Jackson chamber honors individuals, firms

Celebrating 2019 and looking ahead to 2020 were the themes of the Jackson Area Chamber of Commerce's annual banquet Friday night at Jackson Civic Center.

More than 570 chamber members and guests turned out for the sold-out event at which the chamber presented a number of awards and installed its slate of 2020 officers.

Among the 2019 awards presented Friday night were the chamber's R.A. Fulenwider Meritorious Community Service Award, Women's Impact Network (WIN) Woman of the Year Award, Business of the Year and Small Business of the Year awards, Marybeth Williams Educator of the Year Award and Sam Roethemeyer Ambassador of the Year Award.

Tom Strickland, owner and principal of Strickland Engineering in Jackson, was named the recipient of the R.A. Fulenwider Meritorious Community Service Award which was presented by Jackson attorney Tom Ludwig, recipient of 2018 Fulenwider Award.

"I think this is the greatest award you can receive in the city of Jackson," said Ludwig as he introduced Strickland.

Presented in honor of the late R.A. Fulenwider, a prominent civic and community leader in the Jackson area and one-time president of the Jackson chamber, the Fulenwider award goes to an individual who has dedicated their life to the advancement of Jackson and the surrounding area.

Strickland Engineering celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2019 and focuses on engineering services for commercial buildings as well as churches, schools, senior living facilities, health care buildings, industrial structures and municipal facilities.

Strickland founded his engineering firm in 1979 and is responsible for mechanical and electrical engineering design as well as project management.

Recognized with the chamber's Marybeth Williams Educator of the Year Award was Michael Tornetto from the Jackson R-2 School District.

The Educator of the Year recognition is presented annually to an educator who exemplifies outstanding educational practices.

Tornetto teaches advanced placement world history classes and human geography at Jackson High School and has been with the district since graduating from Southeast Missouri State University in 2005. In addition to being named Educator of the Year, Tornetto has received a $500 awrd from the Jackson R-2 Foundation in memory of Marybeth Williams who was a founding member of the foundation's board of directors.

Kohlfeld Distributing was named the Jackson chamber's 2019 Business of the Year. Now in its 52nd year of operation, Kohlfeld Distributing was founded by Leo and Blanche Kohlfeld in 1968 and served the Missouri counties of Cape Girardeau, Perry and Bollinger as well as parts of Stoddard and Scott. Over the years, the distributorship, headquartered along East Jackson Boulevard near Interstate 55, has expanded both in terms of products and territory. The family-owned company is managed by Michael Kohlfeld, his brother Mark Kohlfeld, and Mike Kohlfeld's son, Courtland Kohlfeld, the company's sales manager.

The chamber's Small Business of the Year Award was presented to Leet EyeCare. The optometry practice was founded in 1987 by Greg Leet who acquired the optometry practice of William Wright with whom he practiced since 1984.

Leet EyeCare has six optometrists and three locations, two in Cape Girardeau and one at 1014 E. Jackson Blvd. in Jackson.

Both the Business of the Year and Small Business of the Year awards are presented to firms that exemplify good business practices and are dedicated to customer service and community involvement.

Nate Gautier of First Choice Insurance in Jackson was named recipient of the chamber's Sam Roethemeyer Ambassador of the Year Award, presented annually to someone who supports the chamber, its mission and its members through a variety of ways such as consistent attendance at chamber events and member recruitment.

And finally, the chamber presented its second annual Women's Impact Network Woman of the Year Award to Dr. Beth Emmendorfer, assistant superintendent of elementary and student services with the Jackson R-2 School District.

In addition to the award presentations, the chamber installed its 2020 executive board consisting of president Rob Stephens, vice president Merideth Pobst and secretary/treasurer Scott Givens.

The executive board of the Jackson Industrial Development Co. was also installed Friday night with Matt Huber sworn in as president, Mike Seabaugh as vice president and John Thompson as secretary/treasurer.

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