ABILENE, Texas — The Abilene Chamber of Commerce announced the recipients of its 2023 Abilene Chamber Awards Celebration Thursday.
The annual meeting is the Chamber’s annual celebration for the business community to reflect on the previous year, celebrate the year to come and to honor those who have helped shape that future.
“As staff, we often hear others describe the Chamber as ‘doing all those things most people think just happen.’ We are thrilled tonight to recognize those who make those things happen. The doers. Our volunteers. The backbone of our organization,” Doug Peters, Abilene Chamber of Commerce President and CEO. “The Abilene Chamber has been driven by the leadership of its investors for 115 years, and it’s their hundreds of purposeful, incremental and strategic moves that helps to move our great community forward. For those reasons and so many more, we salute these recipients.”
This year’s recipients are:
- Excellence in Agriculture – Big Country Title
- Redcoat of the Year – Krista Hale, Home2Suite by Hilton
- Hispanic Business Council Champion – Aida Pantoja, AbiMar Foods, Inc.
- Corporate Star – Star Auto Group
- Leadership Abilene Alumni – Adam Lancaster, Coleman County State Bank
- Military Affairs Committee – Paul Beale, Taylor Telecom
- Nonprofit of the Year Award – Junior Achievement of Abilene
- Mark Rogers Young Professional of the Year – Samantha Baker, First Financial Bank
- Chair’s Award – Joe Mangrem, Enprotec/Hibbs & Todd, Inc. and Travis Ruiz, Nexstar Media Group
