NEWS BRIEFS: Gwinnett Chamber announces honorees for 74th annual dinner

Honorees at the 74th Annual Dinner of the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce have been announced. The dinner will be April 22, at the Gas South Convention Center. 

Those being honored include: 

Theus

Citizen of the year: Sidney H. Theus, chief executive officer of American Painting and Renovations of Suwanee. This award honors individuals whose services have had the greatest impact on the overall quality of life for Gwinnett County in recent years.

Public Service Awards:  This year’s honorees include Jay Dennard, chief operating office, of Northside Hospital Duluth; Jonathan Holmes, managing partner, Mighty 8th; Dr. Jann L. Joseph, president, Georgia Gwinnett College; and Rep. Sam Park of House District 101. These awards are given to individuals who, over the years, have gone above and beyond in their service to the community and its residents.

Special Needs Schools of Gwinnett will receive the D. Scott Hudgens Humanitarian Award given in honor of Scott Hudgens. 

The R. Wayne Shackelford Legacy Award, honoring the memory and legacy of an individual who has made a difference in the history and progress of Gwinnett County, will be awarded posthumously to James J. Maran, former president and CEO of the Gwinnett Chamber; L. Jim Steele, former chief operating officer of Gwinnett County Public Schools’; and Kelvin J. “Kelly” Kelkenberg, former councilman for the City of Duluth.

The James J. Maran International Award, recognizing a Gwinnett international company which is active in the local community will be awarded to Hettich America of Buford.

NOTABLE

Gwinnett Chamber, Chinese group formalize relationship

Gwinnett Chamber and the Chinese American Business Association of Atlanta (CBAA) have formalized their relationship and commitment to growth for this burgeoning business sector in the community. The CBAA is a nonprofit organization, incorporated in the state of Georgia, that seeks to promote the common interest of Chinese Americans who are either starting or doing business in the U.S.

Both the Gwinnett Chamber and the CBAA work to strengthen business relations through economy, technology and cultural exchanges, and the CBAA provides a direct link to industry abroad, as well as the host of businesses already here and growing.

Jian Ni, president of the CBAA, says: “We are honored and excited about this partnership with the Gwinnett Chamber. We will leverage this partnership to promote and grow our business community in Gwinnett County and thank the Chamber for bringing our diverse community together.”

Partnership Gwinnett and the Gwinnett Chamber have led 19 business, trade, or cultural exchange missions to China over the last 12 years. From these efforts, the community has witnessed the location and/or expansion of 10 companies to include Hisense USA, Ningbo Self Electronics Corporation USA, WOLF Distributing Co., Self Electronics USA, TravelSky, LifeArt Cabinetry, Go Goal Cabinets, Tech-Long, Linhai Powersports, and Ningbo Huige. 

GGC named among the “Military Friendly” schools in USA

Georgia Gwinnett College has earned the bronze 2022-2023 “Military Friendly” school designation. The designation is awarded to universities and colleges that are embracing military students and dedicate resources to ensure their success in the classroom and after graduation.

Institutions earning the Military Friendly school designation were evaluated using public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey. More than 1,800 schools participated in the 2022-2023 survey, with 665 earning special awards for going above the standard. That list is then provided to service members and their families, helping them select the best college, university, or trade school to receive the education and training needed to pursue a civilian career.

Johnny Richardson, GGC’s director of enrollment communication services, says:  “This isn’t the first time we’ve received this designation.  It was a collaborative effort amongst departmental and campus partners to gather the information for the survey.”

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