February 1, 2020
The Chamber’s Annual Gala was hosted on Saturday, January 25, at The Pavilion at John Knox Village. Members traveled back to the Roaring ‘20s for a Speakeasy Soiree complete with live entertainment, networking, gourmet dining stations and a one-of-a-kind speakeasy experience. The evening also consisted of both a live and silent auction, comprised of over 200 items donated by local businesses.
During the program portion of the evening, event sponsors Awnix and Strongbox Wealth Management addressed the audience with a message of positivity, looking forward in 2020. 2019 Chair of the Board, Jon Garlow, ceremonially, passed the gavel to 2020 Chair, Trisha Goodale. The Chamber’s Annual Member Awards were acknowledged and are as follows:
2019 CHAMBER MEMBER AWARDS
Volunteer Of The Year Award:
Skyler Aldrich (Security Bank)
Skyler joined the Chamber and hit the ground running. He is a graduate of Leadership Lee’s Summit class. He has volunteered for several committees and task forces. As well as being a Rockstar volunteer for Oktoberfest and many other events throughout the year. He is currently serving on the Gala task force and Gala Auction subcommittee.
Bob Glaser Ambassador Of The Year Award:
John Beaudoin (KC Communications & Media Matters)
John Beaudoin joined the Chamber in 2009 and served his first term on the board from 2011-2013. He recruited 7 new members in 2019, a total of 37 lifetime recruits. He will serve a second term on the Chamber’s Board in 2020 and will serve as Chair of the Ambassador Committee.
Steve Gouldsmith New Member Of The Year Award:
Jason Langston (Farmers Insurance – Jason Langston Agency)
Jason is doing it all! From participating in Leadership LS to attending ribbon cuttings, luncheons, the legislative trip to Jefferson City, business field trips, as well as many other events. Jason continues to be a face in the Chamber community while creating a positive impact.
Mentor Of The Year Award:
Jeffrey Williams (Heritage Companies)
Jeffrey Williams has been involved in the Chamber since 2007. He was a Board member from 2010-2013, and currently serves on the Health & Human Services Committee and Business Development Council. He has mentored our new members since 2014 when the Mentoring program began and has mentored over 40 new members!
Lifetime Member:
Tom Lovell
As the LS Parks Administrator for many years, Tom was and continues to be a participant in a number of Chamber events and meetings. He regularly attends Chamber luncheons and Government Relations meetings, whether for a good laugh or a serious question about an issue facing our community. Tom is always sharing his wealth of knowledge and expertise with Chamber members and staff.
Hall Of Fame:
Jon And Vicky Cundiff (Weed Man)
Jon and Vic Cundiff, owners of Weed Man, originally joined the Chamber in 1987. Vic Cundiff served on the Chamber Board from 2011-2013 and has served on countless committees and task forces. Weed Man also served as a valued sponsor for several Chamber events throughout their more than 30 years of involvement. Their support of the Chamber is only one example of their incredible support of the Lee’s Summit community.
