact Riley at 804598-2636 or director@ powhatanchamber.org.

Laura McFarland may be reached at Lmcfarland@ powhatantoday.com.