Livingston Today

Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce issued the following announcement on Oct 29.

The Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce and Flint & Genesee Convention and Visitors Bureau will recognize business excellence and community leadership with the sixth-annual Art of Achievement Awards. More than 70 businesses and organizations, along with 113 individuals, have been nominated for recognition at the sold-out presentation gala Nov. 7 at the Flint Institute Arts.

“We’ve seen an increase in nominations on the hospitality side and greater excitement expressed in the nominations submitted,” said CVB Director Alaina Wiens.

Member Services Director Steven Elkins agreed. “We’ve also received lots of great nominations in the business category and we’re already sold out. We’re looking forward to another great evening!”

The following individuals and companies are nominees in the business category:

CEO Business Award – Any company with 50 or more employees.

Jimmy John’s

Regional Medical Imaging (RMI)

Geronimo Energy

McLaren Flint

NorthGate

Teachout Security Solutions

TGI Direct

View Newspapers Group

Small Business Award – Any company with less than 50 employees.

3Sixty Interactive

Borneman & Peterson, Inc.

Brown & Brown of Michigan, Inc.

Brown Consulting Group

Christenson & Fiederlein, PC

Country Home Creations

Flint Crepe Co.

Great Lakes Smoothie Co. & Eatery

Halo Burger

I.N.C. Systems

Kim Rose Fashions

Krystal Jo’s Diner

Refinery Hair Co.

Skaff Furniture Carpet One

Spud Software

The Good Beans Café

The Sugar Mermaid

WhenuPray

Minority Owned Business Award – Any minority-owned business in the community.

Artistic Visions Enterprise

Brown Consulting Group

Creative Hair School of Cosmetology

Eight Ten Nail Bar

Elle Jae Essentials

Glam Brands LLC

King’s Catering & Banquet Center

Mr. Prince Gourmet

Spectacular Spudz

Tees Plentiful Salads

Nonprofit Impact Award – Any charity, church or nonprofit making great strides to positively impact any facet of the Flint and Genesee community.

Bethel United Methodist Church

Boys and Girls Club of Greater Flint

Fenton Center of Hope

Flint Children’s Museum

Flint Institute of Arts

Flint Public Art Project

Food Bank of Eastern Michigan

Greater Flint Health Coalition

Karmanos Cancer Institute’s Healing Through Art Program

King Solomon Missionary Baptist Church

Re-Connections

Sylvester Broome Empowerment Village

The Chosen Few Arts Council

The Disability Network

Valley Area Agency on Aging

Voices for Children Advocacy Center

Well of Hope

Young Professional Leader Award – Any young professional 35 or younger making great strides to benefit their company and/or the community.

Brandon Corder, Beats x Beers

Brian Caine, Miracle League of Greater Flint

Claudnyse Holloman, Voices for Children Advocacy Center

DeWaun Robinson, Artistic Visions Enterprise

Elisabeth Saab, Sorensen Gross Construction Services

Hannah Schubring, Student

Katie Kiacz, Mott Community College

Nikki Rogers, PMC Works

Olivia Ross, Halo Burger

Quentin Groce, MLive Media Group

Shareka Howard, Genesee County Parks

Steve Wolbert, Social Impact Philanthropy & Investment

Terry Katzur, ELGA Credit Union

Claire M. White Award – Honoring a woman working for the betterment of Flint & Genesee in community, career or someone else’s life.

April Cook-Hawkins, Alternative Solutions for Women

Ashley Strozier, Flint Community Schools

Claudnyse Holloman, Voices for Children

Davin Pierson Torre, Flint Institute of Music

Desiree Duell, Desiree Duell Art

Dionna Ross, Westwood Heights Schools

Kathleen Gazall, Gazall, Lewis & Associates

Linda Gibson, Genesee Health Plan

Lisa Scott, Regional Medical Imaging

Mindy Williams, Whaley’s Children Center

Semaj Brown, Flint’s Poet Laureate

TaWanna Anderson, WhenuPray

Theresa Stephens-Lock, Mott Community College

The following companies and individuals are nominees in the hospitality category:

Hotel of the Year – Recognizes a Genesee County hotel for its outstanding service, comfort and attention to hotel guests, providing an excellent overall experience.

Best Western Plus Flint Airport Inn & Suites

Fairfield Inn & Suites Flint Fenton

Fairfield Inn & Suites Flint Grand Blanc

Hampton Inn & Suites Flint/Grand Blanc

Holiday Inn Flint-Grand Blanc Area

Hyatt Place Flint

Knights Inn Flint

Knob Hill Bed & Breakfast

Quality Inn Grand Blanc

Restaurant of the Year – Recognizes a Genesee County restaurant for their outstanding service, menu and overall experience of the customer.

Andiamo Fenton

Bear Soup Deli

Billy’s Pine Run Inn

Blondie’s Food & Spirits

Charlie’s Smokin BBQ

Churchill’s Food & Spirits

Cork on Saginaw

Don Felipe Mexican Restaurant

El Potrero Mexican Restauant

Fenton Winery & Brewery

Flint Crepe Co.

Hoffman’s Deco Deli & Café

Italia Gardens

Soggy Bottom

Spectacular Spudz

Totem Books Café

Entertainment Venue of the Year – Recognizes an entertainment or live performing arts venue that continues to raise the bar, offering an array of top-notch entertainment to the community and visitors.

Applewood: The Charles Stewart Mott Estate

Fenton Community and Cultural Center

Great Escape Gaming

Frontline Ambassador Award – Recognizes a hospitality worker (front desk staff, host/hostess, housekeeper, guest services and maintenance) in a Genesee County hotel who provides outstanding service to guests staying at their establishment. The nominees are:

Baymont Inn & Suites

Maimoun Alsrihin

Rhonda Assaf

Ahmad Bakr

Carol Fields

Jozlynn McMillion

Sarah McWhirter

Christopher Miller

Elias Najjar

Best Western Flint Airport Inn & Suites

Jeanette Anderson, CTA

Diana Baricska, CTA

Andrew Charles

Deniesha Coulter

Rebecca Fortune

Avante Hatter, CTA

Matt Hensel

Charbel Massoud

Elizabeth Morris, CTA

Mykal Oyler

Jack Sheroski

Dominique Redmond

Kayla Simmons

Keniesha Spencer, CTA

Fairfield Inn & Suites Flint Fenton

Telakia Martin

Fairfield Inn & Suites Flint Grand Blanc

Jazzmyn Blackwell

Andrea Clay

Allen Davis

Jason Keenan

Victoria Leonard, CTA

Linda Pryor

Autwan Roland

Theresa Sharpe

Hampton Inn & Suites Flint/Grand Blanc

Breanna Bettencourt

Justin Franklin

Geraldine Geske

Katelynne Ide

Lettie Lane

Kit Lenox

Sheryl Wakeman

Holiday Inn Flint-Grand Blanc Area

Sheryl Champine

Pete Clifton

Mike Clinton

Travis Diadiun

Krista Mayhew

Tammy Ranaldi

Charles Ross

Mary Trombley

Knights Inn-Flint

Crystal Law

Melissa Lewis, CTA

Rhonda Myers

Chris Simpson

Quality Inn Grand Blanc

Lin Becker

Michelle Dunlap

Nicholas Montalvo

Jenaye O’Steen

Sheila Williams

Traci Wing, CTA

Quality Inn & Suites Airport

Anna Wiseman

Residence Inn by Marriott Flint-Grand Blanc

Tyeisha Dukes

Tyron Roberts

Hospitality Ambassador Award – Recognizes exemplary customer service in the non-hotel areas of food service, bartender, transportation, business, etc.

James Yates, Ascension Genesys Conference & Banquet Center

Lisa Blondell, Blondie’s Food & Spirits

Brian Barnett, Cork on Saginaw

Marge Murphy, Cork on Saginaw

Darci Racette, Cork on Saginaw

Ann Reith, Cork on Saginaw

Drew Thornton, Cork on Saginaw

Angela Winford, Cork on Saginaw

Ellen Bailey, J. Porters/Holiday Inn Flint-Grand Blanc Area

Jacob Prevost, J. Porters/Holiday Inn Flint-Grand Blanc Area

Joshua Drobney, Thai Nation Bistro

Nolan Ward, Torch Bar & Grill

Certified Tourism Ambassador (CTA) of the Year Award – Recognizes an individual who has gone above and beyond to promote the region, bring awareness to attractions, spread a hospitality-driven culture and grow the CTA network.

Crystal Pepperdine, CTA

David Martin, CTA

In addition, the Chamber will present several special honors at the Nov. 7 gala, including:

Community Champion Award – Recognizes an individual or organization who brings a meeting, convention or business to Flint & Genesee that directly impacts the perception of our region and our local hospitality economy.

Economic Development Project of the Year Award – Recognizes and celebrates an innovative economic development project from the past year.

Gloria DeHart Award – Recognizes an individual or organization who has worked to improve Flint & Genesee in the eyes of the hospitality community.

Art A. Hurand Award – Recognizes an individual or organization that exemplifies outstanding community spirit.

Charles Stewart Mott Award – Honors a citizen of the greater Flint community who has made significant contributions to the advancement and well-being of the community and, by his or her actions, carries on the traditions of Charles Stewart Mott.

Original source here.