The Greater Orange Area Chamber of Commerce held its Awards Luncheon Wednesday. The chamber cancelled its annual banquet previously because of the Coronavirus pandemic.
The Awards Luncheon was held at the First Baptist Church in Orange. Outgoing Chairman of the Board Maureen McAllister was hostess of the luncheon. She turned her gavel over to Chris Kovatch the Chairman of the Board for 2021.
Michelle Tubbleville (above in green) of Orange County Disaster Rebuild was recognized as the Citizen of the Year. Tubbleville has exhibited tremendous leadership to help the Greater Orange Area recover from local disasters since Hurricane Harvey.
County Treasurer Christy Khoury received Lifetime Ambassador Award status. CASA of the Sabine/Neches Region was presented the Non/Profit Community Service Award (below). Brad Childs with Childs Ace Hardware who has been responsible for distributing over 180 large Oranges countywide as a chamber promotion received the Business Community Service Award.
There were two Lifetime Achievement Awards presented. The family of Dan Mohon received one of the awards. Mohon served as the mayor in both Orange and Pinehurst as well as numerous civic and local organizations in the Greater Orange Area.
Dean Granger was honored with the other Lifetime Achievement Award (above). Granger was a longtime business and community leader for this area. His brother Al and his wife Kim accepted the award. Mohon (below) and Granger both died in 2020.
Each recipient was presented a Congressional Certificate from the office of Congressman Brian Babin by his local coordinator Lanie Brown. Special recognition of longtime chamber member Tim Schossow was done by re-naming the Greater Orange Area Chamber of Commerce Annual Golf Tournament after him. Schossow an avid golfer passed away in 2020.
-Dan Perrine, KOGT-
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