Sister Judy Sinnwell, Rupert Lunceford, Paul Moore Jr., Tony Hardin, Jackie Stone, Betty Edwards and Barry Cannon were among the honorees at the Calhoun City Chamber of Commerce Banquet Tuesday night.
Sinnwell was awarded the Citizen of the Year award citing her efforts at Excel and her leadership in establishing the county-wide recycling program.
Lunceford was presented with the Chamber Member of the Year honor.
Sid Salter speaking at the Calhoun City Chamber Banquet.
“Anytime we have a sign-up for anything, he’s there,” Chamber President Laura Edwards said of Lunceford.
Varsity Pro, owned by Tony Hardin, was recognized as the Business of the Year, and Stone, Edwards and Cannon were honored for their volunteer service to the town.
Paul Moore Jr.’s law office, Moore & Moore, was honored for more than 50 years of business in Calhoun City.
Syndicated columnist and Mississippi State University Director of Public Affairs Sid Salter spoke on MSU’s recent selection to lead a consortium of 13 universities in operating a national center for research on unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), encompassing a wide range of applications from agriculture to homeland security.
Salter noted how this technology could impact Calhoun County in a number of ways including providing pinpoint accuracy to herbicide applications for sweet potato farmers.
The National Center of Excellence for Unmanned Aircraft Systems is expected to begin research in September, with a “fully operational, robust research agenda by January 2016.”
Salter also spoke of the importance of supporting the local chamber and the good works taking place in Calhoun City.
“I know you’re proud of your town, proud of your county and the work your chamber does. I compliment you on being involved with your local chamber of commerce and the work you do in your community,” Salter said.
He also encouraged support of education and thinking regionally for economic development. “Let me encourage you to continue to be a part of CREATE, continue to be part of other economic development efforts that have regional tentacles and stay in touch with office of research and economic development at Mississippi State and our counterparts at the University of Mississippi and Southern Mississippi.”
“I am convinced as Gov. Winter said many years ago, the road to progress and success in Mississippi goes past the schoolhouse,” Salter said. “It goes past the schoolhouse here in your community, with our community colleges and universities as well.”
Betty Edwards, Barry Cannon and Jackie Stone were presented awards for volunteer service to the community.