Annual Chamber Banquet Nov. 8

By: Business Monday - Jim Charapich | Culpeper Star Exponent 
Published: October 01, 2012

We continue to deliver value to our customers and to the community. When it comes to business, we are shaped by the free market. We do not have the luxury of resting on our laurels. We are constantly driven by the question – how can I serve my customers better? Sometimes we are even recognized for our efforts and achievements. Though, as a business we do not seek such recognition, we are often pleasantly surprised when it comes our way.

The Culpeper Chamber would like for you to join with us in recognizing outstanding achievement in our community. We offer an opportunity to provide nominations for us to consider in several categories of achievement for local business excellence. We will then recognize the businesses, organizations, and owners at the annual banquet Nov 8.

The award categories are as follows: LB Henretty Award, Business of the Year, Most Improved Small Business Location, Small Business Person of the Year, Young Professional of the Year, and the Non-Profit of the Year. The criteria and nomination forms may be found at the banquet webpagewww.ChamberBanquet.com.

This will be the 98^th annual banquet for the Culpeper Chamber. Our history of service to the community can be well described by pointing out a few of the names on the list of past Chairmen of the Board of Directors: JL Fray 1915, Giles Miller 1939, T.I. Martin 1941, Wert Hurt Sr. 1945, John Yowell , Jr. 1953, J. Carlton Clore 1963, L.B. Henretty 1965, D. French Slaughter, Jr. 1967, Waller Jones 1971, W. Robert Jebson 1977, J.R. Yeaman III 1981, Daniel Peacock 1986, Jere Willis III 1990, T.I. Martin, Jr. 1992, Lee Kirk 2002, Win Carithers 2007 and 2008, and Raven Yates 2012… to name a few.

I encourage you to register early this year as I expect the Germanna’s Daniel Technology Center capacity will be sold out. We will have a very important dignitary as our keynote speaker, Aneesh Chopra – Former Chief US Technology Officer and former Virginia Secretary of Technology.

"After an incredible three years as the nation’s first Chief Technology Officer," White House Chief Technology Officer Aneesh Chopra said in a statement, "I am returning to my home state of Virginia to continue my work using innovative new technologies and platforms to improve health care, education and energy and to grow the jobs and industries of the future."

Mr. Chopra worked to advance the President’s technology agenda by fostering new ideas and encouraging government-wide coordination to help the country meet its goals from job creation, to reducing health care costs, to protecting the homeland. In 2011 Chopra was named to Modern Healthcare’s list of the 100 Most Influential People in Healthcare. In 2008 Chopra was listed in Government Technology magazine’s Top 25 in their Doers, Dreamers, and Drivers issue.

We look forward to one of the best banquet events so far. Register today at www.CulpeperChamber.com.

Jim Charapich is the President/CEO of the Culpeper Chamber of Commerce. He can be reached at jcharapich@culpepervachamber.org.