The Mansfield-Richland Area Chamber of Commerce hosted our 111th Annual Meeting on January 28 beginning with a social hour and dinner at the Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites.

Kevin Nestor, President of the Chamber, welcomed Chamber members and introduced Bill Sharp, Director of the Mansfield-Richland Area Educational Foundation who gave a brief overview of the past year for Leadership Unlimited and the Young Leaders Institute Programs. Norbert Peiker, President of the Mansfield-Richland Area Educational Foundation Board gave an overview of the Foundation, Economic Club and Economic Education Programs. Both provided observations for the year to come.

Bill Danuloff, Chair of the Business & Economic Development Committee, recognized the 2009 Chamber Small Business of the Year Award winners: All Care Services, LLC in the Entrepreneurial Category, Baker’s Collision Repair Specialists, Inc. in the Minority/Female Category and Ed Pickens’ Café on Main in the Retail/Service Category.

Sam VanCura, 2009 Chair of the Board, presented Extraordinary Leadership Awards to Ken Bender for his extraordinary leadership in the effort to save the General Motors - Mansfield/Ontario Plant and Mark Romanchuk and Zoi Romanchuk for their extraordinary leadership in helping to form and lead the Richland Manufacturers Coalition. VanCura gave a review of the year 2009 and Bill Danuloff, the 2010 Board Chair, gave his thoughts on the outlook for 2010.

The meeting concluded with the presentation of the Chairman’s Award, first given in 1981, by Bob Enskat, then Plant Manager for General Motors. Recipients of this prestigious award have demonstrated a long-standing commitment to community service in the Mansfield-Richland County area. The award itself is an exquisite mantle clock generously sponsored by CenturyLink.

The 2009 Chairman’s Award winner is Gunther Meisse. He produced the first regularly scheduled AM/FM stereo broadcast over WATG radio in 1958. He was instrumental in starting the Johnny Appleseed Broadcasting Company in 1961 and established their first radio station in 1962. In 1976 Meisse formed GSM Media Corporation which constructed WRGM-AM/FM in Mansfield. In 1985 Meisse formed Mid State Media and purchased radio station WWWY-FM in Columbus, Indiana. In 1990 Meisse formed Mid State Television Inc. and established WOHZ Television (Channel 50), followed by WMFD Television (Channel 68), both in Mansfield, Ohio. WMFD-DT was the first independent digital television station in America.

After the meeting, members enjoyed “The Grass Roots” concert at the Renaissance Theatre.

A special thank you to our sponsors: CenturyLink, ClearChannel Radio WMAN AM1400, Dawson Companies, Gorman Rupp, Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites, KeyBank, Mechanics Bank, Medical Mutual of Ohio and Richland Bank.