29 Jan 2018 Maumelle chamber of commerce hosts annual awards banquet

Posted at 2:13 PMh in News by

The Maumelle Area Chamber of Commerce recently celebrated outstanding Chamber members during its annual banquet held Jan. 25 at the Maumelle Event Center.

Presented by G&G Hospitality Hampton Inn Maumelle, the banquet had record-breaking attendance with many residents, business leaders and elected officials present. 

During the program, the Chamber honored members who have gone above and beyond during the year.

The banquet included recognition of one of the city’s champions with the Person of the Year Award. This year, the award was presented to Nicole Vogler, director of senior service for the City of Maumelle. 

Nicole started working for the City of Maumelle in 2002 in the Parks and Recreation Department. During that time, she and four other city employees recognized the need for services for the senior citizens in the community. They worked together to apply for a grant from the Robert Woods Johnson Foundation, which led to the formation of Counting on Each Other and the Seniors Services Department. Through her tireless dedication to the 50 and above age group, she was instrumental in the construction of the new senior services facility, Center on the Lake, that opened its doors in March 2017. Under Nicole’s leadership and with the help of the Senior Wellness Center’s staff, Counting on Each Other and a multitude of volunteers, the Center on the Lake is booming with approximately 1,400 members and a large variety of programs to help Maumelle seniors “age in place.” 

Other award winners were:

  • Large Business of the Year – First Security Bank. The bank opened its Maumelle location more than 11 years ago and has had a strong presence in the Maumelle community.
  • Small Business of the Year – Shine Boutique. Owner Tara Higgins started her business in her home in 2014. Her dream was to own a storefront in the heart of Maumelle. In 2017, Shine opened its doors at 3101 Club Manor Drive. Tara and her staff offer a personalized boutique experience while supporting other locally owned retailers by selling their items in the store. Shine’s community involvement in the Maumelle Area continues to grow by supporting numerous Chamber events, mentoring in local schools, donating to nonprofits and making sure Maumelle continues to be dressed at its best.
  • Ambassador of the Year – Tracie Flynn of Manpower Inc. Ambassadors are highly visible, prestigious volunteers who serve as the Chamber’s primary liaison to its members. 
  • Educator of the Year – Maumelle High School teacher Michelle Camp. With 14 years in education, she teaches business and marketing classes and is the Maumelle DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America) chapter sponsor. She also serves on the Arkansas Association for Career and Technical Education leadership committee. She was awarded the 2015 DECA Advisor Leadership Award, the Arkansas DECA 2014 Marketing Teacher of the Year Award, named as a 2016-2017 ACTE Region IV Fellow, and the Arkansas ACTE Teacher of the Year.

The 2018 Maumelle Area Chamber of Commerce Annual Banquet was sponsored by G&G Hospitality Hampton Inn Maumelle and Chick-fil-a Maumelle. Partnership sponsors are Celebrations Events, Maumelle Event Center, Lake Liquor, Timmons Art Foundation, Flavours and Dreamy Spoon. For more information, please contact Maumelle Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Alicia Gillen at 501.851.9700 or email [email protected].